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Mikao Usui, the founder of Reiki, is believed to have originally discovered Reiki more as a system of spiritual enlightenment. That is, until he realized that he had received a wonderful gift that helped people heal. Then he dedicated his newfound abilities to working with all who needed healing.
Here in the West, Reiki is steadily gaining popularity as a healing system. It is definitely picking up momentum, increased credibility and is becoming more of a mainstream complementary and alternative modality.
For each Practitioner, it can be a very different and unique path. But it is a process AND a journey. Learning First and Second Degree levels may only take two or three days, but the impact can be felt throughout one’s lifetime — and in a most beneficial way. One’s odyssey of self-healing, self-discovery and enlightenment is always ongoing. For the newly-trained Practitioner, it is exciting to be opening to all the possibilities and opportunities that flow forth…
An attunement, or spiritual blessing, also known as an initiation (and Reiju in Japanese), can be a powerful experience for many, but whether it is powerful or just very peaceful, the result is almost always significant. It is the attunement process (passed along by the Teacher to the student) that conveys the ability to bring in the Reiki energy. It imparts this beneficial capability, connecting the student’s energy pathways to the source of Reiki. Do I know how this happens — no, not exactly. But I DO know that it is effective. And I do know that it is immediate.
Though sometimes great importance is placed on the attunement, this procedure is simply the beginning. It is up to a student how far this amazing journey will take him or her.
It most often begins to shift one’s life, first resulting in the release of some difficult emotions or beliefs in order to pave the way for greater healing and harmony within one’s entire being — on a physical, mental, emotional and spiritual level.
Once your are attuned to Reiki, you are always attuned. It is not something you ever lose if you don’t use it. I’ve recently met a number of practitioners who have recently gone “back” to using Reiki after not using it for many years. They are now rediscovering it and realizing the wonderful benefits. And they are quite eager about picking up on this journey where they left off, and moving very joyfully ahead.
But it is certainly better to use this lovely energy in a consistent way and make it part of your daily life.
It is my experience that Reiki opens up a magnificent doorway to connecting with the Universal life force energy, as well as connecting further with one’s inner guidance, Higher Self, etc. As long as you are open and welcoming to a fascinating and exciting road, then enjoy each Reiki step along the way — and enjoy the peaceful and harmonious benefits that will fill your life…
Have you ever faced this scenario: you have a new client who is quite talkative and the pre-treatment discussion seems to go on and on to the point where it seems like you will never get the client onto your Reiki table and into a state of deep relaxation…
Is there such a thing as too much talk? Each client brings their own set of life experiences as well as their own set of expectations into the healing space. Some people are more informed about the Reiki modality than others. Some have done thorough research and reading, usually on the internet. Others have been recommended to have a session (usually by a friend or family member) so they obligingly sought you out. But they don’t quite know what Reiki is. They just know that they would like to try it!
Either type of client may have a long list of questions that they would like answered before they feel comfortable getting onto the table.
As a Practitioner, you need to willingly and intelligently respond to their questions — sometimes this can be challenging.
I have found that in my own practice, I have numerous clients who are seeking more of an emotional healing. Sometimes that can be more complex than someone who has, for instance, a “bad” back that they would like healed or improved.
I do let all clients know that Reiki can address any issue on any level — physical, emotional, mental or sometimes even spiritual. But clients who are seeking healing on the emotional level may be extremely stressed, and very out of balance, possibly requiring more conversation in the sense that some may want to explain their emotional situation in vivid detail. (Note: since Reiki is a complimentary and alternative modality, it can be used in conjunction with other traditional therapies, one of which could be either a psychologist or social worker.)
Sometimes an aspect of pre-treatment discussion is purely a Question and Answer period about the Reiki healing system itself. You may be asked questions such as “Can you explain a bit more about energy healing?” or “How many sessions are generally recommended?” etc.
I do prefer a client be ready and confident to lay down on the Reiki table, and be open to receive relaxation and healing benefits. Most of the time that means having a detailed and full discussion about the forthcoming session.
However, when discussions veer off on tangents and non-related matters, you as a Practitioner must bring the focus back to the moment at hand. Also, you may have to keep a “peripheral eye” on the clock to ensure you are leaving enough time for the actual treatment session. (That is the prime reason I have actually lengthened all my first sessions.)
At some point you may have to gently end the conversation and let the client know it is now time for them to position themselves on the Reiki table.
