May 4, 2025 • 26 mins
May Dong never imagined herself where she is today. Growing up in a Vietnamese-Filipino household with expectations of becoming a doctor, she followed the prescribed path until age 19 when something shifted. That first moment of following her intuition—dropping her studies to travel to Vietnam—sparked a transformation that would eventually lead her from corporate wellness to becoming a Reiki practitioner and holistic health coach.
Working at prestigious companies like B Half Moon, Lululemon, and Herbaland, May found herself falling into a familiar pattern. Just as pre-med had once become her entire identity, her corporate role was now consuming her personality. There was no space to simply be. When a wellness studio opened near her downtown Vancouver apartment, curiosity drew her in despite initial skepticism about anything "too woo-woo." What she discovered there changed everything.
Reiki connected May with her body in ways she'd never experienced. Combined with her plant medicine journey, it created awareness of emotions and sensations long ignored in the corporate rush. Yet the transition wasn't immediate or easy. The universe had to practically force her hand through burnout, illness, relationship challenges, and rescinded job offers before she finally stopped resisting her true calling. "Once I stopped resisting," she reflects, "things started to bloom."
Today, May offers Reiki, sound healing, and aromatherapy in Montreal, where she's building a new community from scratch. She envisions creating corporate wellness programs that bring holistic practices into high-stress environments where they're desperately needed. Her story reminds us that sometimes our most authentic path emerges not from careful planning but from finally surrendering to the direction life is already taking us.
Ready to explore Reiki for yourself? Whether you're curious, skeptical, or somewhere in between, May encourages you to reach out to practitioners, attend local circles (many are free!), or simply start asking questions. Connect with May on Instagram @maydong to learn more about her sessions and upcoming events.
May is a Reiki Healer Level 2, intuitive guide, and sound healer based in Montreal. She discovered Reiki in 2018 while working in the corporate world at top wellness companies such as Herbaland, B Halfmoon, and Lululemon, which set her on a transformative journey. After leaving behind her pre-med studies and a fast-paced career in sales and e-commerce, she embraced her calling as a holistic health coach.
Passionate about corporate wellness, Mayenvisions building a comprehensive wellness company that brings holistic well-being into the workplace while empowering and supporting fellow wellness professionals. For now, she offers Reiki and intuitive guidance at Vivewell Loft through sound and aromatherapy circles, as well as virtual sessions - taking it one step at a time.
Connect with May on Instagram or LinkedIn: @maydong.
Ready Set Reiki is a journey
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
this is ready set reiki a podcast about Reiki and
all energy work, from thecurious beginner to the seasoned
master teacher, welcoming allsystems, all lineages and all
levels.
Reiki is a journey and not adestination, and on this Ready
Set Reiki journey, I refer tomyself as a guide.
So I'm Tracy Seawright and thisis Ready Set Reiki.
Hello, my beautiful listeners,welcome Ready Set Reiki.
(00:44):
So today on my journey, I haveMei Dong.
Now she is a Reiki healer, leveltwo, intuitive guide, sound
healer and she's based inMontreal.
Now she discovered Reiki in2018 while working in the
corporate world at very topwellness companies.
Now this set her on atransformational journey.
(01:05):
Now, after leaving behind herpre-med studies and a fast-paced
career in sales and e-commerce,she embraced her calling as a
holistic health coach.
Now she is passionate aboutcorporate health and she
envisions building acomprehensive wellness company
that brings holistic well-beinginto the workplace while
(01:27):
empowering and supporting fellowwellness professionals.
For now, she offers Reiki andintuitive guidance at Vivuel
Loft through sound andaromatherapy circles, as well as
virtual sessions, taking it onestep at a time.
May, welcome to Ready Set Reiki.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
Oh, my goodness, I wish there was like clapping
sound effects, like the way youpresented my story and what I do
is like, wow, I think you'rereaching my hand out here.
My kitten's just beside me, soI'm just petting him.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
Very good, Very good.
Well, welcome to Ready SetReiki and animals really many of
them love Reiki.
So, of course, when we have thepodcast, certainly mine are in
attendance, so let's begin ourjourney together.
So what a fascinating journeythat you've had from corporate
world to becoming a holisticcoach.
(02:26):
So tell us a little bit aboutyourself.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Yeah, although I'm currently living in Montreal, I
moved out here almost two yearsago.
I'm originally from Vancouver,bc, which is West Coast Canada,
and I never thought I'd be whereI am today.
Clearly, you can see, I comefrom an Asian background.
(02:50):
I am half Vietnamese, halfFilipino, and from a young age I
was just always on the set path, like, yes, I am going to be
this perfect daughter that goesto med school and just fulfills
my parents' wishes for me, andup until the age of 19, that was
(03:12):
exactly what I was doing, untilI sort of felt like, hmm, I
started gaining awareness oflike hey, I don't think this
path is exactly for me, but Ididn't know anything else.
But it was like the first timein my life in university where I
(03:33):
followed my intuition.
I'm like, okay, I'm going todrop my studies.
I went to Vietnam to travel fora few months and when I came
back it was somewhat of like arebirth Because growing up, I
was again bringing up the Asianupbringing.
I was extremely shy and quiet,like even the way I talk now I'm
(03:55):
like sometimes I'm like who dis?
Speaker 2 (04:00):
Wow, amazing, amazing .
So we're here talking aboutReiki.
So when did Reiki come intoyour life?
Did you find Reiki or did itfind you?
