Phoenix Notes 5:
It is a fact that there are far more people attuned to Reiki than ever practice it professionally. The vast majority of people who take Reiki attunement at Level 1 (Shoden) only ever want to use it to help themselves or to help a very small circle of family and friends. When people are working like this it is easy to become isolated in their practice of Reiki.
Isolation and Reiki
Isolation can happen if you lose touch with people from your attunement class or your Reiki Master.
It can also happen if your own immediate circle of family and friends does not approve of Reiki and thinks you are weird for wanting to try it out. This is a very common experience!
Perhaps you feel that your Level 1 attunement class was rushed, or did not give you enough knowledge or confidence to begin to work with Reiki independently. You may have tried some initial work on your own but then have experienced something which fell beyond your level of experience and knowledge, If there was no form of back-up available hesitancy or fear may have crept in and stopped you using the gift of Reiki. Even with higher levels of attunement in place it is possible to become isolated for many reasons.
Have any of those things happened to you?
If so you may feel that there is no one with whom to exchange experiences and no one to ask for advice. You may have let your Reiki, which initially felt bright, joyful and full of potential, fall into disuse. Life with all of its challenges gets in the way and soon the memory of how good Reiki feels fades away. What a waste of a powerful gift! A good way to avoid this isolation and creeping doubt, whatever the level of practice, is to attend Reiki shares or other events in the local area and become part of the wider Reiki community.
What do Reiki shares offer?
- A chance to give Reiki regularly and so reinforce the connection with the energy and allow it to strengthen and grow.
- A chance to receive Reiki regularly and so gain the full benefits of treatment plus the relaxation effect.
- It can be a blissful experience to receive from several people simultaneously once you get used to it!
- A chance to keep in touch with a Reiki master and also meet new like-minded people.
- A chance to take part in meditation sessions and find some personal peace.
- A chance to ask questions, swap experiences and discuss anything unusual or unexpected that may be felt when using Reiki.
Shares vary greatly in size and form depending on the people involved but they all have one thing in common – members are interested in Reiki and are willing to give and receive treatments. The origin of Reiki shares goes back to the Japanese tradition in which Reiki training involved frequent training meetings where students came together to practice, learn new techniques, receive Reiju (the Japanese form of Empowerments) and grow spiritually.
Things are not very different in Western Reiki as all of those items may occur but there is also a strong social component. You feel welcome in a Reiki share! Reiki people tend to be relaxed, accepting and non-judgemental. All of this might be a revelation if you normally feel shy or uneasy in social groups. There is real potential to expand socially as the Reiki helps you to expand personally and spiritually.
Some shares are open only to the students of the Master who attuned them, others are open to anyone who is already Reiki attuned no matter where they trained. Most groups have several core members with others who come and go. The energy experienced within groups who know each other well can be quite startling and can allow everyone to go beyond their normal level of work.
What Happens during a Reiki Share?
Content and sequence vary, but generally this is what may happen:
- Meet and greet phase as people arrive, conversation, swapping experiences, refreshments may be available
- Meditation and/or Empowerments may be offered on some occasions
- There may be teaching of a particular topic related to Reiki and energy healing
- Reiki Healing Circle (Mawashi)
- Shared Reiki Healing Session – many upon one.
- Refreshments, Chat, exchange experiences
If you are feeling isolated or disappointed with your Reiki practice, then finding a local share group could be just what you need to bring back the curiosity, enthusiasm and sense of connection with the flow of energy and life. It is definitely worth a try!
Our Reiki share evenings are held in Solihull, West Midlands, UK once every 1-2 months.
Anyone who is Reiki attuned is welcome.
See our website for dates and full details.
Christine Sutton
Master Teacher Member of the UK Reiki Federation
CNHC registered
www.phoenixeft.co.uk
0121 246 9448
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