Reiki

Oryx

MysticalSoul wrote: »

If you have not done reiki 1, it is not possible to give yourself reiki through self healing, as you need to be attuned.

Woulld you mind explaining more about attunement? Cos I have to be honest, it makes my skin prickle when I hear things like that, (Im cynical I suppose, about why a healing pracice has to be so regimented) we are natural beings and surely reiki is a natural ability? What exactly does the attunement consist of and why is it required?

Nevyn

The use of a person's engery to heal and to interact with the engery of others is a natural thing.

Reiki is a specific practice with rites, sigils and exercises to use that engery is a certain way, when a person under goes an atunement they are 'connected' via their masters/trainer to a reiki network which they can then tap into and they energy is tuned into it.

I do have a lot of respect for the tradition and I do know why it has to be regimented as I have seen people who started out with reiki do very dumb things to others in the name of 'healing' with out asking enough questions or considering the possible ramifications of what they are doing thinking that something that heals could never be harmful :rolleyes:

I have not had any reiki atunements, I know a lot of people who have and who were unprepared for the energetic, spiritual and real life changes it brought about and I am extremely sceptical of what seems to be the reiki industry in this country, with the high cost of classes and training and very little back up for when things go wrong.

Oryx

Thaedydal, that does clear some of my confusion up. Its the one day classes for huge money that make me skeptical of what goes on. I know of people (wellmeaning, nice) who do three weekends and are Reiki masters. That seems a little too easy and fast to me, as to me any spiritual journey or discovery takes time and work. Not just money.:)

MysticalSoul

Oryx wrote: »

Thaedydal, that does clear some of my confusion up. Its the one day classes for huge money that make me skeptical of what goes on. I know of people (wellmeaning, nice) who do three weekends and are Reiki masters. That seems a little too easy and fast to me, as to me any spiritual journey or discovery takes time and work. Not just money.:)

There is more to it than just the attunements. It is with practice that increases the connection to the reiki source. After each level, it is a requirement to do a 21 day self cleansing using the techniques taught. Also, my own Reiki Master requires some case studies before we can practice after level 2. My own Reiki Master is quite strict with how long to wait between each level. Personally, anything faster than a year is not right IMHO.

When I did my first attunement, it really changed my life for the better, and could really feel a cleansing taking place. Everyone, naturally, will have different experiences, due to how we incorporate and/or channel the energy.

Hangsangwich

I dabbled with Reiki many years ago.
Then I met a very spiritual Catholic exorcist priest who told me not to get involved with Reiki because it invokes false-gods or devils(demons).
After that I dismissed Reiki.
Remember that evil spirits can heal too, but the healings might not be for the benefit of ones soul.

MysticalSoul

Hangsangwich wrote: »

I dabbled with Reiki many years ago.
Then I met a very spiritual Catholic exorcist priest who told me not to get involved with Reiki because it invokes false-gods or devils(demons).
After that I dismissed Reiki.
Remember that evil spirits can heal too, but the healings might not be for the benefit of ones soul.

From my experience, Catholic priests fear things like this - fear of the unknown etc. Depending on how you did your own reiki, the reason we use psychic protection, is so that only spirits from the light are at hand. If you sense spirits not from the light being present, you can just ask them mentally to go away, they can not come into our space unless we invite them in. Sometimes there is no harm in just saying it too - I have done so on, I think, three separate occasions.

http://www.christianreiki.org/

willy wonka

Just to answer the question about the attunement. I have both Reiki I and II done and Reiki I attunement was an amazing experience for me but Reiki II wasnt.

