Article by Taryn Walker
Reiki works no matter how or where it is offered. Reiki doesn’t need a special healing room, or crystals, or incense, or anything. Reiki doesn’t even mind which hand placements are used or in which order they happen. That said, I have always found my own healing experience and those of my clients and students to be greatly enhanced when held in a sacred healing space.
When creating a healing space allow yourself to be guided by your intuition throughout the process, from choosing the location to where to place your crystals and talismans. Here are some guidelines for those who feel a little unsure of how to go about this, but always allow your own personality to shine through while bringing your sacred space into existence.
1. Make sure the space you choose is private, quiet and free from distractions. If you’re in a shared building make sure there will be no interruptions when you are giving sessions. A sign for the door is useful.
2. Natural lighting is wonderful, but avoid direct sunlight. The same goes for fresh air. Too much wind can be unsettling. An A/C might be necessary in hot places, but have a fan as an option for clients who are sensitive to the dryness of air-conditioning. If you don’t have natural lighting, use lamps with soft lightbulbs.
3. If you use music with your sessions, make sure your sound system works well. Skipping CDs are the worst and old crackling speakers just as annoying. Have the necessary adaptors and back-ups and a plan B for technical troubles. Test your music before a client arrives to keep things flowing smoothly and avoid any stress.
4. Candles, aromatherapy oils and incense can be used unless your client feels aggravated by any of these. Always adjust the setting to suit the comfort needs of the Reiki receiver. Electric oil burners are great for a subtle aroma that doesn’t overwhelm or require the monitoring of candles.
5. Make sure your Reiki table is super comfortable. For your comfort, it should be the right height to allow your hands to rest gently on the client without any tension in your body. For the client, there should be enough space on the sides for their arms to rest comfortably alongside the body. Make sure the table is long enough to accommodate taller clients. I prefer to have my own table made from bamboo according to my chosen dimensions, but the standard massage table is usually good enough. I use a portable massage table when I’m travelling.
Use beautiful linen for your table and make sure it is always clean and fresh smelling. Test the pillow for comfort. I like to keep extra pillows and sarongs and a light blanket nearby, incase needed during the session. Some people get quite cold during a Reiki session and some like to have something light covering them to feel safe and nurtured.
6. Have some comfortable chairs for pre and post session talks and a place for clients to leave their bags and stuff. Make the environment one in which the client feels completely loved and nurtured, like you thought of every possible thing to make them feel comfortable, which you did.
7. If your Reiki room is indoors, you may like to decorate the walls with soulful art and images of those who inspire you. Some practitioners display a picture of Mikao Usui or their teachers to honour them and the lineage. I like to hang mandalas in my healing space and art that I find beautiful and soothing. Let your uniqueness come into play here and have fun creating the atmosphere that calls to you. Healing doesn’t have to be serious. Joy is a wonderful healer in itself.
8. If you love crystals, you’ll probably want them in your healing room to support you and give off good vibrations. I enjoy creating an altar for my healing space where I place my crystals, feathers and all kinds of special treasures I’ve collected or been gifted over the years. I have a small framed picture of Mikao Usui which sits with my altar. My singing bowl also goes there, which I sometimes use after a Reiki session, only if the client is open to a bit of sound healing.
Always check with clients before a session starts if they’d like to incorporate crystals, essential oils and other non-Reiki related additions to the healing session. Even better, when you advertise, be very open about all you have to offer and how you offer your Reiki sessions. There’s nothing worse than a client going for a traditional Reiki session and being surprised, or sometimes horrified, with unexpected crystals, oils and angels. Be very clear about these things.
9. Before and after a Reiki session, you may like to burn sage or palo santo in your Reiki room. Besides clearing the space, this ritual also gets you in the right mood for healing. You can also clear your own energy fields while you’re at it. You could have a special box for keeping your sage, incense and other sacred tools and trinkets.
Treat everything in your healing room as sacred. Keep a place for a beautiful jug and glasses for water, drape pretty cloths over any tables or cabinets, let every item have a special purpose and place in the room. This creates a noticeable magical energy in the room. Enjoy creating your sacred space as much as you and your clients enjoy being in it. The energy you put into it will be felt and much appreciated by those coming for healing.
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Taryn Walker
Taryn Walker is a traveling Reiki Master Teacher who wishes to inspire people to realise that they are miraculous! She believes that Reiki can reveal our natural ability to heal ourselves and this empowers us to take responsibility for our lives. She works a lot with distant Reiki and loves the way it allows people to experience the illusion of separation. Taryn is grateful for being able to connect with her Reiki clients even while traveling. She usually lives on a little island in Thailand, where she practices and teaches Reiki, but finds ‘home’ wherever she is. Taryn enjoys yoga, nature, creating art, cooking and finding magic in “ordinary” places. Follow her here: reiki-alchemy.com, and alchemyhealing.
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