My New-Found Fasciantion With Crystal Grids!

I have been making crystal grids right and left lately.  After I became a Level III Stone Grid Practitioner in 2013, I made a grid here or there.  I occasionally set up a few grids for myself, other family members, or to attract more abundance into my life. Then I began setting up grids for friends - one who has cancer, one who wants to stop smoking, and so on.

But recently I got inspired to do a heck of a lot more! I started setting one up weekly for my Facebook Reiki Distant Healing event that I do for my Facebook Reiki group "REIKI FOR YOU AND ME."  Now I am even setting up grids for clients for relationship issues and more!

I discovered that making grids is an art form, a very creative outlet, and I LOVE IT!  I've always been artistic in one way or the other. I studied Art in College and won 3 scholarships for some of my work, and was a Professional Quilt Maker in Illinois for over 10 years, making over several hundred quilts and craft items.

A few new things I've learned about grids is that the center crystal/stone (also referred to as the anchor stone) should be bigger than any of the other crystals/stones in the grid (the supporting stones), according to the author Hibiscus Moon in her book "Crystal Grids - How and Why They Work."  This was new information for me and I've studied Crystal Healing for many, many years, so I am going to be putting that to the test.

Additionally, I took pictures of the grids that I set up for the Distant Reiki Healing weekly event and posted them on a Crystal Healing Facebook group I'm in, and also sent some of the pics to a few participants of the event.  I started getting reports from people that they could feel the energy of the grid flowing out to them just from the picture, even after I had taken the grid down and cleared all the stones, and maybe even re-used some to make other grids. Again, NEW INFORMATION FOR ME, and astonishing!!!!!!   The energy somehow still exists in some kind of form and can be transmitted though a photograph.  WOW!!!!!

So if you are drawn to work with crystals/stones I highly recommend that you begin experimenting with Crystal Grids.  Here is a couple of internet links to get you started:

http://www.energymuse.com/blog/crystal-grids/

http://www.crystalvaults.com/crystal-grids

http://meanings.crystalsandjewelry.com/how-to-use-crystal-grids/

REIKI AND CRYSTAL GRIDS AND MORE!

I am a certified Crystal Healer in two lineages and Master Stone Grid Practitioner, as well as an Usui and Karuna Reiki Master Teacher, and Crystal Reiki Master. Recently, I've been playing around a lot with crystal grids for the weekly Reiki Distant Healing event on my Reiki Facebook group, REIKI FOR YOU AND ME, setting up a different grid each week for that purpose.  I also have several grids set up for different people who have some pretty serious issues and need a little something extra and one in my healing space under the massage table. Crystal grids are a great alternative to sending Distant Reiki Healing the standard way using symbols. 

After doing several of them, I discovered two extremely interesting and powerful things about combining Reiki with crystal grids.  One is you can charge it after you activate it with Reiki and send Reiki to it every day or every other day to re-charge it. You can check in with your guidance using muscle testing or dowsing with a pendulum to see when it needs recharging.  Here is one of my grids, stare at it or call in the energy of it in meditation and feel the energy!

The other is even after you have taken the grid down and it no longer exists in the physical world, just looking at the grid in picture form will give you the same energy it gave out when it was created, activated and charged.  This was brand new and mind blowing information for me!  Stare at this grid for a few minutes and see what you feel.  You might even call in the energy of the grid if you know how to do that, in meditation.

If you are interested in working with crystal grids,  I suggest you invest in a book on crystals/stones like "The Crystal Bible" by Judy Hall or "The Book of Stones" by Robert Simmons and Naisha Ahsian. You will need to know the properties of all the crystal/stone so you can make educated decisions about which ones you'd like to make your grid with.  There are so many books out there to choose from, these two are just some of the best ones I know of.  Again, use these books to choose which crystals/stones you would like to have in your grid, based on the purpose of the grid (your healing and what issues), or whatever other purpose/s you would like for example: World Peace, for a friend or relative having serious health issues, or to break an addiction.  Books like "Crystal Grids" by Hibiscus Moon will teach you how to set them up (arrange them geometrically) and how to activate and charge them properly.  There are a slew of books  on Crystal Grids out there also.

If you don't have a local crystal/stone/rock shop in your area, you can always order your supplies on line.

ROCK CAN ROCK YOUR WORLD!

Before I became Reiki, there was never a thought in my head about becoming a healer, teaching others how to become healers, using crystals/stones for healing, or being psychic and a medium. NEVER! The very first person I did Reiki on changed all that.  In my Reiki class, as we prepared to do Reiki on each other, the woman I was going to work on had an achy back.  I put my hands on her back and immediately got a vision and heard she had fallen off a step ladder. Incredulous, I asked her, did you fall off a step ladder?  She just about flipped over on the table and said how did you know that, I fell off of one a couple of weeks ago and that's when the pain started.  I DON'T KNOW how I knew, I just did.

