Silence and Stillness

One of the common questions in my Reiki classes is “Do you play music during Reiki treatments?”  While this may be common practice in some body therapies, generally I don’t: I offer Reiki in silence.  I also request that at the Reiki Shares we treat each other in silence, rather than chat (we do chat before and after the treatments!).

In today’s world many of us are bombarded with sounds of different kinds – music, spoken voice, machinery, electronics.  There are natural sounds as well such as birds, wind and rain,

but these are often drowned out by human-created noise.  There’s also the hubbub inside our heads of constant thoughts, irritations and worries.

When people receive Reiki healing it is an opportunity to spend a space of time in stillness and silence, away from the normal noise of life.  I feel this is a valuable and important aspect of Reiki, so do not want to interfere with it by adding music.

Music itself relies on silence – all music comes from silence: that moment of hushed expectation that precedes the first notes, the intake of breath before the song.  It’s the spaces between the notes that create the melody and rhythm.

Many people receiving Reiki have spoken to me about how their mind seems to slow down, how their thoughts become more peaceful and even that the mind becomes still.  For many, receiving Reiki is very similar to meditation – with less effort because all you have to do is lie down and the Reiki practitioner does the work!  Or in the case of learning Reiki the effort of making your connection with the healing energy is carried out for you by the Reiki master: all you have to do is sit in silent stillness.

In silence it becomes easier to notice what is really important in that moment, whether it’s a physical sensation in the body, a buried emotion or thought that needs to be acknowledged.  Often we are so busy we forget to notice what really matters: in the stillness and silence of a Reiki treatment we can re-connect with the simple joy of being alive.

In this restful silence of Reiki healing external noises are not disturbing.  This leads me to think that even if I did play music people wouldn’t really hear it, just as they don’t hear the talking next door or the sirens going by outside.

Silence and peace are valued in many spiritual traditions and the stillness of mind we experience in Reiki is the goal of many spiritual practices, such as yoga, meditation and prayer.  I feel especially at home teaching and practicing Reiki at the Quaker meeting house in Ludlow, because it’s a place where people sit in silence to connect with their spiritual selves.  As we sit in silence giving each other Reiki it feels very similar.

Offering Reiki treatment in silence is one way I enable people to achieve this peace of mind and feeling of connection, in a way that is simple and restful for them.  In such a busy, noisy world an hour of silence can be a true gift!

"Only service heals"

At a Reiki masters’ retreat with Phyllis Furumoto in April, she read an article “In the Service of Life” by Rachel Remen, a medical doctor who believes in “re-integrating the heart and soul into contemporary medicine”.  In this article she talks about the differences between fixing, helping and serving.  I found it inspiring and have been looking at my Reiki practice in this context.

In my early Reiki practice I realise I was a fixer: I wanted to be able to sort out people’s health problems.  I saw Reiki as a powerful tool to that could enable me to make people feel better.  When I started working publicly as a practitioner I was presented with a range of conditions that people wanted me to fix.  However, although people I treated received benefit from Reiki, it was rarely what needed ‘fixing’.  Rachel Ramen describes fixing as a form of judgement, because we see the person we are treating as ‘broken’ and in need of sorting out.  I began to realise that I could not fix people, that I could not make anything happen with Reiki.  

My practice then shifted more into being a helper, which Rachel Ramen describes as “using your own strength to help those of lesser strength”.  I can see that helping others with Reiki treatments made me feel stronger myself, that I gained satisfaction based on being able to use my Reiki strength to help.  However this was an un-equal relationship which ultimately could not be truly healing as it kept the person being treated in a place of weakness.

Through teaching Reiki I began to understand the quality of service.  I saw that although I performed the initiations and taught the hand positions, it was the students themselves who joined with this process, gave their commitment and enthusiasm, who were equal partners in the learning and that Reiki itself gave them the healing ability.   The more I taught, and the deeper my Reiki practice became, the stronger this understanding grew, so that now I see everything I do in teaching Reiki as calling forth different elements of service.

This has also changed how I feel about giving Reiki treatments.  When someone asks me for Reiki treatment for health problem they have, I hold the request from the point of view of service rather than fixing or helping.  I know I cannot fix their problem.  I may want to help, but I’m now aware that this creates an unequal relationship and that lasting healing will only happen when the person themselves is as engaged in the journey towards wholeness as I am – then, with the grace of Reiki, there is the potential for change. 

I now gain most satisfaction from treatments which are based on this mutual seeking for wholeness, rather than being a fixer or helper.  I no longer want to be in the place of judgement or inequality, even if it pleases my ego!  This only creates separation and through my Reiki teaching and practice I have come to value connection.  I have experienced the difference between the discomfort created by disconnection, compared to the joy that comes from connection.  I know that as I move deeper into my exploration of serving people on their path to the place of healing they seek, I will experience greater peace, fulfillment and balance in my life.