Speaker 1 (04:09):
Yeah, to kind of continue my story post-trip from
Vietnam I came back toVancouver and I just dived
straight into corporate sales.
I was working at top wellnesscompanies at the time B Half
Moon, lululemon, herbaland and Ijust felt very kind of how
(04:34):
pre-med became my personality.
But working in corporate atthese top companies became my
personality and I didn't.
I never felt like I had spaceto just be, to just chill out.
Um, even at that time I kind oflike I wouldn't say completely
isolated myself from friends.
But it was just like the circleof friends I had at a time.
(04:57):
It's just those catch-upfriends like we're not really
living together, like doing lifetogether.
So I lived in downtownVancouver at the time and this
wellness and meditation studioopened up.
I was like cool, that soundslike yogi, that sounds chill,
all right, let's try it out.
And at the studio they happenedto do reiki and I'm like what
(05:19):
is this?
Like I?
Um, so it's kind of funny.
Before I worked in corporate inthese wellness companies I
always thought like yoga oranything to do with like, uh,
meditation, like yo, that's sowoo, woo, that's not for me,
like I grew up buddhist,buddhist and catholic, but lean,
uh, more towards the buddhismside, but anything beyond
(05:41):
buddhism, like meditation, andno, that's not for me, but I
think it was just an, it's myintuition.
It's like yo, this is good foryou, just like just relax into
it and see what it can do.
And yeah, I don't even know howto describe it For people that
haven't experienced Reiki.
(06:02):
It just helped me become awareof my body for the first time in
my life Beautiful, and it waskind of synonymous with my plant
medicine journey.
I started around like my very Ithink I was like 19 or 20, like
super young at that time and itjust aided my journey to being
(06:26):
more my body and feeling myemotions more and kind of not
turning my job into mypersonality, if that makes sense
it does it does.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
Well.
You've been doing Reiki for afew years now.
So, as you're out navigatingthrough this wonderful relaxing
modality, what are some of the?
So, as you're out navigatingthrough this wonderful relaxing
modality, what are some of themisconceptions that you're
finding about Reiki?
Speaker 1 (06:51):
Not necessarily misconceptions, but they don't
necessarily know what it is, orprobably like like I meet people
that remind me of my youngerself.
It just seems too woo-woo.
But on the flip side I'msurprised.
With clients I meet, they knowexactly what Reiki is.
(07:13):
They've gone to sessions before, they've had a Reiki healer
before, and I'm not sure aboutother locations in North America
and here in Montreal.
We can technically provideinsurance receipts for Reiki,
(07:35):
but you have to be a naturopath.
I too am more curious about,like how Reiki can be to kind of
become on an equal playinglevel as like massage,
chiropractic.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
Right, right, here in the United States you know it's
not regulated, so anybody,anybody can do it and we're not
able to bill the insurancecompanies with that.
But, like as a master teacher,I'm able to give someone CE
credits, you know, unit creditsfor schooling.
(08:12):
So in Texas, here with the TDLRas a continuing education
provider, so energy work countsas that if someone is doing
massage therapy and they wouldlike more credits, so yeah, so
we don't have that ability tobill.
I have a very good friend who'sa massage therapist and she's
connected now with the VA andshe's able to, you know, get
(08:35):
work from the VA and they'reable to come and the insurance
covers it.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
Yeah, that's so cool.
I've met a few massagetherapists here in Montreal.
They're like they do Reiki andmassage, but Reiki would just
fall under the massage.
Beautiful, beautiful.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
So, as a holistic health coach, you've been out
helping others, helping yourclients, being of service with
their challenges and struggles.
But what has been the biggestchallenge or struggle you have
faced in your own healingjourney?
Speaker 1 (09:06):
the biggest challenge or struggle you have faced in
your own healing journey?
I think it's more like the lackof community I had mentioned.
I had I just I pretty muchrestarted my whole social circle
here in Montreal about twoyears ago and I literally didn't
know anyone.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
And.
Speaker 1 (09:25):
I guess it's.
It's always been a calling tome like, yes, to move away from
my hometown and start fresh.
But now that I'm actually here,I'm like, oh, everything.
I guess the first year I washere, everything wasn't clicking
as easy as I thought and I gota bit discouraged, and
especially with our really harshwinters here I'm like, oh man,
(09:45):
can I even, can I even stay here, can I even keep doing this?
Um, but some ways I've tried tobuild community is um, before I
was just doing Reiki at my homestudio, but I was like you know
what?
I want to get out in thecommunity more, I want to meet
faces in person and just likecoming on to this podcast, I'm
(10:06):
like you know what people shouldknow what I'm doing, what's up?
Very good, and I guess, likeeven the class that I currently
teach at the studio and at vibe,well, it's something that I
wish existed.
Like a year ago when I was here, yeah, like for me, like, um,
(10:29):
even like I was, I took a tripto New York for for new years
and my way of like, even thoughit was a short trip, my way of
building community, was like, oh, I'm going to keep going to
these yoga and meditationclasses, because that's that's
what I love.
Speaker 2 (10:44):
Beautiful, beautiful.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
So what do you wish your younger self knew about
Reiki the thing is I don't thinkI would tell her any to do
anything different or tell herany advice.
It's more so.
I'm very.
If I was talking to my youngerself, I'd be.
I tell her like I'm reallyproud that you really got out of
your comfort zone, thinkingthat spirituality, anything to
(11:10):
do with it beyond Buddhism, waslike woo-woo and not logical.
She took a leap and, yeah, itled me here.