After this one event, I was seeing angels and even people in spirit within weeks.  Unbelievable right? Then the hammer came down.  My son was sick, no one was helping him, I took him to my Reiki Master Teacher who worked and worked on him - nothing. She went into meditation and said to me "your house if full of mold."  Our basement was filled with black toxic mod and we didn't even know it. We had remidiators out immediately but they said, the house had to come down.  We ended up moving to a whole new state - again something I never thought I'd ever, ever, ever do.  

That's the kind of "changes" I'm talking about - here is what a few others had to say: 

 
"Some biggies for me! Found Peace for my PTSD- that's HUGE! Lead me to do Reiki on horses (17 1/2 hands high), sweet miniature schnauzers whose owners died suddenly, sold my home of 20 years, ended a 28 year relationship peacefully and with Love, sudden death of my best friend- conducted my first Celebration of Life which included Reiki, Native American and Shamanic ceremony (this may be my new path). And I am currently going through peeling another layer...we will see!" from Denise C

"When I was going to school to be a nurse it never felt right. I took my first Reiki class and it felt like home. So I quit the idea of nursing and took more Reiki classes. More energy classes and today I get to practice "energy healing" as a nurses aid. Which I feel extremely grateful for. I get to help a lot of people feel better. Some have had spontaneous healing, patients who come to our unit coding with a poor prognosis have come back and said I was their Angel. But, how would they know, they were on their death bed. Literally. I actually stepped out of my comfort zone and asked one of our Heart Doctors if I could have three minutes of his time. I wouldn't normally do that...but, I had a inner voice telling to just ask. Come to find out he blew out his upper arm in a hunting incident. It was black and very painful. In less then 5 minutes the pain was gone. He was shocked. Then two days later he came back to show me his arm. It was completely healed. And he doesn't need surgery. Yeah! So Yeah Reiki is the most amazing healing modality. Reiki has changed my life in the most extraordinary ways." from Gloria P

THE "BUILT IN" POWER OF PROTECTION WHEN CHANNELING REIKI

The "One Way Flow" of energy that is Reiki gives it a "built in" protection safety mechanism. Here's why: When you connect to Reiki energy with the intention of channeling it, either for yourself or others, the energy flows down from source, enters the crown chakra, goes down through the center channel of the body, past the third eye chakra and throat chakra to the heart chakra where it flows down both arms and into both hands, and out of the minor palm chakras and finger tips.

Reiki never comes back into the practitioner from the "receiver" (the person who we are giving Reiki to) because of this "one way flow" mechanism.  The Reiki practitioner never pushes anything into the receiver or is trying in any way to manipulate their energy.  They are simply acting as a conduit or vessel for the energy to flow through when they place their hands on the receiver with the intention of channeling Reiki for them during a Reiki session.

However, there are several ways that one can cancel out this protective aspect.  If you are fearful that you will take on the disease/s or mental condition of the receiver, your fear can cancel out this protection. Remember, your thoughts create your reality (now even more so than ever with the Shift).  So making sure you keep your thoughts absolutely in faith that you are safe and protected when channeling Reiki is paramount.

Another way you can cancel out the built in protection is if you prescribe to the belief system that it is your responsibility to take on the suffering of others. First of all, it's not anyone's job to do that, some refer to this kind of thinking as religious dogma. When performing Reiki, our job is to strictly to act as a conduit for the energy, anything else involves your ego, which is why we don't call ourselves healers. We are only the vessel or conduit for the energy to flow through.

Many massage therapists and other alternative healers become Reiki (take Reiki classes and get attuned to the Reiki energy so that they can channel it for themselves or others) for this reason.  It is a well known fact that many massage therapists take on "stuff" from their clients.  I hear this all the time from my massage therapy clients, friends, and my own massage therapists.  It also adds an extra skill set to their massages when they can claim they are also channeling Reiki energy when they giving someone a massage!  

The many benefits of Reiki are vast and some might say miraculous.  This is just one of them.

WHY WE CHARGE FOR REIKI SESSIONS AND CLASSES

Over the years, I've been in several discussions on the internet years about whether one should charge for Reiki sessions and classes or not.  When I teach a Reiki Level One class here is what I tell my students:

There are many myths and stories out there in Reiki land about Usui and his life. One of them is that after he had the big "enlightenment moment" on Mt. Kurama and all the secrets and knowledge about Reiki were revealed to him, he came down off the mountain and began healing beggars in the poorer section of Tokyo.  After doing this for about three years, he noticed that many of the beggars he supposedly healed were showing up again and begging, so he asked them what the deal was.  They said it that it was much too hard to get a job, marry, buy a house, etc., and begging was just so much easier.

He had an "aha" moment at this time that human beings do not value what they are given for free.  They only value things that they have had to work hard to earn the money to pay for.  He vowed then and there to never give Reiki away for free again.