Do remember or take into consideration leaving some time after the session for the client to share any experiences that they wish to share. It is likely that someone who is quite talkative prior to the session may be just as talkative AFTER the session, so plan accordingly. Hopefully, your client will be so deeply relaxed, peaceful and luxuriating in the place of healing that they may wish to share, but not in a lengthy or prolonged way.
Try to manage your session time well and professionally. Strive for that balance of allowing enough time to support your client with discussion, as well as ensuring that their experience receiving Reiki energy is peaceful and long enough for true relaxation. I do believe it is in that serene space of relaxation that the healing environment is created with the client’s body and energetic field, and the healing process really begins to unfold in a powerful way…
When a human client visits for a session, they lay down on the Reiki table, ready, willing and open to receive the flow of healing energy. Though each treatment session is somewhat unique, most sessions have a similarity to one another. And I know with much certainty that the person will remain on that table for the full allotted time. They are not going to become excited and run around the room. They are not going to wander out of my line of sight. They are not going to grab a quick snack or play with a toy!
However, obviously with an animal, the situation may be vastly different. If you have been called to the home of a pet for the very first time, remember that you are a compete stranger to that animal. As much as you set your intention for healing, and as kind as you are, as much as you love animals — you are still an outsider and an unknown to that particular animal — and you may be viewed with caution, or even hostility at first. Of course, many pets are friendly and accepting of newcomers, but not all react peacefully.
That is why it is essential to be very patient and understanding and know that acceptance — of both your presence AND the Reiki energy you are offering — may take a little time.
Yes, I’ve had many animals sense that I am a caring and non-threatening two-legged being and so they are comfortable deeply relaxing into their first treatment. It is so fulfilling and heartwarming when this scenario plays out.
Other times, despite my kind intentions and my letting the animal know they are safe with me — they keep their distance and shy away. Or they may even growl or hiss, or make sounds that are not of the friendly kind. They may not exhibit those signs of acceptance such as yawning, laying down, looking relaxed or drifting off into a Reiki nap.
If an animal continues to exhibit anxiety throughout an initial session, simply remain peaceful, nonplused, and in the centered “Reiki space.” (But not with your eyes closed, for safety reasons.) You may need to remind the animal’s person that energy travels and that a hands-off treatment is quite effective. Many people seem to feel (and some are quite insistent) that you must touch their animal. Be diplomatic.
With more anxious or frightful animals, it is possible that they are rescues with a difficult past, but sometimes it is just the animal’s disposition, and they may have been with their person since “fur babyhood.” And sometimes animals are territorial and resent your intrusion into their “territory.”
So don’t be too disheartened if an animal isn’t too keen on the first Reiki session. One thing you can do is to send some distant Reiki to the animal for a short while over the next day or two or three to help foster a better, more relaxed connection.
DO offer and encourage a second session, even if things have not gone so smoothly. I have found that often the second and third sessions show a remarkable shift toward a much greater acceptance and much deeper relaxation.
Interestingly enough, even after a first session that I perceived as not being particularly peaceful — or where I wasn’t sure the animal was accepting anything — I have often had amazing reports of significant improvement following that session. Always remain open-minded, flexible and as non-judgement as possible. Let the healing energy just flow for that animal’s Highest Good. Be secure in the knowing that Reiki always brings benefits…
A “healing reaction,” sometimes referred to as a “cleansing reaction” is something that may occur in those experiencing a Reiki session or even an attunement for the first time. This can present itself in a variety of ways, the most common being an emotional release of tears, or sometimes increased thirst or fatigue.
Though this is unique to the individual, it appears to relate to pent-up emotion of the negative kind. If one has experienced a turbulent period in ones life, or even something traumatic, that person may be carrying around the conscious and/or subconscious burden of the stress of these life challenges. Everyone has “emotional baggage” that comes from their accumulated life experiences. Some people are able to acknowledge, process and release it more easily than others. Some repress these difficult emotions.
If you have bottled up these types of emotions, buried them deep within, then they may need to flow to the surface in order to be released for a full healing to take place.
We must remember that Reiki heals on all levels — physical, mental/emotional and even spiritual. Even if one is sure they are seeking a healing just of the physical kind, the wisdom of the Reiki energy might begin to work on emotional healing first, as that could be the root of the physical manifestation.
The first time I experienced a Reiki treatment was after a dramatically difficult period of my life. There is no doubt that I was a wellspring of negative emotions that had accumulated over many years. When my Practitioner told me I might experience tears, I just shrugged and figured that I was too stoic to cry in front of this woman I had just met for the first time.