Beautiful, beautiful.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
So you have said that you've gone out and tried to
explore in different communities.
You've been working with theenergy for a few years now.
So as you're out, as you'reworking and cultivating this
relationship with the energy,when you're meeting other
practitioners or master teachers, what are some qualities?
When it's maybe time for you toget that energetic tune up or
(11:46):
when it's time for you to seekout a teacher, what are some
qualities that you look for ineither a Reiki practitioner or a
Reiki master teacher?
Speaker 1 (11:56):
A lot of the time it's more like your intuition
and like trusting your gut, like, how do you feel even like um
as an intuitive guide?
Feel even like um as anintuitive guide.
I uh, when I meet people, um,I'm very conscious and very
aware like how they make me feelum.
But beside that, I love, I lovepractitioners that like, love
(12:16):
what they're doing and they'reso passionate, like they're
reiki nerds.
I'm like, oh my goodness, likeyou're my type of people yeah,
yeah, beautiful.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
Yeah, and sometimes the word nerd has a negative
thing, but it's a good thing.
That just means that you'repassionate about what you do and
constantly learning andevolving and changing and
keeping contemporary.
You know many people get theattunement and then they think
that's it, but you know reachingout to wonderful resources that
are out there.
There's you, there's podcastslike this and magazines and
(12:47):
books to stay relevant on thingsas well.
So what advice would you givesomeone who is just entering the
spiritual work?
I mean, you came from corporateand you walked away and you're
doing this wonderful and amazingwork, so what advice would you
give someone?
Speaker 1 (13:07):
Again, not trying to be like self-promoting, but it's
like if you have a local studionear you that offers meditation
or even if it's just like aReiki circle I have seen a lot
in my community that are freeLike, don't be shy to attend it.
Even like if you there areReiki practitioners on social
(13:30):
media, like DM us, like we'rehappy to answer your question,
don't be shy.
Speaker 2 (13:37):
And you know, 10 years ago, 15 years ago, this
was still a real, very tabootopic.
And, you know, thanks to socialmedia, it really has spread the
word about this so that it isquite relevant and thinking,
okay, you know, yeah, I heardabout that.
They may not know in depths ofit, but they're definitely.
(13:59):
People are definitely aware ofthe word of it.
So it's not so much in secrecywith it, like oh, what's that?
Or so you know out there, soyou're coming in, if those of
you that feel the calling or theinspiration to move forward
with Reiki.
Now it's a very differentatmosphere out here.
(14:19):
You know, when Madam Takata youknow she was doing this in the
40s and she had to really shiftand change it to Americanize it.
But now there's this freedom,glorious freedom, that you can
be that individual and, you know, do what you feel called to do
if it's in service of of yourclients and students.
(14:41):
So what books do you recommend?
Speaker 1 (14:49):
I'm actually rereading it right now the Power
of Now.
That was actually the firstspirituality book I ever read.
It was more a suggestion frommy brother.
He noticed when I was younger.
He was like hey, you kind ofinterrupt me when when he's
speaking.
I was like yeah, but I had noidea how to stop it and again,
(15:12):
kind of, I had mentioned when Igot, when I started doing reiki,
I started to be more in my bodyand even rereading it.
Now I'm like wow, wow, I can't.
For me, I have to read books invery small increments.
So I'm like wow, each of thesereading sessions kind of feel
(15:33):
like a micro dose of like comingback to the present Right.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
Beautiful.
So what other services do youoffer?
Do you offer classes, events,trainings?
Speaker 1 (15:46):
Yes, yeah, so right now I've just started with my
Reiki and enrollment therapycircle here in Montreal.
I've started to do some onlinemeditation classes.
Like I'm very like I'm veryearly in my in my Reiki career
and I and for me it's like I'mactually I'm looking for mentors
(16:12):
to like, oh, what directionshould I, uh should I go to?
Because, uh, before the podcaststarted, tracy and I were
discussing, um, what she wasdoing, uh with her podcast and
what other practitioners in thefield are doing.
I'm like, whoa, there's like somany directions I can go into
and the fact that I have mycorporate background corporate
(16:33):
wellness has been calling out tome, um, what, like the one of
the companies I worked at, theywe would have weekly yoga
practice for free and likethat's amazing.
Like, imagine, like, um, areiki practitioner comes every
week.
Or just like these corporations, like I know, especially like
(16:56):
finance, or like these highstress industries, like they
need Reiki.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
Yeah, yeah, it's beautiful.
I mean, you're doing you'rebeing a holistic health coach
the aromatherapies.
You're also doing virtualsessions as well.
So, even though you'rebeginning your journey, you have
a whole road ahead of you ofopportunities and it's wonderful
, as you navigate through it,that there's so many resources
(17:22):
out there and and and I'll.
I'll connect you with a coupleother communities that you can
connect with with Reiki.
So, yeah, beautiful.
And so where can we find you ifsomeone's listening and they're
interested in a session fromyou or in holistic coaching?
Speaker 1 (17:39):
Yeah, right now I'm like, I'm always on Instagram.
It's just my name, May Dong,M-A-Y-D-O-N-G.
Beautiful beautiful.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
Are they able to email you?
Are they able to do onlinesessions as well?
Speaker 1 (17:56):
I am building up my website as we speak.
Excellent, excellent.
Speaker 2 (18:02):
And that's what you know.
So many that get the calling tomove forward into this gift
that they have had to share withthe world, that they have had
to share with the world.
