The Story Behind Kurt's Room
Kurt Burmeister was an acquaintance of the ours for a couple of years. He had lung cancer and had sought alternative treatments in Germany. In December 2004 after his return I ran into Kurt and his wife Shari at a play opening and he asked if I was still practicing Reiki, as this was one of the treatments he received in Germany. I said yes but I was still a novice. He encouraged me to keep studying to the master level, saying the treatment he received in Germany was amazing. I agreed, and said that was the idea, however I couldn't afford to continue my training at the time. Later that month Kurt was admitted to intensive care with very low vital signs. Our mutual friend contacted me to say Kurt wanted to know if I would come to the hospital and give him a Reiki treatment. I reminded them that I was just a novice, not a master so it wouldn't hurt, but it may not be as powerful as the treatment he received in Germany. Well Kurt was in and out of lucidity but Shari and I watched, with tears in our eyes, as his vital signs began to climb. I worked with Kurt for about an hour and a half. In that time his blood pressure stabilized and his vital signs were very close to normal. His blood pressure stayed normal and the rest of his vital signs stayed high for 2 hours after I left.
A couple of weeks later I received a call at my office (I was in sales at the time), it was Kurt, he called to tell me how much the Reiki helped him. Not only did he feel that it helped him, he also felt what I had given him was just as good if not better than the Reiki he received from the Master in Germany. I was floored, really here I am sitting at my desk with tears welling in my eyes, then came the gift. He continued by saying he felt I had a gift and he wanted to pay for the rest of my training. Now I'm sitting at my desk, with tears in my eyes and my jaw on the floor.
I worked on Kurt and his wife several times over the next few months. Unfortunately we lost Kurt that April from complications of all the treatments he had over the years. Shari kept true to Kurt's promise. In 2006 I achieved the level of Reiki Master.
I am paying it forward with Kurt's generous gift by not charging anyone with living with cancer for Reiki Treatments.
We have dedicated my main treatment room at the spa to the Memory of Kurt Burmeister and the amazing gift he gave to me, which allows me to give to so many.
-Sheri Beth Schafer