Basically what happens in an attunement is the group relaxes and gets into a meditative state and sits around in a circle. The Reiki master comes around each person and attunes them, which is basically holding the back of your neck and I think they say some words over you. When the Reiki master was attuning me and holding my neck I literally felt like a hot liquid was being poured down my spine! It was amazing!
Later on when we were pratising Reiki on each other I quickly fell into a type of trance the minute one of my circle put their hands on me. When I opened my eyes I had to try to stop from giggling as the trancelike state was so pleasurable and unlike anything I had felt. TBH it was like being stoned but much, much better

A few weeks after Reiki I everything in my life was so positive. Even bad things that happened I couldnt help but put a good spin on them. So after a few months I decided to do Reiki II and deepen my understading and experience of Reiki. Unfortunately - maybe because Reiki I was so good, I didnt get a lot out of the Reiki II attunment. I think I was expecting so much more and it never materialised. Also the 21 day cleansing cycle was pretty intense and I was so depressed and disillusioned after it. Looking back I should really have contacted my Reiki master at the time to get through it.

But I am still involved in spiritual matters. I perform Reiki on family and friends and have toyed with the idea of setting up some kind of business but I am in two minds about charging for it.

[EDIT] Would just llike to add that these are personal experiences and everyone will have a unique experience. Dont let my Reiki II experience put you off. Reiki has enriched my life to no end and would highly recommend it to anyone

Wuggectumondo

Hi everyone,

I saw a sign in the angel shop on Camden St recently about Reiki and Crystal Bed Healing being in the Irish Wheelchair Association for €25 minimum donation.

I was wondering if anyone has done this? It's near where I live so would be very handy. I got no response from the number on the ad and can't find any info on their website

Whispered

Thaedydal wrote: »

I am extremely sceptical of what seems to be the reiki industry in this country, with the high cost of classes and training and very little back up for when things go wrong.

I don't blame you one bit. Some of the ads even are ridiculous. Complete and utter disrespect for the art. As for these "online" attunements :eek: you learn so much from your Reiki master in general conversation. If your RM is a good one, he or she uses each attunement as part of their development too. It is absolutely essential for both of you that it is done personally. I have very little doubt that these RM's are in it for the money.

Oryx wrote: »

who do three weekends and are Reiki masters. That seems a little too easy and fast to me, as to me any spiritual journey or discovery takes time and work. Not just money.:)

some RMs bring you in attune you, give you a booklet and let you go. This is absolutely not right. The attunement itself takes only a few minutes, you should be preparing for the attunement for as long as possible beforehand, but imo for at least 7 days beforehand.
From the time you decide to become attuned, your RM should be in contact all the time, to answer any questions and guide you. The day before the attunement, you should spend the day learning the basics, both practical and spiritual, of reiki, and be told exactly what to expect.
You then have 21 days clearing, again, your RM should be in touch all the time to make sure you are doing well and have no further questions. On the 21st day, or soon after, you should have another day of group reiki, refresher "lessons" and time to sit and speak about your clearing experiences with your group (if you've done it in a group that is).
My RM is a fantastic teacher, she is very patient and has a laugh. She's amazingly in tune with her classes. I'm lucky in that any other RM's I've had dealings with have been great. The only people I've not been very impressed with are those who do to level 2 because thats when they are "allowed" practise, go set up immediately and charge an arm and a leg. I've been a RM for over a year, I have yet to charge someone. I don't think that at this stage I should. And it annoys me to see people do it very quickly after level 2.

willy wonka wrote: »

Just to answer the question about the attunement. I have both Reiki I and II done and Reiki I attunement was an amazing experience for me but Reiki II wasnt...... The Reiki master comes around each person and attunes them, which is basically holding the back of your neck and I think they say some words over you......
A few weeks after Reiki I everything in my life was so positive.... Unfortunately - maybe because Reiki I was so good, I didnt get a lot out of the Reiki II attunment........the 21 day cleansing cycle was pretty intense and I was so depressed and disillusioned after it. Looking back I should really have contacted my Reiki master at the time to get through it.

I hope you don't mind I butchered your post a bit just wanted to pick out the bits I wanted to comment on.

The Reiki master, during the attunement, is going through a ritual of their own, using certain breathing techniques and symbols (like the ones you learn in level 2).

People often experience a difference between attunements. It is very important that you stay in touch with your RM if you are going through anything. Depending on what you have to deal with deep down, there will be various degrees of difficulty for the clearings. I'm glad it didn't put you off spiritual things.

