Heartscapes

11/20/2025

Today is Transgender Day of Remembrance, a day to honor trans identity, and grieve our trans siblings lost to oppressive systems and violence. For the remainder of November I'm re-opening my Gift Reiki Sessions for the LGBTQ Community offering. Find it here: https://share.google/q9HJGwxqdeA4mznOG

In teaching the system of Reiki from its Japanese origins for many years, I have come to see the ways in which trans identity, authentically expressed, so beautifully embodies some of the core principals of Reiki. Below is a video I made exploring those connections, and speaking out against anti-trabs legislation. Please share the video, and gift Reiki offering, with anyone you feel would benefit!

https://youtu.be/9yzXi8yUUU4?si=WK6LHVIImQ3Z5q5K

Sitting down for a heart-to-heart talk about the wave of discriminatory legislation being passed against the LGBTQ+ community. I invite and encourage you to...

11/18/2025

*All Reiki Sessions & Packages on Sale*
Good Morning Friends! Following on yesterday's Ethical & Delightful Holiday Gift Guide, I want so share details here about what I'm offering through HeartScapes, & the amazing gift options available through some of my friends and colleagues. First up, the bread-and-butter of HeartScapes, Reiki sessions! A Reiki session can bring a profound sense of calm, release, renewal and spontaneous insight. Gift certificates for 1, 3, 6 and 12-session packages are now on sale! You are welcome to split a package between receivers, or between yourself and your giftee. All sessions and packages are on sale through December, and can be found here: https://www.heartscapesinsight.com/shop

11/17/2025

Good Morning! As we approach the holiday gift-giving season, many of us wish to make ethical and financially wise gift decisions that will delight our giftees. We also know how powerful our purchasing decisions can be in communicating our values and our joys!

This year many people are choosing to focus their holiday gifting on small businesses, local folks who contribute to our communities, and whose offerings make the world better.

As a small business owner, whose work makes the world better, I'm in full support of this plan :) I want to make it easier for you to find just the right alchemy between unique small-biz gifts, and the delight of those on your gift list!

MAKING YOUR CHOICES EASIER:
Over the next few weeks I'll share a compilation of my own gift offerings and those of colleagues I admire and trust, all of which I actively use in my life and work. This will give you a range of options that will feel good to you and special to your giftees.

AND, because I know this economy really sucks right now, all of my offerings will be discounted through the new year! I'll be sharing detailed posts about each item in the guide over the next couple weeks, and to start, you can find the full list here:

This year many people are choosing to focus their holiday gifting on small businesses, local folks who contribute to our local communities, and whose offerings make the world better.   As a small business owner, whose work makes the world better, I'm in full support of this plan :)  I want to m...

11/09/2025

LIVE TONGLEN PRACTICE THIS WEDNESDAY!

Good Morning! I lead a monthly Tonglen practice (description below) via FB Live in my FB group, Living Reiki: Sacred Practice for a Changing World . It is coming up this Wednesday, and we'd love to have you join us!

This practice helps us to increase awareness of our heart connection with each other, and builds our capacity to be with those who are suffering in the world. It also helps guide our attention and therefore actions in the direction of responding to suffering with compassion, and taking action where we can.

Tomorrow, in the group I'll post a space for members to suggest where we focus the practice--this can be for groups of people who are suffering (such as immigrant communities currently targeted by ICE, the people of Gaza, families grieving after a mass shooting, leaders struggling under pressure to conform to inhumane policy decisions, etc), or specific people in the world or your community.

So if you'd like to join us, request to join the group, then Wednesday morning grab a cup of tea with heart-supporting herbs like rose, cinnamon, rosehips, motherwort or hawthorn, and jump into the group with me!

11/08/2025

This week's episode of Reiki Women Podcasts is one of my favorites of the year. The questions that arise from the widespread public use of AI are critical in our time, including the application of AI in spiritual practices. It's a messy conversation, in this Wild, Wild West era of AI; and that makes it all the more important. Join us below!

In this episode of the Reiki Women Podcast, Bronwen Logan, Carrie Varela and Michaela Daystar dive into the complex world of AI and its intersection with spiritual guidance.

