I went along to listen to a visiting Reiki person a little while ago. This person is part of one of the “famous” Reiki groups and had a pretty big budget for marketing the talk and drew a good crowd.

The thing that I found interesting about the talk (which was very good by the way..) was the cross section of people that came and the reasons that they seemed to come for.

1. Physical Healing

One clear group were people that were interested in what Reiki could do for them or loved ones in terms of physical healing. I usually consider, when a person comes to our little Reiki clinic with the primary objective of healing some physical health issue, that they are best served by learning Reiki 1. I should say quickly here, that I always think that it is better if people end up studying Reiki 1, rather than just receive Reiki sessions because, Reiki practise and the Reiki path is a self empowering one, and a lot of effort should be made to help people be self reliant, and not develop a dependency on their Reiki group or teacher.

Something that was not said during the talk, which I think is extremely important to make clear to people who are seeking physical healing is that Reiki is not a replacement to traditional healing. There is a tendancy, out of enthusiasm or mis-guided perception to think that Reiki can heal things that traditional medicine cannot. I have heard stories taught during Reiki workshops about how Usui used to heal cancer and how serious health problems can be healed with Reiki. This is something to be wary of promoting.

I think most alternative healing people will agree that there is immense benefit to be gained by using alternative healing recipes and techniques, and that one of those benefits is they work with the causal aspect of the issue rather than purely managing symptoms (now I am not suggesting traditional medicine only deals with symptoms.. but it is certainly a strong focus..), and, that it is a gentle brand of healing and as such should not be rushed and over done.

There is no quick fix in spiritual/alternative healing. To have lasting success, with any modality, it needs to be done consistently, over a long period of time.

2. Mental/Emotional Healing

The next big cross section of the crowd seemed to be very interested in emotional issues. Why do I have so much anger? Why am I always so insecure? I need to heal my… whatever… emotional feeling.

I think this is a very interesting group. And, again a group that needs to be treated with gentle sensitivity. Generally speaking Reiki 2 works beautifully with emotional healing. Joined with daily self treatments. But, it is important to know the limitations and boundaries of our role as a Reiki person, and what we are and are not qualified to counsel someone in. Just to give you an idea about how we do it at our Reiki clinic, but only for sharing the way that works for us, (not to suggest it is the best way..) is we try very hard to create an atmosphere and energy around the healing session and client relationship that re-enforces that we are not trained counselors, that we are just normal family people. We try to make people feel as welcome and safe as we can, and show that we are friendly and warm hearted and happy to listen to people share their stories. But, that if something more serious comes up, they really need to find someone trained to talk about that with. And, then we can recommend a few people, if they want some one good.

3. The Spiritual Seeker

The third, distinct, group that I noticed at the talk were the spiritual seekers. People looking to Reiki for a spiritual connection. And it is out of this group that you will probably find the highest percentage of your Reiki 3 students.

The main issue in group 3, is fundamentalism. Which in Reiki circles, manifests as I have said above as over enthusiasm about what Reiki is able to achieve (generally speaking..) and what kinds of messages you send to your clients/students.

It can also show up as thinking they are on a mission to save the world, a re-incarnated spiritual teacher (or allowing themselves to think they are somewhat “special” because they contemplate their Hara/naval and think about the deeper meanings of life, versus the more “superficial” and “materialistic” people in the world), or just simply so intense that they find it near impossible to act like a “normal” person and have regular everyday activities in their routine.

I am definitely speaking from personal experience on this one! (being a recovering fundamentalist..)

One particular Buddhist teaching that I really loved the first time I read says that you should strive to change on the inside (become more tolerant, more patient, more kind and more loving..) but that you should not change the outside.

I think there is a tendency when we find spiritual things that are so obvious, like Reiki (you can literally feel the energy of the universe), to go a bit over board. Shave our hair off, go live on an ashram, stop seeing all our old friends, whatever.

If we just take it easy. Take it slow. The healing will be lasting..

Conclusion

If you fall in love with the Reiki path, or you find temporary benefit from giving or receiving the energy, you will meet lots of weird and wonderful people along the journey. Each person needs to be met at their level and respected for what is moving them at the time. Reiki 1 is not less important than Reiki 3. How can you say the branches are less important than the tree. Enjoy the journey!

If you do not want things to change in your life you should not practice Reiki.

I was reminded, recently, very clearly, that Reiki is a healing path. It is path that seeks your evolution. It is not a path that seeks to keep things the same, Reiki does not work like that.

Cocoon

It seems in life that we can follow two very distinct paths. One is the path of cocooning. Where we seek safety and to shut out the world. We want to control our life situation. We seek to nest and to maintain our current situation.

Rising Sun

Then there is a path in life that feels more like the rising sun. Where we seek to grow and change and develop. This path is more expansive and inclusive. Perhaps it is accurate to say that the rising sun path is characterized by love, where the cocooning one is shaped by fear. But the truth is that both are the same life force. One is merely more blocked than the other.

Embrace change

The best thing we can do for ourselves is not to be resistive to life and to change. There is an irony in resisting change. Yet we all do it a little. And sometimes it seems almost as if it is easier to fall back into the habit than not.