MizzLolly

Thaedydal wrote: »

I am extremely sceptical of what seems to be the reiki industry in this country, with the high cost of classes and training and very little back up for when things go wrong.

Hi Thaedydal,

I agree with this here. I've also been attuned to level one reiki and I'm stunned by some of the advertisments I see online offering 'reiki services'. I read one recently in which the person claimed he could make his student a powerful reiki master in a 24 hour training course. Of course this cost an absolute bomb and by simply reading what was written, I could tell the whole thing was rubbish. (i.e, claiming his students would have the power to surpass treatment in the medical field etc) This sort of stuff makes me really angry because, as someone who's been attuned and is closely related to two reiki masters, I know the benefits reiki can have not only from a healing point of view but also in regard to your own spiritual growth and development. I feel sick at the thought of people out there who try to cash in on it with promises of good health and 'exclusive power'. Reiki is accessible to everybody. Every single person reading this post can do it if they wanted to. There should not be any sense of elitism or the suggestion of owning a unique power that nobody else has. That freaks me out bigtime.

I think Ireland is getting better for it's reiki practise as I have met many good healers here.

For the record too, my reiki I attunement was amazing and was by far one of the most vivid spiritual experiences I've ever had.

Amandy

helena.ryan wrote: »

I've been a RM for over a year, I have yet to charge someone. I don't think that at this stage I should. And it annoys me to see people do it very quickly after level 2.

No personal offence to you, it's just what you said there that triggered this off for me,this bothers me about the whole Reiki thing. Even though you're saying that you don't think you should carge for it now that sounds as though you will at some stage.
Why if this thing is so natural to us all and is a free flowing energy in all of our chakras, is there so much money to be made from teaching people it?
If we had a cure for cancer flowing out of our chakras would we charge people to give them the cure if they needed it. Surely just making the world a better place and attuning people to harmony would be reward enough for us if we were all as enlightened as we think these rituals make us. Anyhoo, that's just what I find very double standard-ish and troubling about the whole Reiki thing.

It's almost on a par with being a hairdresser or a mechanic, I'll cleanse your chakras for sixty quid...thanks mate see ya, next....it loses its sense of spirituality when it becomes a business I feel.

Nevyn

Right I have not had any reki training or atunements but as I understand it with the schools/traditions the reason why there is a charge for the attunements is to make people 'value' the training they are receiving and the charge does not have to be money, doing work for the other person or sharing your skills is just as acceptable if not more so.

This way the student is not in debt to the teacher for teaching, it is a nuanced way of keeping honour for both student and teacher which seems to have gotten lost in western traditions so that it has morphed into making rekiki attunnement a commodity as I see it which is wrong in my opinion.



Amandy Reiki is not just about anyone using their own engry from their charkas.Yes any one who is aware can to that and can work on healing themselves and other's.

Reiki as I have come to understand it ( and I am happy to be corrected by any RM if I have misunderstood ) is a tradition which teaches how to manage that energy is a specific way, uses certain exercises to tap into it and certain 'sigils' for different exercises and when a person has an 'attunement' which is an initiation they are connected up to a Reiki energy network via their Master and can then draw on that network, firstly for themselves and then eventually for working on/with others and then to finally teach and connect/attune other people to that energetic network.

Yes a person can use their own energy and work with it and heal other's but it's not reiki unless they have had an attunement to use that type of reiki energy.

It's always been funny, despite not being attuned I can usually tell if a person is a Reiki practitioner, it's just one of those things.

Amandy

Thaedydal wrote: »

Reiki as I have come to understand it ( and I am happy to be corrected by any RM if I have misunderstood ) is a tradition which teaches how to manage that energy is a specific way, uses certain exercises to tap into it and certain 'sigils' for different exercises and when a person has an 'attunement' which is an initiation they are connected up to a Reiki energy network via their Master and can then draw on that network, firstly for themselves and then eventually for working on/with others and then to finally teach and connect/attune other people to that energetic network.