The discussion kicks off with an example of someone using ChatGPT to seek spiritual advice, questioning the implications and authenticity of such an approach.
The hosts explore the challenges of relying on AI for guidance, emphasizing the need for personal responsibility and self-awareness in spiritual practices.

They also touch on the ethical and environmental concerns surrounding AI usage.
The conversation delves into the fundamental differences between artificial intelligence and true spiritual connection, ultimately advocating for more traditional, introspective methods of seeking wisdom.
Join us for a compelling and thought-provoking discussion on navigating technology and spirituality.

In this episode of the Reiki Women Podcast, Bronwen Logan, Carrie Varela and Michaela Daystar dive into the complex world of AI and its intersection with spi...

11/07/2025

Good morning! What's the impact of meditation and various spiritual practices on ADHD and other forms of neuro-divergence? As a neuro-spicy Reiki practitioner this is a question I've tracked through my personal experience and conversations with others. I share the impact of my Reiki practice on my ADHD brain in the video below, and why the original Japanese form of Reiki is particularly well-suited to benefitting folks like me. I'd love to hear your thoughts!

The system of Reiki can bring so many benefits to our mental, emotional, and physical experiences in our daily lives. But can Reiki provide a cure for some ...

10/29/2025

How do we remain true to the origins of Reiki, and in integrity with the culture and history of Reiki, while also integrating other aspects of our lineages, interests and talents into our Reiki practice? I got to sit down with Lynn Galliano and Andrea Bernstein for the Recovering Wholeness Together podcast to discuss! We ranged from exploring the connections between Welsh Celtic faery myths and Shinto nature-based spirituality, to my confession that my first religion was Jedi and the Force from Star Wars. It was a super fun conversation, and I'd love to know what you think! Find the episode below!

Please join Lynn and Andrea as we welcome back our friend, colleague, and Reiki Master Teacher, Michaela Daystar. Michaela invites us on a storytelling journ...

10/15/2025

REIKI PRACTICE CIRCLE THIS SATURDAY!

This is your invite to the Reiki Practice Circle I host monthly, coming up this Saturday at 9am PT!

The HeartScapes Community of Practice is a trauma-informed space that makes room for the full range of human experience. We are a diverse community with a social justice orientation, understanding that our healing work is connected to a wide web of people working towards healing and justice in the world. Join us! (For more details, head over here: https://www.heartscapesinsight.com/community-2

This is a space to experience practices and teachings from the system of Reiki from its Japanese origins. All are welcome and will receive value whether or not you have any Reiki experience.

WHEN & WHERE:
Every third Saturday of the month from 9 - 10 Pacific Time (NOTE: This our new time).

We meet on Zoom, and the link is shared through our Facebook group, Living Reiki: Sacred Practice for a Changing World , in my email newsletter, or by registering here: https://share.google/zXi4NdBcjWGy4eXFs

WHAT:
We practice a range of meditations and techniques drawn from the Japanese origins of Reiki, and the traditions that form the foundation of the system. Each Circle is unique, responding to what feels needed and alive in the moment. Sessions can include:

**Practices from Reiki’s origins such as Joshin Kokyu Ho and Precepts contemplations;

**Heart-tending practices when things feel heavy in the world and our lives;

**Grounding, embodiment and movement practices’
Joyful celebration, and joy practices from The Book of Joy

**StoryCaster’s Loom

WHO:
Open to anyone who wishes to receive a distance Reiki session, and/or is curious about the system of Reiki from its Japanese origins. You do NOT need to have any experience with Reiki to join, this will be a sweet and nourishing experience whether or not you've practiced Reiki before.

IS THERE A COST?
Reiki Practitioner Circle is offered on an optional donation basis. If you wish to donate, you can do so through Venmo (Michaela-Daystar) and PayPal.

We hope you will find this offering valuable and nourishing, and we'll see you there!

09/29/2025

REIKI PRACTICE CIRCLE RETURNS AFTER SUMMER BREAK!
Serving and building community has always been a central goal and value of HeartScapes. Since I started HeartScapes in 2019, our Monthly Reiki Practice Circle has been a lovely space to do this.

After taking a Summer break, I'm excited to re-open this nourishing space on October 18th, now with a new name and at a new time! Let me re-introduce you.....

