The Holiday Season is a Wonderful time of Love, Light and Connection. It can also generate a lot of stress, especially for successful busy Business women trying to wear our many hats. This can be challenging enough on a day-to-day basis, but now there are gifts to choose and wrap, family events to attend (not to mention complex family dynamics), and the stirred-up emotions dealing with the frenetic energy which abounds everywhere this time of year.
Reiki can be a way to keep yourself “Filled-Up”, so that when you choose to share your precious time and energy with your friends, family and co-workers, you do so from a Healthy and Loving place, rather than becoming drained, burned-out or resentful.
Reiki is a Natural, Holistic Hands-On Healing technique which is very Gentle and Deeply Relaxing. It is primarily for reducing stress, promoting Balance, and restoring Inner Peace. It is shared fully-clothed on a massage-type table. Within the course of an hour, people typically feel their stress, and the underlying sources, simply melt away. It is also very energizing, and after their sessions, my clients report increased creativity and productivity. Their energy is calm and focused as they move forwards with their busy days and lives.
Reiki can work physically, assisting with both pain issues and muscle tension. It also works deeply at the mental/emotional level releasing what no longer serves you, as you are ready. It helps you feel connected, and is unconditionally accepting and non-judgmental. Additionally, you can learn self-Reiki which is a practical tool in your own hands whenever you are feeling anxious or having trouble sleeping. You can share Reiki with your family and pets. Moving forwards on the Reiki Path means “Living Reiki”. You become conscious of how the energy of all your words, thoughts, attitudes and emotions affect your own well-being as well as everyone around you. Although life will always continue to have its challenges, you can learn to bring yourself back to your place of Inner Peace easier and quicker.
In alignment with the Reiki Healing Principles, here are my wishes for you throughout the Holidays and into the upcoming New Year:
May you REMEMBER what you Love, what Sparks you, and brings you endless, timeless Joy. May you Consciously Create more time for these things in your life.
May you Forgive yourself and others for the sake of Peace.
May you remember that we are ALL doing the Best that we can with the Knowledge, Wisdom and Experiences we bring to this moment. This will allow you to see with the eyes of Compassion.
May you know how precious your Energy is, and Choose Loving and Peaceful words, thoughts and attitudes every day. May you attract the same.
May you remember that life’s challenging people and situations are a GIFT helping you learn and grow in ways that you wouldn’t/couldn’t have chosen on your own.
May you find the Perfect Balance of Quiet Introspection, Service, Connection, Laughter and PLAY.
May you Receive your Heart’s Desire, and most importantly, may you KNOW that you are Worthy and Deserving of Receiving.
May you continue to be of Loving Purposeful Service Always.
May you keep things in Perspective and Remember to BREATHE.
May you Feel the Peace, Contentment and Joy Within You.
May you remember that we NEED each other. Allow yourself to be Vulnerable and Receive, for this allows others the Joy of Sharing too.
We live in a fast-paced, fast-food world. One of the many things I LOVE about Reiki is the reminder to stay Present and BE. No ruminating over the past, no worries about the future- just BEing in a place of Trust that all is in Perfect order. Remembering in the midst of challenges that they are for our growth, and that in retrospect we will Know their purpose in the Grander scheme of things. It is so important for our Balance to create the Gift of Honoring ourselves as a priority by allowing the TIME to do self Reiki and meditate on the Reiki Healing Principles every day.
There is, of course, no time in the energy realm, but we we need to live and function on this earth. It is very easy to get so absorbed in day-to-day routines and distracted by life’s details. We often forget to make time to even Breathe deeply filling ourselves with precious life-force Healing Energy. Healing is a process- levels, layers and spirals. Deep, juicy and delicious, although not always fun or easy. It is the path to our Enlightenment and getting to the Source of our Healing so that we don’t need to keep being presented with the same lessons over and over in different forms with different faces.
This is what allows us to be a Healing presence for others. It is always about Service. Loving Service from a Healthy, filled-up place. No draining, no resentment- our Choice.
Some students (and teachers) want the faster road, shorter path, less expensive path. There is no one right answer for everyone. Be clear with your intentions. Choosing a Reiki master, and especially a teacher is a very important decision. It is a forever connection. Be sure that you Resonate with their energy, their words, and their philosophies. Being a Reiki master is way more than just learning how to share attunements, it is way more than a piece of paper that says you are. It is choosing to Live in Conscious integrity with the Reiki Healing Principles- Living and Sharing Reiki with your entire BE-ing. It isn’t about Perfection or there would be no teachers- it is about the constant Loving work of clearing away all that masks your TRUE SELF. A never-ending process. No rush, slow down and digest it slowly and completely….
