Thursday 1 November 2012

21 years of joyful Reiki teaching!


Through-out my life November seems to have been quite a significant month for me:  In November 1964 I ceased to be an only child with the birth of my sister!   In November 1987 my father died suddenly, which led to me receiving a series of Reiki treatments.  These led to another significant November event 21 years ago today when I was initiated as a Reiki master.
                         
I was initiated by Reiki master Martha Sylvester, alongside my husband Alec at our home in Cotteridge, Birmingham.  I have heard that some Reiki masters are initiated in special and significant places, such as waterfalls or the tops of mountains.  For us being initiated in our home was perfect!

Our teaching career began straight away: the day after we were initiated we received a phone call from some people who were keen to learn Reiki, so our first class was that December.  It has been my pleasure to teach regularly ever since.  I can hardly believe how many years have passed now!

There has been a lot of learning and growth in the intervening years, but some things have not changed.  I have never lost my passion and enthusiasm for Reiki and all the gifts it offers.  Indeed the more I practice and learn, the more respect and awe I have for what has been passed down to us by the lineage. 

It also still gives me as much, if not more, joy to initiate people into Reiki.  I am still just as excited (though less nervous) as I prepare for a Reiki class as I was in the early years.

As I stand with the student for the first initiation I rejoice in the choice they are making, the potential for bringing healing and peace that they have embraced by deciding to learn Reiki.  And as I give the last initiation and remind them that they now have this gift for the rest of their lives I share their delight.

I am honoured to have been able to touch the lives of 945 people by initiating them into Reiki over the past 21 years.  I have initiated many of them into second degree as well, but as yet have not initiated a master myself.

In the first few years I thought I would soon initiate one of my students as a master, but listening to the advice from Phyllis Furumoto, lineage bearer of Usui Shiki Ryoho, decided to wait.  There have been a few people who have asked to study with me to become a Reiki master, but they all decided to be initiated by someone else.  I felt at the time that I wasn’t quite ready and looking back I can see this was true. Hawayo Takata didn’t initiate her first master until she had been practicing Reiki for almost 40 years.  So I’m in no hurry.  However I now feel the time has come, that I could now begin to guide someone towards the honour of being a Reiki master.  I feel sure that when the Reiki-time is right that person will appear.   

I am deeply grateful to Martha for giving me the honour and gift of being a Reiki master and look forward to the next 21 years!