Getting Started with Reiki

Article by Patti Deschaine

I learned Reiki in order to provide comfort and healing to my dog, Carmen, who at age fifteen was ill and in rapid decline. Reiki turned out to be the perfect solution for Carmen. It pulled her out of freefall and gave her an extra nine months of vibrant, happy life. I am forever grateful to Reiki for giving me the extra time with Carmen, and to Carmen for leading me to energy healing, as I cannot imagine I would have found it on my own. I had no idea of what tremendous change Reiki would bring to my life.

My first attunement was to Usui Reiki level I. The only class I could find was an hour away and required two Saturday sessions. During this class, I learned the history of Reiki, was introduced to the Reiki precepts and after my attunement, was able to practice on family, friends, pets and, of course, myself.

Attunement is a simple process performed by a Reiki Master. It takes only a few minutes. For my attunement, I was told, “Expect anything or nothing.” The experience is different for each individual. Most describe it as a warmth or a feeling of peace. The attunement opens and expands the main energy channels of the recipient, allowing universal energy, or Qi, to flow. This is also sometimes referred to as an “empowerment.”

Following attunement, we undergo a shift and may experience a cleansing as stuck energy releases and exits the body. This purification process is not always pleasant. It can be accompanied by flu-like symptoms, but once it has done its job, we are freed of built up energetic clutter. As the symptoms recede, energy can flow freely, and we begin to enjoy the benefits. This length and intensity of the detoxification varies by individual, depending on how much clearing is required. My own experience was quite extensive and lasted a few days. I felt like a had a bad bug, complete with body aches, headache, and nausea, that I initially didn’t equate with the attunement. Later, I came to understand and appreciate this release process. It is dense energy and negativity leaving the body. It is the removal of blocks and stagnant energy that allows the body to heal itself.

The physical benefits of Reiki are wonderous and astonishing. The feeling of energy flowing through our hands is nothing short of a miracle! Our connection to this powerful energy stirs a renewed sense of our true purpose here on this planet. We may send Reiki to the earth and its people when we see it is needed. We are honored to have this wonderful healing gift to share.

Reiki I gives us the ability to share energy to heal ourselves, our family members and friends and our pets. Benefits include:

• Relief from stress and anxiety
• Deep relaxation for better sleep
• Pain relief for issues such as headaches, joint or back aches
• Improved focus and mental acuity
• Increased intuition
• Reduced side effects from traditional medical treatment and shortened recovery time
• Restore the balance of mind, body, and spirit
• Help to release negative emotions like pain and grief

Connection to energy changes everything. Our perception begins to undergo a change, subtle at first, but stronger the more we practice. Colors are brighter and more vibrant. Nature becomes more alive as we connect to it on a deeper level. We begin to sense a consciousness in plants, trees, and in the earth under our feet. Our intuition expands, allowing us to enjoy a fuller relationship with the world and the people we interact with every day. Increasingly, we find we have a desire to learn more about the natural world and the spirit world as our awareness grows. We become “awakened” whereas before we were limited in our thinking and in our vision.

Over time, this connection with the natural world matures and we understand that all creatures are sentient beings and we connect with them on a much deeper level. We become part of nature, as opposed to being simply an observer of nature. We learn to live in harmony with all beings. We learn the way of love and light.

It all starts with a simple attunement. What would the world be like if more of us were attuned to energy? Surely there would be less strife, anxiety, and discord in the world. While we can’t expect everyone to be open to energy, each attunement, each meditation, each healing raises the vibration and consciousness of the planet for the greater good.

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Patti Deschaine is a traditionally trained Usui Reiki Master, Lightarian Reiki Master, and owner of Maja Energy Works and Reiki Healing. She resides and practices in Wilmington, NC. She enjoys all types of Reiki and particularly loves using Reiki on animals. Patti can be found at MajaEnergyWorks.