Many do have a struggle withthe business aspect of it, but
with being in corporate worldand having that experience.
This will help you navigate alittle bit more through all of
(18:24):
the things that many like.
They're like oh my goodness, Ifeel this calling.
Now, what do I do next?
You know they are connectedwith working with as many people
as they can, but then theyforget oh, social media, oh, I
have to do this, I have to dopromotion, I have to make flyers
, I have to do all this.
So there's a whole other layerto this that the experiences
(18:44):
that you worked for in corporatewill be able to help you, you
know, move a little faster inyour journey.
So that is the first part ofour journey and I will continue
to be your guide through thenext part, which are questions
from social media and Reikistudents.
So here we go.
Number one how did you know youwere ready to leave a fast
(19:06):
paced career in sales to embraceyour calling?
Speaker 1 (19:10):
That's a really good question.
I actually didn't know, or Ididn't want to.
I actually kind of resisted thedirection that the universe was
pushing me into.
This was around like post-COVID.
I had already been starting tofeel the effects Like, huh, I am
going so fast in my career.
(19:31):
Like I had this mindset like Ineed to climb to the top,
whether it's like work longhours or like switch, uh
positions.
Like I remember being I wasjust 23 and I was already a
sales manager at this yogacompany.
I'm like, um, at the timethat's what I thought I wanted,
(19:53):
but my body and just like myspirit was like no, slow down.
Just, you don't know what youwant.
You don't like I feltintuitively I didn't experience
enough in life.
Um, it kind of like I had like,if you're into tarot, I had
like a tower moment where likeeverything was falling apart.
(20:14):
Yeah, like I felt.
So I actually got sick, likenothing crazy, but just like
physically due to burnout, likeI couldn't work.
It was funny.
I went through like this, likeheart-wrenching breakup at the
time, but now it's just like, oh, um, I remember that time, but
(20:35):
it feels so distant and justlike all these other challenges
I was dealing with, and at thetime I I had never worked in
retail before, so I took a breakfrom corporate.
I worked at a pet store.
That was really cute.
I really miss seeing the dogsevery day and like we would feed
(20:56):
them treats.
And okay, let me get to thepoint of this.
I'm like my mind has like goneon a spiel.
Why did you do?
(21:18):
Ah, okay, so in that time I wasalso trying to get into tech
sales, because something, umhealth tech has always called
out to me too.
Like I'm like, okay, I have asales background in the wellness
industry, maybe I can jump intohealth tech, but my job offers
kept getting rescinded.
I'm like, what is this universe?
Oh, yeah, so anyways, this kindof all aligns with me moving
out here to Montreal and mycareer.
Speaker 2 (21:40):
Just like, once I stopped resisting, it's things
started to bloom wonderful yeah,I know, when the calling came,
it started slow, like I used towork 10 hours a day, and I was
like, okay, I don't think I cando this.
Then it got shortened to likeeight hours and then I was like,
yeah, I'm getting, I don't evenwant to be here in eight hours.
(22:02):
And then I took a job where itwas like 4.75 hours a day and
when I couldn't like it was astruggle just to make it through
that I was like maybe it's timefor me to find something else,
you know.
So it can be a slow progress,but many you know they're unable
to because of financial.
You know they need that incomecoming in.
(22:23):
So to take that leap from thatconsistent job, jumping into,
say, reiki, where you're not,and even yoga, because I'm a
yoga teacher as well, it's notconsistent.
You know you may not have thatclass of 12 students every week,
right, you might fluctuate fromtwo or to five or some months.
(22:43):
You might have a great monthand then the next month you
might not have so much.
So, but it's just interesting,you get signs from the universe,
but you know your point of is,you know you let go.
You stop resisting with that.
Yeah.
So number two why do youbelieve that wellness and
holistic care is important inthe corporate world?
Speaker 1 (23:03):
Oh, my goodness, I can talk like all day about this
.
Um, I think, like I, I was atan advantage in a sense, like I
worked in the wellness industryand like the reason why I know
about yoga and I got into yogais because I started working at
a yoga company.
Of course, beyond that, I feellike even working in the
(23:28):
wellness industry, likecompanies only have so much
capacity to teach theiremployees skills.
And I guess, for me incorporate, and even now, like
doing this interview, it's likeI could never imagine myself
talking for this amount of timeunless I was in this very like
(23:48):
masculine, corporate-y voice,like talking about the deal and
closing the deal.
I felt inauthentic because alot of that was just me
constricting to my masculine,because I was so anxious all the
time, sure, sure sure.
Speaker 2 (24:10):
So, number three, what inspired you to blend your
practice, your sessions, withReiki, sound and aromatherapy?
Speaker 1 (24:18):
I think when I first started out doing private
sessions and at first I had likethis set kind of recipe.
I'm like, yes, it's going to beReiki and then I'm going to put
a little bit of sound.
It's going to be reiki and thenI'm going to put a little bit
of sound.
But it kind I I'm also amusician.
(24:38):
I write music, I play guitar,uh, I sing.
So that kind of felt boringjust doing like this linear atz
plan I I set out for my classes.
So I'm like you know what?
I'm just gonna play, I'm gonnabeautiful, I'm gonna use the
tools that I have and I'mexcited to invest more in more
sound healing instruments.
I would love to have a gong,I'd love to get more crystal
(25:03):
sound bowls.
Speaker 2 (25:05):
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.
So that was our last questionand, as we've been talking, is
there anything that you haveforgotten or something that you
would like to share with thelisteners?
