Changing Channels

Thinking back, I'm not entirely certain why I signed up for the Reiki class. Maybe because it came up during a psychic reading I had a couple of months back. Reiki had been suggested to me before, but I'd never acted on it.

Chakras

In any case, there I was, sitting in a chair in a grammar school classroom, a little nervous and uncertain. When it was my turn to explain to the Reiki Master why I was there, I shrugged and said I felt compelled but I wasn't sure why. She asked if I had any interest in becoming a Reiki Master myself. I said I was taking one step at time, that I wanted to make sure I didn't suck at it before I continued. She assured me there's no wrong way to do Reiki and that she was confident I would do just fine.

People who know me also know I'm into all that "woo-woo stuff." So I don't think it was a total surprise that I took the class. The timing seemed right, with my kid in college and me casting about for the next chapter.

I'm glad I landed on Reiki. If you haven't rolled your eyes and abandoned my post yet, here is a quick 411 (as the kids say).

Reiki was rediscovered by Dr. Mikao Usui, who was born in southern Japan in 1862. He went on a quest to learn how to heal by channeling energy. For years he studied in monasteries and libraries in the East and in the West. He learned Sanskrit and studied Buddhist teachings. At the end of his studies, the story says that he went on a mountain and for 21 days contemplated all he'd learned. On the 21st day he had an epiphany of sorts, after which he was able to heal himself and those around him.

Dr. Usui began to teach others how to use Reiki. The word Reiki is a combination of two Japanese words (Rei and Ki) and does not translate easily. Essentially, Rei is a higher intelligence and Ki is energy, kind of like "the force" in Star Wars. This energy, guided by a higher power, creates the ability to heal.

One cool thing about Reiki is that it's non-denominational, so there's no push to follow one religion or another. In fact, my Reiki Master told stories about healing people of various faiths.

So, I've completed the Reiki I class, which is about healing myself. At some point over the summer, I'll probably take Reiki II, which teaches how to heal other people.

For now, I'm content with the feeling of rejuvination that I get from practicing the rediscovered art. Will I ever go on to be a Reiki master? Once again, my mother's words of wisdom come to mind.

We'll see!