In the first novel and radio series, a group of hyper-intelligent pan-dimensional beings demand to learn the Ultimate Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, The Universe, and Everything from the supercomputer, Deep Thought, specially built for this purpose. It takes Deep Thought 7½ million years to compute and check the answer, which turns out to be 42. The Ultimate Question itself is unknown. ~http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phrases_from_The_Hitchhiker's_Guide_to_the_Galaxy

• claim and truly believe that an invisible energy flows through me upon request
• feel warm, soothing tingles, relief from discomfort, and emotional calm when I direct this energy towards myself
• claim and truly believe that I can offer this invisible energy to anyone, anywhere in the world
• demonstrate, discuss, and teach others how to work with this invisible energy
• volunteer and get paid for offering this energy to others, who report that it helps them

Reiki Awakening Reiki blog by Alice Langholt

A: That’s an interesting question, and one for which there is only indirect evidence at this point. That isn’t to say there is no evidence that Reiki works. Just ask someone who gives Reiki, or the clients who receive it. All will report many stories of significant improvements. I’m included in that – I have plenty of anecdotal evidence from my own experience both as a giver and a receiver of Reiki for me to know conclusively that Reiki works.

As far as scientific evidence, though…it’s tricky.

Reiki can’t be measured directly. But the effects can be seen in different ways.

For example, it’s understood scientifically that intention, Reiki and other thought-energy imprints itself on the state of water. Naturopaths know this. They often work with little vials of water that have been imprinted with the energy of different substances to muscle test for allergies and adverse reactions.

Also, a Random Event Generator, such as the Mind Lamp developed by Psyleron, shows visibly that a program that generates random numbers changes behavior in the presence of intention/ Reiki/ energy. I actually have a Mind Lamp, and it’s extremely fascinating. You can see how it changed behavior in this replay of the 11/11/11 distance healing that I recorded. During most of the time we were sharing energy, the lamp remained steadily white, rather than changing colors randomly as it usually does. Also, when someone participating suggested a color, the lamp changed to that color, as if on demand.

The effects of Reiki energy make a visible difference in the spoil rate and quality of cooked rice in experiments, like this one by one of my colleagues.

People who experience Reiki, and Reiki practitioners alike know what they feel. And there are many, many anecdotes about miraculous healings that occurred after one or several Reiki sessions. I have seen those I share Reiki with relax, feel relief from pain and stress, and even more. There are many testimonials such as this one that you could watch to hear it from the people themselves.

There are studies being conducted here and there, with varying results. Sometimes the results can’t be measured. But after a year of volunteering as a Reiki practitioner at The Cleveland Clinic, I can tell you that the patients rated their pain, anxiety and discomfort much lower after 10 minutes of Reiki than they had before. That’s measurable.

So ask yourself this – how do you decide what matters? Do you need some scientific evidence, or do you believe what you feel and experience? If you feel it, notice a difference, does that make it real enough for you? If Reiki could help you feel better when something was wrong, would that be enough? Or do you need scientific data to convince you to try it? Do you trust yourself enough to discern the truth in your own life?

If the answer is yes, come find me. I’ll be here ready to show you.

http://ReikiAwakening.com

• Watching people who were suffering from anxiety relax and smile
• Hearing people tell me that their pain went from a "10" to a "1"
• Hugs and thank you - more times than I could count
• Inspiring many of my students to volunteer also
• Setting an example for my children, who are proud of me
• Knowing that I'm doing something worthwhile, meaningful and powerful with my life
• Increased confidence that Reiki is there, every time

Reiki Awakening Reiki blog by Alice Langholt

A: We don’t know. It’s not up to the person offering the healing to decide the limits of Reiki to help someone, or in what way the energy is going to work. Sometimes it works on deep emotional levels that take a while to surface. Other times, a person receiving Reiki may experience profound relief from physical pain. There could be cumulative effects when Reiki healings are received regularly. The effects could be subtle or powerful.

In my experience, we are not consciously in charge of the way the energy works. Therefore, we are not in charge of knowing or affecting the limits of the effectiveness either.

A profound example of this happened to me a year ago when I met a woman, Deborah, who was in serious pain from many problems. She was in constant pain and had a very difficult time walking. I gave her ten minutes of Reiki at an expo, at the urging of her friend. After the brief energy session, Deborah was able to turn her head, when she had not been able to before – at least without a lot of pain. She was impressed.

Four months later I saw her at another expo. She was a new person – walking tall without her cane, smiling. She told me that since our meeting she had been seeing a local Reiki practitioner for an hour a week, every week. The improvements were significant each week, which was encouraging to Deborah and kept her coming back. Her neurologist had told her that her problems would only get worse. Meanwhile, she was improving and needing the meds less and less, until she wasn’t taking anything for pain or sleep.

Deborah told me that she was starting as a Reiki student the following week.

I was at the same expo last weekend, a year from the first time I met Deborah, when I saw her again. She had just finished her level 3 training in Usui Reiki, and was still doing great. She let me video record her talking about her experience and the profound change that Reiki made in her life.

Here she is:

The bottom line is that the less we try to define or understand the possible limits of the effectiveness of Reiki, the better. Let it happen, and ask that the recipient receive the healing that is needed. Then just be grateful for the opportunity to be involved in the process.

On the other hand, a tattoo that has been forced upon a person (i.e. the way prisoners in WW2 had numbers tattooed on their wrists) would have damaging effects to the emotions and the energy because of the negative reminder of being no more than a number to those in power over them.

So, as with many things in life, the energy associated with the experience is what will have the most effect on the person’s energy. Will it affect the ability of a person gives Reiki? No reason to think so.

If a person has negative connotations with his or her tattoo, however, it may be something that is a reason to receive healing energy to resolve.

Learn more about Reiki in a down-to-earth, simple and clear way at ReikiAwakeningAcademy.com

Q: Do I need to protect myself when I give Reiki?

A: It is always prudent when working with higher frequencies of energy, which is what one is doing when giving Reiki, to protect one’s energy before beginning. This isn’t because Reiki is dangerous, or because there could be energetic “backwash” from the person you are treating. Instead, it is because of the nature of what you are doing.

When a person is working with Reiki, the person’s energetic frequency is raised higher. The subtle frequencies of Reiki energy, as well as many other energy sources, are at a higher frequency of vibration than those which we embody day to day. It’s like we’re playing a lower note usually, but when working with Reiki we are reaching for a higher note.

Other practices also raise one’s energetic frequency. Some examples are: meditation, yoga, Qi Gong, Tai Chi, and other energy healing practices. We raise our frequency in doing these things, which allows connection to the Source energy – of which Reiki is a part. Then we can ask that energy of this frequency enter and replenish us or our client. This asking is called “intention” and it’s not a prayer, hope, dream or wish – it’s a directive. When we intend to connect with Reiki energy, meditate, or do these other practices mentioned above, we are open to allowing this higher vibrational Source energy to flow into and through us. Our intuition allows us to communicate with these higher frequencies. This communication assists Reiki practitioners in sensing the needs of the client or self, and sometimes receive guidance or intuitive messages.

So this “opening” to connect with the subtler frequencies raises our vibration just enough to do the work we are intending to do. As is the case with magnetic energy, opposites attract. There are negative energy bits around us as well. They are attracted to higher energy frequencies, and may find an open person a handy entry point.

We can avoid attracting negative energy by using energetic protection techniques. There are many simple ways to protect your energy before giving Reiki or working with intuition. The easiest is just to ask. Say or think an intention that your field be energetically protected as you do this work. I usually think, “I ask for protection and assistance from my guides, angels, and Spirit as I offer this Reiki session.”

Another technique that is especially protective include visualizing and intending that a shield of blue, gold and white light surround your aura, only allowing positive energy to enter. Do this before beginning a healing. Some Reiki practitioners place symbols around the room and in their aura and hands before beginning a treatment, with the intention of protection, support and healing. It’s all intention, and all of them work. So choose what you like and make it a part of your practice.

If you’d like to learn more about energetic protection techniques or increasing your intuition, visit the Reiki Awakening Academy.

Q: What should I be thinking about while giving Reiki?

A: It’s best to be in a space of quiet observation during Reiki, whether you are giving or receiving. Most of all, you want to avoid “pushing” the energy. That sort of effort is not only unnecessary, it uses your own personal energy, which Reiki practitioners should never do.

Reiki healings should have two basic steps for the practitioner:

1. Setting the intention – this includes connecting with the Reiki energy (essentially intending “Reiki on” or “Reiki”, which indicates your desire to start the Reiki flowing), and then giving directions to the energy (such as “self healing,” “relieve pain,” “release stress,” or “the healing that is needed,” just for some examples). This is called “Intention.”

2.  Paying attention to the sensations you experience as the energy flows. This is called “Attention.” You may experience changes in temperature, tingles, heat, colors, intuitive messages, sounds, or other sensations which relate to the way your intuition communicates with you. For more on intuitive communication, or clairs, read this post.

So Intention and Attention are the ways you should direct your thoughts when giving Reiki.

That said, if you suddenly find yourself thinking about your to do list, planning your menu for dinner, or mulling over something that happened that morning, it won’t “ruin” the Reiki healing, but it’s best if you could redirect your thoughts to what is happening right now, in this session. That’s going to allow you to give the highest quality of service to your client or recipient. If your thoughts are wandering, you might miss an intuitive message that could be good to share with your client.

If your mind wanders, the Reiki will continue to flow. But consider this…would you want your doctor, pharmacist, counselor, teacher, or even friend to be attending to you but thinking about other things? Of course not. It’s respectful and kindest to be present – here, now – when giving Reiki…as in most things we are doing. Practicing mindful presence will make your life better and improve the quality of your Reiki healings for you, the practitioner, and your client.

To learn more about Reiki and expanding your intuition, visit The Reiki Awakening Academy.

for an ebook on distance healing, click here

A: Yes! Absolutely!

There are many techniques that will make it easy to do this. You can send distance healing to one, two, ten, a hundred, a million, a whole country, or the world if you want to. Why? Because the limits are all in your intention. Intention is the way we tell the Reiki energy what we want it to do.

Here are some techniques for getting distance healing flowing to any number of people you designate:

• Use words. This is the simplest method. Simply activate the Reiki energy (most practitioners just say or think “Reiki” or “Reiki on” to do this.) Then intend for Reiki to flow to who you want. For example, “Reiki on. Reiki healing for Jim Smith, Suzy Jones, and Sammy Lee. May each receive the healing that is needed at this time.” Then let the Reiki flow.Another example: “Reiki on. Reiki healing for all who need it in Japan, for their highest and greatest good.” Then let the Reiki flow.
• Make a list. Write down the names of everyone who you want to send distance healing to. Then intend for the Reiki to activate. Hold the list and intend that Reiki energy flow to all whose names are on the list. I like to read the list while doing so to emphasize the intention to send healing to each person whose name is written on the list.
• Use a Reiki box. Write the names or intentions (i.e. abundance, a better job, finding my life’s purpose, etc.) each on their own slip of paper. Put all of the papers into a box. Then send distance healing to all intentions in the box. Activate the Reiki energy, then intend “Allow Reiki energy to flow to send healing to all people and intentions written on paper in this box.”
• The group between the hands method. Intend that the specific group of people you are sending healing to is represented in mini size small enough to fit between your hands. Intend to activate the Reiki energy. Then hold your hands with palms facing each other, and intend to send Reiki to the entire group at once.
• Make a crystal grid. Here are detailed instructions how to prepare and use one. This is a very visual and concrete way to represent the intention for continuous healing. People who like to have altars or a decorated sacred space for meditation or Reiki practice may gravitate toward this method.

Keep in mind:

• Personal one-to-one distance healing is often strongest and allows you to be involved enough to scan the person and determine where the energy is flowing.
• Permission is ethical when sending Reiki to another person. If you know the person or people you wish to send Reiki to, you should try to get their permission first. There are solid reasons for this. For more on the ethics of permission, click here.

To learn more about distance healing, click here.

Comments and questions are welcome!

A: It could! One of the wonderful things about working with Reiki is the versatility of the practice. If you want, you can ask for angelic and Divine help with the healing, and you will feel that support. But the Reiki will work if you do not do that.

Reiki is not tied to any one religion, or any at all. It is a spiritual practice because it works with the energy that connects all life. But whether you feel connected to a religion or not, Reiki will work for you.

You can incorporate your own spiritual/religious connection into your Reiki work by silently asking for the support of whichever Divine presences you feel connected. This can help enhance the effectiveness of the session. It is your option whether you wish to do this.

Angels are available to help when asked. Whether you believe in them or not, you have the option to try asking them to help offer the healing session. In my experience, it helps. I didn’t used to ask for angelic help when offering Reiki. Since I decided to try asking angels to support the session, I’ve sensed signs of their presence and felt supported. If you haven’t tried this, I encourage you to try for yourself. That’s the best way to learn, isn’t it? And you have nothing to lose.

Just as working with Reiki required you to be open to try the experience, incorporating angelic assistance into the Reiki sessions you facilitate does too.

Something else that helps increase the effectiveness of a Reiki session is having a sense of gratitude for the ability to do the work. It’s a given that most Reiki practitioners naturally feel this way, but if you are not normally focused on a moment of gratitude at the start and end of your Reiki session, adding a moment of “Thank you” to the universe can do wonders. “I will be grateful” is one of the 5 Reiki precepts, and it is more than just a nice saying. Gratitude has been found to be a powerful energy in itself (it’s a big part of the Law of Attraction, for example.)

So if you’ve never incorporated angel energy into your Reiki practice, give it a try when you feel open to it. We learn, evolve and grow as we try new things!

Learn more about Reiki here, or purchase the new book Practical Reiki: for balance, well being and vibrant health. A guide to a new revolutionary energy healing method for more!

A: Although it depends on how willing you are to be open to the energy, learn what it’s about, and practice the techniques, there is a method of Reiki which is simple enough to learn through Master level in about three weeks. Master level means that you will have the ability to teach and attune others after you complete your training.

That method is Practical Reiki ^TM  I have developed this method and just completed writing a book about it. It is meant for those who don’t need or want to learn a lot of structure or ritual. Practical Reiki gives you the straight talk on learning to access and guide the Reiki energy.  The book gives a down to earth explanation of what Reiki is, how it works, how it helps, and many ways to use it. There’s also information on clairs and chakras that everyone working with energy should know. The book includes important considerations for Reiki practitioners, such as the ethics of permission, energetic protection, and more. The last chapter shares some important FAQs and other excellent resources.

Practical Reiki works with both Reiki (guided life force energy) and Earth energy together. They combine and you learn to guide this energy for self healing, healing for others, and many other uses outlined clearly in the book. The energy is very strong, so you won’t be left wondering if you’re not believing or trusting enough – it’s there. You can feel it right away. This method does not use a series of hand positions, nor are there any symbols or foreign words to learn. It’s simple, straightforward and powerful.

I teach Practical Reiki, by distance as well as in person. You don’t need to be on the phone with me or even in the same country. All you need is email.

Here’s what to do if you want to get started right away:

1. Get the book. It’s available here. If you use this discount code: FBSBD4JN you can have it for $3 off the list price, just for reading my blog. Around 7/18/11 it will also be on Amazon.com. Shortly afterwards it will be available on Kindle and ebook. The paperback is available immediately.

2. Contact me to receive the attunements you’ll need and for personal guidance in your own journey with Reiki.

I’m here to help and to be a resource on Reiki and intuitive development. I work with each student to ensure confidence and success is achieved. I wrote the book because I really want to help everyone learn Reiki and know that everyone is capable of accessing natural healing energy. My book presents exactly what I say during 8 hours of teaching this method to those new to energy healing as well as seasoned professionals.

Comments and questions are welcome! Tune in to ReikiAwakening.com for information on upcoming events, book signings, and more soon!

A: Here is a list of the books that I think will clarify and deepen your knowledge and understanding about Reiki and energy healing. Get them from Amazon or any bookseller you prefer. I didn’t link them so you could do your own shopping.

REIKI FALSE BELIEFS EXPOSED FOR ALL: Misinformation Kept Secret by a Few Revealed by Steve Murray

This book helps set straight many accepted but false ideas about Reiki.

Earthing: The Most Important Health Discovery Ever? By Clinton Ober, Stephen T. Sinatra, M.D., and Martin Zucker

This book gives a scientific view, supported by studies, of the health benefits of grounding. The earth energy described in this book is that which combines with the Reiki energy when using Practical Reiki.

You Are Energy by Connie Dohan

This book presents a clear, concise guide to chakras, meridians, auras and the energetic aspects of disease. It’s brief, friendly, informative, and to the point. Available on Amazon.com only at this point.

Ultimate Balance: Infusing the Vibrational Energy of Essential Oils into Chakras, Meridians and Organs by LeAnne Deardeuff, DC

This is more than a guide to essential oils, it is a detailed reference book showing major and minor organs, muscles, acupressure points, chakras, and clear explanations of the emotions associated with each, and symptoms and treatments for when the organs are off balance energetically.

Hands of Light: A Guide to Healing Through the Human Energy Field by Barbara Ann Brennan

This is the college course on all things energy. Read it to deepen your knowledge. It’s deep and detailed, profound and wise. Everyone involved with energy healing should own a copy.

