by William Lee Rand
Inside every person there is a need to feel fulfilled, a need to do something worthwhile with our lives; something satisfying and supportive of our well-being that causes us to feel happy. This inner need can be a strong motivational force that causes many people to go to great lengths to achieve it. Yet the feeling of fulfillment and happiness that we seek is often sidetracked by the misguided influence of those around us. So often we accept goals that are given to us by our parents, our peers or by the culture claiming that if we achieve them, then we will be happy. We are often told that if we have the right job, drive the right car, have the right house in the right neighborhood, have the right clothes and friends etc. then we will be happy. However, those that achieve these goals often end up not so happy and find themselves abusing alcohol, drugs, food, sex, money, power etc. in a continuing but unsuccessful attempt to find happiness. So often, people choose their goals based on what will cause them to look good in the eyes of others. They are seeking the approved life style and when they have it, they often find their satisfaction to be shallow and short lived. They end up feeling empty and unfulfilled. The goals they sought did not bring the results they truly needed.
What is needed for real success is to look inside and see what you need and what you need to do as an individual to by happy. Often this will look completely different than what you were told you needed by your parents or friends or the culture. The next thing you must do is have the courage to base your goals on your inner needs, create plans to achieve them and act on those plans.
When we follow our inner guidance in this way, we are often asked to do things that are difficult for us to do. Often, we will not have the support of our parents, or friends or the culture. We may be told that what we are trying to do doesn’t make any sense or that we will fail and be unhappy. Yet, we must continue to focus on our inner guidance and do what we need to do.
When I was in my 30’s I had moved from Detroit to Hawaii. After living in Hawaii for over nine years I thought I really had it made. I was the envy of all my friends who were still living back in Detroit. The weather was beautiful and Hawaii was a wonderful place to be. Yet, when I looked inside, I found that I was not happy. My inner guidance told me that to fulfill my inner needs, I needed to move and by following my guidance, I ended up back in Detroit. This was a very difficult thing to do, yet when I got back to Detroit, things started to get better. There were many people and resources in Detroit that were exactly what I needed to heal and grow. The longer I stayed, the better things got and I knew deep inside that my inner needs were being fulfilled and that I was making real progress with the personal issues that I had neglected for so long. The longer I stayed, the better things got and to this day, things have not stopped getting better.
The thing that made the difference for me was Reiki. While living in Hawaii, I received Reiki training. After this, things began to change. Reiki strengthened my connection to my inner self. I also felt greater courage in facing personal challenges. I began treating myself with Reiki everyday and while doing so I said a prayer. The prayer is "Guide me and heal me so that I might be of greater service to others." I said this prayer sincerely and was ready to act on the guidance I received. By doing this, I was able to let go of my false self more and more and to face and deal with the areas in my life that needed to heal. The success I experienced with this process created a growing feeling of trust in the source - the source of Reiki, the source of all.
As I asked and received guidance and healing from Reiki, I realized that because Reiki comes from the "Higher Self" it always guides us to the goals that are just right for us as individuals. I found that often I was asked to do things that were difficult, yet as soon as I accepted the challenge, people and resources appeared in my life to help and the goal became easier to achieve than what I had thought it would be. As each goal was achieved, the new experiences I had gave me greater confidence in living my life, and in doing a wider range of things, thus my comfort zone expanded. As I continued this process over time I began to see a pattern of guidance and success that indicated a greater purpose. I found that Reiki was healing and guiding me ever closer to a way of life filled only with harmony, peace and success. As I meditated on this, it became apparent that Reiki can create a way of living, doing, and being just right for each individual that is filled with ever increasing happiness. I came to call this process "The Way of Reiki." "The Way of Reiki" is a spiritual path that is just right for each person. No matter what you have been doing with your life and no matter where you are, it is always possible for Reiki to lead you back to your true spiritual path. This is the wonderful nature of Reiki. It contains all the positive qualities one needs for personal development as well as the guidance necessary for one's spiritual path.
Here is a specific Reiki technique you can use to help achieve your goals. (Remember, because Reiki is guided by the Higher Power, it will only help you achieve goals that are in harmony with the divine plan.) If you are having trouble achieving a goal that you believe to be a worthy goal for yourself, accept that there may be a part of yourself that is resisting your success that needs to heal. Use the distant symbol and send Reiki to this part. Simply draw out the distant symbol and state "I now send Reiki to the part of myself that needs to heal in order for me to achieve (state your goal here). Hold your hands on your body or out in your aura intending for Reiki to flow to this part no matter where it might be. As the Reiki starts flowing, say a prayer calling on the Higher Power to heal this part and to show you any lesson(s) you might need to learn in order to achieve your goal.
If your goal truly is worthy, then healing will take place and/or you will be shown the lesson you need to learn to achieve your goal. If it is not a worthy goal, then you will be shown this also and how you need to change your goal or you may be given an alternative goal that is worthy. Use this technique as often as you need until you achieve your goal.