Many years ago, I felt it was time for me to raise my fees for Reiki sessions and classes. It is sort of an unspoken rule that when a new teacher/practitioner starts out they aren't supposed to charge what their more experienced and wiser teacher does. I had been teaching and practicing for several years and felt the increase was justified.  So I asked a friend of mine what she thought I should do.  Here is what she told me:

There was this high end jewelry store out west that decided to start selling local Native American jewelry. They priced it very low compared to all of the other jewelry in the shop.  It sat in the cases for a very long time and very few people if any bought it.  One day, they had to have all the cases cleaned and reprice all the merchandise.  When the Native American jewelry went back into the case, it somehow got marked a lot higher (several added zeros).  It began to fly out the window! Moral of story: if you place a higher value on something humans perceive it as more valuable.

I raised my rates and have done so several times over the years and I've never been busier.  Mrs. Takata knew this when she charged $10,000 for Reiki Master training way back in the 70"s.  She wanted the world to value Reiki training as much as they did Massage Therapy, Acupuncture and other alternative healing modalities that require students to pay many thousands of dollars for their training. The cosmetic, perfume, and clothing industries as well as the high end car manufactures all know this. Why do you think you pay so much more for designer perfume,designer clothing and big ticket cars!

Don't get me wrong - we aren't all about "the money".  It's all about an equal exchange of energy.  Many Reiki practitioners and teachers also accept barter.  My house is filled with beautiful original artwork and I regularly trade for massage, acupuncture, and more.  This is how I make my living, I had to pay for my very extensive training, all the supplies required to set up a business and maintain it and so on, just like any other business.  You would not expect your Dentist, Doctor, Massage Therapist, or Acupuncturist to not charge you now would you? Or anyone else for that matter.

UNTRUTHS, HALF TRUTHS AND HALF BAKED IDEAS ABOUT REIKI

There is a lot about Reiki that is confusing because so many people are saying one thing and so many others are saying something else or the opposite.  Can you imagine how confused the public is if WE can't even get it straight?

One of the biggest misnomers about Reiki is the Christian ties of its creator - Dr. Mikao Usui.  The story that Mrs. Takata made up about Usui being a Christian and teaching in a Christian school in Japan, etc., was a fallacy and was debunked after her death. Many older books on Reiki will have this story in them, and unfortunately those who have not bothered to keep up with times and all the new info and research coming out of Japan about the real history of Reiki and its creator and those who came after him in the story of how Reiki came to be spread all of the world, are still perpetuating this tale on their website or teaching it to their students.

Usui Sensei was born into a Tendai Buddhist family and raised as a Buddhist (being sent off to study in a monastery at a very tender age).  His ancestors were Samurai warriors and he himself was a very well known and respected Martial artist in his day.  There has been much speculation about whether he eventually became a Buddhist Monk or a Shinto Monk - the jury is still out on that one.

Dr. Hayashi did not take over for Dr. Usui when he died.  He just happens to be the next person in line in the story of the  history of Reiki because of his having taught Reiki to Mrs. Takata.  He was not Usui's successor.  The Memorial Society (Usui Shiki Ryoho Gakkai) that was set up by Usui before his death carried on the tradition of Reiki in Japan exactly as Usui taught it after his death and was run by appointed or elected Presidents.  Dr. Hayashi was never one of them.

Dr. Usui did not rediscover Reiki as some people would have you believe, he created the system.  In a radio interview in Japan he says exactly that - The system never existed before me, I created it.

It has not been verified that  Dr. Usui even used symbols or was given symbols when he had his so called "enlightenment" experience on Mt. Kurama.  We do know that the Gakkai uses only the three traditional symbols and that Mrs. Takata used them, so we can safely assume that she got them from Dr Hayashi, which makes it more likely that Usui created them or discovered them somehow, and gave them to Hayashi and the Gakkai. In one of my recent newsletters I mentioned that the Gakkai does not use or recognize the Reiki Master Symbol known in the West as the DKM.  So we do know that that symbol was not used by Usui..

You may also be laboring under the misconception that Usui attuned to people to Reiki just like we do in the West (by the way, just in my little area in Madison, Wisconsin alone that is super saturated with Reiki Practitioners and Teachers, I know for a fact that many of Reiki Teachers here are doing attunements very, very differently from their neighboring teachers. This is another reason why I am for the regulation of Reiki - every one doing the same attunement, using the same manuals, teaching the same foundational hand positions for both self-treating and treating others, etc.). 

Usui Sensei connected people to Reiki using a technique called REIJU which is very, very different from a Western attunement ceremony.  I know this because I have instructions on how to perform REIJU from two different Reiki Master Teachers in different parts of the world and it is WAY different that what I do when I attune people to Reiki,I I've re-attuned other local RMT'S who are floored by the differences in what I do versus what they were taught to do.

In conclusion, there are probably a dozen more things I could site under this topic, but I think you get the picture.  Do your homework, keep up with the latest book, articles, and blogs that are constantly being revised and refined.  Just don't assume that what you know is the truth!

Why Combining Reiki Classes Is Not In The Best Interests Of The Student

Reiki classes are separated into different levels of training for a very good reason - to give the students body and biofield (aura, energyfield) time to process and integrate the fact that they are vibrating at a higher frequency then ever before because they now have the ability to channel the energy of the Divine that is Reiki.