So I’m grateful to Phyllis for introducing me to this thought provoking article!

How may I serve you?

Reiki for Burns

Mrs Takata who brought Reiki out of Japan

At a recent sharing group one of my Reiki students showed us a burn on her hand which she said was healing very well thanks to Reiki.  It had been quite a deep burn from touching the side of the oven.  We were also amazed to see that even by the end of the evening it looked less red and inflamed.  She told us there was little pain.

This reminded me of a deep burn I received from splashing hot oil on my hand.  It was the worst burn I’d experienced and was, of course, extremely painful.  After the initial first aid of cooling it under a tap I began to apply Reiki.  My husband brought me a bag of iced water and I put this on the burn and gave it Reiki through the bag.  It was very painful for about 10 minutes after which the pain subsided and became bearable.

As the damage to my skin was quite severe – it was an open wound larger than a 50p piece – I went to have it dressed by the nurse at my GP’s surgery the next day and.  She told me to come back if the wound wasn’t dry after a few days.  I had the impression she was expecting to see me again.

I continued to give the burn Reiki through the dressing as often as I could – sitting watching TV or in a meeting.  I was expecting there to be scarring or at the very least a dark mark on my skin.  After a few days I found that the wound was dry: no need to go back to the nurse.  In a short time my skin healed without scarring, not even a mark on the skin.  My own Reiki miracle!

I had read stories of Mrs Takata healing burns when she was practicing, which had inspired me to try it myself.  One of her experiences was quite dramatic: an electrician was asked to urgently repair a bread oven so that the baker could bake his bread for the day.  Perhaps due to the urgency, he forgot to check that the switch was turned off and, having crawled inside the oven, there was a flash and he caught fire.  The baker pulled him out and smothered the flames, but he was seriously burned.  Four of his family were Reiki trained and went to treat him immediately.  They treated him all over his body except for one small area that was less burned.   He had no pain and was soon allowed to go home from hospital, where he continued to receive daily Reiki treatments.  He had no scars except for the one spot they had left untreated.  After that experience he wanted to learn Reiki for himself!

I would be really interest in introducing Reiki to the specialist burns hospital in Birmingham, to do a trial to see whether Reiki could make a difference to the patients’ recovery.  I would love to teach the nurses or perhaps Reiki practitioners could be trained to work in this special environment.  Wouldn’t it be great If Reiki could help to improve the quality of life of burns survivors by reducing their pain and scarring? 

When conditions are right, change happens fast.

After all the months of cold, snow and ice Spring finally seems to have arrived and the change seems sudden.  The air is filled with birdsong, green shoots appear and the daffodils that should have flowered in March are able to blossom at last.

When April began and was still so cold I doubted the swallows would return at their usual time.  Would they really get here at the usual time when it was still so cold?  Well I saw several swallows on the 15^th April: exactly the date I usually see the first one.  They arrived on the dot, as soon as the weather changed.

Walking in my garden and seeing the changes happening so fast now that the sun has finally begun to warm the earth, I realised that when the conditions are right, by which I mean in balance with nature, change happens fast.  I see that this is often what happens with Reiki.

I remember treating one woman for whom Reiki didn’t seem to be working.  Week after week she came back for treatment, but I felt very little in my hands, not much changed for her other than a slight improvement of her sleep pattern. 

However one day the treatment was totally different: I felt heat and buzzing in my hands from the start and through-out the whole treatment.  She also felt the difference.  After that treatment I didn’t see her for a while and when she did come for Reiki treatment again she told me how her life had completely transformed: she’d moved house, got a new job and learned Reiki herself.

My understanding is that Reiki had been working all along: it had been so subtle that I had not been able to detect it.  Conditions were being prepared so that, when the time was right, the changes that were needed in her life happened fast and easily.  I have observed this in many people I’ve treated since, with a range of problems.

One of the ways I think Reiki helps to make conditions right for change and healing is by enabling us to relax and release stress.  Stressful thoughts divert energy away from the immune system, which requires energy to function properly.  Reiki helps people to slow down stressful thoughts and experience a more peaceful way of being.  I know that when I’m more relaxed it is easier to live in the moment; I make better decisions and care for myself more easily.  Patients in hospitals often have a quicker recovery rate when they have Reiki (whether self administered of given by a practitioner) and it’s known that patients who have a positive mental attitude and are more relaxed generally recover quickly.

In the way that children and animals heal fast because they are closer to their natural state, so Reiki brings us closer to a balanced state, creating conditions that support healing taking place.  As in Nature: when all is ready, change happens fast!

Being Positive

One of the benefits I’ve received from Reiki and observed in my students and those I treat is a shift to a more positive way of being, which leads to living a happier and  healthier life.

