Luis Ansa described the ego as “the creature” within us, and I quite like this title. As Reiki practitioners we may always be tempted into doubt or beguiled into hope via this creature and this is moving us that much further away from the true flow of Ki itself.
Doubt and Hope have their respective place in the past and future respectively and here also lies this creature, that is our ego. Thinking onto a session, perhaps during self-healing or with a client; once the flow of Ki is relegated to the idea that something (namely healing) didn’t take place, or that there is some expectation of results from the session to come in the future then we do now no longer exist within the present. This may be a familiar place for many (practitioners or clients alike) as the “creature” within us is a very deep part of who we are and our experience.
This creature is a necessary aspect of us, it is our survival mechanism, it is what helps give direction in our lives and helps us understand our purpose. The caution that the creature provides allows us to progress, however, this duality is also the cause of suffering and resistance within all of us. We all know this, or at least are familiar with this dualistic suffering caused by the creature within us, but diving into the idea of the creature vs. the natural flow of energy provides an interesting opportunity to dive back into the precepts of Reiki and to question the direction and nature of our practice.
“Unease, anxiety, tension, stress, worry — all forms of fear — are caused by too much future, and not enough presence. Guilt, regret, resentment, grievances, sadness, bitterness, and all forms of nonforgiveness are caused by too much past, and not enough presence.” ~ Eckhart Tolle
The very nature of Ki, the flow of Reiki, is within the present and within this present moment there is a beautiful moment of truth. This truth is the understanding that there is nothing beyond the precepts, nothing beyond the opportunity to step back and surrender to the flow of Ki. In doing so, the practitioner, then, offers no space for doubt or hope, there is no space for what may be or what was, there just simply is space for what IS, and that is KI.
Again, this is a discussion that is very well known to us all surely, but It remains a discussion worth having as we are all victims to this at some point or another.
Returning to the precepts here and let us consider the following:
Just for today I will do my work honestly
How should one approach this precept without doubt and fear? As a practitioner this is, perhaps a bit easier as we can aim to detach from our own creature within and just be in the moment. Without thought or judgment – which may be viewed reflexively as doubt (thought) or hope (judgment), it may be quite an accessible space to reside within from the practitioner’s perspective.
However, let us consider the perspective of the client or the individual coming for healing. The very nature of this interaction creates a hierarchical relationship (giver vs. receiver, practitioner vs. client) and, thus, the client may very well (and likely) be residing within a state of doubt and/or hope from the moment the decision was made to take a treatment.
How does the above precept work into this almost unavoidable disbalance between practitioner and client? Again, taking the perspective of the client and assuming there is such a disbalance existing, the practitioner may aim to do all that would be possible to remove the idea of doubt and hope from a session.
To do one’s work honestly is to preform our practice without the creature to the best of our ability, to share the flow of Reiki without hope or doubt, to just simply BE present, to just simply BE Reiki. To give guidance, set expectations for a session, to measure outcomes or to analyze the experience from the perspective of the practitioner all will just instill more doubt or hope within the client, thus not remaining in the present, nor the precepts, nor the flow.
The above argument has helped shape my current practice in the way I present Reiki to new clients and to those who have quite “powerful” experiences (if you will) during a session and if the following resonates then I invite you to bring it into your practice as well.
I always explain to new clients that I aim to stay as detached from the experience as possible, with the ideal state being that I am totally mindless of the session itself and just IN it at the moment. Again, going back to the hierarchal relationship that surely exists here, I am quick to let the client know that the experience on the table is theirs, that nothing here within Reiki can harm them or hurt them, and that this experience is led by our greater good, the love or the Ki within us all. Admittedly, however, this may do little to calm the doubt or hope within the client as they are, afterall, paying for the session and will be mindful of potential results.
To counter this it has been quite productive and meaningful to spend time with the client post session helping them analyze their own experience. Again, I’m sure many of us are doing this so I’m not aiming to suggest that this is a revolutionary idea, but what I would put forward here is that this discussion allows someone who may be projecting in doubt or hope to actually come back to the present moment and to just be fully here now, with the session and the flow of Reiki.
Should you find yourself with a very linear and/or logical client then aim to help them to understand the session with as much logic as possible (discuss the physical sensations via actual anatomy, via the nervous system, via traditional Chinese Medicine, relaxation and decrease in cortisol, whatever may work here, but help them begin to understand the session in a language they understand otherwise the client will be back to square one). This is the same approach with someone who may be a bit more metaphysical in their mindset (help them understand their experience via discussions on energy centers, mystical experiences, past lives, whatever may work).
Proceed here with confidence, direction and caution however, as miscommunications and misguidance can cause more doubt or hope to creep into the experience, thus your client (and perhaps yourself) will just be that much further removed from the precepts and the flow, or the true nature of Reiki, which is just to BE PRESENT.
Article by Bruce Taylor
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Bruce Taylor
Bruce Taylor is a Reiki Master Practitioner and Teacher based in France. He has practiced Reiki since 2006 and his practice focuses on Usui Reiki Ryoho, having been trained in Kyoto, Japan.
He works and trains others globally both in person and via his online offerings found at www.rootsoflife.org
Further to that, he manages the Usui Reiki Ryoho Support and Community Group on Facebook which all are welcome to join (www.facebook.com/groups/129366524359731)
Bruce also manages his youtube channel where he focuses on Reiki and Holistic Wellness content (www.youtube.com/c/RootsofLife)
And as this is the 100th anniversary of Usui Reiki Ryoho, he is leading a pilgrimage to the birthplace of Reiki – Kyoto, Japan, as soon as Japanese borders are open again to tourism. For more information on this truly once in a lifetime celebration, please visit: https://rootsoflife.org/reiki-pilgrimage-kyoto/
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