However, as the session progressed — the tears DID flow — freely and powerfully. I was quite surprised at that, but looking back, it was exactly the release that I needed. In addition, after that very first session, I was extraordinarily tired, a feeling of utter exhaustion that remained with me for about three weeks. (It is interesting to note that most teachers now advise new students to make time for a self-healing process for at least 21 days after their Level I attunement. This is based on Mikao Usui’s 21-day fast and meditation on Mount Kurama, where he first became enlightened with Reiki.)
My own personal exhaustion caused concern for me, as I was working full-time then and by lunchtime I could barely keep my eyes open. I was relieved when I finally regained my energy and felt much better, brighter and “cleansed.” However, I did not want another Reiki session for quite awhile, as I was a bit fearful that I would be so tired again. At that time, I had no clue that it was merely a one-time expression of overflowing negativity rising to the surface to release — something that was actually a healing reaction.
If you are a Practitioner, it is important to let Reiki recipients know that they may possibly experience some manifestation of the healing. This can show up not only in the ways described above, but also the opposite of those reactions. Sometimes after a session, an individual can be extremely energized or may feel a remarkable and powerful surge of uplifting energy.
As for my own dramatic healing reaction, fortunately I have not had any of my students or clients report back to me that they had anything so lengthy.
At my last Healing Circle, one of the new participants had a very profound healing reaction during her session. I think it first caused her some embarrassment, as the tears and sobs were welling up in a setting where there were many people in attendance. We all assured her that this reaction was natural and healthy, and encouraged her to go with it, and allow the tears and the emotions to flow and to release. We all knew and trusted that the wisdom of the Universal Life Force energy was bringing her exactly the healing that she needed at that moment in time.
It is such a radiant benefit to fully prepare oneself in advance of an Animal Reiki session — to begin to set the atmosphere into a space of healing.
Of course, if you are offering Reiki to your own pets, this doesn’t fully apply, but it’s a great help if you are going to a shelter, a client, or the home of a family member or friend to work with their animal(s).
The more you set the stage so-to-speak, the more easily and effective the treatment will proceed!
The very first step is to make sure you are not hungry, thirsty or overly tired. Animals are able to intuitively sense everything about us, so it’s essential to be grounded and centered, feeling as peaceful as possible.
I highly recommend taking a few minutes to focus on your breathing or spending a short while in meditation.
If you are Level II or above, make sure to make use of the symbols. Call upon the Distant Healing Symbol and begin to send Reiki in advance. Ask for the energy to begin to flow for the Highest Good of the animal, the animal’s person, situation, etc. Even a few minutes of this can be amazingly helpful. And you will feel calmer, more empowered, more connected both to Reiki and to the animal — even before you arrive at the animal’s location. Also, the animal will likely be more peaceful as well, and more open to receive a treatment.
When I was a Reiki volunteer at a dog shelter, I would always prepare myself and even in the car, as I was on my way to the shelter, I would call in the energy ahead of time, as well as ask for harmony and balance for myself as offering Reiki to the needy shelter dogs could be very challenging.
So by “pre-paving” the way energetically, you can begin to create that lovely healing space even before the treatment actually begins. It helps one to get into the mindset of just “being Reiki” as one offers energy to the animals. This can result in a very profound connection to the furry or winged creatures with whom you will connect.
I receive so many inquiries about Reiki — which is a wonderful thing! Many people have heard of it, but are not sure exactly what it is. To those who have no clue, it might seem like a step away from “magic” or even worse — “voodoo” — and some just wonder if it is “out there.”
One of my goals is to enlighten people about this healing technique and to help it gain popularity as part of mainstream life. A year or two ago, when Dr. Oz featured a segment about complementary and alternative modalities on his well-known TV show, he included Reiki and this was a fantastic boost for this healing system. He explained that his wife is a Reiki Master and that Reiki is often used in their household with fantastic benefits for members of his family.
Reiki is used in many hospitals and one specifically is Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York City. Patients receiving treatments can experience: quicker healing from surgery, reduced pain, and lessened side effects from standard cancer treatments of chemotherapy and radiation.
Some surgeons have even used Reiki practitioners in operating rooms to help procedures flow smoothly and to energetically assist patients with more positive outcomes and quicker recovery. So we’ve come a long way from “voodoo” — thank goodness! But there is still a long way to go to have this healing method well accepted and perhaps even recommended by doctors, particularly when traditional medical treatments are not working for a patient. It would be open-minded for doctors to consider other techniques and this may become more widely accepted in the time to come.
