© 2017 Kathleen Johnson
Article by Kathleen Johnson
Those of us who are parents may be familiar with the saying – “There are two things we give our children – one is Roots and the other is Wings.” When our children are small, we are responsible for providing a secure foundation so that when it comes time for them to fly, we know that their wings are strong enough to take them wherever their paths may lead. We are their guardians in this lifetime, entrusted with their care, development, and ultimately their decision to fly.
This analogy can be used with the Reiki path. When Reiki first calls us and we respond as students, we have a teacher, who also acts as a guardian and a guide. As we proceed along the Reiki path, some of us are then called to teach and initiate others. This is not a decision to be undertaken lightly – and indeed, those of us who are guided to pass along the gift and blessing of Reiki to others must be sure we have searched ourselves, gone within, and worked through much of our own personal healing. This is not to say that healing is ever truly finished – it is a lifelong process that requires ongoing authentic monitoring. This is especially true if one decides to teach Reiki; the energetically intimate connection between teacher and student allows nothing less, and the Reiki student deserves an aware and ever-evolving teacher.
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When I first embarked on the Reiki path, I had no desire to ever teach it – I simply enjoyed working with its loving, healing energy, and reaping the numerous benefits it provided to me, my loved ones, and our beautiful Mother Earth. However, Reiki soon guided me into creating a professional practice, in which I could expand the healing benefits to clients eager to experience its powerful, yet gentle, energy. It was, and is, a fulfilling and humbling experience to have this opportunity to offer healing in such a loving natural way. Although I enjoyed working with clients and rejoicing with them in their healing journeys, I soon learned that Reiki was not yet done with me. Gradually, I began to receive guidance and clear direction that I was to teach Reiki – a call I initially resisted. Self-doubt and fear reared their menacing heads, and I was certain I could never be worthy to teach Reiki. Fear raised questions-
- Do I know enough? (Doubtful!)
- Will I be a complete failure? (Likely!)
- Am I delusional? (Probably!)
- Why do I want to do this? (Why indeed, since you don’t know enough and will probably be a complete failure!)
Fortunately, Reiki stepped in to soothe, reassure, and quell my fears, as it helped me to see that these feelings of unworthiness and inadequacy were in truth a blessing, because they clearly illuminated areas in need of healing within myself. One of the most amazing qualities of Reiki is its uncompromising ability to show us what we need to heal. We need only to heed and trust. It was upon that realization that I surrendered myself to the wisdom and love of Reiki – secure in the knowledge that it will always guide me and be a constant unerring companion on my life path.
That was almost four years and many classes ago. Teaching Reiki has been one of the most fulfilling, exhilarating, and occasionally terrifying, adventures I have experienced in this lifetime. It has taken me further out of my comfort zone than I ever thought possible, yet Reiki was always there to comfort and inspire me every step of the way, with the assurance that this is part of my soul purpose and dharma, which I now know to be true.
In Part 2 of this series, the Roots and Wings concept is explored further, along with some thought-provoking suggestions and recommendations for those considering the teaching path.
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Kathleen Johnson is a Holy Fire III Reiki Master, Usui Reiki Master, Kundalini Reiki Master, and a Certified Crystal Healer. She is also a Past-Life Soul Regression Therapist, and an Angelic Soul Activation Practitioner. As a Spiritual Teacher and Mentor, she assists others in discovering their unique path to wellness, wholeness, and authenticity.
Kathleen is the Founder of UniverSoul Heart, LLC, a holistic healing and wellness practice based in Pennsylvania, USA. Her education includes a B.A. in Psychology and an M.A. in Criminology, as well as extensive postgraduate studies in Mental Health Counseling and Transpersonal Psychology. Although she taught Reiki for several years, this changed in 2020 when Reiki’s guidance redirected her focus to working with individuals during this pivotal time in humanity’s history.
Kathleen is committed to raising awareness of the benefits of Reiki and holistic wellness. To that end, she has been a co-host as well as a presenter and sponsor for the Reiki Rays Annual Summit since 2017. She has also been a featured guest in numerous radio interviews and also hosted “UniverSoul Heart Radio with Kathleen Johnson- Sensible Spirituality for Everyday Living” on Transformation Talk Radio. Most recently, she co-hosted Seasons 1-3 on the “Beyond the Reiki Gateway” podcast, and in January 2025 was interviewed by MysticMag, in which she shares healing insights and revelations during her transformative journey as founder of UniverSoul Heart. In February 2025, she was a guest on “The Way 126” podcast to discuss Reiki and its benefits.
In her personal life, Kathleen is a passionate advocate for animals and Mother Earth, and as such, committed to a compassionate plant-based lifestyle. In 2021, she became certified as a Plant-Based Nutritionist through Cornell University’s Nutrition Studies Program. She is the mother of 4 grown sons and grandmother to two beautiful babies, who each clutch a substantial piece of her heart in their precious little hands.
Kathleen’s articles about Reiki and Spirituality have been published on Reiki Rays, Reiki News Magazine, and Medium.com. Her eBook “Let Reiki Guide the Way” is available on her website.
Kathleen can be contacted at kjohnson@universoulheart.net.
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