The *HeartScapes Living Reiki Practice Circle* is a trauma-informed space that makes room for the full range of human experience. We're a diverse community with a social justice orientation, understanding that our healing work is connected to a wide web of people working towards healing and justice in the world.

**Practitioner Circles are open to:

--Anyone interested in learning about the system of Reiki from it’s Japanese origins, and applying the practice to the challenges and joys of our daily lives.

--Reiki practitioners from any lineage

--Reiki-curious seekers wanting simple practices to support resilience and well-being

**Format:

We practice a range of meditations and techniques drawn from the Japanese origins of Reiki, and the traditions that form the foundation of the system. Each Circle is unique, responding to what feels needed and alive in the moment. Sessions can include:

--Practices from Reiki’s origins such as Joshin Kokyu Ho and Precepts contemplations;

--Heart-tending practices when things feel heavy in the world and our lives;

--Grounding, embodiment and movement practices’

--Joyful celebration, and joy practices from The Book of Joy

--StoryCaster’s Loom: Weaving together our visions of the Far Horizon

**Logistics:

--Every third Saturday of the month from 9:00am - 10:00am Pacific Time (NEW TIME)

--We meet virtually over Zoom.

**How to Participate:

This circle is open to anyone connected to the HeartScapes community through our Facebook group Living Reiki: Sacred Practice for a Changing World, our email list, and by registering on Eventbrite (find it here: https://www.heartscapesinsight.com/workshops ). We’ll share reminders and the Zoom link in both places.

**Investment:
We request a donation in an amount of your choice, to support the HeartScapes class scholarship offerings. You can make this donation when you register through Eventbrite, or online (info here: https://www.heartscapesinsight.com/workshops ). No one turned away for lack of funds.

09/27/2025

Good Morning Friends! Imagine Divine Love so fierce that it burns away everything that is keeping you from experiencing your full and whole radiance. A Divine Love sharp enough to sever your fears, your attachments, and every barrier to deep knowledge of your place in the Universe. A Divine Love that knows you, the true you, so well that no amount of masking, fear, distraction, or lost feelings can erase you.

In the Shingon tradition, a significant aspect of the foundation of the system of Reiki, this fierce Divine Love is personified as Fudo Myo-o, The Immovable One, one of the central Buddha incarnates in Shingon Buddhism. Those of you who have studied with me, or have dived into the Japanese Roots of Reiki, will likely have encountered this fearsome entity, and possibly learned and practiced his mantra with me (see below for a wonderful way to meet this deity yourself).

During the weird, eerie time of shut-down in 2020, I spent a lot of time with Fudo Myo-o, finding his energy and presence to be deeply nourishing, buoying to my spirit.

I believe that the immovable, fierce and compassionate energy of Fudo Myo-o is increcibly important in navigating the deep destabilization of the times we are living in, and so I carry him with me everywhere I go. During our 9Month Reiki program, he also joins our teaching team during Shinpiden Reiki III, and throughout the year I offer opportunities to connect with the energy of Fudo Myo-o, in ourselves and in the world, through practice.

In Shingon, the day to honor and receive blessings from Fudo Myo-o is on the 28th of every month--which is tomorrow! I want to let you know about two ways for you to connect with Fudo tomorrow:

**I will either post a video or go live in my FB group Living Reiki: Sacred Practice for a Changing World (I need to work out the timing on which will work for me) sharing a bit more about Fudo Myo-o and leading some mantra practice.

**The Seattle Koyasan Buddhist Temple, one of the places where Joe and I have studied Shingon, live-streams their monthly Goma Ceremony, a fire ritual dedicated to Fudo Myo-o wherein practitioners can name the aspects of our lives we wish to burn away, compost and transform, and ask Fudo (an energy that lives within us and in the world) to support us in this work. Whether or not you offer such a prayer, the Goma Ceremony is facinating to witness and feel, and I appreciate that Seattle Koyasan makes it accessible to do so through their monthly live stream. If you want to join them tomorrow, or in a future Goma, you can register below. It is free to join, or a $10 donation to submit a prayer, which will be transcribed onto a prayer stick that is read and burned during the ceremony. Find it here: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/092825-goma-fire-service

Have you worked with Fudo? Share your experiences!