Speaker 1 (25:16):
The floor is yours curious and listening to this
podcast, like I, I was there,like I knew nothing about reiki.
I'm like, okay, I'm gonnasearch every podcast about what
(25:37):
this, what this thing is.
So yeah, to anyone that's like,gone out of their comfort zone
to try reiki or to learn, beopen to learning more about it,
I'm super proud of you beautiful, beautiful.
Speaker 2 (25:49):
And here's the thing listeners, you know, if you have
this calling, this callingwithin you and it may not make
sense to you, or you're maybequestioning versus why, you have
every reason to move forwardwith that.
So don't doubt yourself.
And even ones that we wouldcolor as master teachers or
experiences, they all havedoubts in their journey as well.
So thank you so much, may, forjoining me on this Ready Set
(26:14):
Reiki journey.
I appreciate you taking timeout of your very busy schedule
to join me.
Speaker 1 (26:20):
Thank you so much, tracy.
This conversation was so fun,wonderful.
Speaker 2 (26:25):
All right, my wonderful listeners, if you
would like your questionfeatured on the podcast, reach
out wwwreadysetreikicom.
I'm Tracy Seawright and thishas been Ready Set.
Speaker 1 (26:35):
Reiki © transcript Emily Beynon.
this is ready set reiki a podcast about Reiki and
all energy work, from thecurious beginner to the seasoned
master teacher, welcoming allsystems, all lineages and all
levels.
Reiki is a journey and not adestination, and on this Ready
Set Reiki journey, I refer tomyself as a guide.
So I'm Tracy Seawright and thisis Ready Set Reiki.
Hello, my beautiful listeners,welcome Ready Set Reiki.
(00:44):
So today on my journey, I haveMei Dong.
Now she is a Reiki healer, leveltwo, intuitive guide, sound
healer and she's based inMontreal.
Now she discovered Reiki in2018 while working in the
corporate world at very topwellness companies.
Now this set her on atransformational journey.
(01:05):
Now, after leaving behind herpre-med studies and a fast-paced
career in sales and e-commerce,she embraced her calling as a
holistic health coach.
Now she is passionate aboutcorporate health and she
envisions building acomprehensive wellness company
that brings holistic well-beinginto the workplace while
(01:27):
empowering and supporting fellowwellness professionals.
For now, she offers Reiki andintuitive guidance at Vivuel
Loft through sound andaromatherapy circles, as well as
virtual sessions, taking it onestep at a time.
May, welcome to Ready Set Reiki.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
Oh, my goodness, I wish there was like clapping
sound effects, like the way youpresented my story and what I do
is like, wow, I think you'rereaching my hand out here.
My kitten's just beside me, soI'm just petting him.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
Very good, Very good.
Well, welcome to Ready SetReiki and animals really many of
them love Reiki.
So, of course, when we have thepodcast, certainly mine are in
attendance, so let's begin ourjourney together.
So what a fascinating journeythat you've had from corporate
world to becoming a holisticcoach.
(02:26):
So tell us a little bit aboutyourself.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Yeah, although I'm currently living in Montreal, I
moved out here almost two yearsago.
I'm originally from Vancouver,bc, which is West Coast Canada,
and I never thought I'd be whereI am today.
Clearly, you can see, I comefrom an Asian background.
(02:50):
I am half Vietnamese, halfFilipino, and from a young age I
was just always on the set path, like, yes, I am going to be
this perfect daughter that goesto med school and just fulfills
my parents' wishes for me, andup until the age of 19, that was
(03:12):
exactly what I was doing, untilI sort of felt like, hmm, I
started gaining awareness oflike hey, I don't think this
path is exactly for me, but Ididn't know anything else.
But it was like the first timein my life in university where I
(03:33):
followed my intuition.
I'm like, okay, I'm going todrop my studies.
I went to Vietnam to travel fora few months and when I came
back it was somewhat of like arebirth Because growing up, I
was again bringing up the Asianupbringing.
I was extremely shy and quiet,like even the way I talk now I'm
(03:55):
like sometimes I'm like who dis?
Speaker 2 (04:00):
Wow, amazing, amazing .
So we're here talking aboutReiki.
So when did Reiki come intoyour life?
Did you find Reiki or did itfind you?
Speaker 1 (04:09):
Yeah, to kind of continue my story post-trip from
Vietnam I came back toVancouver and I just dived
straight into corporate sales.
I was working at top wellnesscompanies at the time B Half
Moon, lululemon, herbaland and Ijust felt very kind of how
(04:34):
pre-med became my personality.
But working in corporate atthese top companies became my
personality and I didn't.
I never felt like I had spaceto just be, to just chill out.
Um, even at that time I kind oflike I wouldn't say completely
isolated myself from friends.
But it was just like the circleof friends I had at a time.
(04:57):
It's just those catch-upfriends like we're not really
living together, like doing lifetogether.
So I lived in downtownVancouver at the time and this
wellness and meditation studioopened up.
I was like cool, that soundslike yogi, that sounds chill,
all right, let's try it out.
And at the studio they happenedto do reiki and I'm like what
(05:19):
is this?
Like I?
Um, so it's kind of funny.
Before I worked in corporate inthese wellness companies I
always thought like yoga oranything to do with like, uh,
meditation, like yo, that's sowoo, woo, that's not for me,
like I grew up buddhist,buddhist and catholic, but lean,
uh, more towards the buddhismside, but anything beyond
(05:41):
buddhism, like meditation, andno, that's not for me, but I
think it was just an, it's myintuition.
