In January’s ReikiUpdate I asked, “How I can help?” What I had in mind was what classes and content would help you with your Reiki practice.

What I received was much more profound. I have never been so grateful that I didn’t communicate clearly!

Many of you opened your hearts to share your dreams, your frustrations, your doubts, and the wishlists for your lives. I was deeply touched by the outpouring, and moved by your confidence that, as a spiritual healing practice, Reiki can help us accomplish our life goals.

Reiki healing practice requires practice

The key word, of course, is practice.

Reiki healing is not magical, although it can seem that way. If we really want our Reiki practice to change our lives, and we want to stabilize that transformation, we need to do our part — we need to actually practice.

As with anything else, the best results come with consistent practice.

When asked about daily self -treatment, one practitioner responded, “off and on.” Other than hands go off and on as we proceed with our hand to body placements, that’s really a NO.

Another practitioner said she practiced regular self-treatment “most of the time.” What’s regular about “most of the time?”

There’s no con in consistent

We don’t sleep “most nights,” nor do we eat “most days.” The only way to keep from conning ourselves is to be consistent in our efforts.

Architects don’t just dream of buildings; they draw the plans that contractors then build.

We build our dreams through daily practice. Daily, as in every day. Unfailingly.

(We don’t have to be rigid. It’s okay if our Reiki practice is shorter some days than others, as long as it happens and tomorrow we’re back to a full practice.)

More off or more on?

When we settle for off-and-on, “on” tends to be only when we’ve hit a rough patch. Then just as our balanced state is stabilizing, and our daily practice is about to install a level of steadiness in our lives that we never imagined, our Reiki practice is off again.

When our practice is as important to us as sleep, when we crave the nourishment we receive from practice as much as we crave food, we have connected with the power to transform our lives.

The power to transform our understanding and our lives is ever-present; our daily practice is the vehicle it needs to manifest.

How can I help?

Do you have a question about practice that is keeping you from practicing? I want to help you. Here are links that discuss the questions I’m asked most often:

Do you have doubts?

Do you have how-to questions about daily practice?

Would you like to communicate Reiki with more confidence?

Are there other questions I can help you with here? Please leave them as a comment below. If you are reading this in your inbox, click here and then scroll down to the comment section.

If you don’t receive my free monthly ReikiUpdate and would like to, sign up here.

Will we meet soon in Barbados, San Juan, or Atlanta?

Pretty bows pictured above are available on Etsy.

Trying to capture Reiki

Is like grabbing water

In your hand.

Yet Reiki captures the fortunate ones

Who practice diligently;

Captures them completely,

And sets them free.

Related reading:
With Gratitude, Work Diligently

It’s not often that I’m intrigued by an obituary, or that I even read one. But as I paged through today’s New York Times, a photo drew me in, just as it was supposed to.

Jerome Liebling was a photographer and filmmaker dedicated to showing people things that they “wouldn’t see unless I was showing them.” Liebling also became a masterful teacher, deeply influencing many documentary filmmakers, including Ken Burns (himself so influential in the field that a cinematic effect bears his name).

As a teacher, Liebling’s interest was not to teach the technical aspects of picture-making. Rather, he wanted to impact his students’ reality, to infect them with a suspicion of dogma, and make them “see that there are no shortcuts.” Liebling pushed his students to plumb the depths of their motivation and vision until “they really started to look.”

Burns referred to Liebling as being “so authentic, in a way that a lot of us had never experienced.” As reported by the Times, Burns said,

“You wanted to be like him. You wanted to tell the truth. You’d go out to take pictures with him, and we all saw the same things he did, and then we’d come back, and he’d put up his prints, and you’d put up yours, and you were devastated.”

Reiki practice, like all spiritual practices, reveals truth from within, and prepares us to be in its presence.

It’s not easy being in the presence of truth. That’s why there are no shortcuts. It takes time, and steady practice, to develop the ability to face truth without flinching, or trying to make it pretty, or somehow fix it. It takes time to be willing to let truth’s beauty shine forth on its own terms, unembellished.

Isn’t this the possibility that a master teacher shows us, no matter what the technique? And isn’t this the possibility that consistent practice makes real?

Who inspired your pursuit of truth?

The TALKING REIKI: Communication series is designed to improve your effectiveness and comfort when talking about Reiki, and you can access the recordings online anytime you want, as many times as you want. Click here to  learn more.

