Blog
The Beginner’s Mind
A zen buddhism concept which I love which helps you to get out of habits which are not good for you and realign you with your true self. This is called The Beginner’s Mind and means that you are letting go of preconceived opinions and are open to learn something new. If your mind, which is your thoughts and emotions, is ready to learn something new without prejudgment, without negative opinions, and without any opinions and is ready to learn. This is being open and responsive to new ideas.
Zen buddhism talks of being empty, having an empty mind. Being empty of these things which hold us back from learning something new. Being empty of these things which prevent us from starting afresh, putting away habits which are not good for us, and habits which prevent us from moving on, habits which sometimes we don’t even know why we keep doing these things and we need to look with new eyes and with an empty, open beginners mind.
How can we cultivate a beginner’s mind? Meditation, Mindfulness, Reiki, are three ways which help us to cultivate a beginner’s mind. More ways include: becoming less negative, especially when you are listening to people telling you something that you haven’t heard before. Self reflection, looking at your habits, and asking yourself why you do some things repeatedly, especially if these habits have caused you problems in the past. You could keep a journal, and them this could help to highlight when you repeat behaviours and thoughts and emotions which are holding you back, preventing you from moving on, preventing you from starting afresh, or preventing you from finding a new direction, or from finding yourself again.
Having a beginners mind will help you find more options, so that when you want to do something or be able to bring something new into your life, you will be able to think of more ways to do whatever it is your want. With a beginner’s mind, you will be more open to other people’s new ideas, and suggestions. With a beginner’s mind, you will be able to find more solutions when you have any problems.
Often the most limiting thing in this world is they way we limit ourselves and hold ourselves back. And if you have had other people around you who have been holding you back and limiting you their negative beliefs and comments about your abilities become internalised. Having a beginner’s mind helps you to reassess any negative ideas and beliefs about yourself. And it is true and we can start afresh any time we want to. We can find our path and start a new path whenever we want to.
Having a beginner’s mind opens us up to new possibilities. When we are looking for something and we think negatively about whatever comes our way. This prevents us from seeing something new that has good potential for us. Not being able to hear without prejudging and being too quick to judge as well, often prevents us from allowing someone else to help us. It prevents us from allowing something new to begin and to be available in our life. Instead hold back on judgements, hold back on your own ideas, your thoughts, and simply hear, listen and observe.
Cultivating a beginner’s mind helps us to see things from other people’s perspectives. This helps in relationships, it helps to prevent arguing, helps when having discussions and when trying to find solutions in discussions with other people. Being receptive to hearing someone else’s perspective and acknowledging their point of view without being judgemental helps to build relationships and helps friendships grow stronger.
If you are looking for a new job, or something new in your life or if you are at a cross roads and needing a new direction, having a beginner’s mind will open up many new possibilities. Things you didn’t think you could do and things you had not thought of doing before. It helps to bring new opportunities into your life.
Chronic Pain
My spirituality poems book
An ebook of seventeen spiritual poems, about spirituality, love, loss, and grieving for loved ones departed. I am new to writing poetry but I did enjoy writing these, and I hope you enjoy reading them.
link isn’t working, sorry, please copy and paste
http://www.lulu.com/shop/sheila-williams/spirituality-poems/ebook/product-24363091.html
My New Ebook, A short romance story, about a Reiki Practitioner, who starts afresh in Cornwall.
Jessica, moves to St Ives, in Cornwall for a new start and a new business, but what about a new romance?
Your Home and Environment
Does your house feel like it has negative energies in it? Do you feel like there are spirits in your house, and you would like to make sure that these spirits are not creating difficult living conditions? Would you like to feel that your house is cleared of any negative energies leftover from previous people who live there, or previous people who used to visit, or from people who have died in the house? Do you feel that you have spirits in the house, which you would like to move on? Would you like your house protected from people entering it with ill intent? Do you feel that you have created an unsatisfactory environment where your own sadness, and emotional suffering has left the house feeling stale, and depressing? Is your home cluttered and creating anxiety for you?
Your home should be your sanctuary. A place where you feel safe. A place that you look around and it makes you feel happy. An environment where you can relax easily.
If you would like your house energetically cleared, and protected do contact me for this. I am in Yorkshire, so can travel within this area, and further afield. People often have this done, if they are having difficulties in the house, or feel that they have unwanted energies present, and if they are not having any problems at all, then they can have this for extra protection for themselves- as I have done in my own house.
I also offer a declutter service where I come and help you sort out what to get rid of in your house, and how to make it a more comfortable and stressfree environment. Sorting out what no longer brings you joy, what items no longer are needed, and making space for new things in your life.
A cluttered house is often a sign of holding on to past problems, past difficulties, and not letting go of negative emotions. You can talk through these negative emotions as you let them go, and let go of the items from your past, which may have negative connotations attached to them. So you can move forward into the new year with a fresh start.
This work is conducted with Reiki energy and positive energy. I am a qualified holistic therapist and have a degree in psychology. And also, if you are not in UK, you could still have this energy sent to you distantly.
Phone Sheila Williams 07954 192916 to enquire or message me. I am in Yorkshire, but can travel to anywhere in the country.