Practical Reiki for balance, well-being, and vibrant health: A guide to a strong, revolutionary energy healing method by Alice Langholt. <NOW AVAILABLE HERE!>

This last book (yes I wrote it) contains an important foundational understanding of Reiki, a guide to a simple and strong new Reiki method that can be used alone or in combination with other Reiki practices, and has featured Q&A at the end.  If you’re a newsletter subscriber (subscribe via ReikiAwakening.com), there will be a discount code published in the newsletter announcing the launch. You will receive in your email inbox if you subscribe.

A: Before selecting a Reiki practitioner for a treatment, it’s a good idea to know something about what to expect from that person. Here are some questions that may be useful to you. Select those which you want to know and take it from there.

• How long have you been practicing Reiki? While this question may not be relevant to the person’s ability to give an effective Reiki treatment, it will reflect on the confidence and expertise of the person treating you. That could affect the experience. That said, a new practitioner needs experience, so you shouldn’t be put off by someone with less experience, just aware. The more a person practices Reiki, the more sensitive that person becomes to energy and the more comfortable with giving a session.
• Will you incorporate anything besides Reiki in the session? It may be useful for you to know whether to expect aromatherapy, crystals, toning, or acupressure during your session, which are not part of Reiki, but some people use them in addition to a Reiki session.
• How long will a Reiki session with you last? Some Reiki sessions are an hour, some less. It’s good to know what to expect.
• How much do you charge for a Reiki session? Of course, it is a good idea to know up front what fee the practitioner expects for his or her work! Most local Reiki sessions will cost about the same as a massage.
• Where do you give Reiki? Some practitioners work in a wellness center or studio, some out of their homes, and others will come to you. If they come to you, ask if they bring a massage table or where you would have the session. All of these factors should be within your comfort level, and you should expect a quiet and uninterrupted experience. If the session will be at your house, you may wish to be sure no one else is home (i.e. children), and you can have the phone ringer off so you’re not distracted. You want to be as relaxed and tuned in to your session as you can be for the most benefit (and enjoyment!).

  Other considerations:

• Referrals – you may wish to talk to others who have experience receiving Reiki from this person, to find out if they enjoyed their session.
• Ethics – Reiki sessions are done fully clothed. If the Reiki practitioner indicates otherwise….avoid this person.
• Confidentiality – you should be sure (asking is fine) that the practitioner maintains an ethical policy of confidentiality with clients.
• Reiki is a complementary practice, not intended to replace your medical treatment. A practitioner is not empowered to diagnose or treat any specific illness or condition.

A: Before a session, there are a few goals that the Reiki practitioner has. The questions the practitioner asks will relate to these goals. Here are the goals, and my suggestions for questions:

Goal: To make sure the client understands what Reiki is and may feel like

Questions:

• Have you had Reiki before?
• If yes: How did it feel to you/ how did it help you that time?
• If no: Tell the client about the various clairs – ways in which people are naturally sensitive to energy – and how Reiki may feel through each. Here is a post which offers quick way to understand them.

Goal: To help the client be aware of improvements from the Reiki session

This starts before the session. You need to find out the client’s “before” state so you can compare it with “after.”

Questions:

• How are you feeling now? (Ask before and again after the session is complete).
• Are there any physical, emotional, or health-related issues you would like the Reiki to address?
• Are you receiving other treatments for this condition? (Reiki is not a substitute but considered complementary to any medical or other treatment one may be receiving. One never tells the client to discontinue any current course of treatment, nor does one diagnose the client or suggest other routes of care – ever – unless the Reiki practitioner is also a licensed medical professional.)

When you receive answers to these questions, you can follow up with other questions regarding scheduling another session, the benefits of Reiki, or other concerns that you are specifically addressing during this appointment. Many times clients like to talk about what they are experiencing during the session, so you may end up talking about that with the client as well.

This short list is intended to get you started, and may not be the only questions you would ask your client. They open the door to a natural dialog with the client that can help the session be most effective and make everyone comfortable.

To learn more about Reiki, or schedule a Reiki session in person or by distance, visit ReikiAwakening.com. I’m here to help!

A: If you were attuned to Reiki, here are some basic things that needed to be in place:

• The person who attuned you is at the Master level of Reiki, which empowers him or her to pass on attunements – to empower others to practice Reiki
• The person who attuned you intended for you to receive the attunement, regardless of whatever symbols, rituals, or lack of them he or she used
• You intended to receive the attunement

If all of the above were in place, consider yourself attuned. To further check, you could see if when you work with the Reiki energy if you feel or experience the energy flowing in any way. If not, you may need further instruction and possibly another attunement.

Keep in mind these things:

• Feeling Reiki gets easier – the energy feels stronger, the sensations increase – as you practice. So, just like working a new muscle, exercise is important. Mindful daily practice will yield the best results.
• You need to understand the way YOU experience energy – get in touch with your clair. Click here to learn more about that.
• You should work with a teacher who can guide you and help you feel supported as you learn and experience more about Reiki healing. A good teacher won’t want her student to flounder or feel unsure. For me, my students’ success is my first priority when it comes to working with Reiki.

I’m here to help. Find me and more information about Reiki at ReikiAwakening.com.

Q: How long should a Reiki session take?

A: It depends! There is no “set time” for a Reiki session. It depends on many things, such as:

• How much time you have to receive the Reiki – You might have an hour long session with a practitioner, or you may have a 10 minute session at an expo. You may receive a short blast of Reiki by distance, or you may receive a distance session that relaxes you so much you fall asleep.
• How much Reiki you need – You might be sick with a flu or down with a severe sprain, and then you’d absorb Reiki for 40 minutes. Or you might be feeling a little stressed, and 10 minutes of Reiki will make a huge difference.
• The method of Reiki used by the practitioner – Some Reiki methods take longer to give (such as Usui), and others take a shorter time (such as Kundalini Reiki). I can send someone a 5-7 minute distance healing with Kundalini Reiki, and the recipient will feel the energy actively working for at least 35 minutes. That’s just how this method works.

We’re all individuals, and we have our own imbalances, which can vary from day to day, person to person, and even hour to hour. You may feel exhausted at the end of the day, or you may wake up feeling sluggish. You may have an “afternoon slump” or be really energized in the evening. These fluctuations are a normal part of living. Reiki helps bring us into balance, and if received regularly (via regular Reiki sessions from a practitioner and self healing if you’re attuned), these fluctuations will feel less dramatic. That’s because we gain the ability to deflect stress, stay grounded and calm, and feel more healthy and empowered in general when we’re in balance. Reiki helps create that balance. It really makes a difference!

To receive or learn Reiki (or both!), visit ReikiAwakening.com. I’m here to help!

Q: How often should I receive Reiki?

A: I am asked this question a lot. The answer is, “it depends.” It depends on a number of things. Here are some of the considerations:

1) How much you are off balance physically, emotionally, or spiritually. For instance, severely anxious or depressed, chronically or acutely ill, or feeling completely disconnected from your purpose will probably be good reasons for receiving several Reiki healings as often as possible – daily or a few times per week, for example. Even weekly sessions can make a difference. In fact, they might make a HUGE difference. HERE is a post I wrote about one person that had miraculous results from Reiki.

2) How long you’ve had the issue. It seems that acute issues, those present for a shorter amount of time but rather severe in nature, heal faster than chronic issues – those which have been there longer. Think of Reiki as being able to rewind your health – the longer you’ve had it, the longer it might take to heal. The shorter, the faster. I’ve used Reiki to help my kids when they have the flu. I’ve given them Reiki several times a day and they’ve recovered quicker than before I knew Reiki.

3) How open you are to allowing Reiki to help you. Feeling hopeless no matter what will slow down the results because you are not allowing the energy to help you. It’s not necessary for you to believe without trying, but the more you are willing to accept the energy that could make a difference in your situation. Also, some people are not ready to heal because their issue is serving them in some way – bringing them attention or covering up emotional pain that’s deeper. Being truly ready to feel better can intensify the effects of the Reiki, speeding healing.

For those who are relatively healthy, regular Reiki healings can be as often as a massage – about once every few weeks.

For those who are Reiki practitioners, daily self healing is really recommended. Also, receive regular Reiki from another practitioner.

For those with issues they wish to resolve on any level, weekly Reiki or more often offers the best opportunity to see improvement.

To receive or learn Reiki, please visit ReikiAwakening.com.

Q: How can I start a Reiki practice?

A: These are suggestions you can use and any of them will help to get you started. Take your time and choose those which seem good for you to start with. There’s no need to do all of them at once, so don’t get overwhelmed!

When people want to find Reiki practitioners, the first stop is the Internet. No longer do people turn to the Yellow Pages. Have a website. It can be simple and free, such as a wordpress blog, or wix.com, or any of a number of website creation sites that will basically code it for you.

It’s good to have a Facebook presence, and start to cultivate friends. Build your friends list by requesting friendship from people on the lists of those who have similar interests. My friends list is mostly energy healers and Reiki people. Join discussion groups about Reiki and link your website there with some comments about what you’re offering. Offer what you feel strong in, whether it’s advice about Reiki, distance healing, or whatever feels good to you.

For your website, when you start one (or else use your blog), make sure you have registered in search engines (at least google and yahoo, but there are many others), and also write with SEO content in mind. That means use phrases that people would search for, such as “learn Reiki” or “Reiki distance healing.” Be sure to tag your posts with the topics so people searching for that topic can find your blog. Also, be clear and concise and present your page worded for what the viewer will get  – what will fit their needs – so they see immediately “What’s in it for ME” when they read your description.

Register in directories for holistic practitioners in your area, and on sites such as lightlistings.com, bodymindspiritdirectory.org. Also meetup.com is a good place to find people interested in getting together for a Reiki circle in your area, or to talk about energy healing, or any related topic. You can start a meetup or join one to network and meet people who can become your students and clients.

You may wish to start by offering free distance healing sessions, to get some interest going. One free session, and then they sign up for more. I wouldn’t offer free attunements and teaching though. You don’t need to do that.

As far as pricing, you have a lot of leeway. I would say don’t go too cheap because people get a perception that you’re not offering much of value. That said, a distance healing session can vary between $25 and $75 depending on the practitioner. See what feels right to you and start there. You can always offer a package deal or sliding scale pricing, scholarships, trades, or delayed payments for those who have money issues but need healing. Don’t emphasize that too much though or everyone will ask for it. For classes and training by distance, don’t charge too little. So see what feels right to you, but remember that people perceive value when they see a higher price.

If you want to expand your work locally, then use your online presence to advertise your local healings or teaching. Try to partner up with a local wellness center or yoga studio, chiropractor, massage therapist, or something along those lines, to have a place where you can offer healing sessions (if you don’t have a place where you practice already). Advertise in local free holistic papers and free online resources for  local practices. Ask those you’ve reached to pass the word along to others. Have and pass out business cards too. They are cheap and easy to order, or you can even make and print your own if you prefer. Talk it up. Referrals generate business in a very significant way.

Offer to speak at places – offices on a healthy lunch hour, or at an info table at a local community center or library on an afternoon. It’s about getting the word out and speaking to people.

Make some flyers or informational brochures about Reiki and how it can help, with your contact information. Put the flyers up at coffee shops, etc. Try teaching at a community rec center or library, or just give information and reach people that way. There are many places where you can reach a gathering who will pass your info along to others and so on. I also have a Reiki newsletter that I started and people can sign up via my website to receive it. They can pass it along to others too. This is another way to promote your online practice and increase your web presence.

Get on the phone and start calling around, offering to teach a free workshop. Senior centers, libraries, businesses, community centers, are good places to start. Don’t get discouraged, but call a few people at a time.

You can get a free business number and voice mail from google phone. Search for it – it will just forward the number to your regular or cell phone, and have voice mail that you can customize easily.

These are some ideas, but you have to be a “Reiki evangelist” and take action. Every little step is going to get you going. You only need to reach so many people. They will pass the word to others.

I offer personal coaching on starting a Reiki practice. Just schedule a coaching session here and I’ll get in touch with you. We’ll talk about what you have going, what your goals are, and I’ll offer you an individualized plan to get you started in a productive way. I’m here to help!

****Today, June 14, 2011, I will send a gift certificate for a full Distance Healing Session to anyone who helps me pay a random act of kindness forward. Any donation, any amount, for a good cause. Click here. ****

Q: Where can I receive free Reiki healing?

A: There are many places, people and websites where you can request Reiki and it will be provided free of charge.

Locally, in many areas some people offer Reiki for free, or for a donation. There are some Reiki clinics in various locations in which this is the case, and also you may hear of someone via word of mouth that will offer free Reiki. People who offer Reiki for free don’t often advertise a lot about it.

By distance, you have many options. I highly recommend the Distance Healing Network (www.the-dhn.com). This is a network of Reiki practitioners around the world who volunteer to receive a case each week from someone who has requested healing via their website. For the week, that practitioner will send Reiki to that person specifically. Often, multiple practitioners will be assigned to the same case, increasing the energy and the number of times it will be sent during the week. I’m a Group Leader with the DHN, and have been with them for three years. I’m impressed with the integrity of the volunteers and the feedback that comes in reporting improvements in people’s conditions and well-being after receiving healing. Requests can be repeated weekly.

In addition, I recommend The Reiki Page (http://reiki.7gen.com/) as a place to request free distance healing. People who offer Reiki subscribe to the list of people who have requested healing that day, and they receive a daily digest of the requests in their email. They are not obligated to send healing, but enough people are subscribers to the list that chances are good that a number of people will respond to your request by sending Reiki your way.

Today, June 14, 2011, I will send a gift certificate for a full Distance Healing Session to anyone who helps me pay a random act of kindness forward. Any donation, any amount, for a good cause. Click here.

To learn more about Reiki, I invite you to visit reikiawakening.com.

Q: Do I need to protect my energy if I do Reiki?

A: It’s a good idea. Not because we can “catch” bad energy from our Reiki clients, but because the more we do this work, the more our intuition develops. The intuition is centered in our sixth and seventh chakras, the highest major chakras in our energy system. So we become “open” to new insights as our intuition grows. And that’s a good thing for working with Reiki.

But being more “open” intuitively also means that we are more susceptible to any energy that finds our bright light attractive. There are negative energies around, and you don’t need to be “afraid” of them, but you should also be smart in the way you understand that being more intuitive attracts them to your light, like a magnet.

What can you do? Some simple protection techniques will do the trick.

• Ask for protection before beginning any energy work. Yep, just ask. Ask Source, or your Higher Self, or your Guides and Angels….anyone you feel spiritually connected with from a higher vibration.
• Intend that your aura be protected by light and love as you begin your work. Intention is all you need – it’s the basis of all energy work.
• If you start to feel uncomfortable in any way, just intend “shields up” like around  a Star Trek ship! You are intending for your energetic boundaries to be protected and negative energy not to be able to get in. Again, INTENTION. It’s powerful.
• Ground your energy before and after sharing energy, meditating, or anything which involves your intuitive senses. Grounding is very important and it will send negative energy down to the earth where it can be transmuted into positive again.
• Try using crystals in your space, pockets, or cleanse the space with sage, a cleansing mist, chimes, or run energy through the space. Wash your hands with water after a healing session.

  So it’s not that Reiki is the reason for protecting your energy. It’s that your growing intuition makes your light more open and visible (and attractive) to any negative energy that may be around. Protection is prudent, quick, and a practice that is just a good thing to adopt into your regular routine.

For advice on intuitive development and energetic protection techniques, visit ReikiAwakening.com/ebook.html. I have an ebook with more useful information and practices you can adopt as needed, plus it includes access to a free self-attunement for high level protection. I’m here to help!

Q: What does the word “Reiki” mean?

A: “Rei” means “guided.” “Ki” means “life force energy.” (pronounced “Ray-key”). Together, they mean that life force energy is being guided to bring the body, emotions, and spiritual aspects of ourselves into balance.

How is the life force energy guided, and where does it come from? It’s guided by INTENTION – that is, directed thought. Yes, it really is that easy. Our thoughts create powerful energy that creates change.

It comes from all around us. When I give Reiki, it isn’t my energy that I’m offering – it is energy from all around that comes THROUGH me to you. You receive it where you are ready to receive it – that means, where you need it to go to bring you into balance. You need to be receptive, though, because your INTENTION to receive is another part of the equation.

To learn more about Reiki, visit ReikiAwakening.com. I’m here to help!

Q: How can I deal with people who say that Reiki is fake?

A: It depends. Some people will reserve judgment until they give you a chance to let them experience Reiki. They will ask intelligent yet skeptical questions and honestly allow themselves to experience Reiki before they decide. Those are not the people this question is addressing today. Skepticism is fine – it implies that someone is open to trying the experience before making a decision about whether it is “True.”

This question is meant to address those who flat out decide, and then proclaim, that Reiki is fake. They are closed-minded, having made their decision based on something other than experience. That could mean fear of the unknown, extreme religious doctrine, or being afraid to accept that there is more than their current version of reality. You have no chance to change their mind; they are looking for a chance to convince YOU that you are wasting your time.

But you know better, don’t you? So how do you deal with these people?

The answer: you don’t.

Do not defend yourself. Do not try to explain or prove that Reiki is powerful, helpful, healing, etc. You won’t get anywhere.

Here’s what you should do instead:

Keep practicing with quiet confidence. Ignore those who would try to put you down or invalidate your work.

