by Diana Green
A couple of years ago, a realization came to me. It occurred to me that the only reason I was put on this earth is so that I may be of service. Ever since my Reiki I attunement, I had had a strong urge to express this service through Reiki, but thus far had only had limited practice with family and friends. When I received Reiki II and my feet settled back on to the ground, my first thought was, “What now?”
Just a short walk from my home, there is a wonderful healing center, owned and operated by a lovely woman chiropractor. I made an appointment to see her (I needed an adjustment anyway), and, as I walked up her pathway, she came out of her office, looked straight at me and, not even knowing I had an appointment, said, “There you are! I was just thinking about you this morning and wondering what you’ve been doing.” This really took me aback as I’d only met this woman once, and it had been six months previously. Apparently Reiki was already opening doors for me!
After my adjustment, I explained to her that I was a new Reiki II practitioner but that I didn’t know what to do next and was wondering if she could give me any ideas about how I should proceed. Generously, she said, “Well, this coming Sunday our community is holding its first Farmers’ Market, and we’re having a booth. Why don’t you come along and participate?” So I did.
I went to the healing center’s booth at the Farmers’ Market every Sunday that summer, giving free ten-minute Reiki demonstrations, first using a chair and eventually a table. I was nervous at first because I still felt a little unsure that I would actually be able to allow the energy to flow under the circumstances. There were people talking and shouting, children shrieking, babies crying, rock music blasting from the DJ’s booth two spaces down, dogs barking, and the fairly frequent screaming of sirens as the fire engines and paramedics left their station on the next corner. But none of it mattered.
Reiki flowed, and I got just about the same response from everybody: “Wow... that was so relaxing.” As the summer passed, I realized that I wanted to be a full time Reiki practitioner. I didn’t get too many clients from the Farmers’ Market, but I got something even more valuable — confidence in my ability to be of service with Reiki and the absolute knowledge that Reiki is available anywhere, anytime, in the street, in the trenches.
That summer I also met the health workers from the healing center and through them began to find my way into their community. One of them recommended that I attend the monthly Sacred Energy Circle at a well-known church in the area where all types of healers (Reiki, Pranic, Shamanistic, etc.) volunteer their services.
I jumped on this opportunity, thinking, “Ah, this will be so peaceful and tranquil, doing Reiki in a church building.” Wrong. Little did I know when I signed up that the church also offered line dancing classes on the same night in an adjoining room and that the soundproofing was non-existent. So, off I went, back into the trenches, only this time with accompanying extra-loud country music, plus counting of the steps. Once again, the circumstances were of no consequence. Reiki flowed and clients relaxed deeply.
Once I began having clients at my home, I was able to create a more peaceful atmosphere — nice music, low light, etc., but the truth is that the outside world continues to do what it will and that same fire station is still on the corner. What arose for me from these experiences is that time, location and surroundings really have no effect on Reiki. Obviously, we would all like to practice and receive Reiki in a semi-vacuum without the invasiveness of the outside world but, for most of us, that just isn’t a reasonable expectation.
Realizing that Reiki is present anywhere, anytime, regardless of circumstances, reminded me of a philosophy that can be found in all major religions. The Perennial Philosophy basically states that God is infinite and eternal, that is to say, everywhere — here, now, and in all times past, and all times yet to come. I had, of course, been taught that Reiki comes from God or the Universe (or whatever term one is comfortable with), but now I had living proof from my own direct experience. What a revelation!
All Reiki practitioners have their own personal take on what Reiki means to them. For some it is a healing practice with spiritual undertones and overtones, for others it is a meditative/spiritual practice from which healing comes. At first I thought I fell into the former category, but now I realize that I am truly in the latter. Why? Because the Divine Light of Reiki has, with a little attention on my part, shown me my path, clearly and unquestionably.
I have now had more attunements and am grateful to be able to call myself a teacher. I am deeply aware that this is my calling, and despite my stumbling steps and forays into distraction, the Light of Reiki always brings me back to the path it (God, the Universe) has chosen for me. Amid all the noise and hubbub of the world at large, I find myself at peace with the knowledge that I, too, am part of that infinite and eternal Light, and I am grateful to be guided gently into my future, being of service to others through Reiki.
This is an article from the Fall 2008 edition of Reiki News Magazine.
