We had the good fortune of connecting with Rhiannon & Dirk Barkemeijer de Wit and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rhiannon & Dirk, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Our beloved Golden Retriever Rowan was the inspiration behind our staring The Rowan Tree Reiki. Although we had been working within the intuitive and healing arts for over 15 years, it wasn’t until our dog Rowan was diagnosed with terminal cutaneous lymphoma that we felt called to learn Reiki. Reiki is a Japanese energy balancing and harmonizing modality that we believed could support Rowan in her cancer journey and support her in her physical transition once it was time for her to move beyond her body and leave her physical existence. She was being treated by an animal oncologist and a holistic integrative veterinarian and we believed that Reiki being a complimentary modality could provide additional palliative care support and potentially improve her quality of life. Once we went through our initial Reiki Training for Rowan, we knew that we would carry forward this beautiful modality for others, humans and animals, which we have, in Rowan’s name and to honor her brave journey. This journey began in 2018 and in 2019 we established the Rowan Tree Reiki with a vision of supporting humans and animals with Reiki and to volunteer Reiki for animal rescues and shelters and to support both humans and animals in hospice with Reiki. All the while continuing our Reiki training to Reiki Master Teacher. In the last four years we have offered Reiki support to animals and humans, supported rescues and shelters, and supporting all sorts of animals from dogs, cats, horses and even a snake – and I often think that this all originated with our little red one, our Darling Girl, Rowan.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
The Rowan Tree Reiki is a Reiki Practice founded by Rhiannon & Dirk Barkemeijer de Wit offering Reiki sessions and services for humans and animals as well as facilitate integrative Reiki events and Reiki Certification Courses. Dirk, being a Didgeridoo musician and Sound Healer and Rhiannon facilitating Cacao Ceremonies, they offer unique experiences through their Rowan Tree Reiki sessions, classes and events. Clients are able to request an integrative session combining Reiki and Sound Healing, during which both Dirk and Rhiannon are providing the session. The Rowan Tree Reiki certification courses offer a unique experience to students during the Reiki attunements (the process where students receive Reiki initiation) Dirk provides Didgeridoo Sound Healing while Rhiannon provides the attunements. Additionally, our certification courses include mini-Cacao Ceremonies that provide platforms to connect with the Ki/life force energy of Cacao, to celebrate and inaugurate the Reiki journey, to connect with the Cacao as a heart expanding elixir, and for students to set intentions for their Reiki Initiation.

We started Rowan Tree Reiki in 2019 and had begun receiving invitations to events and supporting clients with sessions, and then just as we were getting our practice underway, in 2020 the entire world experienced the COVID pandemic and life and work as we knew it changed abruptly. Like everyone, we had to adapt to the current experience and our way to adapt was to offer Zoom Reiki sessions which enabled us to connect in real time, “face to face” albeit not in person, with clients (human and animal) for distant Reiki anywhere. Most common distant Reiki had been practiced via the practitioner offering the Reiki from their space using a photo of the client or another means to focus on the client. With the Zoom it brought distant Reiki to the closest you can get to an in-person session without the hands-on experience. Although things have been opening up and in-person sessions are now available, we still offer Zoom for distant Reiki clients. During 2020 we also began online Reiki meditations and sound healing experiences through social media platforms, and this provided the opportunity to reach a wider base of clients and participants, as we had people attending from all over the country and international as well. While there were these benefits that the circumstances provided through forcing one to adapt, we recognize the tremendous loss that occurred during the pandemic and have experienced this loss first-hand so it is with great respect and empathy that we share that part of our story.

We love Reiki, so any Reiki experience is exciting to us. I, Rhiannon, especially love Animal Reiki and the beautiful connection with animals Reiki provides. Since practicing as Reiki Master Teachers, I also really love working with students, being able to be part of the ripple effect of Reiki with each person that receives Reiki training/attunements. I love to see/hear about the students going out and using their ability to channel Reiki to benefit and improve their lives and the lives of others. That just makes my Reiki heart so very happy!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Favorite spots and to do would include seeing the Immersive Frida Kahlo LA, Candlelight Concert in LA put on by feverup.com, Descanso Gardens, El Capitan Theatre for a fun flick, San Gabriel Mission Playhouse, Wilshire Ebell Theatre…

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
We are so grateful to our Reiki Master Teacher Lauren Adamczyk of Blossoming Lotus Reiki for saying yes to our private class when we felt the urgency to receive our Reiki training during Rowan’s cancer journey. Lauren was and continues to be a loving, supportive teacher and mentor and an inspiration for Reiki and an inspiration as a consciously living human being. Other Reiki Master Teachers that have supported our journey include Joey M. Joseph, Kerri Draper and Lisa Powers. Kerri Draper of HB Reiki regularly offers opportunities to volunteer Reiki and these opportunities have helped inspire, have given experience and have helped open doors to the volunteering we envisioned for The Rowan Tree Reiki. Lisa Powers’ Animal Reiki Certification course gave Rhiannon the training/foundation for her Animal Reiki Practice along with the books on Animal Reiki written by Kathleen Prasad were also very influential and played a key role in developing her approach with Reiki for animals. Andrea and Michael Roth who not only welcomed Reiki for their dogs living with serious illness but also recognized the benefits and have been so encouraging to us in our developing our Rowan Tree Reiki practice. Ozzie & Friends Rescue who regularly welcomes us to volunteer Reiki for their dogs. Gratitude to all those humans and animals that said yes to letting us practice with them during our training.

Website: www.RowanTreeReiki.com

Instagram: @rowantreereiki

Facebook: Rowan Tree Reiki

Youtube: Journey with the Sacred Self

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