One or both of these two things will happen as a result:

1) You will continue to serve those who need and benefit from Reiki. (This is your purpose, right?)

2) The naysayer will either notice your positive results, or he will continue to deny Reiki. Either way, you are still doing your part to make the world better and getting the positive results that validate this work for those who matter – you and those you serve. (See #1).

To learn more about Reiki and find support for your intuitive development, you can find me at ReikiAwakening.com. I’m here to help.

Q: How are Reiki methods different from each other?

A: This question was emailed to me recently. Here’s what I answered:

There are many Reiki methods, I know a number of them, and they are variations on a theme. They have different symbols, different focuses, but ultimately, they are all ways of directing the same basic energy.

My favorite is Kundalini Reiki, which does not use symbols or require you to learn a specific series of hand placements. It’s purely “turn it on and it works” Reiki, with a lot of “here’s ways you can use it” thrown in. That’s why I think it’s the most practical and still comprehensive Reiki method, without the ritual and extra structure added.

The ritual and structure of other methods are really there to help people have a means of directing intention if they don’t feel comfortable doing so with words alone. Think of training wheels or speed dial. Each ritual or symbol is a little step in between you and the real thing – the intention. Energy is ALWAYS directed by intention, so however you decide to direct it – via symbols, words, thoughts, music notes, crystals, color, light, angelic assistance, prayer, or singing Row Row Row Your Boat (kidding – I don’t know a method that does that), these are all ways of intending that the energy do this or that. By “do this or that,” I mean unblock certain chakras, stream healing to a certain area, strengthen energy, or assist in allowing the recipient to just receive the healing that’s needed.

By the way, that’s what is really happening here – we are only the faucet, and the energy is the water, and the recipient takes in the water where he is ready for drinking it in. He may need the water to wash away emotional blockages, to soothe away pain, to fill in where a person is parched for receiving energy, or other needs. He may be terribly thirsty but not ready to accept that, and so it’s not possible for us to make him drink. He has to be ready to try taking a sip. We are offering the water. The recipient has the ability and choice (conscious or unconscious choice) to receive it where he is ready to.

So to answer your question, think of how you like to learn. Do you prefer structure? Do you want simple instructions and a strong connection to the energy with the freedom to direct it the way you wish? The choice is yours. The energy is available to you in any way which makes the most sense to you.

Anyone can learn Reiki who desires to learn. No previous intuitive experience or ability is needed. I’ve taught people completely new to energy, skeptics, and those who have been practicing one form or another of energy healing for over 20 years. All respond, feel the energy, and have a new way to use it.

Find me at ReikiAwakening.com. I’m here to help.

Q: Besides on people, what can Reiki be used for?

A: Many things! The possibilities are as endless as your creative ideas. Reiki energy is directed by intention. So you simply turn it on, request what you want the energy to do, and let it flow.

Here are some suggestions, but the list is not complete!

• Heal, relax, and share love with your pets
• Encourage your plants to be healthy and thriving
• Charge water and food with energy
• Open opportunities for abundance
• Increase your intuition
• Clear the energy in a room, car, or building
• Protect your car, plane, or mode of travel before and during a trip
• Send positive energy to any situation
• Heal relationships

For guidance on how to do these things, and to learn more about Reiki, visit ReikiAwakening.com, or email me any time! I’m here to help.

Q: How many Reiki healings are needed for a cure?

A: It depends. Here are some of the things the answer depends on:

• The severity of the problem. The more severe, the more healing sessions will be needed to make a difference.
• How long the problem has been going on. The shorter the duration, the fewer healing sessions it will take to make a difference. If it took you years to get to this place of chronic pain or illness, it may take a while to reverse things. Little by little, along with other health changes for the better, you can see a difference.
• How willing and ready you are to heal. Your own efforts and desire to heal are very important. They are, in fact, the MOST IMPORTANT factors in your own healing process. Remember, all healing is the responsibility and under the ultimate control of the person receiving the healing.
• Your attitude. If you walk into the session expecting the practitioner to heal you, without your own participation, and hold her accountable for whether or not you heal (or the speed of your healing), you are placing the blame or responsibility on the wrong person.
• How open you are. If you go in believing that Reiki can’t help, you will make that a reality for yourself. If you go in ready to receive the energy that can help you heal, or ready to at least experience something new, you will.

How many sessions at the doctor’s office are needed, how many prescriptions, how many different doctors, how many treatments? This, just like the question in today’s post, is a complex and individual issue. Once you understand the parallel, you’ll have more of a chance to find out the answer for you.

To receive and learn Reiki healing, visit ReikiAwakening.com

Q: Is permission necessary for giving Reiki?

A: This is a hotly debated topic in the energy healing community. My opinion is that it is ethical to ask permission before giving Reiki to another person, and that applies to both local and distance healings. For children, you ask permission of the child’s parent.

That is the first preference.

Here are some reasons why I believe it’s important to have permission:

• When a person gives permission, she is open to receiving the energy. The person’s awareness of the fact that someone is offering her Reiki helps that person to place her attention on receiving the healing, which will increase her ability to receive the energy.
• When a person is aware that he is receiving Reiki, he will also be in tune to his own sense of well-being after the healing session. Is he feeling better? How does he feel? Being aware of the changes brought on by the Reiki energy could help him see the value in this method. Perhaps he would even go on to learn Reiki someday and offer it to others!
• Think of yourself. Would you want someone sending or giving you Reiki without your permission or knowledge? Perhaps it depends which person is offering the energy. So if it depends on who the person is, ask yourself if you would want just anyone giving you Reiki without your permission or knowledge. If the answer is “no,” then you would want to be asked first. If you believe you would want to be asked first, then just turn it around and understand that others probably would as well.
• Regarding children, think of the parents. Parents want to be aware of, and give permission for any treatment offered to their children. So even if there is a child in your class, or neighborhood who gets hurt or upset around you, and you know that a little Reiki could help, you ethically should refrain until you speak with that child’s parents. It can be tempting, I know, to just go over and offer some soothing Reiki energy. But again, put yourself in the parent’s shoes, and ask yourself if your child was hurt/upset, if you would want someone giving ANY treatment without your knowledge or permission. For most parents, the answer would be “no.” Let this help shed some light on your understanding of the importance of permission.

Now, there will be times when permission is absolutely impossible to obtain. If one is in a coma, speeding by in an ambulance, or you want to send healing to victims of a disaster in another part of the world, err on the side of helping. You can begin your Reiki session by asking that if the recipient(s) is willing to receive this healing energy, that it be received, and if not, that the energy be sent to the earth/the Universe/ some other generic cause you choose. That will cover the permission aspect and take it out of your hands. This should not be used as the norm, though, because when permission IS possible to obtain, one should try to get it.

Some people would say to ask the recipient’s Higher Self, and then feel for an answer. For me, I wouldn’t recommend that because often our own desire to help may provide a false positive. We just want to hear “yes” and we want to help. So that could skew the actual answer, even if we were presumably tuned-in enough to actually receive one.

Also, some people think that prayer and Reiki are so similar that why would anyone need permission to send either to another person? I believe prayer and Reiki are different enough to call Reiki a “healing” or “treatment” and prayer is not recognized as either. That difference is enough to warrant permission.

There are some people who would refuse Reiki for religious, or other reasons. They deserve to have a say in whether they receive Reiki or not, even if we think they could really benefit from the energy.

There are also those who say that by the law of Free Will, a person will not receive Reiki if he or she is against it. That may be true, but it still is ethical to ask. Plus, I think that the educational opportunity – the person being aware that the Reiki did help him – could bring about a new way of thinking for him, and lead to opening new opportunities for his own healing. Wouldn’t we love to help someone get to that point? I have been there, and am grateful for the moment I introduced someone to Reiki who went on to receive weekly Reiki healings that led to a complete cure for her chronic disabilities and problems. Here is that story.

I hope that this post has shed some light on the ethics of permission and Reiki. I welcome your thoughts.

To experience and learn Reiki, I invite you to visit ReikiAwakening.com. I’m here to help.

Q: Do I need to heal myself before I can heal others with Reiki?

Self Healing by artist Kimberly Kirk

A: No. Once attuned, a person can offer healing to anyone, including him or herself, and should. Self healing is important, and can offer incredible benefits, both immediate and cumulative throughout one’s life. But Reiki energy will work, whether you are in need of healing yourself (and who isn’t?), or you are completely balanced.
Having said that, I would like to offer the idea that a person who is offering Reiki to others should always “walk their talk” – that is, this person should do regular self-healing, and also receive healing regularly from other Reiki practitioners. This is the way to be authentic, to be in integrity with one’s life and practice. If you are constantly telling others about the benefits of Reiki and you are not taking advantage of them yourself, you are out of balance between your life and practice.

When you’re a Reiki practitioner, you’ll find that other Reiki practitioners are usually willing to do a trade. I have several friends that I trade Reiki healings with on a regular basis, and we both benefit from the practice and the receiving.

Also, the more you practice Reiki for yourself, the more your intuition and your sense of self increases and develops. This is a wonderful side-effect of mindful regular Reiki practice. Most Reiki practitioners I know are very interested in developing their intuition further. Simple self healing and mindful practice are key for this.

We are all a work in progress. Let Reiki help you help yourself and others.

I’m here to help you get there. Contact me at ReikiAwakening.com.

Q: Is Reiki against religion?

A: No. Reiki is not a religion or a religious practice. It is a spritual practice. If your religious leaders speak out against Reiki, they may not understand what Reiki is really about. Or they may be coming from a place of fear of the unknown, thinking that something that is not defined in their religious literature must be “wrong.” I can’t change someone’s mind if they have that view.

However, I will tell you what I believe, along with the many others I know who practice Reiki. We come from a wide variety of religious (and non-religious) backgrounds and beliefs.

I believe that life force energy exists in all living beings. This is the same energy that Reiki is at its essence. When I am offering Reiki to another person, I am offering that person more of what they, themselves, are made of, and are lacking in some places (which creates imbalance in those areas).

In addition, the person receiving Reiki is in charge (consciously or subconsciously) of exactly how much energy is received, and where it goes. I am simply offering energy to that person for that person to take, as one might offer a jar of lotion to someone who may then take some and apply it where needed.

If Reiki energy is the same life-energy that we have as part of us from conception, it is what we have been given by our Creator, however you choose to define that Source. Therefore, offering some of the same, which doesn’t come from me, but instead through me, is just more of a universal redistribution of the same Source energy that’s part of All That Is.

Prayer is another way of intending that energy move and change someone’s situation. Asking for help from Source is pretty similar to asking that energy re-balance a person where needed. Reiki is not prayer, but there are parallels. If prayer is not against religion, neither is Reiki.

I welcome comments, but hateful or religiously judgmental comments will be deleted.

Alice
ReikiAwakening.com

Q: Will Reiki work if someone doesn’t believe in it?

A: Reiki always works. But if someone is absolutely closed to the idea that Reiki could be real, either that person won’t feel it, or it won’t work for that person. That’s because a person’s healing is up to him or her. As Reiki practitioners, we are “healing facilitators.” We offer the energy for the person to receive and absorb where it’s needed. But the person will only receive the energy he or she is ready to receive. So that’s the most important part of this – the free will factor.

A person who is not willing to accept the reality of Reiki also won’t be ready to receive the healing that the energy could provide. Furthermore, even if on some level the person did receive the energy, he or she would never acknowledge that it was the Reiki that helped. He or she just wouldn’t be able to compromise on that ingrained belief that Reiki is not real.

My advice: Offer, but don’t waste too much energy trying to “prove” Reiki is real to someone who is determined to believe that it isn’t. Instead, spend time helping those who want Reiki, or are willing to try it. There are plenty.

I’m here to help. Find me at ReikiAwakening.com

Q: Is it wrong to cross your legs or arms during a Reiki treatment?

A: No. Reiki energy can travel over any distance, so why should it get “stuck” if you cross your legs or arms? Your energy pathways are many, and run throughout your body. Your aura carries a large amount of your energy as well. Reiki energy flows where you are ready to receive it, and you naturally absorb it in those areas when you are receiving Reiki.

One thing to note is that crossing your arms can be a rather “closed” posture, which could potentially trick your mind into thinking that you are not receptive to the energy, but are “closed” to receiving any. I always encourage my clients to sit comfortably in a chair with palms facing upward on their lap, because that is a receptive posture. Similarly, lying down should be comfortable, and arms crossed over one’s chest would possibly be both less comfortable, and also indicate that “closed” sort of attitude that the mind might translate into a mental or emotional attitude against receiving energy.

So the message here is anything that helps you to be receptive when receiving a Reiki healing is a good thing. Examples: relaxing, assuming a receptive posture, and simply being in the moment, with quiet inner observation as your presence.

If you’d like to receive or learn more about Reiki, please visit ReikiAwakening.com.

Questions and comments are welcome!

Q: How can I find places to volunteer to give Reiki?

A: Thanks for asking! This question was submitted by Shannon, one of the readers of the Reiki Q&A blog.

While not all hospitals are open to Reiki, some have started either providing training for nurses, or incorporating volunteers (or in some rare cases, paid staff), into their patient care options. I volunteer at The Cleveland Clinic, and I also know that other hospitals in this area have people giving Reiki in some capacity, or are adding the service soon. With hospitals, you should do your homework. Find out if the hospital offers Reiki by looking on the hospital website or calling the hospital. You want to look for a Wellness Department, Healing Services, or Complementary Care…something along those lines. Call and speak to someone there and ask about if they offer Reiki, and who provides it. Then ask if they allow volunteers and what are the requirements and procedures for making application. At The Cleveland Clinic, I received an email and it directed me to the Volunteer Office, where I went through basic Volunteer Training after having an interview over the phone and then one in person with the Volunteer Coordinator in the Healing Services Department, where I now am placed. You will need to know if they are choosy about what level or type of Reiki you practice. Some places will require Master level in Usui Reiki, and some only want to know about your experience. Some want you to have a degree in something medical or social work (although not necessarily if you are a volunteer).

Other places you can try which will likely be open to inquiry include:

• Veterans Hospitals
• Cancer support centers
• Hospice
• Senior assisted living facilities (where you can also approach them about teaching a workshop to the residents)

So where to start? I always seem to begin with the Internet. Search for the hospitals and/or places that interest you, your area, and then search for Reiki. Then the next place to go is the phone. Talk to someone who is in the department that offers this care.

What if they’re not familiar with Reiki or don’t offer it? You have two choices – educate them, or look elsewhere. Chances are they are familiar with Reiki or the idea of it, although they may not offer it yet. But maybe they are open to learning more. If that’s the case, you can offer to come in and give an informative talk to staff and demonstrate, and provide some reference materials about the benefits of Reiki.

If you get turned away, no worries. There will be other places, and the best thing is, you’ve put the idea out there. They may come around. Reiki is getting more recognized every day for the stress and pain relief, healing and health benefits it brings.

You can also search for “holistic” and “alternative health care” in your area and see what comes up. You may find places that didn’t show in your previous searches.

Speak confidently, and clearly when you talk to people. Your Reiki elevator speech should include a clear definition of Reiki. This is the most important thing to be prepared with. So before you get on the phone, know how you will describe Reiki to someone who may not be familiar with it.

I offer coaching in this and many other areas, should you be interested in more personal guidance. Find out more here.

Questions and comments are always welcome!

Q: Do your hands always get hot when giving Reiki?

A: Some Reiki practitioners’ hands get hot during a Reiki treatment. Others don’t. And sometimes one’s hands may heat up, while other times the same person’s hands might not. Hot hands are not an indication that your Reiki is stronger than my Reiki, or that Reiki is working better for one person, or on one particular day, than another. They are simply one of many indications that the energy is flowing.

Reiki practitioners sense the flow of energy in a variety of ways, called Clairs. The sensations can be visual, auditory, sentient, cognitive, or a combination of any of these. So hot hands are not the end-all-be-all of a Reiki treatment.

Personally, I have given Reiki treatments when my hands are ice cold, and so I didn’t touch the recipient. I just hovered my hands over her body while the energy was flowing. The person receiving the Reiki commented on how warm the energy felt, and she was surprised when I lightly touched her hands to show her how cold my hands were that day. Your recipient’s perceived temperature of your hands can be quite different from your actual skin temperature.

There have been other days when the skin surface of my hands seemed so hot that I thought I had to plunge them into ice water to cool them afterward.

The most important thing during a Reiki treatment is that your recipient feels better. You may also help your recipient learn to feel the energy, so you can get feedback during the healing session. Thirdly, you will start to sense all the ways the energy is communicating to you once you take note of the various sensations in your hands, and then place your attention on other means the energy uses to communicate with you. (See the link to a post about that by clicking here). The temperature of your hands is only one of many, many ways you can learn to feel and interpret energetic information.

Experience and tuned in observation will help you develop your clairs.

For assistance with your intuitive development, or to learn Reiki, visit ReikiAwakening.com. I’m here to help!

Reminder: The Reiki Retreat is this coming weekend! There are still a limited number of spots available if you register by Tuesday, May 10!

Comments and questions are welcome!

Q: Does Reiki work if I can’t feel it?

A: Yes. Whether you are a practitioner who is still learning to sense the subtle sensations of the energy, or a person who is receiving a Reiki healing, once a person is attuned to Reiki, the Reiki energy is flowing.

