There are times in life where our heart aches. Not because we aren't healed or evolved enough, but because we are humans moving through life. To be alive is to have experiences that unfold and feel painful.

Death, loss, change, disappointment, events outside of our control. 

These moments don't necessitate explanations or understanding. Sure, that can come, often later. But when we feel tender in the most vulnerable way, we need gentleness and care. A safe place to be to tend to those raw parts of us. A little space to breathe to allow a scab to form over the open wound. 

In this space, Reiki meets us where we are. While it isn't a magic wand that can change all the things we wish were not, it does invite a benevolent presence to be with us amidst it all. A little more room to breathe. Taking the edge off the pain. Making it a little more bearable to be present. 

Finally, sometimes just being with another compassionate human when we are suffering, and feeling a little less alone helps. 

If you find yourself in this place now, or in the future. I'd be honored to sit with you, and hold space for you and your pain. Reach out. 

Hang in there,
Sarah

If you have been around me for a while, you probably know that I am a loving and devoted a cat lady to my two handsome fellas Orangie and JoJo. So much so, I even embraced my quirkiness and held a 10 Years of Gotcha party last year. 

So, when I realized that Monsieur Fluffermuffin Orangie, who is becoming mature in age, is starting to have some kidney and digestive troubles, I started diligently trying to find ways to help him stay as healthy and happy as possible. Naturally, I've been working with my vet to explore various options to help him.  

I've been aiming to give Orangie more Reiki than usual to try to help him. His energy had been a bit less, and appetite there, but not the best. 

I'd done Reiki for him a few nights one week, then gave him a particularly long distant Reiki sesh one night. He was sleeping under my bed, and I laid on the couch using my beanie baby proxy to work on his intestines and kidneys. I could feel a lot shifting. 

The next morning, Orangie was waking me up by getting into things (he had a habit of that before), he looked chipper and bright, his appetite was ravenous, and, oh, the zoomies! He was chasing his brother around like a little fiend. 

I was very encouraged to see how much that distant Reiki helped him. 

I'm hoping that with continued sessions like that, and following vet recommendations that he'll have many more years as a happy kitty. 

This is just one example of a day-to-day way that practicing Reiki can be a supportive force in your life. (And, clearly not a placebo effect, since he wouldn't have known otherwise I was giving him Reiki, and he's a cat!)

Perhaps, you'd like to learn Reiki to be able to offer to your loved ones in need? Reiki I starts June 27th, and registration closes on the 19th.

Or, maybe you have a pet that could also benefit from some healing work! I'd be happy to do a remote session for them too! 

Or, maybe you're just a mere mortal with troubles of your own, and you want some support. 

I gotchu,

Sarah

Every week there is a new horrifying or gobsmacking event happening in the US. I try to write in ways that are relevant to current events and how to navigate them while tending to our inner world and the collective, but I don't have the capacity to respond to them every time. Now that my cued e-letters for Reiki training are up (we've postponed the start until we have more registrants, so let me know if you are interested!), I'm confronted again with what to write. 

I'm going to speak plainly today. 

If you haven't been paying attention, you need to now. 

If you listen to Fox News, it's time to find another source. They've been lying to you. 

It's time to find non-violent ways to respond, and repeat, ad nauseam. This is the necessity of these times. 

Minnesotans are brave. Resilient. Scared. Doing the thing anyway. In frigid, unsafe temperatures. I love them. I wish they didn't have to do this.

I know many of you have Minnesotans in your life. Check on them. Send them care packages. Protest in solidarity with them (there are many ICE Out protests going on around the country.) Let them know they aren't doing this alone.

Us Midwesterners are hearty folk. We've lived through the bitter cold and snow year after year. We care about our community, and that is showing in the unwillingness to submit to bullies who just want us to lay down and take it. Fuck that.