This winter has been challenging to say the least!  As I write this there’s 2 feet of snow outside, we nearly ran out of logs (our main source of heating) and the snow has been disruptive, not for the first time this winter.  I had to cancel the Ludlow First Degree class due to the weather.  Like so many other people I’ve also had flu, which has sapped my energy.

Reiki has helped me to stay positive in the face of these challenges.  I am able to accept ‘what is’ with more equanimity than I did in the past.  This more balanced approach makes it easier to move through difficulty because it causes less stress and enhances my creativity to find solutions to the problems.   I also find that thinking positively makes me less likely to blame myself or others, which also uses up vital energy and gets in the way of finding solutions.  

I learned recently that having a positive attitude can help if a mistake is made.  Those with a more negative attitude will spend time blaming themselves for the error, while someone who responds positively to a mistake will notice it, learn from it and move on.  Interestingly the result is that those with a positive attitude make fewer mistakes.  Perhaps this is partly because they worry less – which reminded me of the Reiki principle ‘just for today do not worry’.  If I make a mistake and manage not to worry or blame myself about it I am not using up energy that could be spent in better ways.  Worry and blame also take my attention away from the present moment: when my mind is elsewhere mistakes are more likely to happen and creative solutions are elusive.

One of the most commonly reported effects of receiving Reiki is that people become more relaxed and peaceful.  When your mind is calm you are more likely to experience life in a positive way (think about how good a relaxing walk in Nature feels).  When I am stressed or overwhelmed I continue having negative thoughts unless I do something about it.  One of the best ways I have found to get out of this state is to give myself Reiki!  Recently when I was feeling fed up about being poorly, and overwhelmed about all the work I wasn’t getting done, I fought my desire to ‘soldier on’, lay down and gave myself a Reiki treatment.  Apart form helping my symptoms, it helped me feel more positive, giving me a more balanced view of my need to rest and heal rather than try to work while ill.

As soon as I began to recover, my energy improved and I felt more positive, which reminded me of the comment made by Dr Rosy Daniel that when your energy is low your thinking is often more negative.  So by restoring my energy with Reiki I’m helping myself to regain a positive way of being!

Valuing Community

One of the Four Aspects of Usui Shiki Ryoho Reiki is called Mystic Order and refers to the way that learning Reiki brings us into a community of like-minded people with shared experiences of healing and personal growth.

I have attended several meetings in the past couple of months which have given me deeper insight into this Aspect.  One of these meetings was with other Reiki masters, most of whom I’ve known for a long time.  I found it comforting to be in the company of my friends again. We shared Reiki treatments and talked about how we are getting on in our lives. Some were not able to join us due to illness or death of family, which brought home to me how our connection with each other offers support when we face challenges in life.

I gave a Reiki treatment recently to someone who had suffered a trauma. She mentioned how what had really helped her in the days after the accident were the kind words and actions of her community. This made me reflect on how connection with others can be so helpful in getting through difficult times. I have found that practising Reiki has offered me this greater connection and a community of supportive friends.  There is strength in a community that is greater than one person alone.

Some of the meetings have been more about Reiki business, but I found that even with those I came away from them feeling empowered and supported.   The most recent was a meeting where someone commented how much she loves the times people come together – she said it was like a holiday for her as she does a lot of work alone in her office.  I could completely relate to that because there is definitely a difference when we meet in person.

This month I’m looking forward to The Reiki Association gathering and our theme for the weekend is Connection. There will be old friends and new people to meet.  I know that because we share a love for Reiki and will be giving each other Reiki treatments there will be a feeling of connection even if we begin as strangers to each other and that I will come away feeling supported, refreshed and uplifted.

I can barely remember the person I used to be, who felt alone and found being in new groups difficult. I'm marvelling at myself and valuing the richness in my life that comes from being part of the Reiki community. It hasn't always been easy, but like the grit in the oyster that creates the pearl it has helped me to grow and develop greater self confidence. Feeling more at ease in groups has enabled me to receive the support I once found it difficult to ask for. This has given me enhanced feelings of comfort and security. I also notice that I have been taking this confidence into other situations, such as my local business networking group and that this has given me different kinds of beneficial and supportive connections.

How this happened is has been a mysterious and subtle process over many years. Perhaps that's why it's called mystic order! I feel a deep gratitude to my community of Reiki connections – thank you for being there!

Interview with Alec Jones: Taiji teacher and Reiki Master

My husband Alec turns 60 this month.  In celebration I am sharing with you an interview with him about his practice as a taiji teacher and Reiki master first published in Reiki Magazine International in 2000. 

K: What drew you to learn Taiji?