We could liken it to a pie split into thirds - Level I opens one up to be able to channel one third of the Reiki energy we are capable of channeling in our dense human bodies.  Level II opens you up to another 1/3 of the energy your system can channel (handle), and Level III (in my lineage we split the last level into two parts, IIIa "Reiki Master Practitioner", and Level IIIb "Reiki Master Teacher"), you are opened fully in the attunement to Level III to all the Reiki energy you are capable of channeling.

I find it hard to understand why some teachers feel it is acceptable to combine these classes, to me this is clearly about money and not about the best interests of the student.  

Reiki Practitioners vibrate at a higher rate then those who are not attuned to Reiki. Our human bodies need time to adjust to this change in our biofield.  I highly recommend that one experience everything that each level has to offer before jumping ahead to the next one. I instruct my students to sit in Level I for around 6 months (even a year if that feels more comfortable) and experience everything that this Level has to offer - being able to self-treat, Reiki your food, water, and whatever else you want to Reiki (medications, lotions, oils, crystals) and the ability to give Reiki to friends, family members, pets and plants and more, and to join in the Reiki Shares.

I would never tell my students it's time to move up a level either, in my opinion that is unethical.  It is their decision and no one elses. In Level II you receive the Reiki symbols to work with, to focus the energy in a myriad of different ways and in most lineages this is where you are taught how to send Distant Reiki Healing.  Again, I instruct my students to stay at this level and learn all they can about working with the symbols in their daily lives, in their self-treatments, and when they treat others.  When  and if they desire to move up to the Master Level, they know where to find me.

The last level of training, as mentioned above, opens you up to channel the full flow of Reiki energy you are able to channel and you get to call yourself a Reiki Master, whether you just want to do Reiki professionally (not teach just do sessions for others and charge for it) or go on to train to be a Reiki Master Teacher.  

There are many other reasons why combining the levels does not serve the student and can be harmful, including the fact that each level of training and attunement brings on a 21 day detox or cleanse in all the major systems of the body.  I went through a cleanse from hell when I was attuned to all 3 levels in three consecutive weekends because I foolishly did not do my homework and simply jumped into the first Reiki class I could find.  I would not wish that on any one.   

The Many Benefits of Having an "in person" Reiki Attunement

Someone from an Reiki internet group that attunes people to Reiki for free contacted me recently about having an in person attunement to Reiki versus a distant one.  By the questions she was asking and the responses she was getting in the group, it was clear to me that being distantly attuned leaves a lot of gaps in your education as a Reiki Practitioner, I liken it to being in Kindergarten. To advance in your practice, you need to be under the physical guidance of a Reiki Master Teacher who enters into a mentor like relationship with each and everyone of the students they attune and more.

I understand that having a distant attunement may be someone's only option (finances, distance or unavailability of a teacher within range of where you live), but there are soooooooooooo many reasons why it is a very poor substitute for having an "in person" attunement and becoming a part of a physical Reiki community. Here are just some of things you won't get from getting by being attuned distantly:

l) Joining a local community of fellow practitioners and regularly attending the Reiki Shares your teacher hosts, where you are constantly provided with new information, new techniques and are carefully watched over, guided and corrected. Ex: If your hands are improperly positioned, your applying too much pressure, or your stance at the table is improper ergonomically,  etc.

2) Being shown how to properly do aura sweeping: I demonstrate 4 different varieties of that in my classes including one using a selenite wand.  Even when I teach people the techniques and they see me doing them over and over again at shares or in classes, there are still people doing them improperly and needing to be corrected, especially if they have never done anything like this before. 

3) Learning how to properly scan: Sure you can read about it in a book or watch someone on YouTube do it and play with it, but nothing compares to having your teacher show you how do it and working with you until you get it right. Scanning is an art.  It takes a lot of demonstration, time and teaching for a student to master this and many other Reiki techniques.  

4) It has become apparent to me in recent years, that the sheer presence of a Reiki Master Teacher influences those around her/him, possible because they are vibrating at such a higher vibration. Another teacher I just talked to felt that at some point we are just radiating Reiki out of our every pour all the time at this level. So, just being in the physical presence of a Reiki Master Teacher has huge benefits. 

5) Being connected to a community of Reiki practitioners:  You might meet one or several people at a Reiki share that you resonate with and end up becoming fast friends, then you two can get together outside of the Share and do Reiki on each other, read Reiki books together and do all the experiments in them with other like "you send me Reiki and tell you what I felt/saw etc., and then I do the same for you".  

Many of my students complain that they have no one to talk Reiki with outside of the classroom and the shares. Their family members, spouses, close friends even are clueless or just can't wrap their heads around all that Reiki is about and they feel isolated and alone.  A Share gives you an opportunity to be with like minded individuals and share your experiences and hear about others experiences, so that you don't feel so alone or misunderstood.