It can be hard to believe in something you can’t feel though, so this can be difficult. I don’t want people to have to take me “on faith” and just believe rather than experience the energy. I believe that experience is our best teacher of our truth. If you feel it, it’s real for you. If you’ve experienced it, you have a frame of reference.

There can be many reasons why a person might not be aware of feeling the energy. Here are some of them:

•  fatigue

•  inexperience (not knowing what to expect to feel)

• over-thinking or over-analyzing each sensation

• health or emotional state which could mask the subtle energy sensations

• being hot or cold, or in pain which could cause the body to just register those physical sensations overwhelming energetic ones (unless the energy is causing the pain to subside, in which case it could be recognized).

• energetic blockages which need to be solved to process energetic sensations

• need for energy – maybe the person has had Reiki recently and doesn’t need much at this moment

• denial – people who think that Reiki is fake, and are determined to believe it will have a harder time recognizing it when they do.

It’s also important to note that individuals are naturally sensitive to energy in their own way, which could be not at all, or could be involving natural psychic abilities. In short…everyone’s different.

Another thing is everyone needs to become aware of his or her unique way of sensing energetic information. Usually these energetic sensitivities, called “clairs” will fall into one of four categories: visual, hearing, touch, and knowing.

If you’re visually sensitive, you may see colors, patterns, or images with your eyes closed.

If you’re audiently sensitive, you may hear music, ringing, buzzing, or vibration in your ears.

If you’re touch-sensitive, you may feel changes in temperature, tingles, waves of a magnetic or static-like feeling, pressure, lightness, or other physical responses.

And if you’re cognitively sensitive, you may just “know” that something is different.

Becoming aware of your way of sensing intuitive information will help you pay attention to those particular sensations and recognize them when they happen. Your attention will also make them feel stronger and more nuanced as you practice or just tune in. So I always try to teach my students and clients to “be aware of their clair.”

If you just don’t feel, see, hear, or sense anything, cut yourself some slack. Are you a practitioner? Practice more. And also, get feedback from those you offer energy to. Do they feel it? What do they feel when you are giving them Reiki? Let that be reassuring to you.

The more you practice, the more you’ll start to sense some patterns in the way you feel when giving Reiki. You may start to recognize a consistency and that is the energy talking to you.

If you are receiving Reiki and you don’t feel or notice anything, instead, place your awareness on how you feel in general before and afterward. What changes for you after you have your treatment? Do you notice less stress? Less pain? A more clear and positive feeling? Feel emotionally lighter? Results are more important than anything, really. Reiki is here to help you get into balance. Feeling the energy isn’t really the goal of a Reiki healing.
I hope these answers and suggestions have been useful. I welcome your comments.

To learn or experience Reiki, I invite you to ReikiAwakening.com.

Q: What are the Reiki hand positions for?

A: The Reiki hand positions, developed for the original Usui Reiki method of natural healing, are a series of hand positions which, when done in sequence, cover all major areas of the body, from head to toe.

Incorrectly taught by some, the Reiki energy is not “put” on each place as the practitioner moves his hands from position to position. Reiki energy does not truly flow from the hands.

Instead, if the practitioner slowly moves his hands over the recipient during a Reiki treatment, the sensations that the practitioner receives can help him get a sense of where the energy is being received by the client.

The client may feel energy at the places where the practitioner places his hands. That is because the client’s awareness is drawn to those places, and the client may place her attention on that area, and therefore any energy being received in that place will be noticed.

The hand positions, therefore, are a way for the practitioner to be in dialogue with the energy – sense where it is being received most, for example, and then allow the practitioner to comment on that to the client. The client can then place her attention on these areas, which helps her be more receptive and responsive to the Reiki energy as its being received.

Some Reiki systems, such as Kundalini Reiki, do not include a series of hand positions. The practitioner is encouraged to get a sense of the energy flowing, and decide where he wants to place his hands during the treatment.

Regardless of where the practitioner places his hands, the energy is flowing where the recipient is able to receive the healing that is needed.

If you have questions or comments, they are welcome below.

To learn more about Reiki, visit ReikiAwakening.com.

Q: Is Reiki lineage important

A: No. This is a point that some Reiki practitioners would disagree with, but here’s why I say that Reiki lineage is not important:

First, what lineage is: Lineage is the link between the practitioner and the founder of Usui Reiki, Mikao Usui. How many people are in between the practitioner and Sensei Usui is the lineage.

Now, here’s how I see it. For each of us, there are certain energetic frequencies that we carry naturally. Then there are those we’ve added as we’ve learned how to tap into our intuitive abilities. Perhaps some of us have learned meditation, perhaps yoga, perhaps some other forms of energy healing such as Quantum Touch, Polarity Therapy, Qi Gong, or Theta Healing. Each time we strengthen our intuition in any way, our vibration alters a little. So my Reiki energy may feel different from someone else’s, even if we both learned the same Reiki method(s).

Think of it this way: You and I both learn to play a simple Mozart minuet on the piano. We spend the same amount of time practicing, with the same teacher. We both master the piece. Then, you and I each play it. Will there be differences? Yes, there will. It’s the same notes, the same rhythm, we had the same teacher, and both practiced. What’s different is the interpretation that we naturally give the piece as we play it. Subtle pressures yielding different dynamics, tones, and the mood created by the full interaction of each will be different because you and I are different. Same with Reiki.

This has to do with lineage in the way that if I learned Reiki from x teacher who learned it from Usui himself, and you learned it from y teacher, who learned it from a line ten people down from Usui, we are both channeling energy, and it won’t be “watered down” but instead filtered through our own intuitive frequencies to get to the recipient.

The factors which influence the strength of the energy that the recipient is offered are more part of the practice of the person giving the healing. Here’s what matters most, as I see it:

• personal self healing
• dedicated, daily practice
• self reflection
• striving to improve one’s life, health, and intuition
• giving and receiving Reiki regularly

This is what matters. If you were taught well by a dedicated teacher, and you practice mindfully and regularly, you will have strong, beautiful Reiki energy flowing through you.

I welcome your thoughts.

To learn more, please visit ReikiAwakening.com.

Q: Can Reiki help with your sex life?

A: Yes. This question has many facets, so it’s probably good to clarify some different ways of looking at it. One’s sex life could need help for a variety of reasons, so I’ll bullet point them and talk about how Reiki could help.

• Loss of sex drive – This could be a hormonal issue, an emotional issue, or a relationship issue, just to name a few. But in any case, Reiki can help to gently heal the imbalance and help a person recover the natural desire for intimate relations. If the imbalance is hormonal, Reiki can assist in balancing the reproductive system. If the imbalance is emotional or relationship-centered,  Reiki can help send healing to the underlying issue. However, know that Reiki may bring to the surface some things that need to be dealt with so that the problem can be solved. If you’re ready to really deal with the problem, whether it’s in the past or the present, Reiki can help.
• Wanting to “connect” more during lovemaking – This could be simply a desire to enhance the intimacy shared with your partner. In this case, yes, Reiki can help by enhancing the subtle sensations of energy flowing between you and your partner. It’s a pretty powerful experience to take the time to share energy before getting physical – let’s call it “energetic foreplay” because it gives the pair an opportunity to share warm, loving energy. When shared with the intention of enhancing the loving bond between two people, Reiki can do this very well. This feeling can carry over to all that follows too, if you know what I mean.
• Wanting to just “be sexier” – This could be the desire to be more attractive to the person you are enamored with. Think of it this way: doing Reiki self healing (if you are attuned) or working on your own well-being with Reiki can help you be a better, more loving person. That energy shines out of you and people can see the difference. Your more positive state can really enhance your life on all levels, and let’s face it – that is attractive.

So…you can’t really go wrong by giving Reiki a try! To experience or learn Reiki for yourself (anyone can learn this simple and powerful technique!), visit ReikiAwakening.com. I’m here to help!

Questions and comments always welcome!

Q: Do Reiki Masters get sick?

A: Of course we do. We’re human after all. But the best thing is, because of Reiki, we have ways to get better, or feel better, above and beyond what someone who is not familiar with Reiki would have.

Reiki helps relieve pain, relax a person, and reduce stress. These three things alone can help the body heal faster because one’s energy resources are not taken up trying to fight off pain, feeling terrible, or being stressed over being sick. So the immune system has more ability to function well and we can get better faster.

Also, regular self healing with Reiki helps us stay well longer, so we don’t get sick as often or as severely as without Reiki.

Anyone can learn Reiki. It’s not a method reserved for psychic people or those with natural healing abilities. We all have natural healing abilities and learning Reiki helps us to access them instantly.

Try receiving Reiki first. Experience the energy. Then learn it for yourself. It will change your life…and health…for the better.

Find out more here: ReikiAwakening.com

Q: Can Reiki help with PMS?

A: Yes! Reiki energy helps with balance, and PMS is a state of hormonal imbalance as a woman enters the premenstrual phase of her cycle. So, at the very least, the Reiki energy can assist with whatever other ways she is assisting herself through this time. It may be useful to receive Reiki from another person, as this can be stronger than self healing. So whether one is attuned to Reiki and using self healing for a gentle way to relieve PMS symptoms, or one goes to a Reiki practitioner to receive a healing session, Reiki can be useful in relieving pain, soothing mood swings, and making this time of the month easier to manage.

Regular Reiki treatments may also have the benefit of regulating the cycle as well, increasing fertility prospects, and helping the body to naturally heal other reproductive and hormonal issues.

To receive or learn more about Reiki, visit ReikiAwakening.com. I’m here to help!

If you are a Reiki practitioner, I’d like to invite you to the 2011 Reiki Retreat May 13-15, 2011! Details here.

Comments and questions are welcome!

Q: Is it more powerful to receive Reiki from a group?

A: Yes! When two or more energy healers combine to offer healing to someone, the healing energy is amplified that much. Also, different energy healers have different strengths, so when our strengths are combined, we can complement each other and also share information.

For instance, two of the most intuitive people I know and I offer Team Distance Healings. Together, we send healing to one who requests it. While we do so, we are in touch with each other via live chat. We compare notes – where we sense the recipient’s issues, when the blockage/issue is resolved, and what else we sense intuitively. We direct healing toward the person’s imbalances via our intention. One of our team is clairvoyant, and she receives a message from the recipient’s guide, which we report to the recipient. Another person on our team is excellent at seeing and removing negative entities. I am strong at sending healing energy and protection techniques. Together, we can do more than just one of us. When someone has a serious issue, or is in need of a powerful blast of healing energy, this is recommended.

To learn more about Team Distance Healings, visit ReikiAwakening.com

Questions and comments are welcome.

Q: Can I send Reiki healing into the past?

A: Yes. Sending Reiki to heal an issue or trauma from the past can help heal the effects of that event in your present. It doesn’t change what happened, but it makes getting over it easier. Think of it as loosening the ties to the damage that event caused, creating space for healing in its place. It may take a few sessions if the event was severe, but it will help each time.

Reiki energy is not bound by the laws of space or time. So by intention, we can send healing to another place, time, or person anywhere in the world. That means that the limitations are ours to set by our intention. Healing is possible on so many levels, and we can feel confident that we are powerfully enabled to direct healing energy where it’s needed.

To learn more about Reiki, receive Reiki, or learn how to access Reiki energy yourself, visit ReikiAwakening.com. I’m here to help!

Questions and comments are welcome.

Q: Are audio attunements effective?

A: Somewhat. An audio attunement is an attunement that has been embedded into a sound file – usually meditation music or a guided meditation. It is embedded by the intention of the Reiki Master that anyone who listens to the audio file receives the attunement energy.

This will often create an energetic change that can enable the listener to then access the Reiki energy and be attuned.

There is a difference though, and it matters.

A personally given attunement, whether by distance or in person, is much stronger. It is a direct connection, intended for you personally by name.

Also, the most effective way to learn Reiki is with a teacher. A good teacher will support your learning, answer your questions, and be invested in your personal success and confidence in your Reiki practice. A good teacher will be effective in person or via distance.

I teach Reiki both ways, (remotely and in person), and my students are all given the help and support they need to become powerful and successful Reiki practitioners and master teachers. I am here for each student far beyond their training time, any time they have questions or want to share experiences, for life. That’s much better than simply listening to an audio file and then trying to teach yourself.

Here’s an analogy. Trying to learn Reiki yourself is like you are a radio, trying to find the Reiki Channel, and not knowing what it sounds like, or where it’s located. An audio attunement will give you a fuzzy and weak connection to the Reiki Channel, and you will have to work without guidance to try to coax the signal to get stronger. A direct attunement from a Reiki Master Teacher to you specifically will get you the strongest, clearest connection, and you’ll be playing that Reiki Channel loud and clear immediately, without a doubt. Yes, it makes that much of a difference.

Some people will circulate or offer free audio attunements. Just know that there is a significant difference in the strength of the energy and the quality of your instruction when you work with a teacher.

I have tested this theory many times, and it’s proven to be true. Just yesterday, someone came to me who had received Kundalini Reiki attunements via audio file. He thought his attunements were fine, that he was comfortable channeling the energy. I suggested that he allow me to re-attune him to the master level personally so he could feel the difference for himself. He agreed. He was completely amazed by the difference in the strength of the energy during and after his attunement from me. His connection to the Reiki energy was so much more powerful after I attuned him, that he was exclaiming over and over again that he never knew it could be this strong. I think that people who receive the audio attunements just aren’t aware that there is a difference. I hope that writing this blog will be enlightening for those who need this information.

To learn more, visit ReikiAwakening.com.

If you have been attuned by audio attunement, and you wish to “upgrade” your attunements to a stronger connection, email me. I’ll help you too.

Questions? Comments? Post them below!

Q: Is Reiki a placebo?

A: No. Reiki is real. That being said, there is something real about having the mindset of believing that something will work. But with Reiki, you don’t have to believe as much as just be open enough to try. Skepticism doesn’t affect the healing power of Reiki. In fact, skeptics are often surprised and delighted when they feel the Reiki energy working. That in itself seems to support the idea that Reiki is not a placebo.

But what is a placebo? It’s a mindset by the recipient that something will work, and often because one believes it will work, it does. That effect reinforces the fact that we are in charge of our own healing, and our belief that we can and will heal makes a difference. Our thoughts are powerful, and our intentions are directed thoughts.

Reiki is directed by intention – directed thought – and it is real, and does help. But having the expectation of healing is powerful in itself and can also support the other efforts a person is making to heal.

So think of it this way:

• Our thoughts, intentions and expectations powerfully direct and support our reality.
• Being open to try allows one to benefit from receiving Reiki.
• Reiki can and will support other efforts toward healing.

To experience and learn more, visit ReikiAwakening.com. I’m here to help!

Comments and questions welcome.

Q: Can you combine Reiki with other alternative therapies?

A: Yes! Reiki can complement and enhance the effectiveness of most any other method of healing you would choose. Whether you have a Reiki session in between treatments with the other method (i.e. massage, acupuncture, cranial-sacral work, polarity therapy, etc.), or the practitioner is incorporating Reiki into his or her work, Reiki can help!

Reiki energy balances the subtle frequencies of the person’s energetic body as it is being received. So it can be combined with any other therapy to achieve deeper and more profound healing.

You may choose to ask your massage therapist or other practitioner if he or she incorporates Reiki into his or her methods, and how it has been effective.

To learn Reiki for yourself, or experience a healing by distance (or in the Cleveland, OH area), visit ReikiAwakening.com. I’m here to help!

Comments and questions are welcome!

Q: Why do I feel light-headed after Reiki?

A: That’s called being “ungrounded.” It’s nothing to worry about, but you can take steps to feel more balanced afterward.

First, here’s why that feeling may happen. Chakras are energy centers located in various parts of your body and energy. There are seven main chakras, arranged in a line from the top of your head down to your groin. When you receive Reiki, the energy enters through your crown chakra, at the top of your head. Your third eye chakra, which is at the center of your forehead, processes intuition. That is also activated during a Reiki healing. These chakras may capture your attention as they are receiving energy, making you feel as if you are hanging upside-down with the blood rushing to your head. Essentially, the ENERGY is rushing to your head, so that’s not a bad analogy! It doesn’t mean that energy isn’t being received in other areas, but you are sensing it there with these chakras the most, since they relate to your intuitive abilities.

Now, here’s what to do if you have that spacey, dizzy feeling after receiving Reiki. Ground your energy by standing firmly, with feet spread shoulder-width apart. Visualize yourself as a tree, with roots growing down deep into the earth beneath you from the soles of your feet. Don’t worry if you can’t perfectly imagine this. Just try anyway. Let the roots extend and thicken downward through the earth, earth’s core, and beyond to the other side of the earth. Then visualize pulling earth-energy up the roots all the way back up to your feet and into your body, traveling upward through your body, down your arms to your hands, back up your arms, up your neck, and out the top of your head.

Send that energy upward as high as you can imagine, and then pull energy back down into your head and down to your heart, where it meets the earth energy coming in from below.

Observe how you feel now.

Other grounding activities you can do include drinking water (which you should do after Reiki anyway to flush out toxins), getting outside for fresh air, leaning up against a tree, sitting on a big rock, taking a bath or shower, and eating a high protein meal, or one with root vegetables.

To learn more about Reiki, visit ReikiAwakening.com.

Your comments and questions are welcome below!

Q: What are the Reiki Principles?

