Alternative Medicine

Dying Into The Beyond

I have vivid dreams and have ever since I was child. Some dreams are simply dreams, while others are profoundly in-depth and leave me with full recognition of another lifetime, and many times, a whole other universe. No matter how detailed a dream is, I am never frightened, even when I view an incarnation die. I believe these dreams serve me by showing me what the process of death actually is: a transition, not a finality.


In a recent dream, I was in a different body. When in another body, I am able to view it fifth dimensionally: I can see it from within while being able to view it from without. It is rather like having five different cameras that I can select whichever lens I want to look through for that particular perspective. It happens suddenly, by mere intention, without thought. This particular body was male and had a severe head injury on the left side. The man had been struck with an object that produced a large hole in his skull and fluid was pouring out.


I placed his left hand over the hole, not to prevent seepage, but to offer a sense of comfort. The person wanted help, but there was not sufficient time. It was his time to die, so I energetically began to communicate with his consciousness that everything was going to be alright. I got him to lay down on his left side, hand still over the wound, and told him to soften his breath. I guided him to allow a beautiful soft white light to flow in, that felt as though it lifted him up and made him lighter. As he followed my guidance, I began to move the energy through his entire physical form and created a dream like state in his mind. While in this state, he viewed many fond memories and began to disconnect from his physical body. He became more ensconced in his consciousness and less within his body. A moment came where all the images evaporated and only light filled the space and then…he was no longer in his body. The body had died. 


In a second recent dream, I was driving a sports car along a highway over a suspended bridge. I took the turn too fast and lost control of the car. The vehicle smashed into the wall, over and through the metal fence, and began to plummet towards the snowy valley below. From the onset, I viewed the car and driver from a fifth perspective. As the car spun and smashed around, I was drawn into the car, third perspective. While the vehicle overturned and fell, with the top of the car face down, I became fully immersed into the Being (first perspective) who was in extreme fear.

Once shared-in with the individual’s consciousness, I asked for peace and serenity and began to draw in soft white light, and invited the consciousness to accept what was happening. The body’s breath, sense of motion and time started to slow. Just before the roof of the vehicle reached the ground, everything was suspended in time, frozen. I could feel the hair on my head sway, facial skin tugged down upon cheekbones, clothing draped, breath suspended and all of it was captured in a moment like a photograph. Then, the consciousness was out and free of the body and re immersed with its brethren of white and golden lights of the spirit realm. Far off in the distance I could hear the sound of metal crashing and collapsing into the ground, along with bones and flesh, but it was not frightening. It just was. The consciousness that had occupied the body was aware of what happened, but not didn’t experience fear, or sadness, simply a sense of wholeness. When we are in pure spiritual-essence, we do not have attachments to physical sensations or emotional experiences even though we are very aware of them. In other words, even though we can perceive them we are not provoked by them. 


From these dreams and all other previous ones, I believe what I have been shown is that the soul leaves the body before it dies. When an individual has accepted death, their consciousness vacates and does not experience the termination of the physical form. There is no pain or fear at the very moment because they are already out of body. The body dies because the consciousness leaves. 


The intention of my guidance encouraged the consciousnesses to disconnect from their physical bodies; when it can there is no recognition of pain or even the “very end”. Far too many individuals are attached to the identity of their body. As a result when the physical form changes, whether it be due to the natural process of aging, an injury or illness, they have a hard time accepting their new and different body. This kind of egoic attachment can lead to a difficult death because the individual believes they are their body, rather than a consciousness within a body. This belief can create  a great deal of suffering leading up to their “death”. 


Moments before my mother’s death, in the early phases of my channeling abilities, I sensed her resistance to let go. Even though she had known she was in the process of dying for weeks prior, and had made a conscious choice to not have surgery or receive treatment to prolong her life, there was a refusal to release her from her body. I could tell that her consciousness had been traversing between the spirit realm and present, and though she had connected with her spirit guides, there was great resistance to letting go of her body. I understood this about her because her body had been the way she showed up in life; as an athlete, dancer and physical education teacher. As I gazed upon her form and sensed her energy, I felt called to guide her through a relaxation intended to cultivate an appreciation for her body and the ways it had served her. 


One by one, I invited her through phases of gratitude: her feet for enabling her to dance, legs for being a connection and expression of her body and movement, and so on. At the conclusion, bereft and energetically waned, I left the room to catch my breath. Moments later, my mother died. When I looked upon her form, her facial expression was peaceful and as though she had watched herself drift away in a beautiful serene scene.


