Article by Deborah Lloyd, Reiki Master
Recently, my husband and I were vendors at a local arts and crafts festival; he offers chair massage and Reiki. I schedule his clients for 10 – 30 minute sessions and collect payment, answer questions about Reiki and our business, and sell metaphysical books and bookmarks. The most important part of the day for me is answering questions about Reiki. Although this festival was not specifically geared towards the healing arts, many attendees displayed a large interest in this area – really exciting!
It is a fact that most of the people I talked to about Reiki will never come to our business for a treatment session. And, that is not the goal – although it is wonderful when a conversation leads to a new client. The real benefit is that the person now has new information, or knowledge, about Reiki. Perhaps, I planted a seed that will help them to seek out Reiki as an option for relaxation, or physical healing, sometime in the future. They may need to hear about Reiki another 2 or 3 times, before it becomes credible in their minds. It is typical for all of us to need to hear about something new several times before we seriously consider it.
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Answering questions in a concise, but informative, manner is a skill that can be learned. Talking to dozens of people at festivals has honed my replies to the typical questions: “What is Reiki?” “How does Reiki work?” “Could Reiki help my sore muscles (or any other ailment or injury)?” I answer the question, but also add a few facts, such as working with the Universal Life Force Energy, the mind/ body/ spirit aspects of healing, possibility of self-treatment with training, etc. Often, adding new information spurs more questions, and a meaningful teaching moment has taken place.
Often, already-attuned attendees come to our table to discuss Reiki. It is an opportunity to answer their questions, provide encouragement and support, and talk to a like-minded individual. Sometimes, the person has not used Reiki for a few years, and a few kind words might be all that’s needed to reignite her practice. Or, the person is simply wanting to meet another practitioner in her own community. It is truly a blessing to be in the right place, at the right time.
Initially, talking to strangers about Reiki was outside my comfort zone. While I am not a shy person, I also felt reluctant to be viewed as an expert, or seem like someone who had all the answers about Reiki. When I begin my answers with a statement, like, “it has been my experience…”, or “what I have found….”, then I realize I am the expert – I am the expert in my own experience because no one else has experienced Reiki in the exact, same way that I have. Asking for spiritual guidance to say the right words for the questioner is essential. When I get my “thinking mind” out of the way, and let Divine Spirit assist, the answers are exactly what the person needs at that moment.
Each of us needs to recognize our individual comfort zones. Then, we can work on growing beyond them, if we are to become the teachers, and spokespersons, for Reiki. This can happen in any setting – workplaces, family gatherings, community events, etc. A festival is simply one way to impart information about Reiki, but any place where we are can become a place of teaching. As we become more open to our own spiritual guidance, we will find many ways to spread the good news of Reiki.
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Deborah Lloyd is a Usui and Karuna Reiki® Master and certified holistic therapy practitioner, providing Distant Reiki sessions and training in Asheville, NC. Deborah is the author of two books, 22 Messages from the Archangels; and, Believe and it is True: A Story of Healing and Life Lessons. She is also one of the co-authors of Reiki 101: 101 Answers for Your Reiki Questions. Reach Deborah at [email protected] and on Facebook at Deb Lloyd Healing.
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