A: I’d always wanted to learn a martial art and meditation. One day in 1973, I was watching a TV programme about the Hong Kong kung fu movie industry. There were shots of actors leaping across buildings. It went straight from this to a little old man in a park, standing still. Then he started moving very, very slowly. What I didn’t realise was that he was actually moving at that speed; I thought they’d slowed the film down. At the back of the park was a road hidden by trees and a lorry went by. It just went belting across the screen and I realised that this man was actually moving that slowly! It struck me as unusual and extremely graceful; how on earth could he keep his balance, moving that slowly? So I started looking for a taiji teacher: it took me seven years to find one!

K: How did you come to learn Reiki?

A: After studying and teaching taiji for some years, several people had told me that they felt a particular quality of touch in my hands. They suggested I should do something with it in some kind of healing capacity. Then I found a leaflet about Reiki. I thought that if I learned Reiki, when I touched people to adjust their posture in the taij class, I could zap their tension. Then they would relax into the posture and understand the movements better. Part of my mind thought that this was what I was looking for: it didn’t take long to learn and it wasn’t expensive. But the other part of my mind thought it was some kind of get-rich-quick scheme – how could you possibly learn a healing technique in 3 days? I rang the number that was on the back of the leaflet and they started telling me about the course. They told me how much it was and I had enough money; when it was and I had the weekend free. Then they started telling me where it was and it turned out to be held in my taiji teacher’s house! So that clinched the decision.

Several of my taiji students have learned Reiki. There are certain exercises in the taiji and qigong classes that give you an opportunity to feel your energy moving through your hands. Most people who have done Reiki can feel it sooner and stronger than those who haven’t. It enhances that connection because it’s all Qi or Ki.

K: Do you feel that being a Reiki master affects your Taiji?

A: There’s a parallel path of my personal growth in my practice of taiji and in Reiki. Becoming a Reiki master was part of that growth. So I couldn’t say exactly what Reiki or taiji has done, but they have both greatly affected my path of personal growth. I met someone in 2000 who I hadn’t seen for over 10 years. She said that I’d changed completely in that time: I was a more confident, more open person. She could really see the growth.

I sat down once and wrote a list, taiji one side, Reiki the other. For each of the taiji principles, in terms of using them in daily life, I could put something in the Reiki column as well. It’s the same with Reiki: anything I could put down about what Reiki is or does there was something in the taiji column to match. When I’m giving Reiki to someone it puts me in touch with that sense of there being no boundary between where I end and the other person begins. The energy crosses that boundary and blurs it. I also experience that in my solo taiji practice: I feel a part of my environment; I don’t stop at my skin. Both disciplines give me a sense of my place in the universe, my connection to the scheme of things.

K: Do you think Taiji can benefit Reiki students?

A: When you’re giving a Reiki treatment, whether you’re standing or sitting, you have to find ways of aligning your body to be comfortable and relaxed, so you don’t lean on the other person. One of the main things in taiji is posture and the alignment of the body. You work with balance, so that you’re not fighting against gravity. Also, there are taiji exercises that work on the quality of touch. There is one called ‘sticking,’ where you rest your palm on the back of someone else’s hand. They move their hand around and you keep the same quality of touch as though your hand is stuck to theirs. Having done that for several years before learning Reiki, I found that when I came to put my hands on someone I knew how to touch them: the quality of touch was already established.

K: Could you talk about the discipline in Taiji?

A: There are different styles and schools of taiji, but whichever form you learn you do the same form all the time. That’s the discipline of it: you don’t need to change it. If it’s difficult in places it’s meant to be. Once you relax into the idea that it’s like that for a reason, that simple understanding changes it and makes it easier. Mental resistance creates physical resistance and constriction, so relaxing mentally relaxes you physically. Then the movements become easier.

There is a freedom in discipline. The structure of the form is what gives you the freedom to express the quality of your own energy. You don’t have to change the form to be creative. It’s the boundary of a movement that defines it. If you go beyond that boundary it becomes something else, a different movement. That’s true of the whole form: it’s the boundaries that give shape to the art. Without the boundaries, there is no shape and without the shape it’s just somebody moving about, not following the taiji principles any more. For example there is the principle of empty step: if you take a step that’s too big it’s no longer an empty step: you fall. The boundary of an empty step is very important to discover and to work on the edge of. A boundary is a dividing line; if you cross that line then what you are doing becomes something else, something formless. The difference between form and formless is that form can be reproduced and therefore passed on to others. For example if someone offered you some water to drink and you said yes please and they pour some water at you, it’s not very helpful. You need a container to make use of the water. The container is the form.

I see an exact duplication between Taiji and Reiki in that. I see that as true of any spiritual discipline – you have to have a container and the container is the form. The form includes the personal practice and the method of teaching.

(for Taiji read 'Taijiquan & Qigong')