Chapter 8 Reiki Found ME!
‘That strange word that no one knows how to pronounce – until it finds you! Reiki pronounced Ray-Key is one of those things you may have heard of, or seen it written or even received a treatment, or you may have absolutely no idea what I am talking about. Either way, this chapter is for you. Translated, Reiki means ‘Universal Energy’ the life force energy that resides within every being on the planet every atom, every molecule.
REI is the Japanese word meaning ‘universal’ and is also a reference to the higher dimension of light and the soul.
KI means ‘vital life force energy’ which interpenetrates and connects all.
Many years ago, I had an amazing therapist working with me. Jo was rather special in more ways than one. Not only was she a superb beauty therapist, but we had a kind of telepathic connection. We never needed to finish our sentences to each other; we just knew what each other required. I trusted her implicitly with my salon and she was my right hand woman! Jo had a shoulder injury from an old riding accident and was finding the amount of leg waxing that we did during the summer quite demanding on her body. These were the days back in the early 1990’s when we were more of a beauty salon. Waxing was a vast amount of our trade especially during the warmer months. Day Spas and such like had not evolved at that time, and Jo was with me when I first discovered Repechage at a trade show. We were looking for a treatment where we could help the client detox with an all over body treatment. The only one on the market was the Dead Sea Minerals and that was already in a local salon. The most ‘spa’ like you could get was a body scrub followed by a massage. These were the days when gel nails weren’t invented and French polish was very new and exciting!
Although Jo was with me when we introduced this line to the salon, she still found the waxing treatments were taking their toll on her body, and decided to go and ‘learn’ Reiki. I had no idea what this strange thing was. She had always held an interest in crystals and healing, and was vegetarian. She really didn’t like the taste of alcohol either. This was her path. Her path unfolded in front of her, and in 1996 she left me! I was devastated. She left to start up on her own where waxing was limited and Reiki took precedence. We kept in touch but grew apart.
During the next few years, my salon developed. Repechage and its seaweed treatments became my main product line and the Spa Industry started to evolve. More staff joined the team, and new premises had to be found. I had become very interested in La Stone Therapy and wanted to train. My holistic side was developing even more and although it wasn’t a prerequisite to the course, I felt that I needed to ‘learn’ Reiki first.
Several years had passed since Jo had moved on. She had become a Reiki Master and therefore able to teach and pass on her knowledge. I called her. ‘I’ve waited seven years for you to get off your bum and call me for this’ she said. Well, timing is everything after all!……
……………..Reiki is such a beautiful energy. It is so safe and self replenishing, that it is the perfect place to start when you begin to explore the subtle workings of the universe. Anyone can be attuned to channel this energy, and some people choose to embark on a ‘training’ and only use it for themselves for self healing. Some take it further and want to teach themselves or use it in their life path for healing others, but you may still want to know what are attunements and what are these strange symbols people talk about?
For those of you that know a little about this subject, you will see that I have not printed any of the symbols that Usui saw at the top of the mountain. There are books available that contain these images, and with the continual weaving web of the internet, if you wish to find them they are there for you to see. The traditionalist side of me is very reticent to show them in my books. I believe they are shown when you are trained and attuned. That’s a little bit of the mystery. Some of the symbols have been changed and altered slightly. As far as I am aware the ones I have been given which are used to enhance and allow Reiki to flow through time and space with specific intention, are the exact ones given through a direct lineage that can be traced back to Usui. There are other symbols out there. All are valid I am sure, but mine will stay with me until you choose to take your training, I will not be showing them in anything I write. The symbols empower Reiki to work in a faster more dynamic way and are ‘given’ when a student takes their Level Two.
Attunements are unique and powerful processes where a student is reconnected with the flow of this beautiful light energy. I don’t like to call it a ceremony as people think it will be some incense burning, wand wielding process where you all chant. It isn’t. Thankfully! If it was, I would have been put off years ago. It is a beautiful unique experience and powerful healing in its own right, which is why you must choose your Reiki Master wisely. Or more often…. like the old saying…
‘When the student is ready the Master will appear.’