Have you ever wondered, what is it we send when we “send Reiki?”

Surely it’s not Reiki itself. No matter where we might want to send it, isn’t Reiki already there? Isn’t Reiki every place all the time, all-pervasive and unending?

How can we send something somewhere when it is everywhere all the time? That doesn’t make sense.

Reiki, mystery, and common sense

Making sense doesn’t matter to everyone. Some have accused me of over-thinking, of trying to take the mystery out of Reiki. But there is a difference between mystery and foolishness.

Contemplating what we are doing doesn’t remove the mystery. If anything, it makes us more aware of how much we don’t know. And of how foolish our pat phrases about Reiki are.

If we don’t think about what we are doing when we “send Reiki,” we imagine little Reiki bits emanating from our hands and going where they’re told. Is that what you think is happening?

I don’t.

What are we sending when we “send Reiki?”

What if Reiki is the ultimate Oneness, the all-pervasive beingness from which the world as we know it manifests and into which all manifestation dissolves.

Then what do we send when we send Reiki?

We offer the Reiki connection, that mysterious something that increases our awareness of our own intrinsic Reiki-ness. And that changes everything.

What do you think? Does this fit your contemplated practice experience? Scroll down to leave a comment.

Looking for help speaking credibly about Reiki? The TALKING REIKI: Communication series is designed to improve your effectiveness and comfort when talking about Reiki, and you can access the recordings online anytime you want, as many times as you want. Click here to  learn more.

Like you, I love information.

Yet as a writer and a Reiki master interviewed by the media many times, I know how easily information gets distorted even when there is a strong commitment to accuracy. Under the best of circumstances, interpretation slips in like greased lightening, unintended changes occur, and nuance gets veiled or incorrectly implied.

That’s why I make an effort to get my information as close to the source as possible. Especially information about Usui Reiki Ryoho.

I never met Hawayo Takata, but I’m fortunate to have been trained in her practice, and to have friends and colleagues trained by her, especially Susan Mitchell, Wanja Twan, and Paul Mitchell, who generously share their experience with me.

My years living in Asia sensitized me to the distance between Asian and EuroAmerican perspective, and so the support of my Japanese colleagues, Reiki masters Hyakuten Inamoto and Hiroshi Doi, is especially valuable to me. (I know my colleagues don’t like to use the word “master,” but I cannot in good conscience avoid it, as the term suits them so well.) Japanese is not simply a language; it is a cultural and spiritual perspective, and much gets lost in translation.

My Takata colleagues and my Japanese colleagues were generous with their support as I wrote REIKI: A Comprehensive Guide, and I remain indebted to them.

But that doesn’t stop me from asking for more in my continual inquiry into the essence of Usui Shiki Ryoho. Accessing the ancestry of my practice has become part of my practice; reaching into the past puts my experience in richer context. (It has also validated my intuition that once we have the Reiki initiations, practice trumps all. But I digress…)

Yes, I love information, and reliable information about Usui Shiki Ryoho is not easily available. So when I had an opportunity to discuss points of practice with my esteemed Japanese colleagues, to learn more about the distinctions and commonalities of our approaches from experienced teachers, I went for it.

As part of my blog’s second birthday celebration, I want to give you a special gift–the transcript of that conversation. It’s an honor to share with you this very special gift that Inamoto sensei and Doi sensei gave to me.

Hiroshi Doi spoke from his practice, Gendai Reiki Ho, based in the practice of Usui’s Gakkai; Hyakuten Inamoto spoke from his practice, Komyo Reiki Kai, based in the practice of Chujiro Hayashi; and I spoke from my Takata practice.

Click here to read the transcript of our conversation, and share this gift with your circle. Then please scroll down to leave a comment telling Inamoto sensei and Doi sensei how this has helped you. The transcript is translated into Portuguese and Spanish.

Do you have a pressing Reiki question? Share it here.

Related Reading:
Reiki Is Not Ancient

As doctors graduate medical school, they are famously told, “Half of what you learned in medical school is wrong; we don’t know which half.”

If only the Reiki community were as forthright about how dubious much Reiki information is.

As Reiki practice receives more mainstream attention, conflicting information poses a serious obstacle for new people. Many practitioners complain that good information is hard to come by.