The macrocosm is the microcosm. Imagine (or remember) an abusive family system. The emotionally and physically abusive parent hurts one of the children. The other is the golden child (immune to the physical harm, but also steeped in the emotional harm in different ways). The child who is being hit says something, speaks out about the abuse. "How dare that child say anything?" thinks the abusive parent or enabler. They should just sit there and take it. The abusers thinks the child is making them hit them, because the child upset them. It would all just be better if they were quiet.

Well, that's the narrative for the US right now coming from those in positions of power.

Historians and political scientists have a world for it when it's a government: Totalitarianism.

From Britannica.com:
Totalitarianism is a form of government that attempts to assert total control over the lives of its citizens. It is characterized by strong central rule that attempts to control and direct all aspects of individual life through coercion and repression. It does not permit individual freedom. Traditional social institutions and organizations are discouraged and suppressed, making people more willing to be merged into a single unified movement. Totalitarian states typically pursue a special goal to the exclusion of all others, with all resources directed toward its attainment, regardless of the cost.

My work is all about healing and releasing trauma. This administration is generating so much trauma it brings me to tears. Sometimes I collapse on my floor, head in my hands, before I rally myself. 

Alex. Renee. A baby that stopped breathing from being teargassed. An autistic woman carried away as she was on the way to the doctor. A peaceful protestor blinded. Oglala Sioux Tribal members detained (they are the only ones who never immigrated! wtf?!?!). People of color (citizens and those here legally) profiled, harassed, detained because of how they look, how they speak, how they dress. I could go on and on.

All of these people, they need us. We need us. 

The Republican members of Congress have the power to stop this. There is still time to pressure them to rein in ICE. Congress: 202-224-3121. You don't have to have the perfect thing to say. You just need to call. Honestly, I find it rather cathartic hounding Ron Johnson. ;)

What I do believe in is the power of the people. You and me. There are more of us than there are of them. We are fed up, and this doesn't have to continue. We just have to be willing to do something about it. Stand in your power. Don't give it away to them in complacency or fear. We are stronger together. 

Voces de la Frontera has resources to support immigrants, and rally to protect them in Wisconsin. Donate, volunteer, get involved. We need to be ready.

Monarcha is the rapid response line in Minnesota. They need our support. 

Keep an eye on the 287g program, and speak up! This gives municipalities federal money for local law enforcement to collaborate with ICE. Because they've been deputized in this way, essentially any police officers in participating counties are also effectively ICE agents. They often also have beds reserved in their jails for detainees. There are numerous counties in Wisconsin that are currently participating at the time of this writing: Brown, Calumet, Fond du Lac, Kenosha, Kewaunee, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Marathon, Marquette, Outagamie, Sauk, Sheboygan, Washington, Waukesha, Waushara, Winnebago, and Wood Counties Sheriffs' Offices, and the Palmyra Police Department. This is also reversible! So if you live in one of those counties, speak up and say you do not want your police department participating!

Know that I'm doing what I can to stand with you in this. I've been standing up to bullies since 1987. Standing up to these bullies has become my new hobby.

If you need help regulating your nervous system, or finding moments to recharge to keep doing the thing, I'm here. 

I'm also wanting to offer Reiki to immigrants and those being harmed by this administration. If you would like to donate funds to help sponsor folks, or donate your own Reiki skills to help, let me know. Hopefully, our little bits of effort will lessen some of the long lasting impacts of this harm. 

Keep showing up.

Love ya'll and stay safe out there,

Sarah

Thinking of learning Reiki, but unsure if this is the program for you?

Here are some reasons you'd decide to jump in with us. 

This is one of the most supportive Reiki trainings out there. 
Most Reiki programs are one day long. You get an attunement, a manual, *maybe* some practice, and you are sent on your way. 

I've had a lot of students come to me who've studied elsewhere at one of these trainings, but felt like they didn't get what they wanted out of it. They don't feel connected to the Reiki, they don't use it, or they don't know if they are doing it right. 