It's like yo, this is good foryou, just like just relax into
it and see what it can do.
And yeah, I don't even know howto describe it For people that
haven't experienced Reiki.
(06:02):
It just helped me become awareof my body for the first time in
my life Beautiful, and it waskind of synonymous with my plant
medicine journey.
I started around like my very Ithink I was like 19 or 20, like
super young at that time and itjust aided my journey to being
(06:26):
more my body and feeling myemotions more and kind of not
turning my job into mypersonality, if that makes sense
it does it does.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
Well.
You've been doing Reiki for afew years now.
So, as you're out navigatingthrough this wonderful relaxing
modality, what are some of the?
So, as you're out navigatingthrough this wonderful relaxing
modality, what are some of themisconceptions that you're
finding about Reiki?
Speaker 1 (06:51):
Not necessarily misconceptions, but they don't
necessarily know what it is, orprobably like like I meet people
that remind me of my youngerself.
It just seems too woo-woo.
But on the flip side I'msurprised.
With clients I meet, they knowexactly what Reiki is.
(07:13):
They've gone to sessions before, they've had a Reiki healer
before, and I'm not sure aboutother locations in North America
and here in Montreal.
We can technically provideinsurance receipts for Reiki,
(07:35):
but you have to be a naturopath.
I too am more curious about,like how Reiki can be to kind of
become on an equal playinglevel as like massage,
chiropractic.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
Right, right, here in the United States you know it's
not regulated, so anybody,anybody can do it and we're not
able to bill the insurancecompanies with that.
But, like as a master teacher,I'm able to give someone CE
credits, you know, unit creditsfor schooling.
(08:12):
So in Texas, here with the TDLRas a continuing education
provider, so energy work countsas that if someone is doing
massage therapy and they wouldlike more credits, so yeah, so
we don't have that ability tobill.
I have a very good friend who'sa massage therapist and she's
connected now with the VA andshe's able to, you know, get
(08:35):
work from the VA and they'reable to come and the insurance
covers it.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
Yeah, that's so cool.
I've met a few massagetherapists here in Montreal.
They're like they do Reiki andmassage, but Reiki would just
fall under the massage.
Beautiful, beautiful.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
So, as a holistic health coach, you've been out
helping others, helping yourclients, being of service with
their challenges and struggles.
But what has been the biggestchallenge or struggle you have
faced in your own healingjourney?
Speaker 1 (09:06):
the biggest challenge or struggle you have faced in
your own healing journey?
I think it's more like the lackof community I had mentioned.
I had I just I pretty muchrestarted my whole social circle
here in Montreal about twoyears ago and I literally didn't
know anyone.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
And.
Speaker 1 (09:25):
I guess it's.
It's always been a calling tome like, yes, to move away from
my hometown and start fresh.
But now that I'm actually here,I'm like, oh, everything.
I guess the first year I washere, everything wasn't clicking
as easy as I thought and I gota bit discouraged, and
especially with our really harshwinters here I'm like, oh man,
(09:45):
can I even, can I even stay here, can I even keep doing this?
Um, but some ways I've tried tobuild community is um, before I
was just doing Reiki at my homestudio, but I was like you know
what?
I want to get out in thecommunity more, I want to meet
faces in person and just likecoming on to this podcast, I'm
(10:06):
like you know what people shouldknow what I'm doing, what's up?
Very good, and I guess, likeeven the class that I currently
teach at the studio and at vibe,well, it's something that I
wish existed.
Like a year ago when I was here, yeah, like for me, like, um,
(10:29):
even like I was, I took a tripto New York for for new years
and my way of like, even thoughit was a short trip, my way of
building community, was like, oh, I'm going to keep going to
these yoga and meditationclasses, because that's that's
what I love.
Speaker 2 (10:44):
Beautiful, beautiful.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
So what do you wish your younger self knew about
Reiki the thing is I don't thinkI would tell her any to do
anything different or tell herany advice.
It's more so.
I'm very.
If I was talking to my youngerself, I'd be.
I tell her like I'm reallyproud that you really got out of
your comfort zone, thinkingthat spirituality, anything to
(11:10):
do with it beyond Buddhism, waslike woo-woo and not logical.
She took a leap and, yeah, itled me here.
Beautiful, beautiful.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
So you have said that you've gone out and tried to
explore in different communities.
You've been working with theenergy for a few years now.
So as you're out, as you'reworking and cultivating this
relationship with the energy,when you're meeting other
practitioners or master teachers, what are some qualities?
When it's maybe time for you toget that energetic tune up or
(11:46):
when it's time for you to seekout a teacher, what are some
qualities that you look for ineither a Reiki practitioner or a
Reiki master teacher?
Speaker 1 (11:56):
A lot of the time it's more like your intuition
and like trusting your gut, like, how do you feel even like um
as an intuitive guide?
Feel even like um as anintuitive guide.
I uh, when I meet people, um,I'm very conscious and very
aware like how they make me feelum.
But beside that, I love, I lovepractitioners that like, love
(12:16):
what they're doing and they'reso passionate, like they're
reiki nerds.
I'm like, oh my goodness, likeyou're my type of people yeah,
yeah, beautiful.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
Yeah, and sometimes the word nerd has a negative
thing, but it's a good thing.
That just means that you'repassionate about what you do and
constantly learning andevolving and changing and
keeping contemporary.
You know many people get theattunement and then they think
that's it, but you know reachingout to wonderful resources that
are out there.
