An Interview with Chris Jefferson

1)To begin with, can you tell us how you came to be involved in the field of holistic healing? What drew you to the field, where did you take your training, etc?

I was 6 months pregnant while living near Tampa, Florida, and bored stiff.

A girlfriend back home was taking a course in Reiki and suggested I also look into it.

I connected with a local Reiki Master, quite effortlessly, received a treatment and a Level 1 Attunement, and never looked back.

Discovering Reiki was like a long awaited homecoming, it felt so wonderful, exhilarating, and magical.

Always a great fan of science fiction and fantasy, I was ecstatic to find out my own life now included such amazing activities as psychic development, moving and sensing energy, and the realization that I had the ability to explore vast possibilities within human consciousness.

Unlike a lot of people who find holistic therapies through illness or trauma of some kind, my discovery was more of a prearranged awakening.

As I look back, several events prior to my Attunement served to set me up for what was to be the most pivotal event in my life to that point.

In the years following my initial enlightening experience, I was to challenge and in many cases, reverse most of my core belief systems, thus shattering binding and constricting illusions which prevented me from living a completely joyful life.

My training is ongoing, however, of the several Teachers I have worked with over the years, I found my first Reiki Master, Sandy Ireland to be the gentlest, most caring and sensitive person, who's presence in my life gave me great comfort during my "formative" phase.

I found most of the workshops I attended, ranging from Shamanic Studies to Channeling Nature Spirits, served to awaken hidden innate talents that just needed a little nudging to come to the surface. It took time to build up my confidence in my abilities and to grow and enhance my people skills.

I have always been a natural leader and listener, so "getting into the field" of holistic therapies was more of a natural progression which allowed me to express and experience the every expanding repertoire that was becoming my personal "style."

2) One of the things that I find most fascinating about your work, is that you employ more than Reiki in the treatments that you offer your clients -- like your use of clairvoyance. Can you tell us how you came to make use of your special gift of sight into your work?

Reiki is and was the foundation for most of my work, since it is through Reiki, or God Consciousness, that awareness is expanded. From there, everything else is interconnected and enhanced. All skills are magnified when used in conjunction with Reiki; telepathy, empathy, clairvoyance, clairsentience, to name a few. The most useful tool at my disposal is that of the Broader Perspective. I am able to discern as an observer, the larger view or picture of a problem or challenge and from that place, offer constructive advice or solutions. Broader Perspective is often the most appropriate key to unlocking virtually any entanglement.

The bottom line is that, all tools eventually merge into one function and that is to enlighten, or bring to light, awareness, therefore healing, to the client.

3) You encourage your clients to talk about their feelings as they are experiencing a treatment? This is definitely a unique approach. What led you to implementing this in your practice? Does this technique also put you into the role of counselor as well as healer?

The idea of clients actively participating in their sessions is an extremely empowering one. The client feels they are in control of their process, which they are. Most times it is simply a matter of educating them on how to use the many tools at their disposal.

Insights are much more powerful and meaningful when we get the "ah-ha!!" ourselves versus a psychic or intuitive answering our questions for us. Often, I am able to lead others to their own conclusions by offering pertinent questions based on the Broader Perspective and Observer Status I am able to maintain.

Everyone has their own symbolism and inner language, and sometimes it is a trick to decipher the code, offer options, and keep my perspective without being drawn into their dramas. By utilizing empathy, and a thorough understanding of subconscious patterns, I am able to monitor the clients progress as they travel through their inner world, in addition to "keeping them on the right track," should they deviate from their path.

This being said, I often find myself playing the role of Life Coach and Spiritual Counselor as well as emotional Cheer Leader.

4) I think that it is fascinating that you also use Shamanism work in your practice. You introduce your clients to their power animals and their spirit guides. What guided you to bringing this unique tool to your healing practice?

A few years back I briefly studied some basic journeying techniques commonly practiced in Shamanic work. I discovered I was a natural tracker. By this I mean, I could follow with my awareness, a thread of emotion, from the surface, to the core, or origination points, often these represented aspects of the persons' psyche which they had locked or hidden away. By locating then reintegrating these "lost" energies back into the whole, I found what I was intuitively doing was very similar to Shamanic Soul Retrievals.

As for locating Power Animals, I found it very easy to negotiate what the Shamanic studies referred to as the Lower, Middle, and Upper Worlds. For me, traversing these levels of awareness came naturally, so I was able to safely guide others through them to help connect to Power Animals, Totems, or any other spirit beings they wished to connect with.

I learned early on that the more options one has in terms of "tools" to assist in the healing process, the more versatile I could be with clients, thereby covering many bases at one time, multitasking, so to speak.

My dominant intent was always to provide them with the maximum healing potential experience, a timelessness, one that lasted several days past the initial session, and one that incorporated and encompassed multiple levels of consciousness and multiple layers of healing. In other words: "A Big Whammy."

5) Many holistic health practitioners have difficulty bringing their healing and their business acumen together. You have established a centre for the work that you do in Tottenham, Ontario. Can you tell us about the business side of your healing work? What led you to open your shop? What has the public's response been to this unique business endeavor?

Business for me is very easy. I have always been left being dominant. I have a B.A. in Economics from York University, and a Bachelors Degree in Business from Seneca College. I worked in the Banking industry for almost 12 years before my husbands' work took us to the U.S. temporarily. We returned in 1996, after the birth of my second child. I began my practice out of my home and quickly discovered I needed more space and a means of separating my business and personal life. I needed a place to practice and I felt Reiki needed to be visible. I took my Aries "ram-ness" and opened a Centre for Metaphysical Studies and Spiritual Development in a very small town.

The shop acts as a central networking hub for all local holistic practitioners to display their business cards and information flyers. We have a few retail items, to support the modalities we utilize, however, our primary focus is on services, workshops, instruction, and education.

After 2 & 1/2 years, we still attract several "new" faces each week, and our community of practitioners works well together assisting people in everything from Reflexology to Psychospiritual Counseling, to Nature Retreats.

6) If there was one bit of advice that you could pass on to other practitioners and healers, what would that be.

My advice to others is Physician, Heal Thyself. We cannot expect to assist others from our best capacity if we are not balanced ourselves. Use your community and other practitioners. Network, refer clients, work together. There is no such thing as a lack of clients to go around. Turf wars are an illusion. Build your own awareness before you try to pass what you think you know on to others. Keep growing and learning, there is way more ahead of us than there ever is behind us. There is ALWAYS more out there. There is ALWAYS a deeper meaning to everything we do, do not be afraid to explore it.

The Centre itself will be under new management shortly, allowing me more freedom to travel. I have possibilities opening up in the areas of motivational speaking and or mediation.

I recently attended an International Conference in Portland, Oregon for the International Alliance for Animal Therapy and Healing, IAATH for short.

This group of dedicated individuals are working together to bridge the communication and educational gaps between Professional Veterinarians, Educational Institutions, and members of the Holistic Therapy Communities. As one of only two Canadian representatives, I was thrilled to include our unique energy component to the mix. The official position paper we all diligently worked to produce should be published shortly and will act as a useful tool to further integrate all of us into the whole community. Please visit www.IAATH.com for more details.

Our world and its composite energies is changing so fast, we have a choice as to how to experience these changes. We have so many wonderful tools to assist us in this dynamic process. It is our choice to experience these changes feeling empowered and a part of it, or to isolate ourselves and feel alone. You alone, have the power to choose. It is through your choices that you will truly lead others. God Bless, and Namaste.

www.reikihealing.on.ca 1 800 564 5218 or 905 936 5082