“Reiki, which is pronounced ray-kee, by the way,” explains Reiki Master Jessie Lackner, “is a Japanese healing technique that encourages relaxation and allows the body to heal itself. If you think about it, when you stub a toe or bang an elbow, your hands immediately go to the place of the pain. It’s your body’s natural reaction to place hands on the injury and allow the healing energy to flow. Even a baby or toddler will do it. Our bodies are programmed to address pain or stress and try to put things back in balance, if we just know how to let it happen.
“That’s what I teach in my classes or personal sessions, and I’m thrilled to say I’ve trained and certified over 30 reiki practitioners here in Jefferson County. Most are women, and the ages range from as young as 15 to well into their 70’s. Everyone is on their own journey to health and well-being, and I can meet people wherever they are and help them along.
“I also teach yoga, I do sound bath therapy, and I teach training techniques, so others can go on and spread the practice to a wider audience. Once a month we hold what is called a reiki sangha, which is a coming together of practitioners at all levels, to support one another, focus on meditation, and share intentions. We do hands-on energy exchanges and collective healing. It can be exciting and uplifting, but at the same time calming and centering.
“I think it’s important to make clear that I am not a healer, per se. I help create the conditions so people can heal themselves. I work around the body’s parasympathetic function, which is responsible for relaxing the body after periods of stress and managing daily functions like digestion and heart rate. We all have a fight or flight reflex when exposed to stress or pain, and I help manage that toward the relaxation side.
“The number of people in Madison and the surrounding area who are involved in the healing arts is very encouraging and gratifying. Massage, yoga and all the rest. I feel like we are an important counterweight to traditional medicine, tapping into the body’s natural ability to rejuvenate and heal. Looking out 5 or 10 years, my goal is to open a kind of healing arts collective, a dedicated single place where all the different practitioners can collaborate and support each other.
“It’s a passion for me, and something I hope I can devote myself to full time someday soon. It’s a way to give back to this community I love so much, and hopefully send my students out into the world with the tools to spread the message even further.
“If anyone is interested in learning more or they want to take lessons, I offer group and private sessions. My website is MadReiki.com, and all the info is on there.
HOT TIP OF THE WEEK
I’m always looking for new names popping up on the weekly music calendar, just to see the variety. That’s not to take anything away from the familiar (or Vaguely Familiar) names that show up regularly … there’s a reason they get booked week in and week out, it’s because they are proven crowd-pleasers. But anyway, I’m seeing Connor Loveless maybe for the first time, Tyrone Cotton, Craig Cole, Remington Maxwell, and last but not least, a band inexplicably named Fart Armor will be playing Saturday morning at the Farmers Market at Lytle Park. Another show that caught my eye is Ruben Guthrie at the Drake on Thursday doing a John Prine tribute, that should be a lot of fun. Hey, we’re 6 months into 2026 … let’s all make a Half-Years Resolution to get out and see live music!
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