It was not until I became a certified yoga instructor that I learned about Yoga Nidra. It is a progressive relaxation method often referred to as "yogic sleep.” This guided meditation can induce a state of conscious awareness between wakefulness and sleep. Typically, participants lie down in a comfortable position while an instructor guides them through a systematic process of relaxation, breath awareness, and body scanning. The intention is to reach a state of deep physical relaxation while remaining mentally alert. Not only is it a powerful tool for stress reduction, but can also encourage one to explore their inner states, enhance self-awareness, and promote a sense of tranquility and well-being. It is often used to improve sleep and as a therapeutic technique for managing stress and anxiety. Many practitioners of Hatha Yoga believe this is the practice of dying: learning to release your body.


Though I had no awareness of this ancient practice, I experienced the profound beauty of this with my mother when she died. I felt strongly guided to chaperon my mother from a great source; from an innate knowledge bestowed in all of us. We each have the ability to cultivate a peaceful death for ourselves, despite the way we each depart. Spirit has said time and time again that we have pre-designed how it will happen and it is in alignment with our spiritual agreements. Some individuals may find this difficult to believe, especially if religious beliefs have been deeply instilled. I encourage those individuals to begin having conversations about death, whether it be with close friends, family or seek like minded individuals because humans tend to fear what we don’t know or understand. When we find ways to cultivate our awareness, we can develop a greater understanding and appreciation because of what becomes “known”, it becomes less frightening. 


Channeling and energy medicine can provide connection, compassion and clarity to help bridge the gap and cultivate a greater understanding of what seems “beyond us”, for it is truly within us. Whether it be through an experienced practitioner, or yourself, I invite you to journey inward and beyond mental limitations. Cultivate your life from a sacred space of consciousness so as you, or your loved ones, move closer and into death, the process of dying can be a beautiful and peaceful transition, not a finalization, but a transformation.


Tania Isaac is an experienced Spiritual Guidance Channeler, Pet Communicator, Integrative Energy Healer and certified yoga instructor who specializes in blending holistic modalities to create unique healing sessions. She is located in Santa Barbara, CA where she lives with her husband and their rescued dog Oreo. Her mission is to empower empaths and help individuals connect with their innate metaphysical and healing abilities. Visit her website to learn more about her offerings: www.taniaisaac.com

Guarding Your Inner Light: Shielding Against Energy Vampires

Many empathic people shield themselves in the safety of the shadows. It can be easier to withhold our inner light so as to avoid energetic predators, because they can flock like a moth to a flame. One of the many truths of being an empath is the vulnerability one can experience in the presence of energy vampires. 

It can feel like a paradox; the interaction appears harmless and yet… After the conversation comes to an end, you realize something has happened, but it can be difficult to understand what.

It took me time to identify and fully comprehend the pattern and process, and most of, to allow myself to acknowledge it was real.

Energy vampires are very clever. They stealthily swoop into your energy field with their witty charm and tend to disarm you with flattery. Skilled at manipulating conversations, they hook you in with an innocuous question, where despite whatever your reply is, they divert the conversation with their ready-made reply. That is when the energy-sucking begins. It can feel like a haunting that will return again and again for they will drain you dry as long as you let them.

Eventually you dread being around these individuals and began to wonder…

“Is it me?

They seem nice enough.. 

Is it them? 

Is it unkind for me to think this way?” 

However, it is this very way of thinking that can keep us trapped in the cycle of enabling them. 

Empaths are over-conditioned to be considerate of others and sadly, this can be detrimental to to our sense of well being. By continually putting others first, an empath can deplete themselves. Setting boundaries is a challenge for many empaths because in doing so upsets the the energer drainers and other individuals who have been taking advantage of an empath’s generosity. However, it is necessary and essential for an empathic individual to do so, or they will never fully evolve their full potential. 

How do you energetically say “no!” without being rude? The truth: sometimes you have to be rude to make the message stick. Otherwise, energy vampires may see indirectness as a sign of weakness or permission. All empaths have to establish clear boundaries that come from their personal core beliefs. You must advocate for yourself. It takes courage to face the fear of disappointing others, but as generous as your heart is, believe me the strength is there.

