Article by Justine Melton
As healers we enjoy and feel called to bring healing energy to others. Some may call us healers, some teachers and some simply a friend. As a Reiki Healer we have the unique gift of simply being a vessel for the healing energy. This is a beautiful thing as it relieves pressure off of the practitioner to be the one to heal the situation. We are just ourselves, present and open. We are able to be a support person and gift the client with the energy.
The more I got into Reiki the more I experimented in all areas. Before long I was teaching and even speaking to groups of people. I enjoy teaching others so much. One thing I noticed during question and answer sessions in both classes and retreats is that many students assumed that I had a perfect life. That I was a person full of love peacefully moving around the world while spreading this loving energy to others. For some reason it was assumed that I had the perfect childhood, had the best and most successful relationships, have always been confident, am never nervous, etc. Some of my students even thought that they might want to teach but could not because they had a past that was too dark or not what people wanted to hear and might expect in a healer. Although I have done a lot of healing work in my own life and manifested a lot of my most treasured desires it has not been an easy road. I was not born a perfect healer and do not consider myself perfect in anyway. Is anyone? I feel that it is so important to debunk The Perfect Healer Myth.
There is no perfect healer. Having a past does not make you less of a healer or a teacher. In fact, I feel that it makes you more real and relatable to others. The more you experience in life the more you are able to help others. Think about it for a minute. If you were going to seek help from a counselor would you want one who has read about problems but never experienced any of their own? Or would you want a counselor that has gone through some tough things and has successfully made it through them? Someone who is not scared of facing problems and helping you to find your way out of the dark?
Image by cocoparisienne
I’d like to take a minute and share about myself. I feel that the more transparent you are the more you are able to help other people.
I am a Reiki Master Teacher. What have I been through that has brought me to where I am today? Quite a few things!
I have…
- Had cancer
- Had multiple life-threatening health issues
- Had Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Lived feeling like and being scared that I would die each day
- Had complicated births
- Been stabbed in the back by family and friends
- Been lied to
- Been cheated on
- Hit rock bottom
- Been betrayed
- Been poor
- Felt that my whole world was over
- Battled Anxiety
- Lived in Haunted Spaces
- Been scared of and hid from my abilities
- Prayed that I would still be alive the next day
- Had failed relationships
- Been sexually harassed
- Liked the wrong people
- Dated losers
- Married the wrong person
- Had no self-love
- Battled being in shape physically and mentally
- Failed at many things
I have also….
- Learned huge lessons
- Worked through every single thing above
- Learned to say no
- Learned to love myself
- Learned to set healthy boundaries in every single area of my life
- Learned to throw the trash of any kind (including people!) in the trash can
- Learned to accept and embrace my abilities
- Learned to trust myself
- Learned Reiki, Meditation and many other forms of alternative healing
- Learned to love my body…even after having 3 children
- Learned that my gifts can help others in more ways that I could ever even realize
- Learned that my life experiences can help other’s
- Learned that the universe has your back
- Learned the power of love
- Learned to be brave
Being real and shedding the image of a perfect healer is a gift that you can offer your students. Be brave, shine a light and see how many more people you can touch by sharing your story.
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Justine Melton is a Reiki Master/Teacher and an Intuitive Counselor. Reiki came into her life and changed it in amazing ways. It is her passion now to bring Reiki to others and help them to heal in a holistic way. Justine is lucky enough to be an Empath, Clairaudient, Clairsentient, and Clairvoyant. She is able to use these gifts with Reiki if asked to give extra messages during a session for the client’s highest good.
Wonderful article justine .
What matters is who I am ….
Not who I was
Love & loads of love
So true. Thank you for your kind words. Sending love. 💕
Wonderful article…!!
Sometimes it feel shameful to have many weaknesses and shortcomings but you showed they can be turned into strength and be a strong and aware person.
Thanks for sharing ❤️
Thank you for your honesty, Justine. I know that when I began my journey, I had the same expectations of my teachers. Now that I am a teacher/healer, I see how hollow those expectations were. We are all flawed and it is through those flaws that we are able to heal ourselves and channel healing for others.
Thank you Justine for such an honest and eye opening article. May reiki bless you more and you keep spreading light.
Hi Justine, Thank you for honestly telling it as it is. I know nobody who has a perfect life & has never experienced suffering. It is through pain that we grow & I cannot see how a human being would ever grow in love & compassion, helping others to heal unless they have made the journey themselves. We cannot teach if we don’t know. I am also a Reiki Master/Teacher & I have led a life that included most of the difficulties you have experienced & like you I have overcome them. There are so many sayings that express this wisdom, ‘no growth without pain’, ‘it’s always darkest before the dawn’ & one of the loveliest, by Rumi, ‘there’s a crack in everything. It’s how the light gets in.’
When I need help (& yes, we all need help, even the helpers), I go to those who have transcended their darkness & their suffering. These are the people who really know how to live with presence, surrender, peace, joy & love.
Wonderful Writing! Where Perfection, is found in Imperfection… Connecting to higher Self? Shedding of Ego?… The Teacher, sometimes finds the Student, sometimes the Student find the Teacher… We all have it…Some Exercise it, Some are Discovering it! 🙂
Blessings to your Day!
This was so powerful and timely! Thank you!
I’m very very Thankful 🙏 for this wonderful article, every sentence of this article helped me to clear my queries, and bring me confidence and support, so Thankyou very much and 💖
Thank you for your kind appreciation. We’re also grateful to all Reiki practitioners and Reiki Master Teachers who decide to share their valuable wisdom with us! Blessings. 🙏
I think a lot about the “perfect healing example”. The idea that if you’re a practitioner of a healing modality, then you must use that modality to heal everything wrong with you and be its perfect example and representative. Which is of course nonsense. All healing modalities have their strengths and weaknesses and it’s probably impossible to heal everything with any one of them. Still, the idea of “physician heal thyself” is a strong moto, and many people buy into it.
Thank you for sharing. This article has touched home with me and it’s something I needed to hear! X