Yes a person can use their own energy and work with it and heal other's but it's not reiki unless they have had an attunement to use that type of reiki energy.

It's always been funny, despite not being attuned I can usually tell if a person is a Reiki practitioner, it's just one of those things.

Yep I was attuned in level one. I didn't like the aura of the master by the end of it though, as previously posted. So to stay in an energy network with them would have been destructive.

I understand the concept of Reiki as being an energy exchange, you're right, in eastern civilisations it was about exchanging that energy in a form that came as a labour of love from the recipient, whether that be cooking a meal for the practitioner or doing his laundry, it was meant to be an energy exchange not a cash transaction. So I guess we're making much the same point here anyway.

Whispered

Amandy wrote: »

No personal offence to you, it's just what you said there that triggered this off for me,this bothers me about the whole Reiki thing. Even though you're saying that you don't think you should carge for it now that sounds as though you will at some stage.
Why if this thing is so natural to us all and is a free flowing energy in all of our chakras, is there so much money to be made from teaching people it?
If we had a cure for cancer flowing out of our chakras would we charge people to give them the cure if they needed it. Surely just making the world a better place and attuning people to harmony would be reward enough for us if we were all as enlightened as we think these rituals make us. Anyhoo, that's just what I find very double standard-ish and troubling about the whole Reiki thing.

It's almost on a par with being a hairdresser or a mechanic, I'll cleanse your chakras for sixty quid...thanks mate see ya, next....it loses its sense of spirituality when it becomes a business I feel.

I haven't found myself comfortable with the idea of charging so far. I'm not saying I ever will, most people, if they were planning on using Reiki to make a living, would have done so at this stage.

People are very quick to jump on holistic therapists for charging, and to an extent I can see why. But every RM I know does a certain amount of unpaid work too. Absolutely every one of them. They just don't announce the fact. I don't see why, if able to pay, people shouldn't. You have been attuned to level one, at this stage you know what is involved in giving an acceptable session. It is very time consuming, that is even before you have someone on the plinth. If someone seeks out a Reiki Practitioner for a session, then I believe that in most cases they should pay. Be that a labour of love as you said in another post, or payment in cash.

Attunements don't "enlighten" you. A RM is no more enlightened than the next guy and that type of elitism annoys me no end. EVERYBODY can be attuned to Reiki if they choose to be. You don't have to be special or different to start, and when you finish, you're still not special or different.

I'll cleanse your chakras for sixty quid...thanks mate see ya, next....

to be honest, if that is how you feel reiki happens you have not had enough exposure, or your RM was not very good. (in fairness you did say that you didn't like their energy). I can honestly say that nothing could be further from a typical session.

Thaedydal you're spot on. Personally, I would see an exchange as being better than a cash transaction. Definately more personal and it just seems more in keeping with tradition. I have never been comfortable with the idea of charging. That is not to say I think those who do are wrong, I just have not found a balance I'm happy with.

Amandy

[QUOTE=helena.ryan;62104

I haven't found myself comfortable with the idea of charging so far. I'm not saying I ever will,

[PHP][/PHP]
Sorry I can't use multi quote thing yet so have just coloured your last quotes in blue!

Fair Play to you. You have every right to charge if you decide to do so, and I have every right to say why I believe it's wrong to. Remember Helena, I did start out saying no personal offence to you so if you decide to charge for it that's not my business but your point did trigger a reaction from me and how I feel about Reiki.

[HTML][/HTML]People are very quick to jump on holistic therapists for charging, and to an extent I can see why. But every RM I know does a certain amount of unpaid work too. Absolutely every one of them.[HTML][/HTML]

Aren't they great? :P I'm just joshing.

[HTML][/HTML]Attunements don't "enlighten" you. A RM is no more enlightened than the next guy and that type of elitism annoys me no end. EVERYBODY can be attuned to Reiki if they choose to be. You don't have to be special or different to start, and when you finish, you're still not special or different.[HTML][/HTML]

To be honest...I think taking up Reiki for me was to make life a bit more special and different, and I never said anyone needed to be enlightened to take on Reiki or be attuned. If that was the case I'd say there'd only be about 3 people on the planet capable, I certainly didn't say enlightened. But spiritual to an extent, yes. In the sense that you have to develop some sense of awareness of what's not in front of your eyes. If becoming attuned to Reiki didn't make any difference on some level in your life, why would you do it in the first place?


