The other day I noticed a link to reikiblogger from dream of living. I am always curious to read blogs that link to reikiblogger, so I went over and had a look.

I was really impressed with the way Amanda wrote, very personal and clear.. so I sent her an email and asked if she might be interested in writing about her Celtic Reiki path as a guest writer on reikiblogger.

Amanda thought it was a great idea.. so I am pleased to present her post below.. please leave her lots of feedback in the comments or drop her an email.

My celtic reiki path.
By Amanda

I cannot say when I first felt drawn towards Reiki as a healing art. Like my spiritual journey it seemed to grow gradually and like something which I always held an interest in. During my mid-teens I began to attend a weekly yoga class with my dad and by the end of the sessions my hands were always tingling so much that I felt as if there was energy there that needed to be released. This was perhaps the first time I truly realised my capacity to be a channel for energy.

However, although I had heard of Reiki my first experience of receiving it was nothing special. I was going through a very dark time, both physically and emotionally and my friend, who is a master in Usui and Seichem, offered to give me a session. I accepted but I was so worried about what might happen that I didn’t feel much at all. I am sure that my fears blocked my ability to receive and acknowledge the healing sent to me. It was another couple of years before I finally discovered the joys of receiving the love and healing that reiki offers.

Around this time many changes were occurring in my life. I had become much more conscious of my spirituality – choosing to actively seek answers to my many questions via an online community and much contemplation. I had already spent 3 years pushing myself beyond my personal comfort zones, pushing far beyond my incredible shyness to survive at university and I had just returned from a year working in Germany and studying in Russia. For someone who finds speaking up and with low self-esteem this was a really challenging year! My health was also suffering quite impressively and I had hit an all-time low. Yet at the same time I felt that within me there lay the ability to heal and truly value my life.

The online community I had originally found had closed down and in the hopes of continuing the friendships built there I accepted the offer to help set up and run a new forum. This was an endeavour that would prove to be challenging yet incredibly fulfilling for me and the community grew day by day. At the same time that I was beginning to feel a desire to explore energy healing, the forum owner offered to attune anyone who was interested in Kundalini Reiki. Initially I jumped at the chance to be attuned to this but quickly realised that I was not being pulled by the attraction of Kundalini Reiki but rather a different system of healing.

I firmly believe that when we listen to our hearts and pay attention to what the universe provides for us we find the perfect opportunities to learn and grow. The universe provided me with exactly what I was looking for when I came across a Celtic Reiki course online. My intial fears that an affordable attunement package offered on ebay couldn’t be the real thing were soon dispelled. As I received my first attunement I had no doubt that it was real as the sensation in my hands throughout was so intense I knew I couldn’t be imagining it.

Following the attunement I found many of the issues I had hidden or had been struggling with came bubbling straight up to the surface for me to face. This was an intense time, but something which I believe needed to happen for me to grow further. I began having vivid dreams, full of wisdom related to my path and where I was walking at that time. Although sometimes uncomfortable, I knew I needed to heal these issues just as much as I needed to heal my physical symptoms and that the Reiki was helping me to face each one in turn.

The members of the forum had also by this time been attuned to Kundalini Reiki level 1 and were going through similar periods of healing. We began holding weekly group healing sessions where we would send bursts of Reiki energy to each other, so we all gave and received. These sessions continue today and are always very informal and interspersed with chat and a very enjoyable experience.

My healing continued throughout the year and in time I received my second level attunement after which I chose not to be attuned to master level for some time. So much was happening in my life that I felt it was not the right time for me to become a Reiki Master. Only this past week did I feel ready for such a step. I had finally begun to heal the wounds of the past on such a deep level that I understood the influence I had upon them and also the power I had to heal them. This healing is something that happened so suddenly that I cannot explain how it happened. It was as if all that I had learnt in theory suddenly just felt right and made sense on a soul level and the healing happened in response to this. As this happened I felt the need and desire to complete my Reiki Master level and contacted my Reiki Master.

Since my Master attunement I have felt incredible, yet subtle changes in my life. I have begun to release old energies, letting go of material items I no longer need and clearing my space to allow the energy to flow. As a lifelong hoarder and messy person I was amazed at how much pleasure I found in doing this and how easily it happened. I have tried several times to do this without much luck but this weekend it just seemed to flow without too much effort at all.

Reiki is, for me, an incredible gift which I have chosen to receive and in turn give to others. Whenever I have received an attunement it has always been in response to changes I have been making in my life and has thus enhanced my ability to make these changes. It feels to me as if the Reiki energy is saying “now you have begun to make these changes I am here to help you!”

Although I have an interest in all forms of Reiki, Celtic Reiki is the system that felt perfect for me. Celtic Reiki works with the energies of the trees in our world and is a gentle, yet strong energy which resonates wonderfully with me. I have always found our tree friends to be sources of comfort and strength and whenever I look upon a tree I feel a jolt of loving energy.

Whenever I give Reiki healing to someone, be it by distance or in person, I always offer a blessing at the end that the recipient be blessed by the wisdom of the tree, with strong roots to ground and support them, but the freedom to reach for the skies and dance gently in the breeze of life. I have also been very blessed in receiving gifts and messages from the trees I work with. At the beginning of my sessions I am drawn into a woodland area where the magic of the trees and tree-folk shines in a magical purple-gold energy. There I am led to dance with the tree-folk and enter the great tree of life to become one with it as I send out healing. I have also received reminders from the trees in my life of all that they give us and to remember to thank them for their kindness. The most memorable of these reminders occurred when I was informed that the wood which creates the furniture in my home will still gladly receive and appreciate Reiki energy sent to it and will in turn offer up protection and light within my home.

Celtic Reiki has made me much more aware of my environment and whenever I remember to go out in nature and appreciate what beauty there is I am always rewarded with new lessons and reminders of the beauty of life. I look forward to the changes Reiki will continue to make in my life and know that there will always be something new to discover.