Welcome back to my Introducing: Berliner series where I interview different captivating Berlin-based business owners. Most recently I had the pleasure of virtually sitting down with Irish-born energy healer Elaine Colclough, where we spoke about energy therapy, and her community-based organization Saoirse (pronounced seeershaaa), which brings together artists, healers, musicians, educators, and NGOs. For those of you who don’t know, energy healing is a medicine based on the idea that energy flows through the body. It’s used to reduce stress and anxiety, and improve well-being, and has even been used on patients receiving cancer therapy.

Saoirse is an Irish word that means freedom. In Elaine’s community it also represents creative people and their work, as well as networking and community building. Bringing creatives together and allowing them to express their authentic selves are the roots of Elaine’s mission.

She has always considered herself a spiritual person and someone in tune with their energy. At age 19 she found a practice that made sense to her when she began to study the Japanese medicine Reiki. About five years later she mastered Reiki Level 3, and carried on practicing energy healing later in Berlin.

However, Elaine isn’t done yet. Despite already running a business and being the founder of Saoirse, she is now also studying to become an occupational therapist. She has a very refreshing outlook on career and life, and alongside being part of many communities, she prioritizes her mental health by taking the time to sing, create art, and practice her breathwork. I am pleased to introduce you to a notable voice in Berlin’s mind, body, and soul community: Elaine Colclough.

“I’ve always been an advocate for sharing, why not have a space in Berlin where we can share what’s happening in our communities?”

Elaine & Her Healing

Can you tell me a bit about Saoirse and the journey that came along with creating it? Did you always want to create a community like this or was it an idea that was born in Berlin?

The foundation of Saoirse is building a network base and sharing content of and by creative people. We hold different events involving music, poetry, yoga, art, and energy therapy sessions. NGOs, teachers, education systems, and creatives can all source and find people for their personal projects. Also, anyone can join and visit us in our space near Treptower Park.
I moved to Berlin seven years ago, and Saoirse is two years old, but the idea wasn’t born in Berlin, it came to me when I was traveling. I was in a small village in South America, and I came across a local community center. I decided to hand my resume to them, and I introduced myself as an energy healer and explained my work. I asked if I could be a part of their community, and if my practice could be promoted in the center, and they were very receptive. That was kind of the moment that it clicked. I’ve always been an advocate for sharing, why not have a space in Berlin where we can share what’s happening in our communities?
Berlin is so full of so many things. Even after so many years here I’m still constantly finding new networks and communities that I had no idea about before. I began to think about how wonderful it would be to have some kind of hub to connect these existing networks and find new ones. You might be looking for a yoga teacher in Charlottenburg or Kreuzberg, for example. On our platform there might be someone doing what you’re searching for in specific areas. You can share what you do and then maybe pay it forward by attending someone’s class or events. At the end of the day there’s no pressure about what you have to bring to the community though. We all follow our own rhythm, we know that life happens, and life is what teaches us. Trust the process and let it come from your heart. We don’t want to lose our passions by forcing them.

Let’s focus on energy therapy. You’ve been practicing Reiki for over ten years now, and involve it in your sessions alongside art and music. What originally drew you to this form of energy therapy and why do you think it’s most effective for your clients?

I was 18, and had just had the best summer of my life. My mother took me by my arm at the end of the summer and told me ‘I think you would do well with getting some energy therapy.’ I’ve always been into spirituality and focused on energy since I was a child and she knew that. She connected me with a woman she worked with and several years later, after taking up learning the practice I reached Reiki Level 3, which meant I could teach it. I then moved to Berlin and it wasn’t until four years after my move that I started to give workshops and private healings to people.
When I started to learn Reiki there was no clear path, we were taught how it could be integrated into healing, but the rest was up to us. For me it makes most sense to compare it to art. I sang music and always have my whole life, and a few years ago I started painting. I realized that making art doesn’t have to be for a reason- it doesn’t have to be for sale or monetized. The less direction I’m given with art, the more natural it is, and the more I like what I’m doing. When we allow the physical world and unmaterialized world to work together we arrive at energy therapy, working with our energy and seeing what that means. I explored my own healing journey with improvised expression and art, and that’s what Reiki Level 1 is about, and what I teach my students: how to find your own self-healing.

“I realized that making art doesn’t have to be for a reason- it doesn’t have to be for sale or monetized. The less direction I’m given with art, the more natural it is, and the more I like what I’m doing.”

For someone who wants to learn more about energy healing (like myself), but isn’t quite sure where to start, and wants to make sure their sources are accurate, can you recommend a source to learn more?

Yes, Kate White is a somatic (body) therapist, mind-body medicine expert, and prenatal educator who helps with self-healing. Her understanding is incredible! Kimberly Ann Johnson is another somatic experiencing practitioner. The work they’re out there doing, and the research that has happened through their different foundations has really formed a path between what I would consider ungrounded energy work, and deeply researched studies and papers.

Are there any misconceptions about energy healing that you would like to set straight?

I’ve always been drawn in to energy healing, but I understand that this work needs to be honorable and well-researched. With that stated, energy healing isn’t new and it has merit. It is used by many different cultures dating as far back as the Ancient Celtic & Egyptian peoples. Ancient Chinese medicine is older than Western medicine, but it’s not recognized in Western society, and it’s still not something that will be offered in most Western medical practices.
Recognizing ourselves as more than a body is ancient wisdom, however the Western Medicine system is failing at bridging its very young science with that of more ancient medicinal technologies. Energy therapy perhaps sounds like ‘woo woo’ science, but it’s really not. Anyone can do it, and at any point in their day.