In our program, each level is three to four months long. We have ample class time. Time for instruction, questions, and practice. You get a number of times to receive support during the month, either in a group or one-on-one. The space between trainings also gives time for the Reiki energy to integrate into your system for you to heal, while you are learning. It also gives time for the questions to bubble up, so then you can get support during class. Reiki is an abstract and subtle modality, a lot questions can come up when you start to practice, that you might not otherwise think of. 

Most students who've taken my programs end up feeling really grounded, and connected to the Reiki. They feel confident using it, and understand how to practice in a safe, and ethical way. 

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"I have done other Reiki trainings, and while they were useful and fulfilling, Sarah's training was more detailed and supportive. Sarah is an intuitive and gifted teacher, and her warm and open nature allows for students to learn and develop in a very nurturing environment. I am excited to begin Level III."
~Anonymous
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I've been practicing Reiki for 16 years.
As I mentioned before, a lot of the tricky stuff that can come up in a Reiki practice is when the rubber meets the road. During these years, I've seen and experiences a lot. The kinds of mysterious happenings that present themselves with the Reiki. The kinds of conversations that are had with the public, and have evolved how to talk about Reiki. The ways to operate that help one practice in a safe, ethical way that honors the boundaries of their clients and themselves. 

While I'm not perfect, and I am still learning all the time. I have learned a lot from my previous experience and I weave that into the teachings, so hopefully students don't have to take as long to learn it as I did. 

I've always been a teacher. 
I got a degree in education before I began my Reiki practice, and I understand what helps people learn, and really integrate that knowing into their being. This is why my Reiki Training Program is structured the way it is. I originally taught one day workshops, and I ultimately felt this was a disservice to my students, and the Reiki energy. Since shifting to the current format several years ago, Reiki students have flourished in their relationship with the Reiki energy. 

You'll learn in a safe, nurturing, and fun environment. 
I take the energetic container of our class very seriously so we can do deep, powerful, and vulnerable work. Safety is the key to healing. That being said, I love being silly, and we have a lot of fun. Together, our classes create a space where everyone can be themselves and feel supported by each other. You'll marvel at how you transform, as well as the people around you during our months together. 

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"I completed all 3 Reiki courses in the past year with Sarah Barlow at Embrace Your Essence. Her knowledge and passion for Reiki, combined with her excitement for teaching others, made this an amazing and transformative journey. The small group classes created a perfect space for sharing experiences and practicing our skills. If you have been considering receiving Reiki treatments or taking a Reiki class, I highly recommend Sarah."
~Kathy W.
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If you are still unsure if this Reiki training is the right fit for you? I'm happy to have a conversation with you to help you get the clarity you need. Reach out and we'll talk. :)

Ready to jump in on Feb 7th? Register here. Deadline is Jan 24th. 

Warmly,
~Sarah

Reiki is special. It's adaptable. It's accessible. It can even be sneaky. 

Once you learn how to do it, it is always there for you. 

Trouble sleeping? Put your hands on yourself.
Injure your knee? Put a hand on your knee. 
Nervous before a work meeting? Place a hand on your heart.
Anxious during a first date? Keep a palm on your lap. 
Sister's getting surgery across the country? Distant Reiki from your couch.
Sweet kitty is having tummy trouble? Reiki while you pet them. 

There are multitudes of applications for Reiki for yourself, and your loved ones. All you need is your hands. Once you get to Reiki II and learn distant Reiki, you don't even need to be in the same place. 

Reiki is amazing. It's one of those modalities that practitioners can easily give to themselves. Whereas, for other healing modalities it can be harder to do self-healing work. 

The subtleness of the Reiki also makes it easy to give to yourself or others when you are in a crowd, or other public setting without it being obvious. 

Reiki is my favorite tool. It meets you where you are. 

Reiki helps to guide your life, and weather away the things that aren't working for you. It leads you to the things that are going to be supportive. 

Reiki is one of the best things that's ever happened to me.

It could be for you too, if you'll let it. 

What do you say? Want to join us for this year's Reiki training?

There's just under two weeks to sign up for Reiki I which begins on Sat Feb 7th.

You can get all the details here.

