Reiki

**Blonde Girl** · 09-10-2007, 09:55pm

I am rather excited as have booked myself a reiki session next week. I have never done it before, but we have an alternative health shop in our town and I went in to ask about reflexology to help ne relax and to deal with my stress/grief. The lady was lovely and suggested I try Reiki first.

Has anyone had this - and did they notice any difference?

**~Twiggy~** · 09-10-2007, 10:08pm

Hey BG I had a college colleague treat me to reiki last year. I really didn't know what to expect. I laid out on a massage bed and she placed her hands on me and different points form my head down to my toes.
This took about an hour I recall. I found it quite emotional and uplifting. Very spiritual and she told me things about myself that only I knew. Mainly about my personality and troubles.
She gave me advice after and I think it did help me.
I would think you would find it beneficial.

**Anne** · 09-10-2007, 10:12pm

I like the sound of this. Will have to have a look and see where does it round here.

Anne

**Blonde Girl** · 09-10-2007, 10:13pm

Ooh thanks MAAT - really looking forward to it!

Just the idea of some 'me' time and attention sounds pretty good.

**Adelelee** · 09-10-2007, 10:17pm

I had a few sessions a couple of years back and I really enjoyed it, found it very relaxing but I was EXHAUSTED afterwards, she told me not to drive home (was about 45 mins from my house so DH come with me)

Enjoy!

**nickimacrae** · 09-10-2007, 10:29pm

I'm reiki 1 attuned and plan to do my reiki 2 / practioner attunement sometime in the next year or two.

Reiki works on the principal (like relfexology, acupunture, crystal healing and many other therapies) that we have bith a physical and energetic body. That problems can exsist on many levels - in the physical body, emotional energetic body, etc. Reiki is the name for healing energy. We all are able to 'channel' reiki energy (we all do it by simple acts such as rubbing a sore muscle unwittingly, those attuned to reiki are able to channel bigger amounts. Reiki's not attached to any specific belief system, so some people see reiki energy as being 'gods healing', some as 'energy of the Universe', etc...you can take it as you will.

Reiki often gets combined with other things like massage, but if you;re having just reiki it can be done in a number of ways - often lying on a couch, but you could have it sittign etc if you felt happier. You will remain fully clothed. The practitioner will have a chat with you and, as reiki is channeled though the hands, ask if you are happy for her to lay hands on you (although you can opt not to, they can work from a few inches away of you prefer). Dep on the legnth of your session they will use a number of hand positions holding each position for a few mins. Its customary to work from the had to the feet. They will prob work instinctively too, so add in hand positions where they feel you need extra help. After they will have a chat and feedback anything they 'sensed' as they worked and you can ask questions.

Have a lovely time - and let us know hoe you get on

**Annie Goolahey** · 09-10-2007, 10:31pm

I've had it and love it.Like MAAT said I found it very emotional.

**nickimacrae** · 09-10-2007, 10:33pm

Forgot to mention having reiki tends to often have a strong physical cleansing action, so like after massage you need to drink lots of water to help you pass the toxins that are being released and you may find you do horrid poos for a few days. Its also fairly common to feel tired afterwards (as Adele says), best to have sessions later in the day of poss and plan to take it easy afterwards. I find that if I have a big emotional release it can be especially tiring (a bit like how you feel after a huge crying session, but without the crying LOL).

I was at a reiki development workshop on Sunday and I'm still pooped and detoxing now, LOL.

**lucypede** · 09-10-2007, 10:39pm

Wow it sounds fascinating! Can anyone learn it, or does it learn you, IYSWIM

Hope it goes well BG!

**nickimacrae** · 09-10-2007, 10:50pm

You are attuned LP, which entails going through a ceremonial right of passage LOL in which a reiki master initiates you being able to channel more reiki. So at reiki 1 you can 'handle' less reiki than someone who has been attuned a second time to reiki 2, but less than someone whos not been attuned at all. I like the anaolgy that you have a tube inserted into you at reiki 1 allowing you to channel reiki in a reasonable quantity, at reiki 2 its increased, at reiki 3 (the final attunement - reiki master) its increased again.