And also, as acupuncture is growing in its acceptance, I think Reiki may be following close in its footsteps to some degree.
So when I talk to people about Reiki, particularly those who may only have a glimmer of an idea about it, I do communicate the following points and explain the Reiki is:
- a relaxation and stress reduction technique that promotes healing
- an energy healing system
- a complementary and alternative therapy
- a holistic or natural healing system
- a technique that guides the body to create a healing environment
- a system that heals on all levels: physical, mental/emotional & even spiritual
- a modality that helps balance or correct the flow of energy in and around the physical body to return it to a positive state of health
I also may explain the meaning of the word Reiki. “Rei” means spiritually guided or universally guided and “ki” refers to the life force energy (often called chi or prana in other cultures) that flows through a living being. So Reiki is a system that employs the use of Universal Life Force Energy or “Spiritually” Guided Life Force Energy.
As to the healing benefits of a session, the two most common basic ones are:
- Deep relaxation
- Feeling of warmth, glowing radiance, tingling, joy
At the beginning of a session, I encourage a client to be open to whatever they need to receive for their own healing at this particular moment in time. And I do assure clients that even after one session there is a creation of a healing environment within them which will help to jumpstart the healing process on all levels.
I also let clients know what Reiki is not: an instantaneous miracle cure.
Has Reiki resulted in some amazing healings – absolutely! However, most people are seeking (and hoping) that one session will solve all their issues — both physical and emotional. But like most other forms of healing, including traditional medicine, multiple sessions are often required to bring the body back into the harmony of a healing synergy. Do you go to the doctor expecting to be completely healed after just one office visit? There is usually a course of treatment, numerous visits, perhaps medication or physical therapy — or even sometimes surgery and recovery.
So even with Reiki, a client’s patience and a commitment to healing is truly key. Once a client fully understands this and has the strong inner intention to commit to their healing that may involve numerous sessions as well as an openness to embrace positivity and improvement, then that is usually when the most effective results are experienced.
So do bring this lovely, radiant modality into your life, if you haven’t already. You will reap glorious and joyful healing benefits!
Animal Reiki for one’s own beloved pets is quite a different thing from offering healing energy to a wild, feral or aggressive animal. With your own creatures — who are pretty much family to you — you can be more confident and certainly not have to worry about safety, unless your pet is a recently adopted shelter rescue with a difficult or unknown past.
With your own pets, you can feel so totally comfortable and connected, because in all likelihood, you ARE already very close and connected with them in a strong “synergy” of love and caring. And Reiki will only serve to strengthen that bond.
However, even though you feel secure with your own pets, not every animal takes to the energy right away. So as with any animal, it’s important to respect the creature’s wishes. And just because you are working with your own sweet pet, it doesn’t mean he/she is going to want to start with hands-on healing right away. If your animal is relatively new to Reiki and/or you are a newer Practitioner, do begin with the hands-off approach. Many Practitioners, who have not learned the hands off approach, will try to force hands-on and often find that their animals are not interested, are wary, and may even completely leave the room. Some animals find touch (at least at the beginning) too intense for them, particularly if the animal is a small one.
So, just sit near your pet and allow the energy flow. Let them know what you are doing and explain that they can take as much or as little Reiki as they are comfortable with. You can sit on a chair, or if you are comfortable and flexible enough, right on the floor at their level. Truly let them know that they are a partner in this process. If you “offer” the energy to them as opposed to beaming or forcing it upon them, they are more likely to be accepting and will happily come closer to investigate. And let them guide you as to when they are ready to experience hands-on. For some it may be right away!
My own dog loves Reiki — but on his terms, and he very rarely likes hands on, even though he is the epitome of the affectionate Golden Retriever. He prefers me to sit very nearby. And truthfully, if he had his way, he would lay under my Reiki table with every client who comes for a session! He loves to catch the “run-off Reiki” as I have come to call it — the energy that fills the room, but I believe he senses it emanating from the table area. Of course, I don’t allow him to do this when I have clients, unless the clients are family, friends or true pet lovers that already know him and enjoy his company.
For your own pets, just be sensitive to their individual needs. If you offer Reiki to them on a regular basis, they will come to request it when they need or want it. One of my cats periodically positions himself on my chest and lets me know in his own feline way that he would like some Reiki (hands on) and so I oblige. But if I just go to offer it to him, most of the time he is too “busy” wandering, jumping and playing and will run away. You will learn the clear signs that your pet(s) would like a session. And because they live with you, a session can be as long or short as you have time for — and keeping with their attention span and desire for it.
