Vlatka Toukalek
Jikiden Reiki Shihan (teacher)
I am an electrical engineer, MSc in Information Technology and Computer Science with more than 20 years of experience and recognized expert status. If you are interested to learn more about that part of my life you can check my LinkedIn profile.
My Reiki experience is not that long though I have more than 30 years of studying, exploring, using and being amazed and humbled by the energy.
In 2014 I was diagnosed with a very rare and aggressive cancer. Surgeries removed tumors but, unfortunately, I did not come well from the anesthesia of the second surgery. Plus, the recovery was really really slow. I lived in hell for 11 months, with unbearable constant pain, bleeding, tissue that would not heal and crusts suffocating me on their way out of my head. And then, an angel woman proposed, timidly, that she may be able to ease my suffering by doing Reiki treatment. My analytical engineering mind was a bit sceptical but I was desperate and open to anything that may help. Elisabeth proposed 3 treatments over 3 weeks period. What happened I considered miracle at the time. In the middle of the first treatment a big crust, followed with a lot of blood, came out. After that not a single crust was formed or caused me further suffering. After the second session bleedings stopped and pain was significantly decreased. After the third session I was for the first time in almost a year pain free. Medical checkup with my wonderful surgeon showed that tissue was finally healing and scars were closing. Reiki gave me my life back – changed, with limits but still – the life. Obviously, all I wanted to do next was to learn Reiki.
My Reiki path started in “western” Reiki, and I went through two “schools” all the way to Master level but still felt something was missing. As the Universe has its ways, I came across THE book about Reiki (Frank Arjava Petter: “This is Reiki”). It was so amazing to learn that Arjava sensei had same doubts and questions. And even more amazing that he got his answers and clarification by learning original Reiki – Jikiden Reiki from Chiyoko sensei.
When the first opportunity opened to attend Arjava sensei’s seminars, I signed up. And WOW – that was it. I got my answers, all the missing links and more! Those 5 days in Arjava sensei’s dojo (training center) in Lesvos changed my life. Up until that point I was doing only self treatments and treatments on my husband. After my Shoden and Okuden training, people (and dogs) were just coming to me and the most amazing things happened. You can see some of the case studies and experiences here. I finally understood why Cancer came into my life and changed it, for the good. Nothing, nothing compares to the joy of being an instrument in helping someone get better.
I felt I should help spreading Jikiden Reiki to the parts of the world where it is not well known. To be honest, I always loved teaching and mentoring so going Jikiden Reiki teacher path was only natural to me. My oncologist, Dr. Clare Munday, encouraged me. By the way, if you would like to learn more about cancer from unconventional point of view I strongly recommend her book “Hello cancer, I’m listening” .
Meeting my Premier Jikiden Reiki family in Manchester (Arjava sensei, Julie, Anne-Marie, Sarah, Laure, Rachel, Daniel, Carol C., Carol D. Clare, Jen, Geata, Maki, Paul,) and becoming Shihan Kaku (assistant teacher) was an overwhelming experience. Never in my life have I felt so connected to a group of people I just met, I have never never felt so much love and selflessness…. So I started to teach and eventually became Shihan (teacher).
Becoming Shihan is something one cannot easily describe with words. Receiving my Gokai scroll I felt so much humility and responsibility, my heart full of EVERYTHING, my eyes tearing up…
Jikiden Reiki is not my profession, it is not my hobby, it is my life. So here I am, happy to treat you and/or teach you, a woman on a mission to make this world a better place.