As you start to walk on the way, the way appears.
~ Rumi
Each one of us has a uniquely individual path on this journey we call life. Contrary to what some may think, the path is far from linear; rather, it is cyclical and ever-spiraling as it brings us back to lessons unlearned and experiences unexperienced. The cyclical nature of the path, labyrinthine at times, provides us with multiple opportunities for growth through learning and expanded awareness. And each time we return, regardless of how many times, it is with a heart that has more fully opened and ever-greater authenticity.
The path consists of highways, byways, crossroads, and the inevitable detours. Highways allow us to speed along the way, secure in the knowledge that we are on the right track. In contrast, the byways tend to slow us down, the crossroads cause us to feel stuck, and the detours leave us lost and confused. However, all are integral to the path and represent the breadth and depth of human experience. All roads contribute to our unique journey to Self.
When Reiki finds us and enters our lives, it opens yet another pathway and provides a rare and precious opportunity for spiritual growth and awakening. The Reiki pathway becomes the path for some, myself included, as it illuminates the way forward, informing and guiding the journey with its loving energy. Reiki gives us the ability to deliver more light to the world as we channel the energy in service to others and ourselves in direct communion with Spirit. For when we practice Reiki, we always stand in service.
Because of free will, Reiki’s influence in our lives and on our path is only as significant as we allow it to be. However, many practitioners adopt the Reiki path as a way forward, a reliable vehicle for spiritual development. One of Reiki’s greatest gifts in this regard is its ability to shift our perspective, to transform the lens through which we view the world. This shift allows us to move from the human lens, which provides a narrow and incomplete perspective, to the soul lens, a comprehensive perspective that embraces the inherent orderliness of the Universe and a knowing that “everything is purposeful.”
When we first embark upon our spiritual journey, our world perspective is colored and shaped by the view through a human lens, replete with the baggage of personal history, emotions, belief systems, values, attitudes, and prejudices. Cultural and societal factors also affect our view through this lens, as do a host of others. When unwanted events and circumstances occur in our lives, this worldview causes us to react, perhaps with anger, judgment, blame, and more. The view through the human lens makes it difficult to respond to events and circumstances we deem negative. Reaction is emotion-driven with little to no thought involved, whereas response is thoughtful and mindful, allowing space between the triggering event and any resulting action or opinion.
Do you have the patience to wait till your mud settles and the water is clear?
~Lao Tzu
With that in mind, how then do we move from reacting to responding? Often, a shift in perspective is all that is needed. As Reiki practitioners, we are afforded a remarkable opportunity to view the world from a higher perspective, a soul perspective that transcends and transforms human drama and events as viewed through a human lens. When Reiki arrives in our lives, it meets us where we are and shows us a new way to be. It awakens and strengthens our innate divinity and helps us to recognize the existence of a different lens, the lens of the soul. As we grow in Reiki, and begin to see the world through Reiki eyes we come to realize that its presence in our lives has brought the soul lens into sharper focus and that the Reiki lens is the lens of the soul.
In countless conversations, I have emphasized the value of moving into a Reiki/soul perspective and choosing the soul lens to view the human experience. I sometimes use the term “birds-eye view” to illustrate its elevated and expansive panorama. From that panoramic height and looking through the lens of the soul, we can glean and appreciate the deeper meanings and lessons inherent in our human and worldly lives. When we view the world from this enhanced perspective, the landscape is forever changed, and so are we.
The transition to the Reiki/soul perspective is not without its challenges. Shifting one’s worldview almost always requires release, a letting go, of lifelong beliefs, attitudes, values, and prejudices. It calls for firm resolve and an honest assessment of those long-held convictions. At the same time, the transition requires compassion, grace, and forgiveness, as well as practice, self-awareness, and patience. Edgar Cayce once said, “Time, space, and patience are the channels through which a person with a finite mind becomes aware of the infinite.”
As our perspective slowly but surely shifts, so do our lives, and we recognize that the Reiki/soul perspective moves us ever closer to a state of grace. Our growth and evolution accelerate, and we learn to respond instead of react. When we begin to move into response mode, it becomes easier to approach challenges mindfully and compassionately.
Achieving the panoramic view through the lens of the soul revives our courage and our innate core of strength. It also creates a deep longing to awaken those parts of ourselves that have been slumbering. Reiki’s guidance and unwavering support is an invaluable ally in the transition to the Reiki/soul perspective. Its loving energy smooths the process throughout and gives us the courage to see the world through our Reiki lens – the lens of the soul.
Resource:
https://www.edgarcayce.org/the-readings/spirituality
© 2021 Kathleen Johnson
Article by Kathleen Johnson
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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 [email protected].
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