6) Be able to practice Reiki on others and build up your confidence:  Many of my students complain that their partners, children, family and friends are too spooked by their belief systems (religious especially) to let them do Reiki on them.  Being able to do Reiki for others whether physically or distantly is a very large part of being Reiki in the West.  A Reiki share gives you the opportunity to hone your skills and practice what you've learned to build up your confidence.  If you are thinking about becoming a professional, how are you going to do that without working on others, especially strangers? You don't have a physical community of Reiki brothers and sisters on the internet, so this extremely important component of being Reiki is not possible.

I could go on and on and I think I've made my point- nothing compares to being part of a physical community of like minded individuals exploring and experiencing together something as vast, amazing, beautiful and miraculous as Reiki. 

REIKI BOX, CRYSTALS AND REIKI GRIDS

It is highly recommended that after one achieves the second level of Usui Reiki training they consider joining a group that sends out Distant Reiki Healing on a consistent basis. As a Reiki Master Teacher myself, I have my own student based group, and I also have a Facebook group dedicated to that, and am a member of three others, with connections to several more if I need them (for the really serious cases).

Sending Distant Reiki is a wonderful way to help large numbers of people, especially those you can't possible get to you - out of state, in another country, in a hospital, in hospice, in a coma, or during a natural disaster, etc. It also helps one feel like there is really something they as an individual can do to help. we often feel totally helpless in many situations that involve our loved ones or friends many miles or even oceans away.  Praying is nice but this is a way you can actually really do something effectively  Very empowering!
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There are many different ways to do it, some more time and energy consuming than others. There is just sitting down and sending it period, involving using several traditional Reiki symbols or non-traditional ones, or ones used in either Karuna Reiki or other forms of Reiki.  This can be VERY time consuming if you have a half a dozen or more people you're sending Reiki to.

Or you can use the Reiki Box method (see the pic's I put up for examples) where you can accommodate as many requests as you can fit into your box. There is also a candle flame technique, a single crystal/stone technique, or a  technique involving a crystal grid. There are probably other methods, but these are the ones I know of and do.

I realized recently that you could set up a crystal grid for someone or for a situation and have others send Reiki energy to the grid also.  My Distant Healing Facebook group and I are experimenting with this right now.  

Different situations call for different ways of sending the energy, so you'll have to weigh each one and see what method would work the best for you and those involved, or the situation.

Usui Byosen and Hibiki to do Reiki sessions intuitively.

In Western Reiki, most teachers of Usui Reiki have never even heard of Byosen, Hibiki, Hatsurei Ho, or many other Japanese Reiki techniques that are part and parcel of the original system of Reiki as created by Dr. Mikao Usui, and are still being taught and practiced by the memorial society he set up in Japan in 1922 before he crossed over -  the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai (Usui Reiki Healing Method Learning Society).

Typically in Western Reiki, a new student is taught a specific pattern of hand placements for either self-treating or treating others. This usually consists of 12 to 14 or so hand positions called "holds" that correspond to all the major systems of the body (nervous system, digestive system, respiratory system, etc.), the 7 (or 8) major chakras, and all the major organs of the body. They are also taught to additionally treat any areas of concern that the client or "receiver" is presenting like back pain, knee pain, foot pain, headaches, and so on. 

It's important in the beginning of the training to just establish a system of where the hands go, but at some point the student should be taught how to feel or scan for Byosen. " When there is a life energy block or a disturbance in health, there are always minus waves (negative waves) in the causal area." (Hiroshi Doi in an interview with William Lee Rand  from "An Evidence Based History of Reiki" by William Lee Rand).  The technique to sense Byosen in the hands is called Byosen Reikan Ho. To be able to do this, the student has to develop a strong sense of "feeling'" with the hands, a sensitivity.  I discussed this in my last post here. This comes easy to some but not to all, and there are things you can do to increase sensitivity in the hands like placing a drop of Lavender oil in the center of each palm.

Hibiki is the sensations or feelings in the hands that the practitioner picks up when they are able to sense the Byosen in the energy field by slowly moving their hands through the energy field of the client (scanning) for this purpose.  Examples of this would be hot or cold areas, tingling n the fingers, an electric shock type of feeling, or just resistance, like they've hit an energetic wall.

In Japan, the ability to sense Byosen and be aware of Hibiki is a required skill. In Western Reiki, as I said, many teachers are not even aware of these techniques let alone are teaching them.  Some teachers do tell their students to eventually treat their client using only their intuition as to where their hands should go and for how long they should stay.

One of the things you can do to develop more sensitivity in the hands is a Qigong and T'ai Chi exercise called "pulling taffy".  Pulling taffy is performed by holding your hands up in front of your chest, palms facing towards each other about 3 or so inches apart. Then you focus your mind on the energy between the two palms, and begin to slowly pull them apart a few inches and then slowly push them towards each other, never touching, but maintaining  at least 2" between each palm.  Do this for about 3-5 minutes daily or until you really began to feel the sensation one feels when they take two magnets and try to push them together or pull them apart. 

Another technique is to put your right thumb pad into the center of the left palm and turn it clockwise several times with very light pressure.  This opens the palm chakra.  Then switch - put the left thumb pad into the right palm and repeat the technique for about 3-5 turns in each palm.

