Feasel shares life-force therapy through Reiki

CLYDE – Reiki master Zach Feasel is on a quest to educate the public on the ancient practice, which he explains is an energetic, therapeutic technique. Because he is often asked questions about it, Feasel presented a program on Reiki at Clyde Public Library this month, and is open to other forums in which he can share his knowledge.

Feasel explained that Reiki is associated with an energetic life force.

“‘Rei’ means universal spirit, which some people associate with God. ‘Ki’ means energy, so Reiki is universal life energy,” he said. “You can receive it and send it. It’s infinite. It knows what it’s doing. It can go across the world or across lifetimes.”

Feasel said Reiki can be a hands-on or hands-off therapy that can be administered anywhere.

“It can be hands-on, a few inches off the body, across the room, or across the world,” he said.

Feasel has been a Reiki master for about a year. He learned from Reiki master Rachel Berry, a registered nurse with Stein Hospice.

“Reiki is something I stumbled across way back when. It’s been in the back of my mind, and the opportunity arose to take classes,” Feasel said. “I’ve been practicing for a year and a half, and I’ve been a master for over a year.”

He was educated through three levels of Reiki training to reach master status. He learned everything from hand placements and history to how to pass Reiki on to people across the world.

“I was surprised by the simplicity of it. It’s something anyone can learn if they find a master,” he said.

He was also surprised by the power of Reiki.

“You can actually feel it. I expected it to be more gentle, but it was intense. It can be intense, depending on how much physical and emotional baggage you have,” he said. “It’s not a discomforting feeling, but it is a powerful feeling.”

Feasel said there is a belief in the Reiki community that every physical trauma has an attached mental or emotional trauma.

“This helps you deal with emotional trauma in a gentle way,” he said.

He learned a lot from Berry, who has taught Reiki to many of the staff and volunteers at Stein Hospice. Her classes are open to the public, as well. Stein workers often incorporate Reiki into their patients’ treatments.

“It is used with our patients a lot. When you use Reiki, pain levels go down, and stress and anxiety decrease,” Berry said. “It turns on the relaxation response. It helps tremendously. Patients sleep better, and less medication is needed.”

Feasel would like to find more opportunities to share the Reiki principles to anyone interested.

“People have asked me questions, so right now, my focus is on education. I want to pique their interest,” he said.

For more information, call Zach Feasel at 419-603-7497.

Contact News-Messenger correspondent Sheri Trusty atsheri.trusty@gmail.com or 419-639-0662.