Alice King is a 59-year-old retired nurse and Reiki master from Waterville who, in 2010, founded the Mind, Body and Spirit Festival, a traveling celebration of holistic medicine and alternative therapy that will be in Freeport on Aug. 11.

The Freeport event is the first foray into southern Maine for King, who found herself drawn to alternative medicine during her 30 years as a nurse at Maine General Medical Center. She is a mother of two, and recently spoke with the Tri-Town Weekly about her passion for Reiki, her career as a nurse and what it means to be a spiritual “table tipper.”

Q: You are a licensed Reiki master? What is Reiki, anyway?

A: Reiki is a form of energy healing where energy is transferred from the healer to the patient. Reiki is Japanese in origin and has been around for 2,500 years, and the father of modern Reiki is Dr. Mikao Usui who rediscovered Reiki in 1843. It’s a form of universal healing, harnessing the chi. The client or patient can have the energy directed in a number of places such as spiritually, emotionally or physically. A Reiki master places their hands on a patient’s body and channels positive energy.

Q: Did your desire to become a Reiki master stem from your years as a nurse?

A: Yes, at Maine General they actually offered Reiki as a therapy and I participated.

Q: Does Reiki work? How do people describe the way they feel after a session?

A: Yes, it does work. People describe feeling very calm and free of anxiety after a session, which can last for 20 minutes or even up to an hour. I will treat someone who has back pain and they will say they are pain free after. It provides a sense of peace, as well.

Q: So tell me about the Mind, Body and Spirit Festival. How did it come about?

A: It started in 2010 in Fairfield with a group of alternative medicine practitioners and vendors who were looking for a way to introduce people to what they do. The Freeport stop will be our eighth festival, having done four in Fairfield and also three in Belfast. The popularity of people looking for alternatives to traditional medicines is growing. The first event we had 230 people attend and this past spring, nearly 500 turned out. The festival offers everything from massage to healing crystals, and the energy in the room is amazing. It’s designed for all ages, but most of the people who attend are women, though men are also welcome. It’s a great chance to explore methods and medicines that people may not know about. We also donate a portion of the proceeds to a local charity. In Waterville we donated to a homeless shelter. It’s mainly done to educate the community.

Q: Why did you decide to hold the festival in Freeport?

A: It’s about branching out and our vendors and practitioners were asking for an event in southern Maine.

Q: In terms of cost, is it cheaper to use alternative medicines and practitioners?

A: Most people charge like $60 an hour, though most of these therapies are not covered by insurance. It took years to for acupuncture and chiropractors to get recognized by insurance companies.

Q: You also do something called spiritual table tipping. What is this?

A: It’s been around since the 1800s and involves the energy of your loved ones who have crossed over and they will communicate through me and then through a table. The table will move in when a question is answered from beyond. I get messages from the other side and sometimes the table spins. I’ve been doing this for 12 years and people find it very healing to know their deceased loved ones are at peace, whether it be through a car accident and knowing they did not feel any pain or people who committed suicide. Sometimes the thought is that people who kill themselves are going to hell, but I can reassure the living relatives that they are not in hell, but rather at peace with themselves and are in a better place.

Q: Have you always felt you were psychic?

A: I think I was born with it but didn’t start channeling this power until my brother passed away 13 years ago. It’s a way to help people heal and know that the dead are among us and the spirit goes on even after our physical beings perish.

A closer look

The Mind, Body, and Spirit Festival is Sunday, Aug. 11, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., at the Hilton Garden Inn, 5 Park St, Freeport. Admission is $5 at the door. The event will feature demonstrations on Reiki, past life regression, aromatherapy, holistic medicine and more. For more information, visit mindbodyspiritfestival.org.

Alice King will bring her Mind, Body and Spirit Festival to Freeport on Aug. 11. The event is a showcase for alternative medicine practitioners and vendors who deal in holistic healing. King is the founder of the festival and a certified Reiki master, a Japanese form of energy healing.

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