A: These Reiki principles were developed by Mikao Usui, the founder of the original form of Reiki, Usui Reiki. They were adapted from “The Guidelines for a Fulfilled Life” written by the Meiji Emperor of Japan (1868-1912). They are some ethical guidelines for a Reiki practitioner, or anyone, really, in order to have a better life.

They are both simple and complex, and can be meditated on, set as goals, or simply adapted as a beautiful way of life.

The most complete and traditional translation of Usui’s original adpatation is this:

The secret method of inviting blessings
The spiritual medicine of many illnesses
For today only, do not anger, do not worry.
Be grateful. Honestly do your work. Be kind to all people.
In the morning and at night, with hands held in prayer,
think this in your mind, chant this with your mouth.
The Usui Reiki method to change your mind and body for the better.

The founder, Mikao Usui

Reiki students are taught these ideals, but they are not “commandments” since Reiki is not a religion. But if one can take them to heart, even in brief form, they can improve your life.

The briefest form is this:

Just for today:
Avoid anger
Avoid worry
Work honestly
Be grateful
Be kind.

Simple. Complex. Profound.

If you’d like to learn more about Reiki, I’m here to teach you! Come to ReikiAwakening.com or leave me a comment.

Q: Does Reiki work on food and water?

A: Yes! If you charge water with Reiki, it will taste better, and be infused with Reiki energy, which you will directly take into your body as you drink it. Food, also, receives benefit from Reiki energy.

Think of it this way: everything is, at its essence, made of energy. So infusing it with Reiki will have an effect. Water, in particular, is affected by Reiki because water changes form and is in everything – us, the air we breathe, our food and drink, how we clean ourselves, etc. In fact, some consider water to be one actual living being, part of the planet and all life, connected and replenishing itself through its cycle. If you think of water this way, then you can more easily see that we, too, are all connected because we share a part of this water-being in everything we do. Our breath has humidity, our blood and cells have water, digestion involves water in the process, and on and on! So back to Reiki – guiding life force energy into a glass of water helps that water balance, detoxify, and align the molecules into an organized pattern. This energized water becomes part of us when we drink it. (It tastes better too! Try it! By the way – charging a glass of wine or juice with Reiki will also make it taste different. Experiment and have fun being amazed at the results!)

If you are attuned to Reiki, you can find endless ways to use Reiki to improve your life, health, and that of those around you.

Some examples of how you can use Reiki with food and water:

• Reiki the water you drink
• Reiki your food as you’re cooking
• Reiki water you give your plants
• Reiki your pet’s water and food
• Reiki your food before you eat it

Reiki is amazing and can really open your eyes to a new understanding of being connected to All That Is.

To learn and experience Reiki, go to ReikiAwakening.com. I’m here to help you awaken too!

Comments? Questions? Leave them below!

Q: Can regular Reiki treatments stop me from getting sick?

A: They can help! Reiki helps balance the subtle energies in the body. Illness is caused by blockages in the flow of Ki, or life force energy. Blockages that are not cleared up can lead to physical illness. Blockages happen as we go about our daily life, and can occur on emotional, physical, and spiritual levels.

We are integrated beings. Our emotions are not separate from our physical bodies, and thus our emotional state can lead to increased health (ever notice that happy, relaxed people are usually healthier?), or to illness (ever notice how people who are always stressed or angry tend to get sick more often?)

So it stands to reason that when we are in balance emotionally, spiritually and physically, we will be healthier, and we will have a faster recovery period from illness as well.

I won’t tell you that people who receive Reiki regularly won’t ever get sick. Even Reiki practitioners get sick sometimes! But I will say that when one lives from a balanced state, one’s well-being is enhanced. When people who receive Reiki get sick, we recover faster and Reiki helps reduce the symptoms and strengthen our immune systems while we heal.

People who take care of themselves, eat right and get regular exercise, should also attend to their energetic health. It all works together to help you enjoy your life. (And if you don’t take care of yourself, Reiki could help motivate you to start some healthy habits!)

Make Reiki a part of your personal health and wellness routine.

Better yet, learn Reiki for yourself and you can use it daily.

To learn or receive Reiki, visit ReikiAwakening.com. I teach and offer Reiki healings by distance so wherever you are, you can learn and experience the power of Reiki.

Questions and comments are welcome!

Q: If I learned Reiki, and don’t use it for a long time, will it stop working?

A: No. But if you stop working with the Reiki energy for a long period, when you start again, you may not feel the energy at first, or it might be very slight compared with the time when you were practicing regularly. That doesn’t mean it has stopped working, it means you need practice.

Think of it this way: your intuition is a muscle, it’s just an energetic one rather than a physical one. So if you had been exercising your body regularly, and were fit and strong, and then you stop exercising for a long time, what happens? You still have your muscles, sure. But if you go to try to exercise again, you will have a hard time. Your muscles need to be trained again in order for you to recover your fitness as it used to be.

Same with Reiki. If you had been exercising your intuition by practicing Reiki regularly, and then you stop, it will take some regular, mindful practice for you to feel the energy with the same intensity as you once did. But it’s there – your intuition never goes away – it is a part of you. You just need to reestablish the connection and strengthen it again.

You might wonder if you need to be attuned again. There is no harm in doing this, as it may “jump start” your connection again. But you can achieve the same results by practicing Reiki for a few minutes every day.

To learn more about Reiki, get tips on feeling the energy more strongly, or get other intuitive help, visit ReikiAwakening.com.

Have a question or a comment? It’s welcome! Post it below in the comments section!

Q: Can a person heal himself with Reiki?

A: Yes. Reiki is excellent for self healing, and practitioners should do self healing every day. There are many reasons for this, and of course the first one is that Reiki is so beneficial. If one can use Reiki, one should receive daily self-healings. The flow of energy helps unblock any places in which the energy is slow-moving or stuck, and reduces stress, relieves pain, and helps your whole self function better. Think of self healing as a part of routine self care.

Secondly, Reiki practitioners tell their clients how beneficial Reiki is. Shouldn’t they do Reiki for themselves as well? Of course they should! Walk your talk and live your advice! You’ll benefit.

A healthier practitioner can be a better example and channel for others. Would you go to a doctor who didn’t take care of him or herself? Probably not!

Now it’s important to know that self healing isn’t enough. One should receive Reiki from another person fairly regularly to stay in top shape. When you give yourself Reiki, you are giving and receiving at the same time. When you receive Reiki from another, you only need to receive. It’s a little more powerful. But self healing is very important regardless.

To learn Reiki for yourself and have the power for self healing and helping others, visit ReikiAwakening.com. I’m here to help!

Have a question? Have a comment? Leave it below!

Q: Can Reiki cure disease?

A: It depends. It depends on many things. That’s because YOU are the only one truly in charge of your own healing. I know one thing that I can promise: Reiki can help. How much it will help and in what ways it will help is up to you.

Our imbalances are from a multitude of factors. Emotions, emotional baggage that we haven’t released, needs of ours that have not been addressed, being hurt by others, holding on to anger, and stress are key factors in our emotional state, and will affect our physical bodies in time. Physical injuries, illnesses that have not been properly healed, and chronic pain can affect our emotional state. Much more than that serve to cause changes in us.

But receiving Reiki can help start working towards correcting those imbalances. How many are fixed, and at what rate, depends on so many things that saying Reiki can always “cure” a disease would be a false claim.

Reiki helps with healing. Healing doesn’t always mean a cure. That’s something else to ponder.

But the bottom line is: Reiki can help. Try it. I’ve seen miracles happen.

Here is a story of one miracle I saw recently as a result of Reiki.

To try Reiki, or even learn Reiki for yourself, (self healing is very easy to do with Reiki), visit ReikiAwakening.com. I’m here to help.

Please comment below or suggest a question for the Reiki Question and Answer of the Day.

Q: How long do the effects of a Reiki session last?

A: It depends. In my experience, the factor that most influences how long one should go between Reiki treatments is the state of the person when the first session was received. In other words, if you are fairly well in general, a Reiki session might last a couple weeks to a month. If you are suffering from illness or chronic pain, or are in emotional distress (depression, high anxiety, etc.), Reiki healings will be most beneficial if they are given more frequently.

More frequently can mean daily, a couple times per week, once a week, or once every two weeks. Let me give you some examples:

• When my kids are sick, I give them Reiki several times per day for short periods of time. I want to give them the chance to receive as much healing as possible to help them be more comfortable so their bodies can do the work of healing effectively. The energy helps relieve pain, alleviate symptoms, relax them so they can sleep, and strengthens their immune system so it can function more effectively to make them well again.
• When someone comes to me with a chronic or severe issue, I usually recommend a series of healings – five sessions in two weeks. We do three the first week and two the second week. This tends to effectively set in motion a healing process that has a cumulative effect each time. The close proximity of the sessions helps create a strong healing effect that has a lasting impact.
  
  
• If one of my friends or family members has some stress, or a sore shoulder, for example, one session will generally make enough of a difference to last a few weeks.

So a Reiki how long the effects of a Reiki healing session lasts is relative to the amount of need for healing.

To receive Reiki healing, or learn it for yourself, visit ReikiAwakening.com. I’m here to help!

Leave a comment or question for the Reiki Question and Answer of the Day below!

Q: Do I have to lie down to receive Reiki?

A: No. You can lie down if you wish, or if your session is given with you on a massage table or couch. It’s helpful for you to be comfortable. But you may also sit on a chair or couch, the floor, or even stand up. Your physical position is not as important as your willingness to receive the energy.

Reiki can be received in any position at all, whether you are relaxed or running around, walking, doing chores, or anything. You will certainly feel and experience the energy the most if you are quiet, relaxed, and gently aware. However, if you are willing to receive the energy, you will, whether you are consciously aware of it or not.

I often send energy to my husband during the day, and he may or may not actually feel it coming, depending on what he is doing at the time. My students sometimes send me Reiki, and I may or may not feel it, depending on what I’m doing. If I’m doing the dishes or at the grocery store, I may not be aware of the subtle sensations of the energy. But if I am relaxed and resting, I very well may feel a familiar tingle that alerts me to the fact that energy is being received at that moment.

I often arrange for the Reiki I send people to begin when they intend for the Reiki to start. That way, the recipient is in a relaxed and aware state, ready to experience the fullness of the energy healing as it is working. That is called “queueing” a healing. I teach my students how to do this as well.

If you’d like to learn Reiki, or find out more, please visit ReikiAwakening.com.

If you have questions for the Reiki Question and Answer of the Day, or a comment, please submit them below!

Q: Will Reiki work if I fall asleep during a treatment?

A: Yes! You do not need to be awake in order to receive the energy that you need. The energy naturally flows to the areas of imbalance and works to correct them. Wherever you are ready to receive and needing energy, you will. In fact, being relaxed often helps you receive the energy more effectively.

The only thing that you will miss if you get Reiki while asleep is the experience of feeling the energy working. That is a very amazing experience for most people, who experience deep relaxation, release from pain and stress, a dissolving of negative emotions, and more.

But asleep or awake, if you are willing to try, you will be able to receive Reiki energy.

If you are a practitioner working on another person and YOU fall asleep, that’s another matter entirely! Just kidding.

Q: People say I have a “healing touch.” Am I naturally attuned to Reiki?

image courtesy of thehealersway.com

A: Many people have natural healing abilities. It’s something we are all capable of to some degree. Also some of us are naturally more intuitive than others, and the rest of us can learn to strengthen our intuitive abilities through practice.

Reiki is a specific method of energy healing. It has a certain frequency. While Life Force Energy, the energy that animates us all, is a wide-band kind of energy with many ways to access it, Reiki is one of many techniques for tuning in. Think of Life Force Energy as being all of the radio stations that are out there. If you are attuned to Reiki, you can tune in to the Reiki channel and play it clearly whenever you want to.

Your radio may naturally play a similar station to the Reiki channel. That’s okay, it’s great, in fact! But it’s not Reiki, so you can’t say you’re attuned to Reiki. Being attuned to Reiki requires an energy transfer from one at the Master level of Reiki, which connects you permanently to the source of Reiki energy.

So why would you want to be attuned to Reiki if you have natural healing ability? There are a couple of reasons to consider becoming attuned and trained in Reiki if you are a “natural healer.”

1. Being attuned and trained in Reiki will give you some structure – a deliberate, intentional way to “turn on” the energy and direct it. Your natural healing ability may turn on and off for you without your conscious direction, or you may not be able to access it whenever you want to. Learning Reiki can help you find the “on” switch that works every time. It gives you techniques for directing it that will be consistent for you.

2. You may find that learning Reiki helps strengthen your natural abilities further. Adding channels to your radio gives you versatility and also more tools for your toolbox. Maybe someone’s energy resonates better with the Reiki frequency than what you have been using. Or maybe in combination, Reiki and your natural skills can do even more good for yourself or others.

3. Learning Reiki gives you a way to strengthen your intuition. Through regular practice, you become more intuitive in many ways. This can be useful for you to discover the potential of your healing abilities, and your path in life. Being intuitive helps you make decisions, sense the needs of others, and become aware of the ways in which you are guided towards your best life.

So being a natural healer is wonderful. Being attuned to Reiki requires an attunement from a Reiki Master.

With that said, I do believe it is possible to “self-attune” to Reiki. However, it’s as hard as trying to find a radio station when you don’t know where on the dial it is, or what it’s supposed to sound like. Instead of going through that kind of effort, getting attuned is like being tuned to that station directly from one who knows where it is and can help you find it whenever you want immediately. It’s much faster and easier!

I welcome your comments and any questions for the Reiki Question and Answer of the Day blog in the comments section below!

To learn Reiki, or find out more, come on over to ReikiAwakening.com.

Q: How can I make my Reiki stronger?

A: First, let’s clarify the question. You want to feel the energy flowing more strongly when you are working on yourself and others. Many times beginners to Reiki don’t feel the energy strongly, or they work on another person who says that he or she doesn’t feel anything happening. You may think the energy is “not working” or you are “not good at Reiki.” But neither is true. What you want to know is “How can I feel the Reiki energy more strongly?” The reason I clarify the question is because once you are attuned to Reiki, the energy is flowing. It doesn’t discriminate between beginners and masters. The energy flows.

So why would the energy feel weak or not as strong as you’d like it to feel? It is partially about your own ability to feel the energy, and may also have to do with your own state of balance. Here are some pointers for increasing your ability to feel the energy strongly:

• Be aware of your clair. This is a little rhyme I like to use to tell practitioners to know for themselves how the energy feels. Because we all have our own way of sensing the energy intuitively, knowing your primary way that you receive intuitive information helps you to pay attention to that sensory input. Clairs are different ways to receive intuitive information. Simply speaking, they are: visually, audiently (hearing), sentiently (sense of touch), and cognitively (knowing). If you see colors while energy is flowing, you are clairvoyant (visually sensitive to energy). If you hear music or a ringing or buzzing sound, you are clairaudient. If you feel tingles or changes in temperature, you are clairsentient, and if you get a gut sense of knowing the energy is flowing, you are claircognizant. Most people have one major clair and one or more minor clairs working for them. Identify the way intuitive information comes to you, and then observe how you feel through that mode while you are channeling Reiki energy. You’ll notice more and more that way, and the energy will feel stronger to you. If the recipient says that he “doesn’t feel anything” while you’re giving Reiki, try to help him find his own primary clair and observe it. I like to tell people new to Reiki, “Notice what’s different.” That helps them be tuned in to any sensations, rather than what they might be expecting.
• Practice, practice, practice. Your intuition is an energetic muscle. The more exercise it gets, the stronger it becomes. When your intuition gets stronger, you sense the energy flowing more strongly, and become aware of a variety of nuances in the flow of the energy – it becomes more detailed and your senses become more refined. Your confidence increases too, and that helps you and your recipients notice the energy as you are sharing it.
• Do regular self-healing. If you are in need of healing, if you are off-balance, the energy will bring you into balance and make you a clearer and stronger channel for giving healing to others. You’ll be able to sense the energy more from a grounded and whole place. If your own issues are distracting you in some way, you will be less able to focus on the energy you are giving to others. So heal yourself with Reiki regularly. Not only will you benefit, but you’ll live in integrity because you are “walking your talk.” You will be able to personally vouch for the benefits of Reiki from your own experience.

If you’d like personal assistance with Reiki, I offer Intuitive Solutions Coaching – individual mentoring to help you reach your intuitive goals. To learn more about Reiki, or experience Reiki for yourself, please visit ReikiAwakening.com.

Have a comment? Have a question for the Reiki Question and Answer of the Day blog? Leave it below!

Q: Can you receive too much Reiki energy?

Overflowing, by artist Elizabeth Polfus

A: No. A person only receives as much as needed, regardless how many treatments he or she gets. Think if yourself as a glass with a certain amount of liquid or, in this case, energy inside. You receive Reiki, which brings the level of energy up to the top. What happens to any more energy that would flow? It would spill over and wash away.

The energy strives to bring you into balance. Balance happens when you have received the energy you need, where you need it. Balance occurs on physical, emotional and spiritual levels. We are integrated beings so all systems affect each other. So when pain is decreased, the emotional balance increases too – we feel more positive. When positive emotional energy is received and negative is released, not only do we feel happier, our physical health improves. And the opportunity to experience the soothing effects of the healing helps us place our attention on our intuition, which also benefits by helping us feel spiritually connected – knowing that we are connected to All That Is helps us feel supported and comforted.