There's you, there's podcastslike this and magazines and
(12:47):
books to stay relevant on thingsas well.
So what advice would you givesomeone who is just entering the
spiritual work?
I mean, you came from corporateand you walked away and you're
doing this wonderful and amazingwork, so what advice would you
give someone?
Speaker 1 (13:07):
Again, not trying to be like self-promoting, but it's
like if you have a local studionear you that offers meditation
or even if it's just like aReiki circle I have seen a lot
in my community that are freeLike, don't be shy to attend it.
Even like if you there areReiki practitioners on social
(13:30):
media, like DM us, like we'rehappy to answer your question,
don't be shy.
Speaker 2 (13:37):
And you know, 10 years ago, 15 years ago, this
was still a real, very tabootopic.
And, you know, thanks to socialmedia, it really has spread the
word about this so that it isquite relevant and thinking,
okay, you know, yeah, I heardabout that.
They may not know in depths ofit, but they're definitely.
(13:59):
People are definitely aware ofthe word of it.
So it's not so much in secrecywith it, like oh, what's that?
Or so you know out there, soyou're coming in, if those of
you that feel the calling or theinspiration to move forward
with Reiki.
Now it's a very differentatmosphere out here.
(14:19):
You know, when Madam Takata youknow she was doing this in the
40s and she had to really shiftand change it to Americanize it.
But now there's this freedom,glorious freedom, that you can
be that individual and, you know, do what you feel called to do
if it's in service of of yourclients and students.
(14:41):
So what books do you recommend?
Speaker 1 (14:49):
I'm actually rereading it right now the Power
of Now.
That was actually the firstspirituality book I ever read.
It was more a suggestion frommy brother.
He noticed when I was younger.
He was like hey, you kind ofinterrupt me when when he's
speaking.
I was like yeah, but I had noidea how to stop it and again,
(15:12):
kind of, I had mentioned when Igot, when I started doing reiki,
I started to be more in my bodyand even rereading it.
Now I'm like wow, wow, I can't.
For me, I have to read books invery small increments.
So I'm like wow, each of thesereading sessions kind of feel
(15:33):
like a micro dose of like comingback to the present Right.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
Beautiful.
So what other services do youoffer?
Do you offer classes, events,trainings?
Speaker 1 (15:46):
Yes, yeah, so right now I've just started with my
Reiki and enrollment therapycircle here in Montreal.
I've started to do some onlinemeditation classes.
Like I'm very like I'm veryearly in my in my Reiki career
and I and for me it's like I'mactually I'm looking for mentors
(16:12):
to like, oh, what directionshould I, uh should I go to?
Because, uh, before the podcaststarted, tracy and I were
discussing, um, what she wasdoing, uh with her podcast and
what other practitioners in thefield are doing.
I'm like, whoa, there's like somany directions I can go into
and the fact that I have mycorporate background corporate
(16:33):
wellness has been calling out tome, um, what, like the one of
the companies I worked at, theywe would have weekly yoga
practice for free and likethat's amazing.
Like, imagine, like, um, areiki practitioner comes every
week.
Or just like these corporations, like I know, especially like
(16:56):
finance, or like these highstress industries, like they
need Reiki.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
Yeah, yeah, it's beautiful.
I mean, you're doing you'rebeing a holistic health coach
the aromatherapies.
You're also doing virtualsessions as well.
So, even though you'rebeginning your journey, you have
a whole road ahead of you ofopportunities and it's wonderful
, as you navigate through it,that there's so many resources
(17:22):
out there and and and I'll.
I'll connect you with a coupleother communities that you can
connect with with Reiki.
So, yeah, beautiful.
And so where can we find you ifsomeone's listening and they're
interested in a session fromyou or in holistic coaching?
Speaker 1 (17:39):
Yeah, right now I'm like, I'm always on Instagram.
It's just my name, May Dong,M-A-Y-D-O-N-G.
Beautiful beautiful.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
Are they able to email you?
Are they able to do onlinesessions as well?
Speaker 1 (17:56):
I am building up my website as we speak.
Excellent, excellent.
Speaker 2 (18:02):
And that's what you know.
So many that get the calling tomove forward into this gift
that they have had to share withthe world, that they have had
to share with the world.
Many do have a struggle withthe business aspect of it, but
with being in corporate worldand having that experience.
This will help you navigate alittle bit more through all of
(18:24):
the things that many like.
They're like oh my goodness, Ifeel this calling.
Now, what do I do next?
You know they are connectedwith working with as many people
as they can, but then theyforget oh, social media, oh, I
have to do this, I have to dopromotion, I have to make flyers
, I have to do all this.
So there's a whole other layerto this that the experiences
(18:44):
that you worked for in corporatewill be able to help you, you
know, move a little faster inyour journey.
So that is the first part ofour journey and I will continue
to be your guide through thenext part, which are questions
from social media and Reikistudents.
So here we go.
Number one how did you know youwere ready to leave a fast
(19:06):
paced career in sales to embraceyour calling?
Speaker 1 (19:10):
That's a really good question.
I actually didn't know, or Ididn't want to.
I actually kind of resisted thedirection that the universe was
pushing me into.
This was around like post-COVID.
I had already been starting tofeel the effects Like, huh, I am
going so fast in my career.
(19:31):
Like I had this mindset like Ineed to climb to the top,
whether it's like work longhours or like switch, uh
positions.
Like I remember being I wasjust 23 and I was already a
sales manager at this yogacompany.