We can make it easier for everyone to get reliable Reiki information. Let’s pool our knowledge and insight and address the credibility challenge together. The first step is to gather your questions.

What is your most pressing question about Reiki?

Click here to share it. When you do, you’ll be signed up for a drawing to win a free 30-minute one-to-one consult with me (phone or skype). You can use that time to discuss any questions you want.

The questions that are asked most often will be addressed in short videos or blogposts. Everyone who signs up will be emailed as the questions and responses are rolled out. I’ll start the conversation and I hope you will weigh in with your thoughtful perspective, especially when you have access to documented facts.

The success of this Campaign for Credible Reiki information depends on involving people from various lineages and practice styles. Please help by sharing this invitation.

Click here to leave your question; do not leave it as a comment below. This way all questions remain anonymous and people won’t feel inhibited to ask for what they need. Thank you thank you!

Jaime Kim Libowitz is a bright, engaging professional with broad interests and a perspective informed by time spent living in Japan and Italy. I’ve always appreciated her insightful comments in class, so I was delighted to hear she was writing about her experience learning Reiki. As teachers, we do our best to inspire and motivate our students, but how can we know where it all lands unless our students tell us?

I was so moved by Jaime’s kindness in completing the circle that I asked her permission to share it with you. After reading Jaime’s comments, please contemplate what it was about your Reiki master that made such a difference to you, and share your story in the comments area below. Then send your Reiki master the link to complete your circle. Jaime wrote:

“My decision to learn to practice Reiki was more or less a last resort. I had reached a pinnacle of dissatisfaction and anxiety, and my usual coping methods were not working. And yet, the decision was not an altogether easy one. For one, there were financial considerations. Then, there were personal considerations: as an intellectual, it’s difficult for me to engage in anything that does not first stimulate my mind.

“Reiki, I had been told, was something everyone could learn, yet I was skeptical. Aren’t there just people who are born with an innate talent for healing, and might it be true that for one to become skilled at something like Reiki, that he or she must first have some sort of spiritual or healing background? Wouldn’t that take a long time? Wouldn’t this be boring? I’m American, when I need a solution, I need it as fast as possible!

“My first encounter with Pamela was through her book, REIKI: A Comprehensive Guide. To be honest, I skimmed through the first few chapters (yawn: where’s the intellectual stimulation in this? Intern, get me a coffee, now!) until I reached the chapter that finally moved me: Reiki and Science. I was fascinated. My mind was engaged. I was persuaded: if I am going to learn Reiki, this is the woman who can teach me.

“My First Degree class profoundly changed my perspective of Reiki, and more importantly, of myself and my relationship to life itself. When I stepped into Pamela’s home, I was greeted by a smiling, composed woman who radiated compassion and self-assurance. When she began speaking about Reiki, she spoke with words that rang true to my mind and my heart, words that resonated both logic and profound understanding. My inner pedagogic was placated by her sound reasoning; my heart was nurtured by a sense of indescribable connection: yes, this is someone who understands me, and this is someone I trust to help me help myself.

“It’s because of these two factors, and these two alone, that I initially committed to daily self-practice in a way I had never done before. I don’t commit to anything, not until it proves itself worthy to me. And here, I’m about to say something perhaps unexpected: my first couple Reiki self-treatments were not life-changing. I won’t describe them, for they are personal, but I will say that had it not been for the line of reasoning in Pamela’s teaching, and had it not been from a total exhaustion of inner resources I felt at the time, I might have ceased to continue practice.

“Here’s where I’m going with this: what a Reiki teacher says, those specific words and the place where they come from, makes all the difference in the world. Let me repeat it: they make all the difference in the world. Chosen wisely or chosen carelessly, they are the gateway to a non-practitioner’s education, and they have the power to inspire and to alienate.

“Here’s why Pamela’s words have made such a difference to me. She speaks of Reiki with a discerning attitude and an inquisitive, yet accepting, spirit. She does not question Reiki itself; she questions how Reiki is being described and conceived of. Reiki is a spiritual healing practice that promotes physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being. When we practice Reiki, we are accessing the source of subtle energy itself, and this is something that never changes. The way Reiki healing expresses itself in a person changes over time, but Reiki itself does not change.