“When we allow the physical world and unmaterialized world to work together we arrive at energy therapy.”

Especially during this pandemic when many of us need to be home alone for long periods of time, and perhaps already don’t have the best coping mechanisms, what do you recommend for how we can maintain our energetic and mental health from home?

I would suggest trying to have a regular routine involving some sort of meditative practice whether that’s singing in the shower or dancing in your room or doing breathwork or going for a run. I appreciate the classic techniques of just sitting, listening, and breathing, but I also understand that it’s not for everyone.
When you first start to crack the ice and address the parts of yourself that are shook up because of life and stress and anxiety, sometimes forcing yourself to sit down is really not that fun, and can be very challenging. If we soothe our inner child and allow ourselves to have some enjoyment, by singing, writing or drawing, while holding an intentional effort this can also bring the same benefits as a traditional meditation practice. Feel, that as you do this practice, you are here to help yourself evolve.
For example, a few weeks ago I was feeling intense anxiety so I put on my favorite music and sat down to draw. I began to draw about what I feel good about. I drew a little house, a garden, a dog, children laughing, my friends- and I put myself into that world. That’s intentionally-based art. I recognized that my inner child was going bananas and I didn’t feel good, so I did something that made me feel better. I also lit a candle, dimmed the lights, burnt some incense, and took half an hour or so to let myself really feel my emotions in a welcoming and loving environment.
We are spending so much time indoors and away from others so we have much less distraction from our emotions, and that can be really hard. To maintain our energetic health we need not to silence our inner world but rather inquire into this part of our psyches, and feel our feelings, connect into our inner children and give them the tools they need to feel supported.

Elaine & Berlin

What originally drew you to Berlin and why do you think being in Berlin makes sense for your line of work?

I came to Berlin when I was 23, in between university years, and just fell madly in love with everything. I never even considered if it might be good for my work or not. Seven years ago I didn’t speak German, there were hardly any start ups, there were very little English speaking jobs available, and that didn’t matter. I just wanted to dance to electronic music for two days in a row and be somewhere where I could really live.
Now I also love how balanced the German work life is. Their system is full of options: I don’t have to worry about picking between work and school, or worry about going broke for furthering my education. They recognize that humans are not machines, and we need our time off, and that we should work a maximum of eight hours a day, and that we should be able to design our lives in a way that makes sense for us, and it’s just a beautiful energy.

Are there any groups or organizations that you joined when arriving in Berlin that helped you feel more at home in the city? Or one that you enjoy now perhaps?

When I first arrived I went to a place called Yellow Yoga. They have really lovely, open, and inclusive yoga classes and I felt very welcomed there.
Also Casa Cacao, which helps Berliners feel warmth in the cold winters. A woman named Sofia runs this group, renting out an ice cream shop in the winter months, a cosy place for people to gather in the cold winters. She hosts workshops there from winter to spring. I met a lot of people who were very open to forming connection with others. We had yoga workshops, practiced intentional meditation, played music, hosted bazaars, and drank tea and cacao. You could bring your children as well. It was so chill. Sofia doesn’t host these workshops anymore in that space, but she still hosts events. Also, Saoirse of course.

Do you have a favorite café or restaurant?

My favorite café is Bagel Coffee Culture. The man who runs it is Kurdish, his name is Erhan, and he does really good food and coffee. The coffee is home roasted, and it’s really just amazing.
I also enjoy the veggie platters at Restaurant Baraka. It’s a really good shop, and they just do very very tasty food. You get so much for what you pay, and they have nice vegetarian options, and I just appreciate that!

Elaine, Etc.

Thank you, Elaine! I sincerely recommend that you continue to learn more about Elaine, and follow her on her various platforms, especially her Saoirse newsletter, to keep updated. You don’t have to be a creative type or artist to join, support, and become a part of the Saoirse community. Also please check out her artist Instagram and phenomenal music, I’m actually listening to her Something Before album as I’m writing this.

Links:

Saoirse’s Facebook: facebook.com/seeershaaa
Saoirse’s Instagram: instagram.com/seeershaaa
Elaine’s Artist Instagram: instagram.com/experiencingvisceralemotions
Elaine’s Bandcamp: ladyeve.bandcamp.com

Avoid the monopoly of algorithms and subscribe to the Saoirse newsletter to stay informed about upcoming workshops, events, flash sales, and more. Simply click the following link: saoirsebookings@gmail.com to send an email and sign up, or send your own email her way!

“We all follow our own rhythm, we know that life happens, and life is what teaches us. Trust the process and let it come from your heart. We don’t want to lose our passions by forcing them.”

Speaking with Elaine felt genuinely restorative, and just re-reading her transcribed words made me feel more tranquil in this ongoing trying period of time. I hope you feel it too. I’m very much looking forward to attending a Saoirse workshop in the future. I hope to see you there.

Image Credits: Skye Sobejko

Website - skyesobejkophotography.com

Instagram - instagram.com/skyesobejko

Introducing Elaine Colclough: Irish-Born + Berlin-Based, Energy Therapist, and Founder of the Saoirse Community