So go ahead, and let your furry or winged friends know that you will offer them a Reiki session in whatever way is comfortable and peaceful for them. And you can both enjoy the beautiful radiance of the energy as if flows, truly empowering the human/animal bond.
As a practitioner, are you extremely concerned about picking up the negativity of others, or the “bad” karma of others as you offer them Reiki?
I have found that Practitioners vary in their response to that question. While many just wrap themselves in a strong and lovely cocoon of Reiki healing light, there are those that feel that they consistently pick up on the issues, challenges and even physical symptoms of others. And when they do, it affects their own sense of balance and harmony. They feel the need to “protect” themselves from anything discordant that could accidentally brush off on them.
I respect everyone’s viewpoint. However, I believe that if one can strengthen their own “light” and tap in to the wisdom of both their inner guidance and/or the Universe, then it is easier to let go of fear-based thinking. Reiki is a beautiful and powerful healing system, one which helps us access the most joyful, harmonious places in our consciousness and soul.
So why should we focus our minds on the potential negativity of others? That is an extremely human way of thinking. For as “spiritual beings having a human experience” we sometimes give in to limiting beliefs and fear-based outlooks that are certainly part of the human experience.
With Reiki, I do believe we come from a true place of healing, compassion, love, light and peacefulness and if we can just bathe ourselves in that knowing, then all fear-based attitudes will fall away. We will be surrounded by the powerful radiance that Reiki can provide.
Now, some of our “rituals” that we learn as practitioners do cater to this limited way of thinking. However, if we see the ritual in a more neutral way, and not something to get too caught up in, then our perspective can shift.
As an example, there is a Japanese Reiki technique called “Kenyoku Ho,” also known as “dry bathing” because the act of performing this simulates a kind of “bathing motion” of clearing ourselves. Many people look upon this technique solely as a method to “get rid” of a client’s negativity, illness, discord or disease and so will utilize it as such. Something to be done at the end of a session. Which is fine if you feel comfortable with this.
But it is also something that can be used at the beginning of the day to center and ground yourself, and call in the Reiki energy. It is also something that is used in traditional Japanese attunements (the “spiritual blessing” process of awakening a person’s connection to the source of Reiki.)
So one can view this particular ritual as a more positive aspect, or a more negative manner of clearing-away-someone’s bad-Karma kind of ritual. But that is a personal choice.
I encourage you to make a conscious effort to let go of fear-based ways of thinking and limiting self-talk, and to trust in Reiki. Trust in the brilliantly beneficial light of Reiki. The more you accept the broad perspective of a friendly, healing Universe, the happier you will be in life, and your connection to the Reiki energy can only expand in a joyful, harmonious and powerful way. After all, isn’t it better to embrace love and healing whole-heartedly and with every figurative fiber of one’s soul?
It had been a busy day — with my monthly Healing Circle (which runs several hours) in the morning, and then a 20 mile round-trip visit to a canine Reiki client for a full session with him. My Reiki tasks completed, my husband and I went for a very late afternoon workout at our gym, something we try to fit in once each weekend.
It was on the way home from the gym, about one block from our home, that we noticed a stopped police car with lights flashing, and an SUV pulled over. Thinking a driver was being ticketed, we were ready to just pull around the scene, but suddenly I noticed the small body of a cat laying on its side in the middle of the road, obviously hit by a car, but still breathing.
Without giving it a second thought, I rolled down my window (my husband was driving) and at first, the police officer motioned us to just continue on and around, but I told him I was pulling up ahead. Quickly, I jumped out of the car and tried to decide what to do. The driver of the SUV was a young man who had not been able to stop in time to avoid hitting the cat and he had at least done the responsible, humane thing: stopped and called 911. However, the police officer appeared to have been a brand new cop and was standing there, a bit helplessly, not sure what to do. And it was clear that he would not touch the cat.
I quickly grabbed an old sweatshirt from my trunk and covered the cat with it. As I did so, the little one tried to move and cried out, but obviously was too injured to move anywhere. I gently held it as it lay and my husband and I told the officer that we were going to take the cat to the nearby emergency vet.
My heart was pounding and I knew that time was of the essence. The young driver and the cop had already been standing there for numerous minutes, so I lifted the cat as gently as possible and brought him onto my lap in the car. (The officer had told me to just open the trunk and lay the cat in there, but how horrible that would have been!) The cat was whimpering in pain, and I let the Reiki flow in, asking for the Highest Good of the broken, bruised body of the feline.
