About Sheryl, owner of Soul-Smudge
My Story

Early Years:

In early life, I had many spiritual experiences—I could see and feel the presence of spirits.  I had conversations with relatives that had passed away before I was born.  I had vivid dreams and visions, a near-death experience when I was 12, and even lived in a "haunted" house when I was in my early 20's. 

 

I was a very spiritual and sensitive child.  My sensitivity and empathy made going to school a challenge because I could feel the emotions of others; although, at the time, I didn't understand what was really happening.  I thought the emotions I felt were my own, which made things very confusing for me. 

 

I remember from a very early age having an intense desire to be a healer and fully understand my life purpose.  I prayed and asked God to give me a "healing ministry."  I loved being in the presence of Spirit and intuitively used music to connect.  High vibrational music created an otherworldly experience for me and I listened to music day and night, even while I slept.  That vibration was always present in my room and my room became my sanctuary.

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My Awakening Experience:

In my 30's my gifts shut down for the most part after a traumatic personal experience.  But 10 years later, I had an amazing paranormal experience while on a trip to Estes Park, Colorado.  It brought back the memories of all the experiences I had in my younger years but had no frame of reference for understanding at the time.  That trip to Estes Park began an awakening experience that took me through a series of explorations and studies that began with paranormal phenomena and then proceeded to exploring Reiki, psychic gifts, channeling and mediumship, guides, angels, past lives, Akashic Records, Q'ero shamanism, crystals, divination, the magickal arts, and various other topics and types of energy healing.

 

Healthcare & Teaching Career:

In my mid 30s, as a way of trying to understand the pull I felt toward being a healer, I trained for a career in the medical field.  I earned a degree in Diagnostic Medical Sonography.  I worked in a hospital radiology department performing ultrasound examinations for patients in the ER, ICU, and Labor & Delivery units.  I did this for nearly 7 years before returning to my alma mater to teach sonography, cross-sectional anatomy, and pathophysiology for an additional 7 years.  I loved helping my patients and I loved teaching my students.  Now, I take what I learned in my career as a sonographer and college professor and apply it to my work as a Reiki practitioner and teacher.  Reiki practitioners do not diagnose or give medical advice, but I do find my knowledge of anatomy useful in my practice. 

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I choose to bring a lot of spirituality and shamanic influence into my personal Reiki practice.  However, Reiki honors all paths and is not religious or affiliated with a particular religion.  At its basic core, Reiki is a relaxation technique that reduces stress and promotes healing.  Spirituality is not required to practice Reiki, just as spirituality is not required to practice yoga.  Some yogis are very spiritual while others practice yoga only for its physical health benefits.  The same is true for Reiki.  I would love to see Reiki become mainstream and used regularly in hospitals and veterinary clinics as a complementary healing technique. Stress reduction and relaxation are incredibly beneficial and healing.  And I can tell you as a former healthcare worker, stress reduction and relaxation are desperately needed in hospitals, not only by patients but by physicians, healthcare workers and students, and hospital staff as well.  Everyone can benefit from Reiki!

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The Journey Continues:

I'm on a journey.  A journey of remembering who I am and who I am meant to be.  A journey of spiritual and physical healing, of facing and embracing my shadow-self, and of shifting and transforming the energies of past injury, trauma, drama, and mishap into empowerment, inner wisdom, joy, prosperity, and unlimited potential.  This journey does not have an end destination or due date for arrival.  It's a journey that will last a lifetime---many lifetimes, in fact.  But the joy is in the journey itself, not the destination.

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