Updated: Sun, Sep 9, 2007

Warren Times

Wednesday, September 5, 2007 e-mail this story | print it  

Reiki: Not just for humans anymore

Doreen Maura, 44, tends to a feline patient at her Reiki studio in Warren.

























WARREN - Doreen Maura, 44, first took classes in Reiki six years ago, and is now a Reiki master teacher. She
practices the healing art on both people and pets, along with her business partner, Sara Baker, who leads meditation
and Kundalini yoga classes. Though Reiki — defined by Wikipedia.org as a healing art that channels power from the
hands of the practitioner into the body of the patient — has long been considered a healing tool for humans, Ms. Maura
believes it can be beneficial to felines as well, helping relieve stress and anxiety.

Early interest: "I was participating in other healing modalities, learning about angels, and I was told I had Reiki hands."

Angels?: "I advertise myself as an angel therapy practitioner as well as a Reiki practitioner. Everyone has at least two
guardian angels and you can work with them for the purposes of healing different aspects of your life."

Reiki basics: "It is a very gentle non-invasive Japanese healing technique. It has been called many things, including
energy healing. Everything in the universe has energy associated with it, especially humans and animals. Any kind of
stress, illness, or emotional problems can block the flow of energy within us. With Reiki you can actually feel blocked
spots and send more energy to that area."

Warm practice: "Your hands get so warm with the energy; often I just hover with my hands. I do touch but mostly hover,
but people report all the time that it feels like I'm touching them because there is so much warmth. Other Reiki
practitioners have told me that as well."

Reiki for pets: "Same exact reasons as people; stress, anxiety. Pets are affected by divorce, moves, or another child
coming into the family. "

Favorite food: "I have been Vegan (eat no animal products) for 18 years and my child was born Vegan. I became
Vegan for the animals, that does relate to working with the animals."

In the trunk: "A case of bottled water, my son's book report which is mounted on foam core from last year which I didn't
have the heart to throw away, and his backpack."

Printed word: "I love historical fiction, I loved Dan Brown's books and I loved the Harry Potter series."

Lunch with anyone: "Of course it would be Jesus Christ, if he wasn't too busy healing the world, but I don't think I would
be able to eat. Otherwise it would definitely be George Harrison from the Beatles."

Philosophy of life: "Do what's right in your heart; love your children first, be kind to those who aren't kind to you, just
because it's the right thing to do. We always say 'live life from an angelic perspective; angels wouldn't get upset if they
got stuck in a traffic jam.'"

Travel tales: "I've been to Daytona Beach in Florida. I love the beach, the ocean, the heat, there are miles and miles of
beach in Daytona."

Pets: "We have a dog, a shepherd husky mix, his name is Chance, he came from the Bristol pound, and a cat who's
going on 15, Miranda, and a kitty, Pipper, who is about a year and a half old."

Ticket to anywhere: "I think I would go to Scotland, there's something about the oceans and the landscape that's really
intriguing, and the history and the architecture and the castles."

Choose anything: "I would open up a large healing sanctuary in a beautiful location with gardens and water views, a
learning and healing center and sanctuary. It would be a place where people could come for a vacation and spend a
week meditating by a waterfall. It would also be a place to bring your cats and dogs."

Strong inspiration: "I would say my grandmother, Catherine, she was a very strong woman. She had high morals and
values and expected that of others as well. She lived to be 104."

By Cindy VanSchalkwyk

cindyv@eastbaynewspapers.com