“This is something I understood from practice. As I have grown in my practice and in my continuing education, I have come to realize that, (I) Reiki, itself, is understood experientially. Practicing daily is not merely an exercise, it is absolutely intrinsic to understanding. And how hard is it, really? All you have to do is place your hands on your body! (II) Reiki cannot be practiced if the practitioner is not willing. See where I’m going with this?

“Thank you, Pamela, for reaching into my perspective, for touching the core of me first through reason, and then through your compassion. As I continue to deepen my understanding, I am enriched by an irreplaceable gratitude. First towards you, because you are my teacher, and most of all, towards the loving source that is Reiki, the one that lulls me to sleep each night and brightens the commencement of my days with light and joy. It’s not always easy, and I’m not a perfect person. But it’s okay, now, and we’re all okay.”

Now it’s your turn. How has your teacher touched your heart, stimulated your mind, and inspired your practice? After leaving a thoughtful comment below, use the email link to let him/her know.

Related reading:
Reiki Classes: What’s Right for You?

GUEST BLOGGER Robert Fueston is a Reiki master and acupuncturist in Lexington, Kentucky. Robert is an esteemed colleague whose research perseverance and willingness to look at the facts no matter what they are has made him one of my most trusted resources for Reiki history.

Reiki has fascinated me since I first learned to practice in 1996. In fact, the fascination started even earlier, when I read the book that led me to take a Reiki class.

After my First degree class, I started practicing daily self treatment and offering sessions to anyone who would let me treat them – maybe 5 or 6 people each week. Six months later, I learned Second degree Reiki practice, and was very pleased to find the information given was similar to what I had read in the book that had introduced me to the practice–ironically, information later discovered to be inaccurate.

I was comfortable with my practice until immediately after the master class, when my teacher said, “Now you are ready to go out and make other Masters.” I felt a twinge of shock, and wanted to say, “What the heck are you talking about? I am brand new at this Master thing! How could I train another master now?”

Something didn’t feel right, but all I said was, “No, I’m not planning on initiating other masters right now.”

I soon met many Reiki masters of different lineages, and discovered we had all learned something different. I began collecting information from each of these lineages until it seemed like everything was contradicting everything. How could this be?

I wondered how I could find out what REALLY is part of the system of Reiki and what has been added on, subtracted, or changed? Knowing there is no substitute for going straight to the source, I decided to contact everyone in my lineages as well as the remaining 22 masters of Takata (at that time, it was not commonly known that there were living masters in Japan).

Finding Takata’s 22 masters was not a simple task; at the time, it was hard to even get a list with all 22 names spelled correctly. After years of research, I connected with many who were still alive, or with a master student of those who were deceased.

Fran Brown was invaluable to my research. We frequently emailed one another, mostly me asking if a particular technique or idea was taught by Takata. Fran was very patient and forthright in her response. Later I became a Master Candidate of hers, but did not complete her Master training.

I learned so much information through this research, which I share with the public on my website. But although I set out to accumulate the facts, I actually learned so much more than mere information.

My immersion in Reiki research and my daily self-treatment showed me what a wonderfully simple practice Reiki truly is—so simple, in fact, that people feel the need to DO something more.

Reiki is simple, deceptively simple. If one takes the time to simply do this simple practice of putting our hands on ourselves or another and offering treatment, then with time, one will come to a fuller understanding. As Takata often said, “Just do it, and then you will know.”

In Reiki class, most people receive a direct experience of something greater than themselves; they naturally crave more of these experiences or states of being. Such experience comes with practice.

But instead of practicing regularly, many students turn to books or the internet to find out more. Their minds seek information and knowledge, but Reiki is a practice. If you don’t practice daily self-treatment, and you look for wisdom outside oneself, you won’t have the same result. Just as reading books on cooking or exercising will not give you the same experience as actually doing these things, reading about Reiki is not the same as practicing Reiki.

My Reiki journey has involved countless hours over the past 14 years researching what is and what is not Reiki. I have often wondered, what if I had spent all those research hours in self-treatment instead? Regardless, that was my path, and it has brought me to my own understanding of what Reiki practice is, and also to the understanding that through my continuing practice, my understanding will continue to develop.

Related reading:
Earn Your Reiki Training
Reiki Classes: What’s Right for You

All thoughtful comments that are respectful of our diverse community are welcome. Comments that attack others personally or veer totally off topic will be removed.