With the advent of social networking websites, and connecting with ‘networks’ of friends, the face of networking as a whole has changed. Gone are the days of events where someone shoves a business card in your face and blurts out a 30 second sales pitch. People are now striving to build meaningful relationships. Venues for networking are also changing and are starting to be more focused on the social aspects of building and creating community.  

Healers are also changing.  There was a time when you could easily point out a healer in a crowd of people. She would typically be the airy-fairy one, dressed in long flowy garments with (again) long hair without a lot of shape to it and she’d be surrounded by the scent of patchouli.  

Now, your resident healer could be the CEO next door who attributes her air of power to the balance she creates through meditation and making sure that her chakras are aligned. She brings that energy and personal power to the board room, creating an environment for growth and healing and uses the energy techniques she’s learned in yoga class, a retreat, or even from studying a healing modality, to bring calm and unity to high powered negotiations.  

Likewise, former corporate leaders and employees are bringing their business savvy to the New Age arena and taking a stand for who they are as a whole: healer and business person…and they’re not apologizing for either part of themselves. In fact, they are embracing it and teaching others that healing and prosperity go hand in hand. 

Two women doing just that are Jennifer Berman and Lena Salonikas. Together they have created The EnergyXChange: a new monthly event that brings together social networking and a Reiki healing circle to create a vibrant and inspiring community that promotes clarity and healing for those who attend.  

Both avid networkers and passionate healers with corporate backgrounds, Jennifer and Lena wanted to create a space where community could come together and get to know one another in a social setting while experiencing and sharing the healing energy of Reiki. 

Attendees of the EnergyXChange will have the opportunity to partake in networking, guided meditations, energy building/grounding exercises and a Reiki Share. This is the perfect venue to experience Reiki first hand, further your education, meet people in the community, or share positive energy in a relaxed, social atmosphere. 

Networking and Reiki? How does that work exactly? True, it isn’t normal to think of a networking event and a healing circle as things that go hand in hand. For Jennifer and Lena though, the idea makes perfect sense and this is why: 

At a healing circle, it is normal for people to come together and meet others of like mind. The event proceeds to offer mini-sessions of the healing modality to those in attendance. Most times there are more attendees than healers and so the people waiting for their session wait…and talk…and socialize. And the more relationships are built, the safer and more comfortable people feel about being there and entrusting the healers to relieve their stress. 

At a social networking event, it’s normal for people to come together and meet others of like mind. They gather at a venue, talk, socialize and mingle. Attendees forge relationships and the stronger those relationships get, the safer they feel to entrust each other with their business and their referrals. 

“When people shift the way they look at networking and redefine it as connecting, it opens a whole new world of opportunities and possibilities.”

-Lena Salonikas 

What Lena and Jennifer are doing with this event is to invite people to recognize the possibility of creating connections regardless of the venue. There will be opportunities to connect at the beginning and the end of the event. Likewise, when people are waiting for their turn on a Reiki table, they have the opportunity to connect with others that are waiting. 

How do I know if the EnergyXChange is the place for me?

Are you attuned, and would like to practice your skills or give healing to those in attendance? Have you heard about Reiki and want to learn more or try it out? Do you want to meet others interested in healing and energy medicine? Are you just tired and stressed out, and are looking for a great way to relax and find clarity? If you answered yes to any of these questions, come see what an evening at the EnergyXChange has to offer.  

What is Reiki?

Reiki is considered Energy Medicine by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine at the US National Institutes of Health. Energy Medicine is traditional in many cultures, and is also at the forefront of medical research. Studies show that Reiki has measurable electrical and magnetic qualities, which create positive physical change in the body. Reiki is used in hundreds of hospitals, nursing homes, hospices, and spas 

Reiki is a form of energy work, and is administered by “laying on hands”. Reiki is based on the principal that the undisturbed flow and balance of energy in and around the body is the basis of good health and wellness. Blocked or stagnant energy can manifest as stress, pain, illness or disease. 
 
During a Reiki treatment, the client lies fully clothed on the table, and the Practitioner places hands in various positions around the body, based upon the client's individual needs. Clients are usually deeply relaxed after a Reiki treatment, and a single Reiki session can have far-reaching effects, from relief of specific symptoms, to profound clarity and insight. Please keep in mind that Reiki is a complementary therapy, and is not intended to diagnose disease or replace medical treatment. 

What should I expect from an evening at the EnergyXChange?

We’ll start with networking and socializing and move into a guided meditation and energy building/grounding exercises. We’ll then start a Reiki Share, breaking into groups around the room for individual sessions. Group sizes will depend on the number of healers and participants present. We’ll then wrap up with more time to network and socialize. 

Is there anything I need to bring?

We encourage attendees to bring food or non-alcoholic beverages to share, and a portable massage table, if you have one and are willing to bring it. 

Is there a fee to attend?

Yes. We have a $10.00 entrance fee, payable in cash the day of the event. Payment options and scholarships are available, but must be arranged in advance with the co-presenters. 

When do you meet and how can I learn more?

We meet the second Thursday of every month beginning February 11^th from 6:30 – 9:30 PM at Life Force Arts Center. For more information you can contact Jennifer Berman at 773.968.6740 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or Lena Salonikas 312.725.6618 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . 

Come to The EnergyXChange on Thursday, February 11^th and experience firsthand what social networking with a healing touch is all about. 
 

Lena Salonikas wears many hats that allow her to help people transform, including Success Coach, Reiki Master Teacher, Certified Hypnotist, and Seminar Leader. Along with Jennifer Berman, Reiki Master, she is honored and filled with gratitude for the opportunity to co-create the EnergyXChange and share it with you.