I was certain that the cat was too injured to survive, and knew that the Emergency vets would assess the situation and do the humane thing, not to let the cat suffer needlessly or extensively.
As I let the Reiki flow, the cat calmed under my touch and stopped crying. I spoke to him quietly, but it was heartwrenching for me. I trusted in Reiki to help me to help this sweet little creature.
My husband sped to the vet, as I tried my best not to be jostling the cat too much, as I was unable to be seat-belted in for that wild ride. And a wild ride it was! The cop gave us a police escort, lights flashing and sirens wailing. Though it just about a mile and half to the animal hospital and took but moments, it felt like one of the longest rides ever, with time standing still. (And the police officer had never been to the Emergency Vet before, probably since he was so new on the force and didn’t know exactly where we were headed.)
But at last we pulled right up front, and I rushed the kitty in. He looked up at me with such a meaningful gaze and I could see that there was blood on his tongue — I only hoped he understood that I was doing the best I could for him.
A veterinary assistant took him from me and whisked him to the back for the doctors to work on. The SUV driver had also, amazingly, followed us to the hospital and stayed for a few minutes. It is remarkable that this young man had enough compassion within him to see this through. I do believe that most young drivers in his situation would have never stopped and just kept going, leaving the injured cat in the street.
However, at some point, the young man did leave and we stayed with the officer to wait for a little while. The cat turned out to be a neutered male, obviously feral, and about 6 years old. He had a “cropped” ear, which is the sign that he was part of a “Trap, Neuter, Return” program for ferals, where cats have a small piece of their left ear removed or “tipped” to indicate that they have already been neutered.
The veterinary assistant informed us that though the doctors were working him, he appeared too far gone to survive, and that I should call back the next day to find out exactly what happened.
I left with a very heavy heart. The police officer thanked me for helping, and at least now he knows the location of the Emergency Vet if anything similar should happen. My husband comforted me, saying “You did all you could so don’t take it too hard.” But I often do take it hard with the animals, because that is just the way I am.
I called the hospital the next day to learn what I already knew in my heart, that the kitty had to be euthanized. The whole incident played out in my head a few times until I came to terms with it and I sent Reiki to the spirit of the cat.
Interestingly enough, we are not usually coming home from the gym as late as we did that day, and if the timing had been any different, I would not have come upon that scene. So perhaps I was meant to be there, and I do take some small comfort in that. Reiki does work in mysterious ways, and sometimes it is there to give a measure of compassion and relief to an animal that is preparing to make its journey to spirit.
Shinpiden means mystery teachings in the Japanese system of Reiki. This was the highest level of study for a student who had already achieved first Shoden (First Degree) and then Okuden (Second Degree.) Mikao Usui, the founder of Reiki, supposedly only brought sixteen qualified students to this level during his lifetime.
This level eventually was westernized by Hawayo Takata and it is believed she coined the term “Reiki Master” or “Reiki Master Teacher.” She trained twenty-two “Masters” during her lifetime.
Recently I had the pleasure of delving deeper into the classical Japanese background of Reiki by experiencing an intensive 3-day Shinpiden class with Frans Stiene of the International House of Reiki. It was a thought-provoking and extremely enlightening seminar as we learned theory, concepts and the “purity” of the origin of Reiki. For originally, Reiki was a path to spiritual exploration and enlightenment, not a healing modality. However, it was soon discovered that the lovely by-product of this spiritual practice was healing!
Today we know Reiki as a healing system and most study and train in it for that particular purpose. But to be a more effective healer, it can be helpful to really take a look at the spiritual practice side. Frans teaches what I consider “minimalist” or “bare-bones” Reiki. This embraces the basic concept of connecting the enlightened, peaceful aspect inside oneself to that within the Reiki client or recipient. It means perhaps just “being Reiki” and sharing the healing energy. It means first discovering that enlightened, compassionate part of yourself — and that’s where one’s spiritual evolution comes in.
Reiki is most effective when we just step back and trust that healing will flow in as it’s meant to, and that the recipient will receive exactly what she/he needs at this particular moment in time.
Though all these deep topics, Frans kept us engaged with his presentation which was also infused with his very joyful sense of humor. And when he taught us the Japanese method of “attunement” or “spiritual blessing” (which is used to awaken the student’s ability to connect with Reiki) it was like watching a sacred, graceful and profound choreography.
The entire three-day immersion into this lovely healing energy was quite an amazing experience, and I am still processing all that I learned. In the times to come, I will be integrating it into my own teaching curriculum.
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