Aches and pains…
House clearing and protecting
If you would like your house energetically cleared, and protected do contact me for this. I am in Yorkshire, so can travel within this area, and further afield. People often have this done, if they are having difficulties in the house, or feel that they have unwanted energies present, and if they are not having any problems at all, then they can have this for extra protection for themselves- as I have done in my own house.
Of course if you feel that you have spirits in the house, which you would like to move on, this could also be done for this as well. Also if you feel that you have negative energies present this could be a help for you as well.
This work is conducted with Reiki energy, and positive energy. And also, if you are not in UK, you could still have this energy sent to you distantly.
Please message me with any questions and for price. reikihealing1love@yahoo.com
Your Bright Light
Reiki is your bright light and we can think that by practising Reiki and learning Reiki, and doing Reiki meditations, and following the precepts, that in these ways we are returning to our bright light.
It is good to follow the precepts and I do teach about the precepts on my Reiki courses.
Just for today
Do not anger
Do not worry
Be humble
Be honest in your dealings with people
Be compassionate to yourself and others
These precepts come from a Tendai sect of Shugendo that Usui was in contact with. I do believe that is a good thing to follow these precepts and especially, not becoming angry with yourself and with others. Being angry with yourself, can lead to all sorts of problems, and being angry with other people can lead to further aggression, and problems in relationships.
There are many people who are all the above and have not even heard of Reiki, so I think it is important to remember that one doesn’t need to be a Reiki practitioner to be honest, or compassionate, or to be trying to avoid worrying. Also, one important strength which I would add to these precepts is: Do not be selfish, be considerate of other people and their needs.
When Usui talks about ‘Just for today’, I think that he was saying about trying every day to do this, to think each day, that ‘just for today’ I will…..He was saying to try and follow the precepts every day.
Another aspect of ‘Just for today’ is that he could have been talking about being Mindful, and saying right now, be mindful of what you are doing, you don’t need to be angry, or to worry about anything, and be compassionate with yourself, because right now, you matter, this moment, you matter, and be kind and compassionate to yourself and others this moment.
Living your life with the precepts in your heart and in your spirit, will help your spiritual path, it will help your life. Reiki and meditation will help you if you are prone to any negative issues, like being angry too often, or worrying too often as well. When you feel angry or worried, remember that ‘Just for today’ you will try not to become angry or worried, and will do what you can to resolve the problems which have brought about this negative emotion, as well as sitting and relaxing in Reiki energy and meditating.
Being compassionate with yourself can mean many things. Some things it can mean are: not being hard on yourself for your mistakes, means forgiving yourself of your past mistakes, means not pushing yourself so hard that you make yourself ill, means not pushing yourself so hard that you are unable to do everything you need to do, it means making sure that you treat yourself as important, and that you remember that your needs are important. It means caring about yourself and your life.
Being compassionate to others, all the above, can be applied to other people. Other people’s needs and feelings are important, and being kind to other people and treating other people with care and kindness is important. It is important not only for those people we come into contact with, but it is important for ourselves, for our lives.
Guided Meditation over phone/ in person
If you are new to meditation, having one to one guided meditation sessions are a good way to relax, and to learn how to meditate yourself.
You can also have guided meditation in your own home, with a one-to-one session, or with a small group of friends, so you can learn how to do this healing method for yourself. You can also have this at my home in Wakefield on a one-to-one basis or over the telephone. Have guided meditation on a one-to-one basis, helps you much more than going to a large groups where you have no direct support and guidence. I have been doing Zen Meditation for over twenty years. It is a natural healing modality. In research meditation has been found to relieve stress, reduce worrying, is relaxing and good for pain relief. If you would like to have a session with a friend or in a group this can be arranged also.
Guided Meditation £20, one hour, in Wakefield or mobile to your home or social group, or over the telephone, for further afield please ring for a price, also available for groups. Relaxation exercises are included at the beginning before we start the meditation. Good for relaxation and self healing. Beneficial for stress relief, living in the moment, and anxiety reduction.
Guided Meditation £20, one hour, as above, with added affirmations for health and fitness. Over phone or in person. (for in person outside of Wakefield, please ring/email for a price)
Guided Meditation £20, one hour, as above, with added affirmations for confidence and self esteem. Over phone or in person. (for in person outside of Wakefield, please ring/email for a price)
Guided Meditation £20, one hour, as above, but focusing on being more mindful. Over phone or in person. (for in person outside of Wakefield, please ring/email for a price)
It has been scientifically shown that meditation increases brain function, synaptic connections and gray matter in the brain, and has been shown to lower pain sensitivity. Regular meditation increases melatonin that may enhance the immunity system. It is also theorised that changes in the brain may lead to enhanced awareness and control of emotional experience, (Holzel et al, Coker, Massionet et al). It is also believed to be healing for the body. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3004979/pdf/nihms-232587.pdf)
Click to access meditationandstressMSCancer.pdf
Click to access nihms-6696.pdf
ttps://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/cancer-in-general/treatment/complementary-alternative-therapies/individual-therapies/meditation