Understanding the Benefit of Reiki Attunements

There can be some confusion for those who are interested in becoming involved in Reiki, or energy healing in general. It is normal when we get excited about something to read a few articles online or maybe a book from the library. With Reiki, there is lots of information available in the modern world about the basics of what Reiki is and the essential physical components of how it is practiced. This leads some to ask:

“What does Reiki training do for us? Is the attunement the only attraction? If so, why not just offer attunements and leave it at that?”

There are actually many forms of energy healing. These are methods of tuning in to and working with the forces of life and nature that are within all of us and the entire Universe. Some of these methods are very physical, such as qigong or acupuncture. Others are so subtle that there is little that can be said about them. They must be experienced in order to be understood properly. Meditation is much like this. While the concept can be discussed and practical suggestions offered to assist in meditating, meditation itself defies words. Until you practice meditation, you won’t fully understand it. Even then, your understanding is very personal and it deepens the longer you practice.

Reiki is something that falls somewhere in the middle. There are some things that are physical components, such as the hand positions. There are certain processes and steps that can help in achieving certain goals. Yet, much like with meditation, Reiki is a much more subtle process that must be experienced. It is also like meditation in that it is a truly personal experience, unique to each individual, and that it deepens with practice.

The Reiki attunement is not meant to negate the need for training, nor is it meant to eliminate the need for practice. You need to have a basis for how to tune in to the energy that you are opening yourself to, and how to use it properly. That is what the training is for and it would be impossible to learn that from reading alone. Practice and experience are necessary to understand it and good training will offer opportunity for the student to practice and begin to feel what the experience of energy is like for them. The teacher will offer suggestions, training tools and exercises to help guide the student to focus their own energy and their mind in order to better understand this, and then allow the student to actually have the experience and discuss it. The attunement is meant to facilitate and expand your ability to receive the training and understand the energy as you practice after training. It is not meant to replace it.

The attunement helps to open your awareness to energy but it is not a paranormal magic wand. It can be seen as a very deep healing that allows you to begin to feel and remember the connection you have to energy and to your true nature. Without a commitment to practice and to tuning in, you probably won’t notice a huge difference in your life beyond the initial healing and clearing. It is the practice of Reiki and the desire to keep learning how to tune in to energy that deepens your connection.

Using the example of meditation again, if a person were to read several books on meditation and took a class on the subject and believed that this made them a meditator, they would be mistaken. They would have the potential to be a meditator, for sure, as we all do. But there is no way for them to develop a meditation practice, or even an understanding of meditation, until they actually begin to practice it. And in order to get true benefit from the practice, they would have to practice on a regular basis. Otherwise, they might begin to wonder what all the fuss was about. It is the same with Reiki.

One of the benefits of the attunement is that it helps you on your healing path. It can ease the journey or even open the door for you to begin. But it doesn’t allow you to skip over the path. You must first have the intention to heal and learn, as well as the intention to walk the path. Another benefit is that once you are attuned, it is always with you. If you stop practicing, you can begin again whenever you want and renew your connection. The training and practicing process is lifelong, as is healing. The journey may grow quieter at times, but it doesn’t end.

The attunement can be a helpful component to expanding our awareness of energy, which is one reason it is part of the Reiki training process. But it is only part of the training process. I encourage anyone who is interested in the healing path to embrace the journey and find the path that most resonates with them, but above all avoid quick fixes and look to your own inner healer. That is the best gift of Reiki training, attunement ant practice—the understanding, over time, that we are not alone or disconnected.

Article by Angie Webster

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Angie Webster made a significant contribution to the Reiki community, with a particular focus on Animal Reiki, which she had a deep affection for. As a knowledgeable Reiki Master Teacher and Author, she conducted online courses on energy healing, herbalism, flower essences, and personal growth.
She is the author of “Animal Reiki: How it Heals, Teaches & Reconnects Us with Nature” and “Reiki from A to Z”. Currently, Angie has decided to retire from her professional life to devote more time to her health, family, and the little joys of life.