Sometimes people feel a little spacey after Reiki treatments. Other times a person may experience some physical or emotional effects after Reiki which indicate that shifts and clearing are going on as a part of the healing process. These are not “overdoses” on Reiki, but instead are changes for the better. Think of these changes, called “clearing symptoms” as a detox, similar to doing a dietary detox program. Healing involves changes, and these changes are often present after Reiki healings.

So the bottom line is: no harm comes from receiving Reiki, and one cannot receive too much Reiki energy during a treatment.

I welcome your questions for the Reiki Question and Answer of the Day blog, or comments below.

If you’d like to learn more about Reiki, or experience Reiki healing for yourself, I invite you to visit ReikiAwakening.com.

Q: Do alcohol or drugs affect Reiki energy?

A: No. They do, however affect your ability to sense the energy strongly and make intuitive decisions with a clear mind. Just as your common sense and judgment are affected by the use of such substances, your decision making process is affected also. Would you go to a doctor or alternative health practitioner for a treatment if that person had had a few drinks at a party first? If not, why would you treat someone with Reiki if you’ve had a few?

An exception is that if there is an emergency, you could provide Reiki energy and trust that it would work to assist the victim until paramedics could arrive.

So the energy will still flow, but 1) you may not sense it with the same intensity or nuances as you would if you were grounded and clear, and 2) you might not use your common sense regarding communicating about the energy as you would otherwise.

Regarding the first item, sensing the energy, you may feel some sensations that are part of the reaction to the alcohol or drugs, and think they are the energy. Or more likely, you may not be able to feel the same subtle energetic sensations of the Reiki because they will be masked by the effects of what you imbibed.

For instance, regarding the second item above, common sense, if you sense during a healing session that the person you are sharing Reiki with has a blocked second chakra, you may or may not choose to discuss with the person what this could relate to. The second chakra being blocked could relate to an issue with sexuality, for instance (as well as many others). A Reiki practitioner needs to be sensitive and use good judgment when sharing intuitive information and communicating with the client. Any substance which affects one’s ability to make sensitive and sensible choices may also impair one’s sense of judgment over these decisions. You wouldn’t want to hurt someone’s feelings or make that person uncomfortable by losing your professional boundaries due to being chemically impaired.

So yes, the Reiki will still work if you’ve had alcohol or drugs. The question really is: should YOU?

Q: Does Reiki energy beam from the hands?

Note: I am going to give my own opinion here, so before I answer, I would like to say that my opinion is not the mainstream answer in this case. My answer is based on my own intuitive sense of how the energy seems to flow and my own experience of that process as I work with Reiki energy. I invite you to explore your own practice with an open mind and consider my answer in comparison to your own experiences. I do invite your comments.

A: No. Reiki energy is directed via the intention of the practitioner. Our thoughts direct the energy. Our hands serve as “computer monitors” that help us sense where the energy is flowing. We set the energy in motion with our intention, and then our hands and intuition help us witness and observe where the energy is flowing the strongest for our recipient as it is flowing.

If someone’s shoulder hurts and I direct Reiki to relieve pain in the shoulder and send healing energy there, I may place my hands on or over the person’s shoulder. My hands help in two ways: 1) the recipient places his attention on his shoulder and my hands and presence there. In that way, he is open and receptive to the Reiki energy working on his shoulder. 2) The sensations in my hands indicate for me that the energy is being received, and I am able to discern by the change in the strength of the sensations I experience when there is relief from the pain. Simply, for me, the tingles slow down and decrease in intensity when the energy has brought about a shift.

So I don’t feel as if I’m zapping energy out of my hands. My hands do sometimes heat up, but I accept that as another way for me to understand that energy is flowing.

One of the reasons I believe that the energy can be given without the hands is that I have, on many occasions, sent Reiki healing using only my thoughts. I simply connect with the Reiki energy, intend for the recipient to receive the healing that is needed, and it goes there. If I choose to use my hands, I can feel how strongly and where in the person’s body or energy the Reiki is being received.

Another reason I believe my hands are for me to intuit the way the energy is being received is that sometimes when I’m giving a Reiki healing, and I have my hands on the person’s head, she may feel the energy moving in her heart, or other places in her body or energy. If hands were the way the energy had to be directed, she would only feel it where my hands were placed.

I do believe that something is happening between my hands and the energy. But it’s more of a dialogue than a stream of beaming energy flow. I know that hands of a Reiki practitioner have been measured on certain aura cameras and energy monitors of sorts and changes have been detected. But to me, that means the hands are “activated,” in a connection with the energy – plugged in, if you allow the metaphor to continue.

If you practice Reiki, think about this difference. Our hands are not for “putting” the energy here or there. Instead, they are a way of involving us in the process, including us in the dialogue, and showing us the effect that the energy is having.

Some people are visual, and see colors or images when Reiki is flowing. For them, though, the hands are still similar to a monitor but the screen is in the practitioner’s inner vision. The hands then are more like a computer mouse – pointing at the area the practitioner wishes to observe.

I welcome your thoughts and experiences.

Q: I’ve heard of different types of Reiki. Which Reiki method is best?

A: Although opinions differ on the subject, the down and dirty is that it’s the same energy – Life Force Energy – that is being directed by different methods. Some Reiki methods have hand positions and symbols. Some may include crystals or toning. But all of these techniques are used to direct the same energy. All of the techniques of different Reiki methods are ways of expressing INTENTION, which directs the energy toward a specific goal. These goals might include healing the cause of an illness, releasing anxiety, relieving pain, or attracting abundance. There are endless ways that Reiki can be incorporated into one’s life.

The method is the best if it is the best for the practitioner who is using it. Claiming that the method that you practice is the best overall is like saying that spaghetti is the best food overall because it’s your favorite.

We are all individual, and so some methods of Reiki will work best with some people’s unique energetic abilities. Some people like structure, and so Usui Reiki may be the best fit for them. Others want to focus on the intention and have the freedom to be direct the energy without the need for specific hand positions. Those people might prefer Kundalini Reiki. There are many hundreds of variations on Reiki that one could learn. So how do you choose?

When choosing a Reiki method, I suggest:

1) Find the most knowledgeable teacher who can guide you to the method that fits your unique way of experiencing energy. Choose a teacher who has learned more than one method of Reiki, and recognizes that there isn’t any one method that is “the right way.”

2) Learn how you are sensitive to energy. Have a Reiki treatment and recognize how it feels to you. The way you feel the energy could be visual, tangible physically, or some other way. That way you feel it is called your clair. Research Reiki methods that work well with your particular clair.

3) Recognize the way you like to learn. Do you feel more comfortable with structure? Do you prefer simplicity? Do you like to work with certain angels or light beings? Do you gravitate toward working with color or sound? There are Reiki methods which incorporate techniques that support these natural ways of sensing and guiding energy. Since they are all, at the very heart, ways of expressing intention, what makes a method best is what works best for the person using it.

To learn more about Reiki or how to find out which method might be best for you, visit ReikiAwakening.com or email me.

Have a comment? Have a question for the Reiki Question and Answer of the Day blog? Comment below!

Q: Can Reiki motivate or inspire a person who is stuck in a rut?

A: It could. If you feel that your life is not moving, you are blocked, or you feel “stuck,” there could be some energy that is just not moving for you. If you are ready for things to resolve and ready to make a change, Reiki can help support you by releasing blockages that could be impeding your progress.

If, on the other hand, you have reasons for being in a stagnant state, if you’re somehow getting attention or some other gain by being where you are, then Reiki won’t help you. That’s because Reiki will support what you really want. You are in charge of your own healing.

Let me give you an example. A person has been unemployed for four months. No leads are evident for a new job. The person is depressed and feels hopeless. The person’s girlfriend is coming over, making him meals to cheer him up, finding him leads to try to apply for, and cleaning up. She thinks she’s being supportive and caring. But he loves being cared for, and the extra time and attention she is showing to him. He has a tiny, niggling fear that if he goes back to work, she will spend less time with him as she did before. So he’s not truly ready to change his situation. Reiki will not change the energy in this situation, because he is holding on to his status for the emotional benefit he is receiving. He needs more time, he needs to feel more secure in his relationship too. It is possible, however, that Reiki will send healing to his heart chakra, the place where his self-worth is energetically located. If he starts to realize that he is worthy of love, no matter what his circumstances, he will gradually become more able to release his need for being taken care of. He will be able to move forward.

Now here’s a different example. A person has been feeling for a while that she’s in the wrong job. She has felt disconnected from her work, and has been longing to make a change. She has been a little afraid of the unknown when taking a leap towards her true desire – to go back to school, go into debt, hope that the move will lead her towards a more fulfilling career. But she also feels a hint of excitement at the idea. She wants to have the courage to give notice and enroll in the college program. She receives Reiki and the energy flows to her second and third chakra, and unblocks the little fears she’s had. She feels positive, empowered, and motivated. She goes ahead and gives notice, enrolls in the program. In this case, she was ready for Reiki to help her. And it did.

So to answer the question, it depends on the person’s readiness to move out of the rut. It’s worth a try. A person who is willing to receive Reiki is probably also willing to examine his or her life, choices, and emotional state of mind. That willingness, that openness, can support unblocking the energetic causes behind the issue.

To receive or learn Reiki energy healing, please visit ReikiAwakening.com.

If you have questions for the Reiki Question and Answer of the Day blog, or would like to leave a comment, please do so below!

Q: Can Reiki practitioners “catch” their client’s problems?

A: Not under most circumstances. Of course, if your client has a communicable disease, you are always advised to use the usual hygienic precautions to avoid contamination. And if you are a professional, you should always wash all massage table linens between uses. But that’s not really what this question is about, right?

This question is referring to emotional or energetic issues, or even physical pain that your client is dealing with. You are sharing energy, although your own personal energy should not be involved as the Reiki energy flows THROUGH you to your client.

That being said, some practitioners are, or become, empathic, and may sense their client’s issues in a personal way. A practitioner may “feel” his or her client’s pain or emotions during a healing. This is the way that some people are able to become aware of their client’s issues and direct healing to those places specifically. But being empathic is also sometimes placing the practitioner in a vulnerable situation.

Some basic energetic protection measures are always prudent during any energy healing. Before giving Reiki, the practitioner should mentally ask for protection and guidance from his or her Guidance, angels, or Spirit, and/or any higher beings to which he or she feels connected. Alternatively, or in addition, one can intend that energetic boundaries be in place and enforced that do not let any negative energy that is released or in the client to penetrate one’s own energy boundaries. These are precautions, but the intentions to keep one’s personal energy separate are sufficient to ensure that even if one is empathic, the client’s issues do not become personal for the practitioner. There are additional simple techniques that can be learned and will be useful to anyone working with energy.

Energetic protection techniques are widely available for the searching. One simple technique involves visualizing a transparent “shield” around your own aura that will act as a barrier against negative energy. This can be activated by intention any time of any day, in any situation that you feel vulnerable in. It’s also useful for activating before giving a Reiki session.

There are many other simple and practical techniques available in the Energetic Protection Ebook here.

To learn more about Reiki, visit the Reiki Awakening website.

If you have a comment or question for future posts on the Reiki Question and Answer of the Day blog, please leave them below!

Q: Can Reiki be given or taught to children?

A: Yes! Reiki is very beneficial for children in many ways! Here’s a little background:

After I learned Reiki, I found myself using it to soothe my kids (I have four) when I didn’t otherwise have the answer. For example, my infant daughter had gas built up in her tummy, and Reiki energy relaxed her, helping her release it and feel better. My toddler had a bad dream, and Reiki energy combined with hugs helped him release the negative emotions associated with his dream and get back to sleep. My 5 year old had a headache, and while she rested on the couch, Reiki helped release the pain. My 7 year old was angry about something and Reiki helped her calm down faster from her intense emotions. When my kids were sick with colds or fevers, giving them Reiki helped speed recovery and healing. I realized that I was using Reiki all day long, for all kinds of reasons, and it was working. Self healing with Reiki also would help me release the stress from the day when I went to sleep at night, and helped me feel calmer and more balanced to deal with all of the demands of being a working mom.

My kids describe Reiki as “a warm energy that feels good and helps you feel better when something is wrong.” I think it is a great explanation for kids to understand. I even use this explanation sometimes when an adult asks me to describe Reiki in one sentence.

Kids may need less Reiki than adults, because they are smaller. So shorter sessions are usually fine.

A parent who has been attuned to Reiki can channel Reiki to his or her children, to increase balance, relaxation, and relieve stresses that children experience on all levels. Reiki can empower you to help your child with: nightmares, insomnia, strong emotions they don’t know how to deal with, aches and pains, illness, and stress. I love teaching parents Reiki because they have instant access to tools that can make parenting easier, and enhance the loving parent-child bond.

Children can also learn Reiki, and teaching them Reiki is a gift they’ll have for life. They will always know that they have the power within themselves to help them when they have trouble falling asleep, pain, aches, intense emotions, or want to help their friends, family, and pets feel better too. My kids give each other Reiki, and it’s a beautiful way for them to share love and show they care for each other. Reiki is also useful for teens, who are naturally off balance from hormones and teen drama. Infants through adults can benefit from receiving and learning Reiki, and it lasts a lifetime.

I have developed a Reiki for Parents course that teaches parents ideas for how to incorporate Reiki energy into a daily way of life for balance, effective parenting, and increased well being overall. You can learn in person, or from home. Find out more about Reiki for Parents here.

If you have a question for the Reiki Question and Answer of the Day blog, or a comment, please leave it below!

To learn more about Reiki, visit ReikiAwakening.com.

Q: Is Reiki safe for pregnant women?

A: Yes! Reiki is perfectly safe for pregnant women, and in fact, it’s very beneficial. The energy helps relieve many pregnancy-related discomforts, relaxes the mom-to-be and helps her sleep better, and is also good for the baby.

The gentle Reiki energy helps on many levels. Personally speaking, I was attuned to Reiki I when I was five months pregnant. Reiki helped me with general aches and pains, with relaxing into sleep at night, and also helped me cope during labor. I felt empowered in more ways than if I had not had the benefits of Reiki at my fingertips. Also, my Reiki Master gave me several Reiki healing sessions while I was pregnant, and it brought me to a wonderful oasis of calm and serenity each time.

One of my students is a Nurse Midwife, and she gives her patients Reiki when they are in labor, and all women who are post-delivery receive Reiki to help them heal. If patients have a c-section, they get Reiki right after their surgery. I love her practice for the way they acknowledge and embrace Reiki as a complementary healing method.

I was so glad that I had learned Reiki when I was pregnant, because after my daughter was born, I was able to use Reiki to help soothe her too. I also gave my other children Reiki, and it became an integral part of my life. I created a Reiki for Parents course because I realized the value of Reiki for me as a parent, and I want to share it with all parents wishing to help themselves be better parents.

So not only is Reiki safe for pregnant women, I highly recommend it.

Did you know that you can learn and receive Reiki by distance? I send healing energy and teach Reiki to people wherever they are located. It’s simple, powerful and effective in person or by distance. Learn more at ReikiAwakening.com.

If you’d like to comment or submit a question for the Reiki Question and Answer of the Day blog, please do so below!

Q: Where does Reiki energy come from?

A: Reiki means “guided life force energy.” Life force energy is all around us and within us. When we are connected to the Reiki energy, which we do by intention, we place our awareness on connecting this energy within us to that which is all around us, and we intend for that energy to be guided to balance the energetic imbalances in our recipient.

US–>LIFE FORCE ENERGY–>INTENDED RECIPIENT

In actuality, we are always connected to Reiki energy, because it is life force energy – that energy which animates us and makes us alive. It is our consciousness, our emotions, and what leaves our body at the time of death.

It is the process of placing our attention on this energy, and the way in which we are connected to all life force energy around us, that helps us experience this connection and guide the energy via our intention. Think of being plugged in to an energy source. But it’s not really plugging in (because we are always connected), but practicing Reiki is us turning this flow on – like pushing the “on” button on something we wish to use.

Living in our earthly bodies, we experience the world primarily through our five bodily senses. But techniques which place our attention on our intuition, such as meditation, Reiki and other energy healing modalities, yoga, etc., help us feel this energetic connection with all life. Once we are aware of this connection, we are able to do extraordinary things. We can direct healing energy to another person, to ourselves, or towards a goal by our intention to do so.  We are not using our own personal energy, but allowing the energy to flow through us to our goal. There is an infinite supply of healing energy.

So Reiki energy comes from the life force energy that is all around us, like a vast web of energy connecting all life, and the earth. It is an energy that can be felt, directed, and experienced by ourselves and our recipients.

To learn more about Reiki, please visit ReikiAwakening.com

Have a question? Have a comment? Please leave it below!

Q: How much should a Reiki session cost?

A: That depends on many things. Here are some of the factors that influence the cost of a Reiki treatment.

