"Joanna was invaluable when it came to writing and performing our wedding ceremony. My wife and I have different religious and spiritual beliefs, and it was important to us to have a ceremony that gave equal attention to both our beliefs, as well as being respectful to the beliefs of my very traditional family.

Joanna helped us to write our wedding ceremony from the ground up, taking our unique ideas and arranging them into a cohesive ritual. Joanna’s knowledge and patience were blessings to us, as she was able to suggest prayers and phrasings for our ceremony that added so much more meaning to our special day.

When it came time to perform our wedding, Joanna was perfectly organized and prepared; she knew exactly what we wanted from our wedding, and how it was to be done. Joanna spoke in a loud and clear voice, allowing all of our guests to share in our wedding ceremony, making it a memorable day for all involved.

I owe Joanna my gratitude for her patience, understanding, and support. Without her, my wedding would have been very different, and much less perfect; even my old-school, traditional grandmother loved the ceremony!"
-Mike S.

What do you do?

I work with busy professionals who work hard (often too hard) and who crave relief from stress and better balance in their lives. I help them to relax and revitalize.

"Running my own design studio, I’ve gotten used to lots of stress and not enough time for myself. After the first year, I came closer to burnout than I’ve ever been. Working with Joanna, even for a little bit, gave me a feeling of peace and calm that I’ve been able to carry over into other areas of my business and my life. I look forward to seeing what else Reiki can do for me, and what other self-care techniques I can incorporate into my day!"
- Dani Nordin, owner of the zen kitchen

I'm working on a stress reduction offering for busy professionals - stay tuned for details to be revealed in early June!

offering "a feeling of peace"

Wohoo! The Somerville Journal published a piece today about my Reiki practice and the community wellness clinic I started at Union Square Acupuncture.

SOMERVILLE - Union Square Acupuncture can help reduce stress and increase wellness without spending a lot of money. Residents can try the revitalizing effects of acupuncture, massage and Reiki with a $10 to $20 wellness session at its new Community Wellness Clinic each third Sunday of the month from 1-3 p.m. This community offering was developed by Union Square Acupuncture’s most recent addition, Reiki Master Joanna Scaparotti. Read more about it in the Somerville Journal...

Community Transformation Experiment

Phoenix and I found out yesterday that our proposal to create community through drum and dance was not accepted by ArtsUnion. We are still really excited about the experiment, so I am going to see if there is some way that we can produce it independently of the city's art council this summer. More later...

next community clinic

I've been having a blast meeting people and sharing Reiki at the community clinics we're putting out every month at Union Square Acupuncture. In addition to the community wellness clinic that all the practitioners are participating in - I'm continuing to offer low-cost Reiki clinics every 1st Sunday of the month from 1-3pm. These 15 minute wellness sessions are great for rebalancing, relaxing, energizing or alleviating an area of pain or discomfort. The best part is that once my Reiki training programs are up and running, this is a perfect opportunity for my students to practice Reiki on people. Sign up now to reserve your spot or drop-ins welcome if space is available.

Your invitation

It's not easy starting a business. Some days are downright difficult. But sometimes during a Reiki session you get a momentary respite from the struggle as you connect to a source of pure love or bliss without even trying. It happened to me today and reminded me exactly why I am pursuing this holistic business in the first place.

This quote from the introduction of Intuitive Reiki for our Times by Amy Rowland describes the kind of invitation to delightfulness that you receive every so often while practicing (and thereby receiving) Reiki.

You are invited to a celebration of the union of your individual soul with the divine, to take place on this very day, and again and again and again, from this day forward. The honor of your conscious presence is requested. Please R.S.V.P.

By the way, our community wellness clinic had a great turn out today.

Sunday May 20th: low cost wellness sessions!

Are you stressed or looking for a quick and easy way to relax? Well join Emily and I at Union Square Acupuncture this Sunday from 1-3pm for a wellness session. She's giving 20 minute massages for $15, and I'm giving 15 minute reiki sessions for $10. There are still a couple of spaces left - so call 617-718-7555 to sign up now.

summer Reiki classes

I am excited about my Reiki training schedule for the summer. My mission is to help people develop more awareness in their lives - and there's no better way that I know of to do that than through Reiki 1 training. The program includes introduction to meditation, energy work and personal mindfulness - all things we don't learn in school. I'm thrilled at the chance to share these techniques with more people.

There are two Reiki 1 classes starting in June - one starts Sunday June 3rd and meets for 4 weeks at 10:30-12pm and the other starts Tuesday June 19th and meets for 4 weeks from 7:30-9pm. I've also got a Reiki 2 class starting in July.