HOW LONG DO YOU HOLD HAND POSITIONS?

A common question that a Reiki Master Teacher gets asked a lot is "how long do I hold a hand position?"  The standard answer in most Reiki lineages and books is 3 to 5 minutes.  When teaching a new student how to perform a Reiki session on themselves or others, that is what I teach. When they are right "out of the box" so to speak (have just been attuned to the Reiki energy so they can channel it for themselves or others) they may very likely not be able to detect the subtle flow of the energy coming out of their hands and finger tips  at first

If someone had been practicing something like T'ai Chi or QiQong or possible some yoga breathing  techniques for years and had developed a sensitivity to energy in their hands already then this might not be the case.  I know this firsthand because I taught and practiced T'Chi Chi and QiQong for decades and that was my experience. I could immediately ascertain the energy flow (and see it), but that is not the norm.  Most new students are beginners at sensing subtle energies so it will take them longer to get to that place, therefore they need a time frame.

As they progress by doing daily Reiki self-treatments, giving Reiki to others and sending Distant Reiki, they will eventually become more and more aware of the subtle feelings:tingling, pulsing, swirling or a fizzing like feeling) in their hands and fingers, and warmth or heat in their hands.

Eventually they will sense the process of the energy ramping up at first then slowing down and eventually stopping. Or that some areas of the body are just not needing any Reiki at that time (some say that this indicates a blockage in the body but that is not my experience). There is just nothing going on in and under their hands in whatever position they are in at that time, so it's time to move on.

For new practitioners I recommend that they purchase a CD or two that contains bells and chimes that go off at 3 to 5 minute intervals, or songs that last 5 minutes each to help them keep track of time when practicing Reiki.  Or they could just watch a clock or count to sixty 3 or 5 times, but it is more more pleasant to use the CD's. 

Here's a few I recommend: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CiTHYH51H0

http://www.amazon.com/Reiki-Healing-Hands-Anuvida-Tyndall/dp/B0000009CX

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REEvuqO9w60

http://www.amazon.com/Reiki-Mind-Body-Soul-Series/dp/B00000DLWH/ref=pd_sim_15_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=17R64CSJR48CG8HN48Z1&dpSrc=sims&dpST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_

I'M ALREADY DOING THAT, WHY DO I NEED AN ATTUNMENT?

Some people have said "I've been putting my hands on people or animals since I was a kid (or for years)
and my hands heat up and I heal them, so I don't need an attunement, I'm already doing "Reiki".  

How does a Reiki Master Teacher respond to a comment like that?  Number one, that may be so, but you are not channeling Reiki, no how, no way! Unless you have been connected to the energy via a ceremony called an "attunement" by a Reiki Master Teacher, you cannot channel Reiki pure and simple.

Number two, more than likely you are using your own personal energy to "heal" others and THAT IS NEVER A GOOD IDEA! Using your own personal energy to heal can cause serious illness and possible death. Here is how it woks, when you are born you come in with X amount of "natal chi", the energy you need to fully function in your body for as long as you are alive in that body, which is stored in your kidneys (according to Chinese Medicine). Think of it as a pie.  When you have difficulties in your life like major illnesses, loss, major stress, etc., visualize slices of your "pie" being used up.  When all your slices have been used up, you leave the body and transition. 

You can replace some of the pie slices (cultivate more chi, Prana) by doing things like T'ai Chi or QiQong, and some yoga breathing exercises, all of which are designed to bring more "chi" (life force energy) into your body, also getting adequate and deep restorative sleep nightly, eating a good healthy diet, drinking plenty of clean, fresh water and getting out in a nature regularly help to increase your chi. So using your personal energy to heal others uses up your pie slices faster!

You might subscribe to a belief system or practice that teaches you how to connect to and channel the energy of the earth, heaven, fire, air,etc. and are using this when you put your hands on people for the purpose of healing.  Again, this is not Reiki, and you may run the risk of tapping into your own personal energy again along with these other energies.

Other people claim to have sat in meditation and "pulled down" a Reiki attunement.  I have a say as a Reiki Master Teacher and just as a skeptical human being in general, I don't think so!   A Reiki attunement optimally is performed by a certified and trained Reiki Master Teacher in person, one-on-one with another human being.  It is not something you can pull out of the air, just doesn't work that way, sorry.

I don't pretend to have all the answers. I am just telling my truth as it was taught to me by my teachers, my personally experience and feelings, and what I have read and understood in a slew of Reiki books and articles I have read in over a decade.

What is an attunement and why do you need one.