• Local or by distance. If you are receiving a healing session in person, for about an hour, relaxed on a massage table or similar comfy spot, then you can expect to pay about the going rate for a massage. In my part of town that’s about $60 per hour.  If your healing session is by distance, the rates vary considerably. Some practitioners offer distance sessions for free. There are, also, some websites where you can request a free healing, such as the Distance Healing Network (where I volunteer as a Group Leader). In those cases, you may receive healing energy sent to you when the practitioner is available to do so. Personal distance healing sessions, where you would receive a healing session plus a full report on the state of your energy (as experienced by the practitioner during your session), and a coordinated time (or directions on how to mindfully receive if the healing is “queued” or preset in your energy waiting for you to do so), may cost close to the same as a local session. The practitioner is spending time and mindful attention completely on you in this case, and therefore, it is reasonable to expect that he or she will do so for a fee. While there are varying opinions on this matter, most agree that an exchange of some sort, whether money, items, or services, is appropriate.
• Whether the practitioner is paying rent or overhead to use the space. Many practitioners, myself included, work in a wellness center, spa, or other similar space for local healing sessions. We pay the business a fee or percentage of what we are paid for the right to use the space. Therefore, the fee may be higher, or the same as the rate mentioned above. Our costs, even though we don’t use much in the way of equipment (although laundry of a sheet or blanket covering the table, and anything else we bring to make the space a healing and relaxing atmosphere may be also considered as our costs), are a consideration too.
• The needs of the recipient. Some people have the need for an intensive session, using various types of healing energy. Some need a series of healing sessions close together for maximum effect when dealing with a physical or emotional balance of a serious nature. I offer a series of healing sessions at a discount. I also may offer an extended-length session for someone who needs it. I also work with a few different energy healers, and together we offer a Team Healing. That intense of a Reiki session costs more because it provides more. So in these cases, the fees per session may be adjusted accordingly.
• The practitioner’s individual decision. Some practitioners give Reiki sessions for free because they simply want to donate their time. They don’t need the income, or they give Reiki on the side of their regular job or career. Some offer short sessions for free (such as 10 minutes), but charge for longer, more intensive sessions. And some may offer Reiki for free to those who can’t pay (or volunteer their time in some locations, while having a paid practice in another). In any case, the decision of what to charge for a Reiki session is an individual one that is something the practitioner decides on, and is comfortable with. I think that Reiki practitioners should respect each other’s decisions about fee structure, regardless of what it is, and know that we are all here to help others. Whatever someone’s fee is, the recipient will decide if it is acceptable for him or her. Therefore, it’s really not another practitioner’s place to judge the decision made about fees.
• Finally, there is the perception of value that goes along with any good or service being offered. If one offers a service for free, some may say it has no value. Or some may feel beholden to that person afterward and not know how to balance that feeling. Reiki is a service, and has value. Its important that it is understood as such.

I’d like to thank Stacey Bergdahl, @theZengirl on Twitter, for suggesting today’s Reiki Question and Answer of the Day!

To learn more about Reiki, I invite you to visit ReikiAwakening.com.

Please comment below, and also feel free to suggest questions for upcoming posts on the Reiki Question and Answer of the Day blog!

Q: How can Reiki change your life?

A: There are too many ways to list. Here are a few:

Reiki can:

• Help you relax and sleep better by giving yourself Reiki at night
• Help relieve pain in yourself or others
• Help you heal faster when you’re sick or injured
• Increase positive and release negative emotions
• Release stress and help you feel more balanced
• Help you take in less stress and manage your life from a place of balance
• Give your children, spouse, loved ones, pets and plants more love
• Send healing to your relationships
• Send Reiki towards goals for your life
• Increase your intuitive abilities

The best answer of them all is….find out for yourself! Experience a Reiki treatment, live or by distance. It’s amazing energy and opens a door to powerful healing that will change your life for the better.

Learn more at the Reiki Awakening website.

If you’d like your question addressed in the Reiki Question and Answer of the Day blog, just submit it in the comments section below!

Q: What are the Reiki Precepts?

A: The Reiki Precepts are ideals for ethical living that were written by the founder of Usui Reiki, Mikao Usui. Usui Reiki was discovered and developed as a method of energy healing in 1922 in Japan. As a part of teaching people to work with this healing energy, Master Usui also taught these five ideals for living an ethical life. They are not commandments, as in a religion, but rather they are each worth meditating on and incorporating into one’s life. Master Usui wrote that they should be repeated each day and night, and are the secret to happiness. I agree.

Each is simple and yet complex. Ponder each one for a moment. How does it apply to your life? What would you need to do to incorporate its message into your life? How would your life change if you did? There are many ways to use the Reiki Precepts. You could focus on one each day. You could be mindful of how you worry, for example, and make effort not to, and note the difference it makes in your day. You could set your goals for the day with the precepts, and at the end of the day, recite them as a reminder. There are many ways to make them a part of your life.

Here they are:

Just for Today:

I will avoid anger.

I will avoid worry.

I will do my work honestly.

I will be grateful for my many blessings.

I will treat all living things with kindness.

To learn more about Reiki, please visit ReikiAwakening.com.

If you have questions you would like to see answered in the Reiki Question and Answer of the Day blog, just post them in the comments section!

Q: Is Reiki different from other energy healing methods?

A: Yes and no. Yes, Reiki is a unique method – a specific method – of channeling life force energy towards an intention. No, because energy healing is an ancient practice that goes back thousands of years in many cultures. Energy healing itself is not unique. The methods are, however, unique ways of directing this beautiful healing energy. All of them work via intention at the core. But some of them use hand positions, some use movement, some use crystals, colors, scents, lights, symbols, and other tools for directing the energy towards vibrational healing.

Reiki is one way to easily and powerfully offer healing energy, directing it by intention towards a chosen goal. The methods of Reiki, and some might argue that the frequency of the Reiki energy itself, are unique to this modality.

I believe that life force energy has a wide range of frequencies – like radio signals do. Reiki may be one channel of this frequency. Other methods may tune in to different channels. But at it’s essential core, the life force energy is healing, positive energy. So whether you are playing the Reiki channel, the Quantum Touch channel, the Polarity channel, the Cranial-Sacral channel, the Shamanic channel, or others, you are working with parts or frequencies of the same basic energy. You might even play more than one at the same time if you are combining methods.

To learn more about Reiki healing, visit ReikiAwakening.com.

Submit a question for the Reiki Question and Answer of the Day blog! It will be answered in a future post! Comments are also welcome.

Q: Do Reiki practitioners need to be vegetarian, or “really spiritual”?

A: Nope. That said, practicing Reiki does tend to make you keenly aware of a spiritual connection, and may change the way you feel about spirituality. Will that affect the way you live, eat, treat others? Only you can decide, but in many cases, the answer is “yes.” You begin to feel connected to all that is alive, and that connection can have a powerful impact on your life.

As far as your diet, that is totally up to you. You may feel inclined to treat your body in a more healthful way, you may find you crave sweets or fatty foods less, or even that you wish to make other changes in your lifestyle. But the Reiki energy will flow for you when you ask for it regardless.

There are those who feel that a completely vegan, raw-food diet is the best for your spiritual development. It may be, however I do not do that at this point in my life, and I am growing and working with energy every day in a strong and effective way. Perhaps at some point I may make some changes in that direction, but I trust that the energy flows for me to support what I feel guided to do.

If you’d like to learn more about Reiki, please visit ReikiAwakening.com.

Have comments or questions for the Reiki Question and Answer of the Day? Leave them below!

Q: Can learning Reiki make me psychic?

A: It might. Learning Reiki CAN increase your intuitive awareness. The more you allow yourself to be open to spiritual energy, the more you become more intuitively aware. You are also placing your attention on your intuition when you tune in to the way in which you experience the flow of the Reiki. Intuition is like a muscle – with exercise (regular practice), it becomes stronger. So the more you practice, the stronger your intuition gets. As a result, you find that you’re also more tuned in to “coincidences” and you notice that things have a way of synchronistically lining up.
I won’t claim that Reiki will turn you into a psychic medium. (Although I know more than a few people who found that once their intuition increased, psychic abilities were awakened.)

So, learn Reiki and see what it can do for you! Find out how at ReikiAwakening.com.

If you have a question for the Reiki Question and Answer of the Day Blog, leave it in the comments section below! Comments on today’s post are also welcome.

Q: Can Reiki improve my relationships?

A: Reiki CAN improve your relationships with your parents, your children, your spouse, friends, and yourself. The energy helps you cope with those things people do that push your buttons, and healing energy can release grudges and emotional damage. All of these can help you be a better you, and that affects the way others relate to you. Your newfound calm, grounded presence will keep the tension away from otherwise irritating interactions.
Reiki CAN’T change someone’s mind, manipulate someone, or make someone like you. (Although you may find that people are more receptive, positive, and nice in response to the way Reiki has improved your outlook. In fact, those are the qualities that attract the same kinds of people, so be ready to enjoy the way you attract other nice people to you!)

If you’d like to receive or learn how to access the power of Reiki for your life, click here!

Comments are welcome, and feel free to submit questions for the Reiki Question and Answer of the Day blog! They will be answered!

Q: How long does it take to become a Reiki Master?

A: First, please know that “Reiki Master” doesn’t mean you are a “Master of Reiki” or a guru. It is a level designation like “Master’s Degree” that indicates that you’ve received attunement to a high enough level of Reiki to be able to attune others. Mastering Reiki is not really the goal here as much as becoming a role model and gaining your own personal understanding of your relationship with Reiki energy.

As far as timing, that’s up to you, and also a factor of the Reiki method you choose to learn. It would be advisable to get familiar with the sensations of the energy before you move forward, but that is also a subjective choice. For instance, for me, when I started learning Reiki, at level one of Usui Reiki, I did not feel very much energy flow at all. In fact, I doubted that it was working. I tried using Reiki for a year and a half thinking that I wasn’t very good at this because I didn’t feel much. Then, when I learned Usui Reiki level two, things changed and immediately after the attunement (which I also did not feel), I started feeling tingles and heat in response to “turning on” the Reiki energy and giving Reiki to another person. I was stunned. I was surprised because I had been thinking that I just wasn’t very good at Reiki, or the right person to do Reiki, before this. The realization that Reiki was working for me was a great – and very welcome – surprise.  I was so enamored with Reiki, and made it a daily part of my life from that moment forward, that I went on to receive Master Teacher training three months later. I was committed to learning as much as I could, once I knew that I was able to feel and direct the Reiki energy.

Not everyone has the experience that I did when they start learning Reiki. But now, as a Reiki teacher, I am committed to making sure that my students do not spend a year and a half wondering if this works for them. When I teach Usui Reiki, I recommend that they learn levels one and two together in the same weekend, or a week apart. I also find that my students do feel and experience their attunements – something that didn’t happen for me with Usui Reiki.

I also recommend that before going on to the Master level, that the students are very familiar with the way that they feel and work with Reiki energy. I want them to have experience with the basics of Reiki level two, which includes hands-on and distance healing, a regular self-healing practice, and insights gained while working with Reiki. I want them to know how to do scanning, how to feel for blockages and areas where the Reiki is being received, and to have a basic personal way of working with the energy that’s consistent for them.

With Kundalini Reiki, it’s different. This is a simple and practical Reiki method that does not involve learning a lot of structure. The healing practices for each level take 5-7 minutes per day, and they give a lot of experience with many of the main ways to incorporate Reiki into one’s life. Kundalini Reiki is set up to be able to be learned through Master level in three weeks. All of the tools are presented, simply and easily practiced, and the practitioner then has a lifetime to grow with his or her practice. Often, those who start with Kundalini Reiki will go on to learn other Reiki modalities, such as Usui Reiki, and will be able to use the Usui Reiki methods in a more advanced way than the novice because of their experience with Kundalini Reiki. Also, those who have learned Usui Reiki and then go on to add Kundalini Reiki to their practice find that the Kundalini Reiki strengthens their experience of the energy flow, and makes them aware of the practicality of a less-structured method of energy healing.

As a teacher, I’ve learned from my own experience, and try to give each of my students the things that I feel were lacking in my own initial training. I make sure that my students feel their attunements and understand how they respond to the experience of the energy flow. I also give my students the benefit of my understanding of energy work that developed through using two methods – one very structured (Usui Reiki uses hand positions and symbols), and one unstructured (Kundalini Reiki allows you to put your hands anywhere you want, and uses plain English words). I also guide my students with their practice, to help them learn to become aware of their intuition’s messages as they work with the energy, and become confident in their Reiki practice.

So back to the question – how long does it take to become a Reiki Master? The answer is when you feel ready to learn all you can about Reiki, incorporate Reiki into your daily life and open yourself to sharing this beautiful energy with others, and when you are committed to living in a way that represents this relationship with Reiki, you may be ready. You’ll know.

P.S. These are the Reiki Precepts, some very beautiful and powerfully simple and yet complex ideals for a Reiki practitioner (or anyone) to have as goals for ethical living. They were created by Mikao Usui, the founder of Usui Reiki.

Just for Today:
I will avoid anger.
I will avoid worry.
I will do my work honestly.
I will be grateful for my many blessings.
I will be kind to all living things.

If you’d like to learn more about Kundalini or Usui Reiki, I invite you to visit ReikiAwakening.com.

Please post comments or suggestions for the Reiki Question and Answer of the Day below!

Q: How do I choose the right Reiki teacher for me?

A: The most important qualities in a Reiki teacher, or any teacher at all, really, are that the teacher is caring, knowledgeable, attentive, and invested in your success. Reiki is a subjective experience, so knowledge of the subject is not enough. A successful teacher will help YOU learn to feel the energy and direct it effectively through the techniques of the method of Reiki you are learning with him or her. This is different from learning algebra, for example, when the teacher mostly needs to present you with information and answer your questions, and expects you to learn the material in an objective way. A good Reiki teacher will be able to help you find and understand the unique and personal way you feel energy, and learn to work with the energy, guiding you personally to a successful experience. So first, find the best teacher who has these important qualities.

The next thing you should consider is how you prefer to learn. There are many opportunities to learn Reiki. You can learn in an intensive weekend, over a long period of weekly or bi-weekly study, by distance live, or by distance via email independently. Think of how you learn best and what situation makes you most comfortable. If you have found the teacher who fits the first criteria, any method of learning you choose will be effective for you.

Third, it is recommended that you choose a teacher who is open minded and accepting of the idea that there are many methods of energy healing, and no one way is the “right” way for everyone. You may learn one Reiki method (or energy healing method for that matter) from one person, and later as you grow, you may find yourself drawn to another Reiki method. You don’t want to feel like you’re doing the wrong thing (according to your teacher) if your intuition tells you to expand your practice to include other tools. Learn from someone who you admire personally and ethically as well as professionally.

If you’d like to learn more about Reiki, I invite you to visit ReikiAwakening.com.

If you would like to submit a question for the Reiki Question and Answer of the Day blog, please do so in a comment below! Also, comments on the posts here are always welcome.

Q: Does it ever hurt to receive Reiki?

A: Rarely, but remember that Reiki energy is healing. What I mean is: emotionally speaking, if the Reiki energy is helping you release a blocked emotional pain, such as deep anger, resentment, or hurt, you may experience that emotion again, briefly, as it is released. But then you will feel better and it won’t cause the problems that it was causing when it was blocking you.

Physically speaking, some people may experience a brief flash of pain before a release and full relief while the Reiki energy is penetrating and releasing the physical pain. This can be true when there has been a burn, for example, or an injury that caused a sharp sort of pain when it happened.

Usually, though, Reiki is a painless way to relieve emotional and physical pain, and it feels very soothing, warm, and relaxing. Reiki is not harmful in any way, and is only going to result in improvements in health and overall well-being.

To learn more about Reiki, please visit ReikiAwakening.com.

I welcome questions for the Reiki Question and Answer of the Day Blog! Just leave your question in a comment here!

Q: Can Reiki only be used on people?  What other uses can there be for Reiki?

A: There are many! Here are just some of the many ways you can use Reiki in your daily life:

• to heal and soothe pets
• to encourage healthy growth in plants
• to energize your water
• to send healing to relationships
• to heal past life traumas that are affecting you today
• to clear the energy in a room
• to send energy to your goals or Vision Board
• to energize your food before, during, or after cooking
• to strengthen other methods of healing
• to charge your vitamins or medication with extra energy
• to energize a hug
• to charge your child’s stuffed animal or blankie with energy
• to charge jewelry, stones, or bandages with healing energy
• your own ideas here!

There are many ways to incorporate Reiki into your life, and they will all create positive results! The limits are up to YOU!

If you’d like to experience or learn Reiki, wherever you are, I can help you! Visit ReikiAwakening.com and open the connection to your own power for healing!

If you have questions for the Reiki Question and Answer of the Day Blog, post them in the comments section below!

Q: Can I use Reiki to make a girl fall in love with me?

This question was asked to me by a Facebook connection, in a post on my Reiki Awakening Facebook page.

Here’s my answer:

A: You can’t “make” a girl fall in love with you, but you might become more lovable to her  with these things: kindness, caring, listening, acceptance, attention, and sincere appreciation. Use Reiki to help you connect with these attributes.

My very wise student, Amber adds: “While Reiki is not “magic” and cannot be used as a love spell, it is a very loving energy and is to be used with love.  If the girl sees you as a caring, loving person and her heart is open to you for that, then it’s entirely possible she will fall in love with you.  But that is because of who you are as a person, and Reiki is part of you.”

Reiki is good for self healing, and for using this healing energy to help ourselves heal our negative experiences and connect with our best selves. We can send energy to increase our patience, to let our light shine out, to connect with those on a similar energetic vibration to our own. These are all good ways to use Reiki to help with increasing love in our lives. We can also use Reiki to heal those issues which may be blocking our ability to love fully, because when we ourselves are in the best state of wellness and openness, the universe will align with our desires.

