Just breathe

Happy Hippie Reiki & Things owners give customers a chance to relax

By Lindsay Owens

Sometimes we just need to breathe. Not just take a regular breath but rather one of those deep breaths that make your whole body relax.

For some of us, that may come from sinking into a hot tub, curling up in our favorite chair with a blanket and a good book or indulging in a massage.

For others, it may take something a little different. Something that not only relaxes the body but helps clear your mind.

Enter Kris Opell and Dan Davis, owners of Happy Hippie Reiki & Things, a quaint and colorful shop located in the heart of downtown Vincennes.

“Reiki is an energy healing technique done by a practitioner who has undergone formal training. We use gentle hand movements with the intention to guide the flow of life force energy through the body to reduce stress and promote healing,” she said.

So what does that really mean, and what can it do for you? Well, the truth is Opell wasn’t quite sure herself when she signed up for a class a few years ago.

“I had been attending classes at First City Movement and they were offering a Reiki class. I had no idea what it was but thought I’d give it a try,” she said.

She soon realized how beneficial the Japanese healing process was for her.

“It really changed things for me,” said Opell, who stresses that Reiki is not a replacement for regular medical care, but it does offer benefits that can be beneficial to many.

Opell shared her experience with Davis, who then tried his hand at the practice, and it wasn’t long before the duo decided to share Reiki with others.

“It really opened the door for our healing experience and helped us look at the world differently,” said Davis. “We wanted to be able to share that with others. That’s when we opened the shop.”

For Opell, Reiki helped reduce her anxiety, and for Davis, the practice helped reduce his pain.

“We’ve had people come in with anxiety. Maybe they have trouble sleeping and we’ve been able to help them,” said Davis. “We talk about different types of meditation and how to breathe and what might work best for them.”

It’s not always a one size fits all. In fact, some may only need one session, while others may find benefits in multiple sessions.

In a darkened room with gentle music playing, Davis and Opell help clients clear their minds and relax. Unlike a massage, Reiki, sometimes called healing touch or healing therapy, uses only gentle touch to help guide the life force energy.

It really opened the door for our healing experience and helped us look at the world differently.

Dan Davis, co-owner of Happy Hippie Reiki & Things

“This goes along with traditional medical care,” said Opell, adding sessions are typically 45 minutes to an hour. “There are a lot of places who use the techniques but it’s not always called Reiki.”

During the sessions, sometimes healing crystals are also used.

“I sometimes use quartz during sessions,” said Opell, adding rose quartz promotes self-love. “The crystals can redirect and channel energy flow with unique vibrations to unblock areas or energy fields that are stuck.”

Davis said there’s a crystal for nearly everything.

“There are chakras or energy points in your body that are used in meditation,” he said, adding each chakra is associated with a different color and a different crystal.

For instance, the heart chakra is green and represents healing, abundance and growth, while the throat chakra, which is blue, is for harmony, healing and communication.

“We can help identify what people may need,” said Davis, adding he and Opell also offer classes throughout the year.

Sometimes what people may need doesn’t come in the form of chakras or Reiki sessions, though. Sometimes what those coming into the shop need most doesn’t cost a dime.

“Free hugs. We have a lot of people who come in who just need a hug or someone to listen. It’s heartwarming when people come in for that,” said Opell.