Before you can be attuned you have to undergo some training and pass an assesment to confirm what you have learnt. And after your attunment its often customary to do a full reiki session on your master or another student (god that is SOOOO scary I cannot tell you!).

Courses vary a lot - some are in large numbers, others one to one (as mine was) and the price varies a lot too. The original idea was that it should work like an apprentice system in the truest sense, but these days people do tend to get attuned after just a weekend or day course in quite large numbers. My training an attunment was a deeply moving and wonderful experience, part of why I want to do my reiki 2 even though I probably won't practice in commercial sense (I am planning to do my crystal therapist course first though I think...).

**lucypede** · 10-10-2007, 01:44pm

Thanks, N, very interesting indeed! Well done you!

**nickimacrae** · 10-10-2007, 01:51pm

Sorry, just read that back - I do ramble late at night don't I?

**Blonde Girl** · 10-10-2007, 04:42pm

Wow some great information there - thanks Nikki.

I am really excited about it now....only thing is having it at 9.30am and have Dan for the rest of the day straight after!! Oops!

**noddy** · 10-10-2007, 04:50pm

It sounds similar to cranial osteopathy. Henry had a few treatments when he was a baby and the therapist recommended I have some too. I had one session and felt amazing! I've NEVER felt so relaxed as I did during the session (except when I was in early labour with Henry and had been given some pethidine!

). I was advised not to wait a while till I drove home too.

Hope you enjoy it.

Noddy

**sparkles** · 10-10-2007, 04:58pm

If any of you work for a local council, look to see if they offer this. We're offered it free by occupational health.

Not for me though

**allana** · 10-10-2007, 08:32pm

What a timely thread! I just booked a session for a spa day I'm having at the end of the month

Never had it before and now I'm really, really excited about it!

**sweetpotato** · 15-10-2007, 11:28am

Originally Posted by noddy

It sounds similar to cranial osteopathy. Henry had a few treatments when he was a baby and the therapist recommended I have some too. I had one session and felt amazing! I've NEVER felt so relaxed as I did during the session (except when I was in early labour with Henry and had been given some pethidine!

). I was advised not to wait a while till I drove home too.

Hope you enjoy it.

Noddy

It's quite different, I think. Cranial osteopathy is just the head right? reiki is your whole body and works with chakras rather than your head.

My mum's just become a Reiki master after doing her reik1 attuning about 10 years ago. I've had treatments, they make me fall asleep, hahaha

shining star · 15-10-2007, 11:46am

Did you have it done BG? How did it go?

My sister has done reiki 1 and 2, and is possibly a reiki master, I can't remember if she did the final bit. She combines it with massage, indian head massage and acupuncture. TBH though I've never had a full session of it, I always felt like my scepticism stopped me feeling anything from it

**nickimacrae** · 15-10-2007, 11:47am

I wouldn't say they are all that similar TBH - osteopathy of any type is concerned with adjusting and manipulating the physical body. Reiki doesn't manipulate the body at all, its works at an energetic rather than physical level and, even though it can create strong physical imporvments or changes its concerned with balancing or boosting the bodys energy systems. I think it can be confusing that its sometimes done in conjuction with massage, and often the reiki practitioner will place hands on the body to heal, but they aren't manipulating the body in any way, simply facilitating the flow of energy.

**nickimacrae** · 15-10-2007, 11:53am

Originally Posted by shining star

TBH though I've never had a full session of it, I always felt like my scepticism stopped me feeling anything from it

SS - if someone tried to give you reiki without you knowing / asking your permission before (perhaps remotely rather than in person) and you subconciously did not want it then you would not receive it - the energy would 'go to earth'. If you agreed to receive reiki but were sceptical and felt nothing during or after the treatment then you would still be receiving reiki and getting the benefit even if you didn't feel you had participated or felt the benefit.

Reiki always work for the highest good and will moderate itself to the receipients needs. Its wouldn't overwhelm someone for example who felt fearful of it and it wouldn't work too deeply with someone who wasn't ready for that yet, if that makes sense?