I hope you'll join us. :)

Much love,
Sarah

Mikao Usui was a seeker. Born in 1865 in Japan, Usui had a diverse array of experiences including oversees travel, and jobs as a civil servant, journalist, missionary, and counselor for prisoners. He studied history, medicine, Buddhism, Christianity, psychology, asceticism, prophesy, physiognomy (the ability to judge one’s character by their facial features), and more, in his quest to discover the meaning of life. He eventually received his answer: “attain a state of complete peace/stillness of mind.”

Usui took up Zen Buddhism for three years hoping to reach this state, to no avail. He asked his master for advice, to which he replied, “Maybe you should experience death.” In March 1922, Usui gave up on life, and retreated up to Mount Kurama for meditation and fasting in preparation for his death. At midnight during his third week of fasting, Usui felt a powerful shock at the center of his brain, and lost consciousness. When he awoke at dawn, he felt refreshed in a way he had never felt before. Reiki energy had penetrated his body and soul. As the cosmic energy and his personal energy resonated together, he realized, “The Universe is me, and I am the Universe.”

Overjoyed that he had attained enlightenment, Usui ran down the mountain. He tripped over a rock, and ripped off his toenail. He placed his hand on his toe, and the pain vanished and the bleeding stopped. He shared this experience with his master, who guided him to use this ability to heal others and lead them to enlightenment. This is where Usui developed Reiki as a healing method, which would be passed down directly from teacher to student.

And so, Reiki as a healing art began.

Many drawn to Reiki are also seekers. Seeking depth, meaning, healing, something they might not have words for. 

Are you a seeker?

Perhaps, the Reiki energy calls to you. 

If you follow the call, you might be surprised where it might lead. 

We have a training program that starts in about a month. I invite you to join us, see where the path goes. 

Read more about the training here. It's super supportive and nourishing. 

Class size is limited to 3-6 students, and deadline to register is Jan 24th. 

I hope you'll join us. 

Reach out with questions.

In the Highest Good,
Sarah

2025 is exhaling its last few breaths. Phew! What a revolution around the sun. We're still here. 

Hopefully, you've been finding some moments for you to also catch your breath.

While New Year's resolutions swirl in the air, I invite you to take a slightly different spin on it. 

What seeds of light do you want to plant for yourself in 2026? 

Friendship — Community — Understanding — Justice — Health — Spiritual Growth — Security — Ease — Creativity — Adventure — Love — Truth 

Perhaps, there are some qualities that were lacking for you this past year that you are yearning for? Some unmet needs you'd like to tend to?

Narrow it to one to three qualities. Write them down. Meditate on them. Brainstorm some actionable strategies that you can play with to meet those needs. You don't have to know all the ways. Just something that can give you enough traction to start. 

When we hold qualities versus a resolution, typically, there are a variety of ways to meet those needs, and we can pivot amongst strategies throughout the year. It is more about cultivating the conditions for "love" (or whatever quality) to grow, than succeeding or failing at a goal. 

After reflecting, what seeds of light do you want to nurture this year? Share with us in the comments. 

Do healing, intuition, spiritual connection, community, self-care, or empowerment make your list?

If so, I invite you to join this year's Reiki Training Program that starts Feb 7th. Learn more here, and register to hold your spot. 

Happy New Year,
~Sarah

Happy Solstice!

Today marks the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. This day has been significant for me for many years. An opportunity to turn inward, to be in the quiet and reflect. 

I know this time of year can be a whirlwind for many as they get ready for (or are absorbed in) holiday celebrations. There often is a perceived pressure to feel happy, warm, or be cozied up with loved ones. Though this isn't the case for many people for a variety of reasons. 

I want to invite some space, and grace for whatever combination of feelings that might be present for you. It's okay if things feel a little crumby, you feel disappointed, or are missing people that are no longer around. The threads of our lives don't magically disappear when the holiday playlist floods the radio, and red and green pours off the shelves. This pressure can amplify existing pain. If this is where you find yourself during this time, I want to send lots of care and a hug your way. You're not alone. Soon our culture will get back to the humdrum of day-to-day. Keep on, keepin' on.