If you have questions about Reiki, please post them below! I’ll answer them in future posts on the Reiki Question and Answer of the Day blog!

To learn more about Reiki, or receive a healing session, please go to ReikiAwakening.com.

Q: Can anyone learn Reiki?

A: Yes. Anyone who is interested can learn Reiki. No previous intuitive abilities or experience is required. Have an open mind, although skepticism is fine. I actually encourage skeptics because they are willing to try and don’t have expectations. They’re usually the people most amazed by Reiki energy since they didn’t expect to feel anything. Suddenly finding themselves with powerful energy that they can feel flowing through their hands is a life-changing experience for them. It actually can be that strong of an experience for most anyone who gives Reiki a chance.

I’m very passionate about Reiki because I had no previous intuitive abilities at all, and learning Reiki changed all that for me.

Would you like to experience Reiki? Interested in finding out for yourself what it’s all about? Start here: http://reikiawakening.com

In the words of one of my students, “Reiki changes things.”

Feel free to offer comments or suggest questions for the Reiki Question and Answer of the Day blog below!

Q: Does Reiki healing REALLY work by distance?

A: In a word, yes. But it’s better to start with some basics in order to give a more complete answer. Here are two sub-questions, with their answers, that should help.

What is Distance Healing?

Distance healing, also called “absent healing,” is a way for a Reiki practitioner to channel Reiki or other healing energy to anyone, anywhere in the world. Healing energy is not bound by the laws of time and space, and does not need travel time. It arrives at its destination immediately, directed by the intention of the practitioner.

How do I know distance healing is real?

People who doubt it’s possible have probably never given it a chance. All one needs is to accept the possibility that it could work and let their own experience validate the answer. Energy is not bound by laws of time or space. (You use a cell phone, don’t you? You use electricity? You love people? All of these are energy -invisible and powerful). I teach distance healing to healers who wish to strengthen their abilities and confidence, and to those who are curious. I also offer distance healing to those who would like to try it for themselves. You have nothing to lose, and so very much to gain. It can change your life. It did for me.

If you would like to experience distance Reiki healing for yourself free, just call me. 216-469-2499. I offer free 10 minute phone consultations to answer your questions and I’ll even send you some Reiki energy right there during our phone call. If I don’t pick up, leave a message and a good time to call you back.

To receive a full distance healing session, sign up here. This includes about 35-60 minutes of healing energy and a report of what I noticed about your energy as I was sending your healing session. The energy will be set up so that you may receive it when ready, based on my simple instructions via email. It’s a powerful experience.

Already a Reiki practitioner but want to grow in your confidence and strength with distance healing? I offer a Distance Healing Guidebook Ebook for immediate download here.

Want to learn Reiki for yourself? It’s available to everyone. I can teach you – I teach by distance and you can learn from home, wherever you are in the world. Click here for more information.

Q: How does one “do Reiki?”

A: I get this question a lot. It’s a great one!

A person who is attuned to Reiki (think of it like being a radio station dialed in to the Reiki channel!) can “turn on” the Reiki energy at will. This means that the person uses INTENTION to think “Reiki on” or any similar statement that turns his or her attention to the energy flow. It’s like pushing the “on” button on the radio (to continue with this analogy).

The practitioner can then direct (or “guide”) the energy by intention. So if the energy is needed to relieve pain, the practitioner may think “relieve pain in the shoulder.” Or if the energy is needed for self healing of a general sort, the practitioner may simply think “self healing” and place her hands on her own body. There are many more ways to direct Reiki, but these are just a couple examples.

In some Reiki methods, there are specific hand positions that are standard. The practitioner moves through each one and pays attention to the flow of the energy, in order to give feedback to the recipient about where the energy felt strongest, or blocked. Usui Reiki is one of the methods that incorporates a specific set of hand positions. Not all Reiki methods require this, though. In Kundalini Reiki, the practitioner may put her hands wherever she is guided to, or right on or above an area of concern. The energy flows to where it’s needed.

The Reiki energy may not really flow through the hands alone, but I believe it is activated by intention and the hands allow the practitioner to feel the nuances in the flow of energy as it is being received.

How does the Reiki practitioner know that the energy is flowing? This question really is answered by this next one: How does Reiki energy feel? That is a subjective experience. Best to say that everyone who works with Reiki energy feels “something” and once he recognizes what that “something” is, it is consistent and grows stronger with practice. So if the practitioner feels energy with the “touch” senses, he may feel tingles, changes in temperature, or other physical sensations. If the practitioner sees colors or images when he closes his eyes, he is visually inclined. So he should pay attention to those visual stimuli while giving Reiki, for a pattern that will give him messages about the recipient’s energy needs. Becoming aware of how energy feels to you is the first step in feeling the energy as you receive it, and working with Reiki as a practitioner once you are attuned.

If you have questions about Reiki, please leave them in a comment below! I’ll address them in future posts of the Reiki Question and Answer of the Day blog!

To experience or learn more about Reiki energy, visit ReikiAwakening.com.

Q: How do I know Reiki will help me?

A: It will. But don’t take my word for it. Ask yourself these questions:

• Do I want to release stress naturally and quickly?
• Do I want a way to effectively and quickly relieve pain without (or in addition to) medicine?
• Do I want to be more calm and balanced overall?
• Would I like to sleep better at night and have more energy during the day?
• Do I want to feel connected to spiritual energy?
• Would I like to strengthen my intuitive abilities (or discover them)?

If you answered “yes” to any of the questions above, Reiki can help you. It can help with other things too, and often does so in unexpected and delightfully surprising ways. You may find that your life is improving in many ways, and you are able to help others easily as well. People often connect to a new or additional purpose in life after learning Reiki.

Anyone who is interested can learn Reiki, regardless of past experience or intuitive abilities. How do I know this? I had no discernible intuitive abilities before learning Reiki. I had always wanted to find a connection to something outside of my five senses, but had not found it. Reiki changed all that for me, and I found a direction for my life besides. Sharing energy and passing on the ability to do the same is joyful and rewarding work. But one doesn’t have to make it the focus of his or her career to incorporate Reiki into one’s life. However you use Reiki energy, it will help you.

Not sure, but curious? Call me. I’ll send you some Reiki while we’re on the phone and you can feel the energy for yourself. There’s no charge for a 10 minute phone consult. 216-469-2499.

Want to learn more? Visit ReikiAwakening.com.

Have a question about Reiki? Comment below and I’ll answer it in a future Reiki Question and Answer of the Day post! I’m here to help!

Q: Is it hard to learn Reiki?

A: Anyone can learn Reiki.  (My children, ages 4, 7, 9 and 11 all are attuned to Reiki and use it on themselves and each other daily.) Although anyone can receive Reiki, a person who wishes to give himself or others Reiki need first be attuned by a Reiki Master. An attunement is a simple shift in one’s energy to open the ability to bring in the energy for him or herself. A person attuned to Reiki is able to call the energy to flow through him or her to another person or an intention (i.e. clearing the energy of a room, healing a trauma from the past, sending positive energy to manifest a goal, speeding healing, emotional balance, shedding negative energy, etc.) Attunements can be given in person, or via distance, with equal effectiveness. Most important is to find a good teacher who will guide you in feeling and working with the energy.

Comments: You don’t need any special ability to learn Reiki, and in fact, you could attune yourself to Reiki, although it would be more difficult than learning and being attuned from one who is at the Master level of Reiki. Think of your intuition like a giant radio. Reiki is one station, one frequency. You can meditate, and try to find that specific channel – that “Reiki station” yourself, although with all of the noise and other channels out there, you may miss it, or at least it would take a lot of effort and time. An attunement from a Reiki Master will tune your intuition to the right channel for you, helping you easily and immediately bring in the specific frequency of Reiki energy by intention.

To learn more about Reiki, please visit ReikiAwakening.com.

Feel free to comment or post your Reiki question in the comments section! Your question will be answered in an upcoming post on the Reiki Question and Answer of the Day blog!

Today I put on my “Dear Alice” (with a nod to “Dear Abby”) identity and respond to a question from a blog reader!

Here’s the question: Why could there be big and strong burping -literally like a frog- after Reiki sessions? My client received some Reiki sessions for feminine problems, she wanted to get pregnant, she never could, but it was really odd, about 30- 40 minutes with that……. THANKS ~Carmina

Dear Carmina,
When Reiki energy is directed to the lower chakras, and when it’s working there, the lower digestive system is also receiving energy. Blocked energy can also cause blockages in the reproductive and digestive system. When energy is moving around, unblocking, rearranging, clearing, for example, physical symptoms such as burping, stomach gurgles, and other reactions can occur afterward. Think of it as a sign that something is happening. Sometimes there is a “detox” sort of effect, which may even result in mild diarrhea or mild flu-like symptoms for a day or so. This is not considered a negative reaction, but instead the body’s way of letting go of the energetic toxins that were blocking its most effective functioning. So reassure your client, and tell her the burping means that the Reiki is doing its work on her. I’d also advise drinking plenty of water after any Reiki session.

If you have questions about Reiki, please post them in the comments section! Each day I will respond to a question here in the Reiki Question and Answer of the Day blog!

To experience or learn more about Reiki, please visit ReikiAwakening.com or contact me here.

For our first Reiki Question and Answer of the Day, let’s start with the basics.

Welcome to Reiki Q&A of the Day!

Each day we’ll feature a question and answer about Reiki energy healing, sponsored by ReikiAwakening.com. Come back each day, learn something new, and have the opportunity to comment and suggest questions for future posts.

This page is administered by Alice Langholt, Reiki Master Teacher. You can find Alice as @ReikiAwakening on Twitter, on Facebook, on internet radio, and on her Reiki Awakening blog.

Leave a comment below with your Reiki questions, bookmark this site, and each day come back to see if yours has been chosen as the featured Reiki Question & Answer of the Day!

Tune in tomorrow for our first Reiki Q&A!

• Q: Can I really learn Reiki this way? Doesn't this training need to be done in person?
• A: Reiki energy is not limited by distance. Attunements are fully effective either way, and will be experienced same as in person by each student. Everyone who receives training this way is completely capable of connecting to the Reiki energy immediately following the first attunement.
  
  
• Q: I'm skeptical. Will Reiki work for me? Will I feel it? Don't I have to believe in it for it to work?
• A: Skeptics are welcome. All you need is a basic curiosity - enough to say, "I don't know if this will work, but I'll give it a try and see." I encourage everyone to let experience be his or her teacher. I'm here to allow and facilitate you being able to experience this for yourself.
  
  
• Q: I'm afraid to pay for something if I don't know if it will work or not. Is there some way to try Reiki before I commit to the program?
• A: I offer free 15 minute phone consultations. Email me for a time, or call and I'll talk to you right then or call you back shortly. My number is 216-469-2499. I'll give you Reiki while we're on the phone and you can try it for yourself. I'll also answer all your questions. Talk to me. I'm here to help.
  
  
• Q: How is this program taught?
  
• A: We meet live, online, via wiziq.com, using a link I will send you for our online virtual classroom. You'll need a webcam, internet access, and earphones.
  
  
• Q: I already know Reiki. Is this program for beginners?
• A: Whatever level of Reiki you have, or other energy healing experience, this program will take you farther, deeper, and enrich your skills in a multitude of ways. I'm here to work with each individual to help you meet your goals - from where you are to where you'd like to be.
  
  

Reiki Awakening Reiki blog by Alice Langholt

The hawk is called messenger, protector and visionary. Keen vision is one of its greatest gifts. Hawks see things that others miss.

The hawk comes to you indicating that you are now awakening to your soul purpose, your reason for being here. It can teach you to fly high while keeping yourself connected to the ground.

As you rise to a higher level, your psychic energies are awakening and the hawk can help you to keep those senses in balance. Its message to you is to be open to hope and new ideas, to extend the vision of your life.

~Suzanne, Divine Sparks blog

Let me catch you up, dear readers.

Evan got the job. He starts tomorrow morning. It's both a relief and very good timing that he will be employed again. It's a good organization, where he will work with friendly and appreciative people in a job that provides very important support to adults with special needs. We are grateful for this transition to a better situation for Evan and our family.

As for me, though...no one showed up to my classes or the networking group that I had busily promoted and worried over in my last post. At first I was really upset. "What a failure," my triumphant, snarky, chiding inner voice exclaimed, then adding, "I told you so." After enduring that for a while, Evan and I took the kids to the playground and, at his coaxing, we walked around brainstorming ways to expand my Reiki practice beyond the classroom. What other opportunities could I explore that could help reach more people? Who would be interested in having me teach or provide Reiki? We started a list. I started feeling better.

In fact, I started really seeing the process of doing this brainstorming as an opportunity that I would not have thought to do without the motivation of the lack of registration for those particular classes. "Maybe," my more optimistic inner voice countered, "this is the way that big things will start to happen. Wait and see!" And for once, my snarky chiding voice was quiet.

I also would like to publicly thank my wonderful, caring, intuitive friend Amy Oscar for her emails that consoled and helped gently encourage me to evolve my thinking on this situation.

This past week, I went to my teacher and mentor, Connie's house, and stayed overnight. When I was driving there, it was a gorgeous day and I noticed a big hawk flying above.

As I arrived, Connie and her business partner, Diana, were emailing with the head of a health, beauty and fitness expo in Strongsville, Ohio, about renting a booth. Turns out, the expo is next weekend (http://womensexpo.org - and please ignore the unfortunate way the words divide when put together that way) and there was a booth available for me too. We got a good deal when they offered to rent two booths instead of one. How perfect! It happens that this expo is the weekend before my next local Kundalini Reiki class starts. Great opportunity to reach and enroll more students.

Connie and Diana helped me brainstorm and plan out more ways to expand my reach, and they also gave me some intuitive advice. That night, Connie and I stayed up doing Soul and Angel card readings, and she also gave me some spiritual guidance. She told me that there is a thin, transparent ceiling above me between my guides and angels and me. She said I should ask them to remove it so that I can feel them with me and hear their guidance all the time. She also told me to ask them how to attract more students. She suggested that I ask them to show me signs, and if I have doubts, to ask for concrete, unmistakeable signs.

On my way home, I was ready to follow Connie's advice. I started by asking my guides and angels to be present with me. I felt energy. I asked them to remove any and all barriers between me and them so that I could receive their guidance all the time. I asked them to show me a sign if this had worked. Immediately, my attention was caught by a hawk flying above me.

"Yeah, right," my snarky voice chimed in. "Coincidence."

I asked for a more concrete, unmistakeable sign. Immediately, two hawks appeared flying above, and one of them was red. My snarky voice shut up.

I still had work to do here with my little meditation, so I got back to it. I had recently met a chiropractor who had invited me to be involved in his practice once he does the renovation in his new space, a couple of months out. So I asked my guides and angels next if I should call him. Another two hawks appeared without a second's pause. "Cool!" squealed my optimistic voice. I had to agree.

Now came the big part. I told my guides and angels that I wanted to "vibrate for people," to attract people that are meant to learn Reiki from me to my classes and to find me. I asked if I could visualize myself standing in front of a large classroom filling with happy, excited people, getting ready to teach. I pictured this in my mind and felt happy at the wonderful group, grateful for all of them. I felt a vibration of energy all around me, as if to agree that this would be a good way. Before I could ask for a sign, I counted exactly five hawks rushing out of the nearby trees into the sky, all at the same time, flying in circles. I was astounded and thrilled.

So it all began with a shifting. The shift was from anxiety and disappointment to optimism, hope and excitement. And with the shift came new energy toward my growth, opportunities, and goals. I also have a new resolve to meditate and include my guides and angels in more of my intentions and thoughts.

Since I got home, I feel different and I sense things happening. Registration has started coming in for my new classes. And I met a very amazing person who took an interest in me and we have some unique ways we could help each other. I'll tell more when things start to materialize, but at this point, it feels like new energy is bringing new possibilities.

Just what I needed.

Today, Evan and I were standing outside on the driveway. "Hey, look!" He pointed above our house. Two hawks were flying overhead. We never see hawks in our small, suburban neighborhood. That is, until now.

Thanks, angels.

Reiki Awakening Reiki blog by Alice Langholt

• No one registers for my class. I will have to cancel it. Then I will question why I keep doing this. Was it the timing? Was it the audience? Was it the marketing? Was it the content? Was it the fee? Was it me? If the Universe has given me this path (and it still feels like it is my path), and I'm marching on it full speed ahead, why aren't the students flocking (or at least enough of them to make a class happen) to fill them (and why do they always seem to come at the last minute, putting me through this horrible repeated wondering and creating a run-on-sentence problem?)
  
  
• No one comes to The Energy Network meeting. I will sit there wishing people had come. Then I will wonder why people didn't show for this opportunity to share an hour and a half talking about energy healing, their practice, and giving and receiving energy. Was it the timing? Was it the audience? Was it the marketing? Was it the cost (I think it's very reasonable but what do I know)? I feel somehow guided to make connections and offer a supportive and open place for those who work with energy to mingle and share. Why hasn't anyone preregistered?
  
  
• No one registers for the new Certification Program. I'll cancel it and wonder all the same things as above.
  

Reiki Awakening Reiki blog by Alice Langholt