In order for someone to be able to "channel" Reiki (connect to and use the energy that is Reiki) they must have an attunement - a sacred and secret ceremony performed only by a qualified Reiki Master Teacher, in whatever modality of Reiki you choose be it Karuna Reiki®, Seichim Reiki, Usui Tibetan Reiki, or in the original form of Reiki - Usui Reiki, etc. Worknik definition of an attunement:  n. The quality of being in tune with something In many Reiki traditions, there are a minimum of  three levels (four in mine) of training that one has to take in order to became a Reiki Master/ Reiki Master Teacher.  Each new level of training requires that you have another attunement.  Each attunement imitates a 21 day detox (possible 30 day) or cleanse in the 7 major chakras of the body. Each persons response to each detox/cleanse is different and individual, and each level of attunementss detox or cleanse is different and individual. I recently read a blog post where someone said that an attunement initiates a "healing crisis" not a 21 day cleanse. In all the books I've read on Reiki (over 60) and as taught by both of my Reiki teachers, that is not the case.  One person out of thousands might have a more intense cleanse if they do something stupid like I did and take all three levels of training in one weekend (I didn't know what I was doing and had "drive through" Reiki as I like to call it).  There is always an exception to every rule! The attunement connects the individual to the source of the Reiki energy so that they can channel it for themselves and others. Without it, you cannot connect to Reiki period.   There are many people and websites offering "free" or low cost Reiki attunements on the internet.  My take on that is if you are living out in the "boonies" and you and there are no Reiki Master Teachers available to you for hundreds if not thousands of miles away, or you have such limited finances that there is just no way you can afford the training, and you have a very strong desire to be become Reiki, then this maybe your only alternative, albeit a poor one. The advantages of having your attunement performed live and having access to that person for continued education, possible treatment (some people require a Reiki session or two after an attunement to help them get through the cleanse easier), and providing community through Reiki Shares, far outweighs the benefits of distant attuning.  How do you really know that the person claiming to attune you is actually doing anything at all besides taking your money? I recommend that you interview several Reiki Teachers and have sessions with each one to see who you resonate with.  Each teacher has unique qualities that they bring to their practice and someone might not "feel" like they are the person you want to attune you and mentor you on your Reiki journey, and someone else might feel "just right."  I believe the Universe or Spirit will guide you to the perfect teacher for you.

"CORD CUTTING" - HOW YOU DO IT REALLY MATTERS!

Well I've gotten Rose's book (Cutting Cords of Attachment for Self Healing) and read a few chapters and talked to lots of others about cord cutting.  Apparently lots of folks think they are cutting cords with this method or that method but Rose says "not so much".  She says if not done correctly, they will come back.  The person who does the cording is called the "cordee" by the way, new information for me!

Many people call in Archangel Michael to help them cut cords. As I said in my last blog, I call in lots of angels, Archangels and my guides to help me with this, and even the Holy Spirit. Rose gives the impression that calling in "the big guy" is a bit of a joke.  She obviously does not think that whatever you have asked him to do is enough.  By the way, he or any of your guides, angels, etc., will never cut cords of love - the ones that connect us to those we love (our partner/spouse, children, etc.).

Another thing Rose recommends is that you find a partner to read the book with you and practice the methods together. I've asked a friend to join me and we are just waiting for her book to to come in, so more to follow when we get going on this.

If what Rose says is true, cords are causing many, if not all, of your problems (health wise and emotionally wise), so learning this skill would be "over the top" important for any type of healer or anyone who has tried everything else and is getting nowhere.

When I asked a group of Reiki practitioners if they were cord cutting for their clients, many of them said they are and their Reiki teacher taught them how. They were laboring under the misconception that it was just another part of Reiki.  Let me tell you folks, IT IS NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!  Just like using crystals and essential oils, or whatever else kind of goodies you add to a Reiki session, that is not Reiki. That is what is known in the massage world as "add on's

The original system of Reiki, is still being practiced as it was initially taught in Japan by Reiki's creator, Dr. Mikao Usui by the members of the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai (the memorial society established around the time of Usui's death).  They'd be the first to tell you this is not a part of Reiki.  One could say that they are "Reiki purest".

Cutting Cords - Yes - VERY Necessary

I had been feeling very tired (not my usual state of being) lately and had began to notice that I wasn't feeling the flow of Reiki energy coming out of hands as much as I had previously.  I also began to notice I wasn't receiving as much guidance during Reiki sessions as I usually do. I just felt "off."  Then a friend of mine did a practice session on me who is HIGHLY intuitive and told me I had a lot of cords and "webbing" on me and she removed them.  I felt like my old self again. Full of energy, happy and not so out of sorts!  Lesson:  YES, even if we think we are clearing ourselves adequately, we reallllllllllly need to be aware of cutting cords and dod it often!

But how?  There are many different ways, some involve Archangels, others involve crystals, and possible rattles/feathers and more.  One thing we did discover when my friend worked on me is you have to take responsibility for cutting your cords and not just ask the Angels to or other beings of light to do it for you. That was new information for me.  I had previously been doing a technique that involved just that.  

Some advise going into meditation and trying to "see" or "feel" where the cords are (and even from who they came from and why) and then using whatever technique you resonate with to remove them and then to heal the area where they were (yes you have to do that too!).  This is a HUGE topic and I plan to write more about it over the next several weeks as I research and try different techniques.