Love and Namaste’, Rickie
I attended the Mid-Atlantic Reiki Conference this weekend. Always so Wonderful to be surrounded by Positive Loving Energy as we all Learn, Grow and support each other. Reiki itself Blossoms as you use it and incorporate it into your everyday world. The more you use it, the stronger it flows. The more your Share it, the more Powerful it becomes for ourselves, each other and the World. There is no competition, no “Better” Reiki, no “Higher” Reiki – Everyone finds their own way to the Source of all Connecting Energy. It really is “All Good”!
I really enjoyed the variety of topics presented at this conference. The first was “Animal Reiki”. Kathleen Lester, founder of the Animal Reiki Alliance, is already teaching Animal Reiki in ReikiSpace. I did learn about a couple of her other offerings that may be of interest in ReikiSpace – “Animal Communication for Reiki Healers” and Crystal Healing for Animals”. Does either of those interest YOU?
Presenting next were Susan Lieberman and Andrea Grace, founders of the Natural Healing Alliance, a non-profit organization to help promote Professionalism including Ethics Training, Standards of Practice, Infection Control, Informed Consent, Re-certification, and Practice Guidelines. There was discussion about the legalities concerning the language we use discussing Reiki. I resonated with that, and I spend quite a bit of time with my Reiki lllA Master/Practitioner students practicing how to share Reiki with meaningful words in various scenarios. We also discussed the legalities of practice related to the “License to Touch”. This has been cropping up in near-by states and is something we need to watch closely. Thankfully, as a P.T., I am covered.
The Keynote Speaker was Mari Hall, sharing “In the Heart of Reiki, There is Only Love”. Her personal Transformation Stories were Inspirational, and she has attuned over 50,000 students to Reiki! (Made me wish I have been keeping count…)
Following a Deeply Meditative Sound Immersion with Patricia Norton, there was an Excellent Panel Discussion on “Healthcare Programs that Incorporate Reiki”. The panel included Dr. Harold Bob, MD, Luann Jacobs Speech/Language Pathologist, and Donna Audia RN- all also Reiki Masters. In traditional Medical Settings, the topic of Languaging Reiki comes up again. Thankfully, coming from a more traditional practice, this is something I am very comfortable with. The biggest continuing question is who pays for Reiki Professionals in these settings. There are several prominent Medical Centers already offering CAM, and some reputable research, although there is alot more work to be done in this are. Please ask me if you’d like more info about existing programs or Reiki Research.
The final presentation by Paula Michal-Johnson included amazing photos from her recent pilgrimage to Japan including Mt. Kurama.
Part of my Reiki Mission is to help educate people to understand the Simplicity of Reiki in a Positive, Loving and Grounded way. There are many misconceptions floating around about Reiki. The following are some questions that clients and students have asked. Please feel free to send me your own!
“What the heck is Reiki?” Reiki is a very Gentle and Deeply Relaxing hands-on Healing originally from Japan primarily for Stress Management and Balance. When our systems are in a better Balance, they can help us heal naturally like we’re designed to do. YOUR body decides what you need, where it goes and what you’re ready for.
“Aren’t you Drained after you do this?” No! One of the Unique things about Reiki is that you never give away any of your personal energy, and you never take on anyone else’s stuff! I call it an E.M.S. – Energy Management System. The energy just flows through me, and feels wonderful to me also!
“Can Reiki help with ____(fill in the blank)”? I don’t get to decide what happens in your Reiki Session. Your body draws whatever energy you need to bring yourself into a better place of Balance. Whatever happens is always for your Highest Good and Greatest Joy! Sometimes Reiki will take away your symptoms, and sometimes it will bring to your attention what you need to look at in your life to move forwards in a Healthy way. Symptoms are your body’s way of speaking to you to help you get the message. You always have Free Will to pay attention to the messages or not. If you do, often your body doesn’t need to continue “talking” so loud!
“I’m pregnant- can I do Reiki?” YES! Reiki is Gentle, non-invasive and perfectly safe for you and your baby. Everyone can tolerate Reiki from the tiniest infant to the elderly even in the dying process.