EDIT I'm very sorry Helena I just read my last post and did use the word enlightened...so I am very very sorry! I was being tongue in cheek and I did not remember using the word. I didn't mean anyone had to be enlightened but that if we're coming from a place of spirituality in so doing Reiki that for its primary reason to be monetary gain in our lives that it seems hypocritical. Anyway everyone does have enlightenment in their lives in one form or another, it is not an exclusive state of being only some can achieve, anyone can have it. I was not trying to generalise anyway, a few I know of seem more pre-occupied with the cash. Sorry for going on.. I just wanted to clear my viewpoint up. Sorry this is all a bit messy but I have a cold today and feel like poooo End of EDIT.


Anyway I'm not looking for a barny, I just wanted to answer your points you made. And yes you're right I don't think the RM I had the experience of was very good maybe our mutual energies just did not work or maybe I wasn't ready to be attuned, who knows. This individual got my goat up but it wasn't because of Reiki but because of how they were offering it and what came with it. There's a complete story already in this thread that I started explaining that so I won't go over old ground again. Best of luck with your continuation of the practice.

Nevyn

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Amandy wrote: »

And yes you're right I don't think the RM I had the experience of was very good maybe our mutual energies just did not work or maybe I wasn't ready to be attuned, who knows. This individual got my goat up but it wasn't because of Reiki but because of how they were offering it and what came with it. There's a complete story already in this thread that I started explaining that so I won't go over old ground again. Best of luck with your continuation of the practice.

Having read up on different types of initiation and attunements and what it means to connect my energy to another persons and the mutual respect and understanding I feel and think is needed for such a bond I have my own strict standards for those which whom I will share my energy with never mind
to let them 'thinker' with mine or connect me to them.

Which is why I have not yet undertaken any Reiki attunements and am very wary of those who 'practice' Reiki and who seem to think it gives them the right to interface with my energy with out asking consent what so ever, that is just rude and foolish. Reiki is like any other tool, you have to be careful how you used it and you can be as well meaning as you wish and still mess someone up with all the good intentions in the world.

I respect Reiki and it's traditions too much to take it on casually as some sort of hobby or evening class or as something I can buy (or sell) and I don't respect so called RM who may have all their papers and a very short line back to one of the founders of their school but seem to not understand the founding principles or seem to have any sense of honour.

Whispered

Amandy, I have no idea why you seem to think I took offence to your post.

As for "Aren't they great", well I was simply making a point. Not all Reiki practitioners charge, and those that do, most don't charge all the time. I know of nobody who would turn someone away because they didn't have enough money (that is not to say some don't, I'm speaking on personal experience only).We were talking about charging after all.

You asked why I did it in the first place if it "doesn't make a difference in your life" . I said it doesn't make you special or different, meaning different to everyone else. To be honest the difference it made to me was on a very personal level. It was like a realisation that everyone is connected to something, for me Reiki was the way of finding that connection, but it is by far and away not the only way of finding it. It just happened to be the way I took.


I'm really sorry that you seem to have had a terrible experience with the RM you went to. If he or she seemed preoccupied with cash then you weren't being treated properly. (TBH I didn't read the start of the thread, I'll go and do so now). Learning Reiki should be a lovely experience, if you got anything less than that then you are right to be annoyed. But please believe me that not all RM's are like that.

Thanks for the good wishes and I hope your cold is getting better.

Thaedydal, you are right. A practitioner is absolutely not supposed to send Reiki or connect in any way without express permission. It's such an invasion of privacy and very rude. The importance of this was covered before my first attunement. Thats not to say people don't do it, I don't know about other lineages, but it was certainly emphasised by my RM.

