We were living and teaching Reiki in Darjeeling, India, when we decided to try for a child. Straight after conception I placed my hands on Bronwen's sacral chakra, the area of the ovaries and a tremendous heat was channeled into the womb and it felt as of I was helping the seeds of life. This was the first contact that I had with my child because we soon realised that Bronwen was pregnant. After a 10 year relationship we had imagined that it would take a much longer period before she became pregnant, but we were now both sure that the Reiki energy was helping to speed things up.

I decided to do a daily Reiki session on our baby. It began to feel as if I was a part of the baby and of Bronwen, who had a deeper connection than I did with our new child. When I placed my hands on the womb I immediately sensed a beautiful energy streaming into our baby and I felt overwhelmed with emotions which I never knew I had.

I would love to promote Reiki as a means of helping couples to cope with pregnancy and as a way of supporting husbands to become more involved as this is a special time for sharing and communicating with each other, for all three of you.

Men are often overlooked as being important in the pregnancy - or at least many feel this way. If they were to practise Reiki they would have no excuse not to take part and already show their child love and support.

Hands can be placed on the Mother's uterus ? on the baby - with the intention that energy moves freely to wherever the baby requires it at that moment in its life. The father can also do Reiki on the mother to offer his support for her. And lastly the father can also offer energy to himself. Everyone needs support and love and fathers are no different.

During childbirth I also used Reiki as a technique for releasing tension and stress (when Bronwen allowed me!). I placed my hands on her tailbone and gave energy, when I felt that I couldn't do much I sent her energy as well. It was wonderful to feel that even this process - the birth - was something that I could be involved and supportive in.

For me it felt like I was more a part of the pregnancy and birth. When our baby finally arrived and we touched each other's skin it was with recognition as we had already known each other's energies.

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