“Now that I took a Reiki Class and can Reiki myself, do I still need to come for sessions?” Yes, both are very important parts of Reiki. Daily self Reiki is recommended, and is a wonderful way to start and end your day, but you still need to be active in that process. When you receive a full Reiki Session from someone else, you allow yourself to Relax, be open and Receive- it is a different experience. Both are important parts of Reiki. As you move forwards on the Reiki path you begin to LIVE Reiki- being conscious of the energy of your words, thoughts, attitudes and emotions and how it affects you, others and the world.
Sending you Love, Peace and Gratitude….
I began learning Reiki over 20 years ago! I thought that each level Reiki class I took would be as far as I would need to go. I Loved every class, and felt the Powerful and Deeply Healing Benefits. I honestly never thought I would teach (seems funny to me now). The thought of creating a manual felt daunting to me. Computers weren’t a thought then, and I could barely type. I only knew that I could not just hand out someone else’s manual. I knew that it had to contain my energy, and that I needed to resonate with every word. My manuals (Thanks to Todd Krill, Grey Matter Graphics) as well as my teaching style continues to evolve and progress with my confidence, experience and wisdom. I am always clear to distinguish which is the Reiki and which is the Rickie when I teach. Everyone brings a little of themselves to the work, AND the basic elements of each level Reiki Class needs to stay pure.
I believe that everyone is attracted to exactly who they need to be with, therefore there is never any competition in this work. It is always Amazing and Beautiful to watch as students realize that they are all meant to be together at that particular time, and observe all the inter-connections. Perfect Synchronicity!
There is no “Right and Wrong” in any of this. The following are ways that resonate with me and my style of teaching.
I teach my Reiki classes primarily in one day. It is a long and full day, but Relaxing, Peaceful and very Healing. This seems to work best logistically for most people. I want my classes to be accessible and valued. I try to keep my rates affordable, but again valuable. This is an important and Sacred commitment.
I like to teach my classes in small groups. That way students get to experience each other’s energy. Energy increases exponentially, so each student has a more powerful experience, and are able to “feel it” more within the group.
I believe that each level of Reiki takes time to process and integrate. You need to use your Reiki every day, and it will teach you more than any teacher or book ever could! I recommend allowing at least three weeks between Reiki l and ll, and six to nine months between Reiki ll and the Master level.
I have prerequisites for my Master training classes. I take this commitment very seriously. Master Training is MUCH more than just learning how to share to the Attunements. It is Living Reiki with every thought, word, attitude and emotion, and taking responsibility for the Energy you radiate every day. It is LIVING the Reiki Healing Principles.
I know Healing Energy can be shared long distance, and we learn how to share that in Reiki level ll. I do not personally believe that long-distance attunments are Usui Reiki. The definition of an Usui Reiki Attunement involves working in your energy field and includes physical touch.
Again, I want to emphasize that this is strictly the way Reiki resonates with me. Others choose other ways. The essence of Reiki is always non-judgmental, unconditional Love and Acceptance.
Peace and Namaste’
Each Reiki class I teach, I ask my students “What are the three main parts of the Usui Reiki System of Healing?”
They always come up with the first two – Self Healing, and Sharing Healing with others. Then they get stuck…
The third and equally important part , that is often glossed over, is Living by the Reiki Healing Principles:
Just for Today, I Release all Worry
Just for Today, I Release all Anger
I Honor Every Living Thing
I earn my Living with Integrity
I show Gratitude for all my many Blessings!
These principles are designed based on the fact that every word, thought, attitude and emotion carries energy, and affects not only your personal energy and immune system, but those around you, and the world! It is recommended to recite these principles every morning and evening to remind ourselves of the importance of keeping our Vibration high, so that we can continue to be a Healing Presence in the world.
They remind us to stay Present, because ruminating over things from the past drains our energy, as will worrying about things that may or may not happen in the future. They remind us that we are all Connected. They remind us to Honor our Life’s Purpose and our Core Values. When we make choices that are not in Integrity, our bodies will speak for us in the form of symptoms to try and help us learn, and get back on track. They help us remember to say “Thank You” for all that we already have to be Grateful for, so that we can continue to attract Abundance – of Love, Peace, Joy, and Wellness .
I am personally especially aware and sensitive to the Vibration of words, and have adopted the following “Rickie Healing Principles”:
In this Moment, I CHOOSE Faith; and In this Moment, I CHOOSE Peace…
Feel free to use them if they resonate with you.
Much Love and Many Blessings Always, Rickie