Faith and Chance

If the world is ruled by faith and chance. Then put your faith in daily practice. Because the unblocking of your life force energy through the healing vibration of Reiki is the best insurance policy for keeping chance on your side.

Qualities and Energy

Whether a quality manifests into your life and your experience as a strength or a weakness depends entirely on your energy.

The same quality that manifests as a weakness with stagnant blocked energy can change and become a strength with clear, flowing and balanced energy.

Stubbornness turns to Determination

Arrogance turns into Healthy Confidence

It is the same with every aspect of our being. This is the process of healing. This is what happens. Slowly. Slowly. We become more healthy, more rounded, more insightful, more at peace. Basically, we become more of ourself.

Energy and Reality

Whatever energy we have determines our reality. The world is essentially energy soup. And the basic natural law of energy is that like attracts like.

Whatever your reality you are experiencing, it is changeable. For better or worse. It may take a little time and a whole lot of effort. But, the energy you hold, will inevitably create around you a life that reflects it.

If you hold fear orientated energy (and do not use your Reiki Training to heal it..) then you will meet with experiences and people that “match” that energy. And if you follow your spiritual inclinations, pursue with effort and patience your healing path, then gently over time your life will come to reflect a loving and peaceful reality.

Conclusion

Every quality can become either a strength or a weakness depending on our energy. Every reality is a reflection of your inner energy.

But, how do you practice this ideal in today’s world?

Our lives are fast and our world is busy. People are tough, and if we do not stand up for ourselves we are going to get walked all over. Right?

We need to be tough. We need to stand up for ourselves. We need to be fight back, sometimes even be a bit aggressive, in a rightous kind of way, fight for our beliefs. Stand up for people. Right?

I am just going to say: no.

But, how then do we practice this ideal of not using Anger, without becoming a punching bag for society?

Here is a quick list of ways to practise “just for today I will not anger” in the modern world..

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Reiki can be used to help with dreams. It can be used to help with lucid dreaming and dream recall.

Dreams and Healing

Becoming more conscious of your dreams and your dream life can assist you with your healing path. We store many unconscious habits and past emotional trauma in our mind stream. And developing the techniques of working with your dreams may help you uncover some otherwise hidden parts of your self.

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Why do reiki people practise sitting meditation?

There are many side benefits why reiki people practise daily sitting meditation. And, one major reason.

Minor benefits include:

1. Cleaner subtle energy channels (nadis)
2. Increased contentment and joy
3. Greater ability to concentrate for longer periods of time
4. Increased self discipline (discussed further below)
5. Increased familiarity with reiki ideals (discussed below)

But, the major reason reiki people practise daily sitting meditation is because sitting meditation builds mental clarity. And mental clarity aids clear functioning of your intuition.Reiki people value intuition because it is a great aid in healing and general life. The best style of reiki healing is one that is guided by intuition.

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For the purpose of this post lets draw a distinction between “staying grounded” and “keeping your center”.

Lets suggest that keeping your center is about maintaining your clarity of mind, and your own unique set of values and beliefs. Keeping your “truth”. (related post: using reiki to keep your center)

Lets say on the other hand that staying grounded is to do with how we manage our energy as we move through our days and our reiki path.

# Not getting carried away 

Staying grounded is then about not getting carried away with things like syncronicity (meaningful coincidences), signs, higherself, visions, reiki guides, messages, ascension, enlightenment, those sorts of things.

Aswell as keeping a healthy connection to our daily life and its contents. The people we love, the people we meet, the work we have to do, and the world and culture within which it all exists.

This is easier said than done.. and I would be the first person to step forward and confess to periods of getting really caught up in my spiritual practise, spiritual life and spitirual values. (Not to mention all the mysterious and interesting things that can come along the path.)

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Here are 9 tips for better distant reiki healing. In no particular order..

# Practise hands on reiki

I am definitely one that needs to heed this advice. I have a tendency to focus on distant healing too much.. because I love it and I have seen it work really well. (I sometimes wonder if people have different propensities towards certain styles of spiritual practice.. some drawn to prayer.. some to meditation.. that sort of thing. Because, I know I am drawn to distant healing.)

But, if you want to give better distant healing.. you should give lots of hands on healing. It is the foundation of the reiki path, and although it is the focus of the first level of reiki training, it should never be considered a level you move past, or eventually have no need for. There is no substitute in reiki practice & training to hands on healing.

# Healthy diet

I have talked about this a little before. But, the healthier your diet, the healthier your energy channels, and the easier the reiki will flow. If you think about it like this.. perhaps when you received your reiki 1 empowerment, as a result you were able to give 80% worth of your potential reiki.. the last 20% comes from healthy diet, meditation, Qi Gong exercises.. anything that will improve the overall healthiness of your Nadis (subtle energy channels, through which your ki flows).

It is also a fact that the healthier your channels and then the more easy your ki flows through them, the more clear will be your mind, and the stronger will be your willpower, greater will be your dedication to spiritual practice/healing, and your intention will be healthier too.

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