Meet Madaline Spinks | Reiki Master, Meditation Coach & Holistic Healer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Madaline Spinks and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Madaline, other than deciding to work for yourself, what was the single most important decision you made that contributed to your success?
Many years ago, I went for a run and wound up in the ER in sudden cardiac arrest. My heart stopped, I had a near-death experience, and weeks later, I was diagnosed with a rare, degenerative heart disease. Doctors implanted an ICD and told me that my days as a triathlete and runner were over. My world was turned upside down, I no longer trusted my body, and I had to learn a completely new way of living life.

Many people lovingly told me it was ok to put my life on pause for a bit – quit my job and move home to live with my parents until I got back on my feet (both literally and metaphorically). While I was still in a state of shock, I knew that I had to push forward. I went to a cardiac rehabilitation program that helped me get my strength back and immersed myself in recovery. My healing journey was rough, but every day I would walk a little bit further around the block. I remember my mom taking a picture of me in front of my little Boston apartment the day I was able to walk to the grocery store and back. I felt like Rocky at the top of those stairs – celebrating those little wins was what got me through.

It was in this recovery period where I learned how to meditate. It changed my life so dramatically that I became a certified meditation coach to help share its power with others who were struggling like I was. I look back and recognize that if I had stayed in that dark mental space, I would have never left. I was hurting both mentally and physically, but persisted with the optimistic hope that there was another side to this journey.

All of this to say that the most important decision I made that contributed to my success was to persevere – to keep going and know that there was another side to that dark period I was in. It would have been easy to give up, but I’m so glad I didn’t.

Still today, I have one of my favorite quotes taped to my mirror for me to read every morning: “We are made to persist…that’s how we find out who we are.” – Tobias Wolff

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Zen Tiger Healing focuses on Reiki, meditation and sound healing. “Reiki” is a Japanese term meaning “the natural spirit of vital energy.” It’s a holistic healing practice that works with a person’s existing energies to rebalance, reset and heal the body and mind. There are energies constantly flowing through every living thing on this earth. Reiki taps into that energy and helps restore the body. It can help with balance, stress, depression, anxiety, change, overcoming trauma, and physical pain. When your body’s energies are aligned, breakthroughs and life changes are possible. Reiki can be done in-person or remotely, and it’s just as effective in both settings.

What sets me apart is that my Reiki sessions include guided meditations and crystal sound bowls to deepen the relaxation and healing process. These meditations are personalized to each client, their intentions, and their experience with meditation as a whole. Additionally, I incorporate these healing modalities in local events and nonprofits. I do sound bath meditations around the area and have teamed up with a nonprofit park organization for a hiking meditation series.

Starting and maintaining an independent business is far from easy! I have taken risks that haven’t reaped the returns I anticipated and working through SEO, business licenses and the logistics side is a completely different world that I’ve had to learn. I will say what got me through is the little wins – when a client comes to me and tells me how much better they feel or when my sound bath gets more people than the last one, it’s that boost of confidence to keep me going and remind me why I’m doing this in the first place. For anyone looking to start a business, my best advice is to give gratitude and recognition for those little wins and appreciate how far each of those wins propels your business forward. Every little bit counts and helps you overcome any challenges that dare stand in your way!

The greatest thing I could share with the world about my story is what I overcame to get here. I have defied death multiple times, and I do believe it’s because I have something greater to achieve in this life. I had less than a 7% chance of surviving through my cardiac event and was brought back to life through cardioversion. If I ever have a bad day, I remember this. Reiki and meditation not only helped me recover through a significant medical event. They helped transform my life. For anyone who is struggling and is looking for the light at the end of the tunnel, I promise there is another side to your suffering. I started my business to help those who need healing and rebalancing in their lives and have seen so many breakthroughs in my work. I hope those who read my story feel inspired and optimistic that they too can transform their lives through these practices.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
My favorite part about Nashville is that you can get the vibrancy and energy of a music-focused city, then drive an hour out and be in beautiful nature.

I would start off our day with kayaking in the Harpeth River, stop by Green Door Gourmet to pick up some fresh and local goods, and grab some ice cold beers and pizza from Tailgate Brewery before headed back to the city. For happy hour, I’d go over to The Authentique (I’m a sucker for anything Paris-themed), grab dinner at Butcher & Bee, then check out some live music at The Bowery Vault.

At some point, I would take my guests down to Fall Creek Falls State Park for some beautiful waterfalls!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I am truly grateful and blessed that I have such a strong community and support system.

First off, I thank my family who always knew I was a bit of a black sheep and had a tendency to go off the beaten path, yet they loved and accepted me anyway. My family’s connection to spirituality and the belief that everything happens for a reason was ingrained in me from a young age. Those core values stuck with me and have helped me grow through this journey and appreciate life’s wild, twisted turns.

I also thank my partner, Soheil, who originally introduced me to Reiki healing, has listened to all of my outlandish ideas, and has supported each one of them (well, most of them, for good reason!). He has helped me set up my Reiki room, wrote and played music for my meditation events, and celebrated every little win in my business odyssey. He’s also shown me how beautiful a partnership is where two people who love each other also love each other’s passions.

This will come as no surprise to those who know me, but most of all I thank my dog, Bacon. Bacon came to me right after I got out of the hospital and never left my side during my recovery. She’s what got me up in the morning, showed me unconditional love at a time when my heart was actually truly broken, and gave me purpose at a time when I felt completely hopeless.

Website: https://www.zentigerhealing.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zentigerhealing/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100084995545434

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqtrFEy4HoQNtEkqj4AEr1g