Amandy

helena.ryan wrote: »

Amandy, I have no idea why you seem to think I took offence to your post.

As for "Aren't they great", well I was simply making a point. Not all Reiki practitioners charge, and those that do, most don't charge all the time. I know of nobody who would turn someone away because they didn't have enough money (that is not to say some don't, I'm speaking on personal experience only).We were talking about charging after all.

You asked why I did it in the first place if it "doesn't make a difference in your life" . I said it doesn't make you special or different. To be honest the difference it made to me was on a very personal level. It was like a realisation that everyone is connected to something, for me Reiki was the way of finding that connection, but it is by far and away not the only way of finding it. It just happened to be the way I took.


I'm really sorry that you seem to have had a terrible experience with the RM you went to. If he or she seemed preoccupied with cash then you weren't being treated properly. (TBH I didn't read the start of the thread, I'll go and do so now). Learning Reiki should be a lovely experience, if you got anything less than that then you are right to be annoyed. But please believe me that not all RM's are like that.

Thanks for the good wishes and I hope your cold is getting better.

Thaedydal, you are right. A practitioner is absolutely not supposed to send Reiki or connect in any way without express permission. It's such an invasion of privacy and very rude. The importance of this was covered before my first attunement. Thats not to say people don't do it, I don't know about other lineages, but it was certainly emphasised by my RM.

Thanks Helena. I thought you were really mad at the enlightened bit! But if you look at what I highlighted above in the way you describe feeling afterwards, well, that sounds like a sense of enlightenment in a way.

Anyways I don't wanna go on about it any more than I have done.
To be really honest it seemed fine for a session or two but as things went on I felt pressurised especailly when asked to commit to level two next session on the first morning of level one and the resentment I felt from the RM for saying no at the end of it, because everyone else in the class except one other woman and I refused was definitely not imagined. So I ran away!
EDIT: One other woman and I were the only two to refuse I meant - I is all over shop today

Anyhow thank you for well wishes, I'm off on hols in a couple of days which should help the cold no end. Best wishes - A

Nevyn

I think your insticts were right Amandy and thankfully you had the courage to say no and to leave.

ziltwo

Hello all, can anyone recommend someone in the Cork city area, I am very interested in having Reiki massage done and maybe go to workshops etc...

thank you

Rubberboots

Hi All, interesting to read all the comments about Reiki. A good Reiki Master should give a back up service after teaching Reiki. I myself am a Reiki Master and I bring all the students back a month after the course to go over questions etc any may have(no charge for this). It does not stop there, they can phone email me anytime (within reason) with queries. It's a learning experience and even 8yrs on (and I do it full time) I'm still learning. The entry above from MysticalSoul is an excellent one and she is one lady I would trust, regarding Reiki, she makes a lot of sense (hope you dont mind me saying that MysticalSoul?). Anyway, just thought I would put that in for what it's worth. Reiki changed my whole life for the better and 8 yrs ago I decided to devout my life to it. I packed in my day job and now do it full time with so many rewards.

MysticalSoul

Rubberboots wrote: »

Hi All, interesting to read all the comments about Reiki. A good Reiki Master should give a back up service after teaching Reiki. I myself am a Reiki Master and I bring all the students back a month after the course to go over questions etc any may have(no charge for this). It does not stop there, they can phone email me anytime (within reason) with queries. It's a learning experience and even 8yrs on (and I do it full time) I'm still learning. The entry above from MysticalSoul is an excellent one and she is one lady I would trust, regarding Reiki, she makes a lot of sense (hope you dont mind me saying that MysticalSoul?). Anyway, just thought I would put that in for what it's worth. Reiki changed my whole life for the better and 8 yrs ago I decided to devout my life to it. I packed in my day job and now do it full time with so many rewards.

Thank you Rubberboots. I am touched by your comments.

I have found that it is an ongoing journey of self-exploration, and am now combining it more with other healing modalities which I am trained in - trusting my instincts, rather than just relying on the information I was told and/or read somewhere were all important. It is good to practice discernment if guided to do so .