One of the hardest things to overcome for empaths is recognizing and acknowledging when a boundary has been crossed. Empathic people can idle in confusion and questioning themself, because when something doesn't feel or sound right, it is not always easy identify what. It may not be physically obvious such as an aggressive or indecent gesture, but it’s enough that you feel something is wrong. I will say that again: it is enough that you feel something is wrong. It could be the tone, a passive aggressive comment, facial expression, their body language and or even their energy. 

THE MULTI-VERSE OF AN EMPATH

Depending on one’s intuitive ability, an empath can experience one person in multiple ways: energetically, emotionally, physically, mentally and psychically. In addition, they may also receive information psychically. These various layers make it necessary to process an exchange, especially a negative one.

For me, I receive one individual in four different ways. I pick up their physical energy, frequency, tone of voice, and emotions. In other words, one person is like four different people and I receive messages and information intuitively. It is a lot to take in and digest. Many empaths receive and experience people on multiple levels, which can make the experience of being in a group of people exhausting. It is like navigating a forest while continuously trying not to loose your footing as the path weaves and the terrain morphs.

ENERGETIC PROTECTION

Apart from having a direct confrontation or walking away, there are things an empath can do to protect themselves energetically. For anyone who is an empath, I highly recommend you cultivate a dedicated practice, such as meditating and strengthening your physically body to support your energy body. The stamina and strength of one’s individual energy can be enhanced and increased over time through daily and diligent self care practice. However, there are a few techniques that can be practiced almost anywhere, anytime.

The Zip-Up: Imagine you are wearing an invisible zip up sweatshirt. Take hold of the imaginary tab and slowly pull it from your pelvic bone up to your upper lip.

Why It Works: The Conception Vessel is one of the main meridians that regulates the accumulation and flow of blood and chi of twelve meridians and contains the yin energy. It begins at the base of the pelvis and travels up the front of the body to the lower lip. Yin energy is receptive, fluid, open. 

Visualize A Super Shield: Imagine an energetic shield of light surrounding you. Have it be a color that resonates as safe and protective to you. When you vizualize it, see it completely encapsulating you from head to toe. The more you meditate and work with this visualization, the stronger your energy shield will become.

Why It Works: Visualization can help you focus your thoughts to generate an image in your mind that will result in directing your energy. Energy follows intention and can be directed, shaped and shifted.

Practice Affirmations: Positive statements that support your sense of safety and that are worded in the present are key. Be open-mind to what sounds and feels right to you: as long as it has meaning to you, it holds power for you. Following are three examples:

“Light flows through me and protects me.”

“I am surrounded by the light.”

“Positive vibrations surround me.

Why It Works: You affirm and create your life experiences with every word and thought. Affirmations can reduce negative thought and the ability to dwell on negative experiences in the present, thus enabling your mindset and energy to shift.

PRACTICE RADICAL HONESTY

Be honest in recognizing who has the potential to drain you so that you can prepare yourself. Knowing how they can make you feel will help protect yourself. Do not avoid the heavy emotions because they can hold the deepest information. One of the hard truths to accept is that energy vampires can reveal the deep healing still needed for ourself. When you recognize that, love yourself - hard. There is always mending to still be cultured.

HONOR YOURSELF

Only you can determine what your boundaries are and honor them. While setting boundaries for empaths is challenging, it is one of the most invaluable acts you’ll ever do for you. 

The more time you take to care for yourself physically and energetically, the stronger you will become. 

Be kind to yourself: you’re a spiritual being experiencing a human existence and learning as you go. 

I hope you step out of the shadows and shine so brightly that your radiance zaps the “drainers”. Be bold. So bold that leaches can’t consume any part of your spectrum.

You be You.


Tania Isaac is an experienced Channeler, Pet Communicator, Energy Healer and certified yoga instructor who specializes in blending healing modalities to create unique specialized healing sessions. She is located in Santa Barbara, CA where she lives with her husband and rescued dog Oreo. Her mission is to empower empaths and help individuals connect with their innate metaphysical and healing abilities. Visit her website to learn more about her offerings: www.taniaisaac.com

Reiki's Healing Power: Balancing Body, Mind & Spirit

Many people have asked me, “What exactly is Reiki?” It is hard to describe because it is something felt and each experience differs person to person. 

Reiki 101

The word "Reiki" is derived from two Japanese words: "Rei," which means universal or divine, and "ki," which refers to the life force energy that flows through all living things.