The outreach aspect of the training program is my other favorite part - student Reiki clinics. Nothing tops the experience of giving Reiki to someone else. It's a great lesson in compassion and interconnection for students, and it's a wonderful way for the curious to experience Reiki for the first time. I'm hoping there will be enough interest to offer student clinics monthly to the public. Clinics are part of the Reiki tradition - a way to bring a few moments of peacefulness and calm out into the world.

Community Transformation Experiment

Urban Vitality and PhoenixFire Bellydance are collaborating on a project that we hope will be accepted by ArtsUnion for Summer 2007. We want to try out our Community Transformation Experiment to create community through drum, dance and fire. Stay tuned!

Reiki on Mondays starting May 7th

I'm really excited to announce that I've added Reiki sessions by appointment on Mondays at Union Square Acupuncture.

So as of May 7th, my availability is Sundays, Mondays, and Tuesdays by appointment. Reiki sessions energize your mind, body and spirit - I encourage you to try one and see how it feels.

About her Wedding

"Throughout our process, Joanna was a caring, reliable source of comfort. She really helped center us and keep the hectic wedding planning in perspective. She reminded us that the ceremony is the reason for the day. Individually and together, she helped us clarify our meanings for love, commitment, and marriage. While combining my pagan spirituality and my then-fiancé’s Jewish traditions, she crafted a unique, intensely gratifying ritual that truly honored the dynamics of our relationship and respected our families and friends. I felt very comfortable relying on Joanna to handle all of the legal details and paperwork."
- Debbie L.

Reiki ~ Massage Combos

Great news! I've hooked up with the Massage Therapist at Union Square Acupuncture to offer Reiki ~ Massage combo sessions. It's $100 for a 90 minute session.

Honoring Yourself - May 2007 issue

Honoring Yourself is a column I write quarterly for a women's spiritual ezine. Enjoy!

Honoring Yourself

When thinking of Beltane the first thing that often comes to mind is Lovers pairing off in celebration. However, there is a deeper, more personal way to experience the Lover archetype. As Vicki Noble describes in the Motherpeace Tarot, the attraction of opposites and union represented by the Lovers can also be applied to polarities of the personality or the body and spirit of one person coming together or the self merging with the Divine Self in wholeness and love.

Whether you are have a lover or not, you can celebrate Beltane by honoring yourself through love and acceptance. One powerful, yet simple way to do this is through reflection and meditation. In your journal or on a piece of paper, write out a list of negative qualities, actions, thoughts or feelings about yourself that have been on your mind. Then create or go to a sacred space and allow yourself to come to a peaceful place in meditation. Bring before you each item on your list, and offer that part of yourself your love and forgiveness. Breathe out (for a count of 10) and release the negativity. Breathe in (for a count of 6) forgiveness, acceptance and love. Continue to breathe deeply until you find a place of peace. Be patient and gentle with yourself. If you are unable to come to place of peace on the first try, keep coming back to it daily or weekly until you are able to develop a deeper sense of acceptance and love with yourself.

Another way to grow your inner love is through this energizing meditation based on Qigong. While sitting comfortably, bring into your mind the thought of someone or someplace beloved that evokes joy for you. Envision that joy as a golden globe in front of you infused with a smile. On an inhale, bring the golden smile into your crown. Let it fill your crown with smiling and say in your mind "I am love". Let yourself enjoy the feeling for as long as you desire. Go back again to the golden globe in front of you. On an inhale, bring the golden smile into your third eye and say in your mind "I see love all around and inside of me." When you are ready, go back to the golden globe. On an inhale, bring the golden smile into your throat and say in your mind "I express my love for myself and others freely and generously". When you are ready, go back to the golden globe. On an inhale, bring the golden smile into your heart and say in your mind "I love myself and others compassionately and unconditionally". When you are ready, go back to the golden globe. On an inhale, bring the golden smile into your solar plexus and say in your mind "I love myself and others courageously". When you are ready, go back to the golden globe in front of you. On an inhale, bring the golden smile into your navel and say in your mind "I love and honor my creative power". Allow yourself to bask in the love infusing you. When you are ready, go back to the golden globe. On an inhale, bring the golden smile into your root and say in your mind "I am secure in love. I have always been and always will be loved." If you feel so inclined, at this point, tell yourself each and every way in which you love yourself. Stay in this meditation as long as feels right. Repeat whenever you need a recharge.

Community Wellness Clinic

The practitioners at Union Square Acupuncture really like my low-cost community clinic idea, so we are collaborating to offer monthly Community Wellness Clinics. We offer low-cost Acupuncture, Reiki and Massage mini-sessions every third Sunday of the month from 1-3pm at 21 Bow Street, Somerville, MA.

15 min Reiki session for $10
20 min Massage session for $15
30 min Acupuncture session for $20

Check out the news here!