No matter what's alive in you today, maybe take a few moments to reflect on your 2025. Is there something (small or large) you feel proud of yourself for? What are you grateful for? Savor that feeling. 

What's one loving action you can take for yourself this week?

You matter. You deserve this love and care.
 
May you soak in the gifts of the dark. 

Much love,
Sarah

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There's still time to buy gift certificates. (*It make take up to 48 hours for the digital copy to be sent you, so please plan accordingly for gift giving.*) 

Prices will be going up in 2026, stock up now on gift cards at the current rate! 

Reminder, I'll be taking time off from Dec 24–Jan 1. You can set up a time for a session in the new year, by booking online.

Interested in our Reiki classes that start Feb 7th? Now is a great time to sign up and hold your spot! Learn more here.

Fifteen years ago today, I started Embrace Your Essence LLC!

The road twisted and turned in all sorts of directions, as I tried to figure out how to grow a practice in my early twenties. I gave sessions to friends and family out of my childhood bedroom, then rented a space I couldn't afford for a few months before I saw reason. Eventually, I got my footing at a wellness center, while I worked on my private practice on the side. During this time, I started working at our building on E. Olin Ave. Then moved into my current suite facing Wingra Creek eleven years ago. In 2018, I was able to shift to my practice supporting me full time.

This suite has become a sanctuary for many, and clients tell me about how good it feels walking in here. I think of all the Reiki and healing energy that these walls have absorbed over the years. The land in this little nook of central Madison is so special to me with the significant presence of the sister cottonwoods standing tall across the creek. Beavers have chewed on the now stumps out the window, muskrats swum by, and squirrels napped in the red pines just outside. Awkward green herons have hopped through said pines, and blue herons, geese, ducks, eagles and more have soared nearby. Almost six years ago, I saved a little baby duckling that had gotten trapped in the weeds of the creek while I was on a lunchtime walk. You can read the story here. I feel grateful to have such a sweet little space to connect with all of you.

Over the pandemic, many of you pivoted with me to Zoom and phone sessions and classes as we figured out what the heck was going on, and let the scientists do the good work. Many of you continue this connection from all over the globe, as we work with the beautiful and mysterious aspect of distant Reiki. Lots of you have met my sweet little floofer-muffins Orangie and JoJo as they photobomb our Zoom sessions. I swear they know each of you, and when their presence is needed for some extra support and witnessing. Combine the Reiki with their purrs and gatekeeper vibes for some purr magic and strength. (That last pun was a typo, and I'm keeping it!)

Then I think of all the healing, and vulnerability that has unfolded in our work together. The tears, the snores, the tough events of your life, your dreams, your sensitivities. All the beautiful, rich, and sometimes challenging aspects of being human during these times. All of you who have learned Reiki or other skills and are letting that goodness ripple out in your own communities. I FEEL SO GRATEFUL that I've been able to walk alongside each of you as you navigate your life. Your trust has meant so much to me. I wouldn't be here without each of you, and your willingness to share in this journey together.

The Reiki energy, the presence of something larger than ourselves, and our guides have been so loving and steady amidst all the situations that have come forward during this time. In doing this work, I get to relate with The Mystery. I don't fully understand everything that happens, and I don't suspect I ever will know it all in a way that satisfies the logical mind. It is humbling. It is also one of the most beautiful and awe-inspiring things, and I am privileged to get to be a steward. I can't really take credit for the healing that has unfolded during this time, that goes to these benevolent energies and yourself! But I will say, I will take ownership for showing up, and being willing to figure out how to keep doing so!