Reiki (Ray-key) is powerful energy medicine that amplifies the universal life force energy channeled by a practitioner through their hands to promote healing, relaxation, and balance in the recipient's body, mind, and spirit. Reiki is often used as a complementary or alternative therapy because it can reach to the root of the dis-ease to soothe the soul and support our emotional, energetic and spiritual healing.

In a typical Reiki session, the recipient lies down fully clothed, while the practitioner lightly places their hands on or near the recipient's body. The practitioner then uses various hand positions and techniques to facilitate the flow of energy to remove blockages, promote relaxation, and support the body's natural healing processes. Each hand-placement is easy to identify and will never rest directly on the breasts or genitals. If ever a placement of the hands is in question, I will always ask for permission. 

What Led Me to Reiki

Around the same time I began to expand my channeling ability, I noticed kinesthetic sensitivity in my hands. It felt (and still does) like my hands were drawn by magnets to certain areas of the body. It consistently turned out to be areas of pain, tenderness or discomfort. I decided to formally study a path of hands-on healing and researched various practices. Most felt rather complicated whereas Reiki was pure and simple.

The Three Levels of Reiki

Practitioners can build upon their foundation of knowledge because Reiki offers three degrees (levels) of training.

Reiki Level 1 (First Degree): focuses on self-healing and provides the foundation to practice Reiki on others.

Reiki Level 2 (Second Degree): builds upon the foundation of Level 1 and expands the student's ability to work with Reiki energy. Sacred symbols are introduced that enable practitioners to send healing energy to people, pets, plants, situations or events that are not physically present. In other words, long distance or remote healing can be performed.

Reiki Level 3 (Third Degree or Master Level): Is also known as the "Master" level and represents the highest level of Reiki training as it is focused on self-mastery and the ability to teach Reiki to others. In Level 3, students receive the Master attunement, which is believed to further enhance their connection to the Reiki energy.


The Importance of Healing Touch

Reiki is often fondly called “healing touch”. Humans are naturally wired to be touched. Without it, we wither. According to WebMD, “When you don't get enough physical touch, you can become stressed, anxious, or depressed. As a response to stress, our body makes a hormone called cortisol that can cause our heart rate, blood pressure, muscle tension, and breathing rate to go up.” This response is similar to the “fight, flight or flee '' and can negatively affect our immune and digestive systems, especially if the body remains in this heightened state for long periods of time.

Non-sexual touching, like a comforting hug, can produce oxytocin - a feel good chemical - that in turn can stimulate other positive-feeling hormones like dopamine and serotonin, which reduce cortisol. Our skin is our largest organ and contains millions of sensory nerves. This network of nerve fibers in our skin is dedicated to detect the touch of another person and thus have an emotional response. Even if one does not believe in Reiki, they will at least benefit from the human connection.

The Power of Reiki

Reiki offers many benefits. While scientific evidence for these benefits may be limited, many individuals who practice or receive Reiki report positive outcomes. 

Reiki can be used as a complementary approach in managing mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is also extremely helpful for those undergoing harsh treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. When undergoing cancer prevention treatments, the patient’s energetic field can be cleared in half the normal length of time and they can come out of post-operative depression sooner.

Reiki is often reported to promote deep relaxation, which can help reduce stress, anxiety, and tension. It may help to calm the mind and body, inducing a state of relaxation and promoting a sense of well-being. When our body is able to rest and relax is when it can begin to heal.

Additional benefits of receiving Reiki may include:

  • Boost energy flow

  • Enhance of physical, emotional and mental balance

  • Increase in emotional and mental well being. Improved sleep

  • Personal growth and spiritual development

  • Pain relief and pain management.

What Can Reiki Feel Like?

Some people have described their experience through colors, textures, images, temperatures or physical sensations such as electric, vibrational, magnetic. Others fall into a deep sleep or experience lucid dreaming. 

Here are a few descriptions of individual experiences without the provider’s name to honor their privacy.

“It felt like moss spreading: peaceful and green.”

“I felt like I was being combed out and the line of gold energy kept getting broader and longer.”

“Warm and nurturing.”

“Magical and dreamy.”

“Lulling.”

“Divine. Heavenly.”

What Do I Experience When Giving Reiki?

All sorts of things! No experience is exactly like another, even with the same person. Every offering is unique.