I'm like, um, at the timethat's what I thought I wanted,
(19:53):
but my body and just like myspirit was like no, slow down.
Just, you don't know what youwant.
You don't like I feltintuitively I didn't experience
enough in life.
Um, it kind of like I had like,if you're into tarot, I had
like a tower moment where likeeverything was falling apart.
(20:14):
Yeah, like I felt.
So I actually got sick, likenothing crazy, but just like
physically due to burnout, likeI couldn't work.
It was funny.
I went through like this, likeheart-wrenching breakup at the
time, but now it's just like, oh, um, I remember that time, but
(20:35):
it feels so distant and justlike all these other challenges
I was dealing with, and at thetime I I had never worked in
retail before, so I took a breakfrom corporate.
I worked at a pet store.
That was really cute.
I really miss seeing the dogsevery day and like we would feed
(20:56):
them treats.
And okay, let me get to thepoint of this.
I'm like my mind has like goneon a spiel.
Why did you do?
(21:18):
Ah, okay, so in that time I wasalso trying to get into tech
sales, because something, umhealth tech has always called
out to me too.
Like I'm like, okay, I have asales background in the wellness
industry, maybe I can jump intohealth tech, but my job offers
kept getting rescinded.
I'm like, what is this universe?
Oh, yeah, so anyways, this kindof all aligns with me moving
out here to Montreal and mycareer.
Speaker 2 (21:40):
Just like, once I stopped resisting, it's things
started to bloom wonderful yeah,I know, when the calling came,
it started slow, like I used towork 10 hours a day, and I was
like, okay, I don't think I cando this.
Then it got shortened to likeeight hours and then I was like,
yeah, I'm getting, I don't evenwant to be here in eight hours.
(22:02):
And then I took a job where itwas like 4.75 hours a day and
when I couldn't like it was astruggle just to make it through
that I was like maybe it's timefor me to find something else,
you know.
So it can be a slow progress,but many you know they're unable
to because of financial.
You know they need that incomecoming in.
(22:23):
So to take that leap from thatconsistent job, jumping into,
say, reiki, where you're not,and even yoga, because I'm a
yoga teacher as well, it's notconsistent.
You know you may not have thatclass of 12 students every week,
right, you might fluctuate fromtwo or to five or some months.
(22:43):
You might have a great monthand then the next month you
might not have so much.
So, but it's just interesting,you get signs from the universe,
but you know your point of is,you know you let go.
You stop resisting with that.
Yeah.
So number two why do youbelieve that wellness and
holistic care is important inthe corporate world?
Speaker 1 (23:03):
Oh, my goodness, I can talk like all day about this
.
Um, I think, like I, I was atan advantage in a sense, like I
worked in the wellness industryand like the reason why I know
about yoga and I got into yogais because I started working at
a yoga company.
Of course, beyond that, I feellike even working in the
(23:28):
wellness industry, likecompanies only have so much
capacity to teach theiremployees skills.
And I guess, for me incorporate, and even now, like
doing this interview, it's likeI could never imagine myself
talking for this amount of timeunless I was in this very like
(23:48):
masculine, corporate-y voice,like talking about the deal and
closing the deal.
I felt inauthentic because alot of that was just me
constricting to my masculine,because I was so anxious all the
time, sure, sure sure.
Speaker 2 (24:10):
So, number three, what inspired you to blend your
practice, your sessions, withReiki, sound and aromatherapy?
Speaker 1 (24:18):
I think when I first started out doing private
sessions and at first I had likethis set kind of recipe.
I'm like, yes, it's going to beReiki and then I'm going to put
a little bit of sound.
It's going to be reiki and thenI'm going to put a little bit
of sound.
But it kind I I'm also amusician.
(24:38):
I write music, I play guitar,uh, I sing.
So that kind of felt boringjust doing like this linear atz
plan I I set out for my classes.
So I'm like you know what?
I'm just gonna play, I'm gonnabeautiful, I'm gonna use the
tools that I have and I'mexcited to invest more in more
sound healing instruments.
I would love to have a gong,I'd love to get more crystal
(25:03):
sound bowls.
Speaker 2 (25:05):
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.
So that was our last questionand, as we've been talking, is
there anything that you haveforgotten or something that you
would like to share with thelisteners?
Speaker 1 (25:16):
The floor is yours curious and listening to this
podcast, like I, I was there,like I knew nothing about reiki.
I'm like, okay, I'm gonnasearch every podcast about what
(25:37):
this, what this thing is.
So yeah, to anyone that's like,gone out of their comfort zone
to try reiki or to learn, beopen to learning more about it,
I'm super proud of you beautiful, beautiful.
Speaker 2 (25:49):
And here's the thing listeners, you know, if you have
this calling, this callingwithin you and it may not make
sense to you, or you're maybequestioning versus why, you have
every reason to move forwardwith that.
So don't doubt yourself.
And even ones that we wouldcolor as master teachers or
experiences, they all havedoubts in their journey as well.
So thank you so much, may, forjoining me on this Ready Set
(26:14):
Reiki journey.
I appreciate you taking timeout of your very busy schedule
to join me.
Speaker 1 (26:20):
Thank you so much, tracy.
This conversation was so fun,wonderful.
Speaker 2 (26:25):
All right, my wonderful listeners, if you
would like your questionfeatured on the podcast, reach
out wwwreadysetreikicom.
I'm Tracy Seawright and thishas been Ready Set.
Speaker 1 (26:35):
Reiki © transcript Emily Beynon.
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