Just looking for an image this morning to get more information about this, I came across this book "Cut Cords of Attachment" by Rose Rosetree, who wrote an awesome book for empaths that I recommend to all of my students who are empathic so I know it will be a good one!

Here are some links to cord cutting exercises to try:

http://askingangels.com/psychic/cutcords.php

http://www.gateways-to-inner-peace.com/etheric-cords.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=771_2KjUm4M

REIKI AND INTUITION

I took my first Reiki classes in 2004. Every Reiki class does and should contain a "practicum" component to it (where the students get to practice doing Reiki on each other).  In our very first one, I was to give Reiki to young woman I'd never met who was complaining of back pain.  We had her lie on abdomen and as I put my hands on the area of her back where the pain was, I immediately had a vision and received guidance that she had fallen off a step ladder. I had never ever experienced anything like that before and was compelled to ask her, " did you fall off a stepladder?"  She immediately twisted around to face me and said "how did you know that, I fell off a step ladder weeks ago and come to think of it that's when the pain started!"

That, my friends is called "Intuition", "Guidance", whatever you want to call it!  After that  I began to have more and more of these of experiences: seeing or knowing an Angel or Angels were around, seeing someone in spirit in my home, receiving information about my clients health issues.

Since then I've come to almost expect all of these things and more to happen when I channel Reiki for someone and so do many others including many of Reiki students and Reiki friends.  

Reiki enhances any gifts you have brought in with you this lifetime be it musical, mathematical, writing, gardening, good with children, cooking, IT skills, etc. It works like this: the more levels you go up in Reiki (Reiki training is usually done in several increments or Levels - I, II and III or as in my lineages: I, II and IIIa and IIIb), the more styles of Reiki you are trained in, and the more Reiki you do on yourself and others, the more they are enhanced and continue to be enhanced.

For more information on Reiki and intuition, I highly recommend Amy Z. Rowland's book " INTUITIVE REIKI FOR OUR TIMES".  I cried my eyes out when I read this book because it validated everything I had been experiencing and feeling about Reiki for years but was being told that I was playing with fire when I allowed these things to happen (like I had a choice) and knew that to be just bunk!

More Myths About Reiki

Just like everything else, there are a lot of myths surrounding Reiki or do's and don'ts. You can't do Reiki on someone with Diabetes, has a Pacemaker, is schizophrenic or has seizure disorder. Well I've worked on 'em all, no problem! But just the other day I heard about a new one - the 21 day self-treating rule.

The attunement (sacred ceremony that a certified Reiki Master Teacher performs on you that connects you to the Reiki energy so that you can channel it for yourself), elicits a 21 day cleanse or detox in the body. This cleanse clears out any old negative, stuck energy in your energy field or body for the purpose of making you a clearer channel for the energy, in essence. 

We instruct all of our students to began performing daily whole body self-treatments with their now "Reiki hands" as soon as they become Reiki. Some teachers are telling their students that you only have to do this during the 21 day cleanse/detox, hence the confusion possible. NOT SO! A Reiki practitioner is expected to perform this daily ritual for themselves EVERY SINGLE DAY for ever, especially if they are doing a lot of Reiki on others or sending a lot of Distant Reiki Healing to others, or going through a particularly rough cleanse (that's pretty rare).

I think this myth about only doing a daily self-treatment for the 21 days you are going through your cleanse has more to do with our crazy western lifestyle (on the go all the time, little time for self)  so when you tell someone they have to perform this ritual on themselves (a one hour or more process) every day they freak out. So maybe some teachers  thought they might be able to convince more of their students of the necessity of doing it if they shortened it. (Just a thought - I know lot of my students do!). Others think it got confused with the 21 day cleanse/detox.

Doing a daily Reiki self-treatment removes negative energy from your energy field and recharges your body, as well as opens, clears and balances your chakras and much more.  So you can see it is very beneficial and of course, if you are having some kind of issue other than just your daily stuff (a cold, flu, allergies, injuries, surgeries,  major stress,etc.) it will help you recover faster and maybe get sick less often.

The problem with Reiki and myths is twofold.  We bombed the holy H word out of Japan in WW II and a lot of records were destroyed that possible could have given us a better picture about it's origins and history and it's founder Dr. Mikao Usui. The memorial society that some say was formed after Dr. Usui's passing (the Usui Reiki Royho Gakkai), is a very secret and secretive society. Reiki had to go underground after the war as the United States forbid anyone in Japan from practicing it. The Gakkai is still in existence today and they teach and do Reiki exactly as Dr. Usui instructed them to over 100 years ago. It is a closed society and not really interested in sharing it's secrets with us.  Can't say as I blame them. 

We have made contact with one of it's President's and one of it's members defected in a sense and has shared information with us, and more and more information is being uncovered about Reiki, thanks to the efforts of people like Reiki Master Teacher and author of many books on Reiki "Frank Arjava Petter, and many others.

It is very unlikely that we will ever know the complete history of Reiki and all there is to know about it and it's founder, so we just have to trust that it works and not get too hung up in the whys and wherefores, and try to clear these myths as they come up.