The temperature of my hands will vary throughout a session as will the kinesthetic pull. Generally, when a hand placement feels complete my hands begin to feel as though they are being lifted off. Areas that are in need of healing tend to feel as though I’ve immersed my hands into a pool of warm satin. Sometimes I feel pulses, vibrations, electricity or see colors and images, and in my case, because of my channeling ability, I will receive messages either from the body or from a higher source during the session which I then share with the recipient. Usually, during the brief post-chat when I share where my hands felt the most heat the recipient will have had the same experience. 

What About Long Distance Healing?

Due to covid and the common space of Zoom, I have been holding more sessions online. At first I wondered if remote healing would be as effective, but it can actually be more so. In providing reiki remotely, I work energetically with hologram healing. Like a three dimensional image that I can turn and rotate, I work multi-dimensionally with a recipient’s energy body. Energy is energy and it translates no matter the medium or distance. When I am connected to someone vibrationally, I am able to read and receive their energy.

Tips for Receiving Reiki

The person you receive reiki from should make you feel comfortable and welcomed from the start. I consider sharing reiki a very special and sacred experience so a sense of appreciation and respect must go both ways. I am open to adapting my reiki sessions per the client’s needs and wishes. Perhaps this is due to my accessible yoga background, but I feel it is essential to support individual agency. A practitioner has to have fluidity, just like the energy, in order to properly provide the fullest experience possible. Depending on the reason for receiving reiki, a person may already feel vulnerable and exposed, so it is important to create a calm and nurturing environment. Even though someone comes into “my space”, I hold space for them.

Your practitioner may or may not have a formal questionnaire for you to complete prior to your first session. It is not required but can be helpful, for both of you. It is greatly beneficial for you to disclose any physical ailments so your practitioner can be sure to create a physically supportive environment. Know that you do not have to receive reiki laying on a massage table; you can receive reiki while seated in a chair. I offer to hold sessions on the ground if that is preferable for an individual. 

Reiki’s simplicity enables the energy to go wherever it is needed. The practitioner, nor you, have to direct it. Our energy is always seeking the highest healing. That said, energy does follow intention, so feel free to set an intention if you believe it will serve you. You do not need to share it with your practitioner nor does it have to be complex. Pure and simple.

The biggest thing in receiving reiki is allowing yourself to receive. This can be challenging for people who are accustomed to always doing for others. Take deep breaths as often as needed throughout your session to remind yourself and your body that it is ok to let go.

It is not uncommon to feel a bit tired after a deep healing, so I recommend you consciously set time aside after your session to rest. In other words, don’t bounce up and bound off to lunch with a friend or a business meeting. Give yourself quality downtime so your physical and energetic bodies can integrate the energetic shifts of the session.

I also recommend journaling about your session as a way to bear witness to yourself and your experience. Journaling can be helpful in remembering any profound insights or messages that came through during your receipt of reiki.

Can Anyone Learn Reiki?

Yes and yes! It is a beautiful practice that can have an immense impact on your life. Even if you do not intend or want to ever offer it to others, being able to give yourself reiki can be life changing. I dedicate fifteen minutes each morning to giving myself reiki. It is such a wonderful way to start the day: receiving the healing energy and self-love. I highly recommend taking at least a Level 1 training to establish your foundation and experience what the healing energy is like for you. 

Most Reiki Masters require a minimum number of practice hours in order to be able to take Level 2. Even if you do not plan on offering reiki to others, the practice of sharing reiki will be life changing; your personal attunement with the energy deepens every time you share reiki. If you decide to take Level 2, give yourself at least three months of practicing reiki to integrate into your energy and life. 

After Level 2, I recommended to practice reiki at least one year before taking Level 3. There are so many added layers in Level 2 that experiencing, discerning and truly deepening into the practice is profound and powerful thus worthwhile of your time.

If Level 3 calls you, go forth my friend! The world is currently in a huge energetic transition and the more people that are willing to contribute towards the evolutionary shift are gifts for All.

Reiki Training

I am offering Level 1 and 2 this year (2023) and I am so excited about it! In preparing my course I can feel the energy expanding. The training will be held in Santa Barbara (where I currently live.) There are two Level 1 trainings scheduled: May 20 & 21 and July 22 & 23. Level 2 will be held in Fall.

To learn more, click here: Reiki Level 1, May 20 & 21, 2023