When I really slow down to feel into what this anniversary means to me, I am moved to tears that I get to do work that means something to me. It's a modest living, and I get to provide for myself and my kitties doing something that fills my heart, and ripples goodness out into the world. The phrase, "I'm still here," keeps repeating in my mind. I've been through my own iterations of loss and challenge over the last several years, and with the help of these loving energies and people, I've been able to keep showing up for myself and for you amidst it all. These challenges have humbled me, cracked me open, and I've been learning how to fill in the fissures to be stronger, much like the art of kintsugi. Making medicine of the wound. It's helped me know how to better support some of you going through your own crisis. While there were times that I was not 100% while in the thick of it, the Reiki and these benevolent energies kept holding us as we did the work. Hopefully, you didn't feel those bumps too much! It makes this time of personal calm, settling, and celebration something I'm really savoring.

"I'm still here," means I am still here practicing Reiki and healing work. It means, I'm still here at Olin Ave, and on the other side of that phone or Zoom call. It means, I am still alive, resilient and able to share in this beautiful and messy life with all of you. 

It also means that you are still here. Still willing to engage, to learn, to open up, to heal. Thanks for sharing in the journey.

Thank you, also, to all of you who were able to make it out to the open house celebration on April 12th, participated in our raffle, or sent kind notes! I really appreciate all of you, and wish the best for you! Here's to many more years! I don't plan to go anywhere! :)

Check out some stats from over the years below!

Embrace Your Essence LLC Opened: April 28, 2010

5376 Sessions Given
800 Clients Served
67 Reiki Students
111 Reiki Shares Hosted
11 Years Teaching Reiki
Six Years Practicing Shamanic Healing
127 Shamanic Sessions          
 
One Pandemic Survived
Phew! We made it!
People Made Cry (in a good way): Most at some point
     Bonus: Many within the first 10 minutes
Corny Jokes: More than kernels on a cob
I’m sorry… or you’re welcome?
Snorers on the Table: More than you might think
I hear you, Gladis. That’s the best compliment you could give me.  
Goofy Stick Figure Drawings: At least five
If you’re one of my Reiki students, you know!
Nerdy Movie & TV References...Lots
Yooooooouuuu shall not pass!
Unexpected, Mysterious Happenings... Many
Maybe I’ll write a book someday.

With such a full heart,
Sarah

Hey There,

How ya doin?

There's a lot going on in the world right now. Hurricanes, world conflicts, the upcoming election... and whatever is going on in your personal world right now.

How are you holding up?

It can feel overwhelming for the average person; amplify that if you are a sensitive person.

Sometimes, when there is a lot going on, and we are on the verge of shutting down, or spinning out, we need to return to basics:

Sleep: Are you going to bed at a reasonable time so you have 7-8 hours to at least rest in bed?
Water: Have you had a glass of water today?
Food: Have you had some fruits or vegetables today?
Movement: Have you moved your body today?

You don't have to be perfect. You don't have to run for miles, or have an elaborate meal. Sometimes it's having an apple, going for a 5-10 min walk, or having a glass of water next to you as you work. These basics can go a long way in tending to our bodies and systems.

If you want to do a little more for yourself, you might consider doing a meditation. Have you tried my free "Being with What Is" meditation?

Maybe you could use a little more support through a session, or you'd like to join us for our upcoming live guided meditation on Thurs Oct 24th from 5:30-6:30pm CST. Remember these meditations are customized to the group, and you will get a recording you can download to listen to again later, or enjoy if you can't make it live.

Every little bit that you can do for yourself (and sometimes that's taking a little bit off your plate or offering yourself a little more grace) makes a difference.

Remember you have innate goodness within you, and you aren't the only one who wishes to operate from this place within you. We'll find our way. We just have to remember we are not alone, and there are others who are doing their best to come from a place of goodness and compassion too.

Here for you if you need it, and walking with all of you during these wild and surreal times.

Sarah


P.S. Would you do me a favor? Would you make sure you are registered to vote, and coordinate your plans to vote on election day Tues Nov 5th, or absentee/early? If you are in Wisconsin, you can get the details here, or if you are somewhere else in the US you can do so here. Using your voice, and right to vote is a simple but powerful way to show yourself that you matter.