To learn about how it works in practice you need to learn Reiki 1, the first level of Reiki. It is one of those things you can learn about.

You can learn the history of Reiki and then the theory of what to do, how to follow a few simple steps and to be able to practice Reiki on yourself or another.

Then it is all about experience, what you experience will show you more, the more you experience it and practice it the more you will understand how little it is something that needs to be understood, like all things it just is, if it is right for you, you will know.

Not knowing what to expect or if I believed in Reiki I’m not sure I felt anything much. I imagine I was tense and alert with my mind working overtime to analyse what was happening.

But since then I have had Reiki many times from other people and from myself (self healing) and from a group at a Reiki share (a get together of Reiki practitioners where we give and receive Reik)i.

I have felt lots of different things when receiving Reiki including relaxation, almost sleepiness, peace, waves of energy which feels like movement of tingles, hot or cold hands from the person giving it, had visualisations or day dreams and tingly hands. Sometimes I have been still, just rested my eyes to think or to not think/meditate.

Afterwards I have felt energised, light headed, other times more awake, alive and happy than usual.

For me Reiki is a gift of love and light, a healing complementary therapy that rejuvenates my mind, body and spirit and I have felt all sorts from nothing to lots of different sensations experienced at the same time and that all helps me to believe something is happening even though the patient or the practitioner I am giving or receiving Reiki from doesn’t feel much at all. There is something that seems to be happening even if you can’t quite articulate or identify it, it is something special.

What does it feel like to give Reiki?

It is interesting, as I first gave Reiki when I learnt Reiki 1, in my Reiki 1 class during the practice section of the class, before I ever received it. I will try to explain what it feels like for me to give Reiki, I cannot be sure it feels at all the same for anyone else, although from talking to other Reiki practitioners I feel it is similar.

When I give Reiki or universal energy or love, my hands often feel like they are heating up and they tingle. The tingling hand feeling is a bit like when you have been lying on your hand and it goes numb, but to me that feels a bit uncomfortable and this tingling doesn’t. Although the tingling was strange at first and I wasn’t quite sure if I was feeling it or now, through practice I quickly associated the tingly hands with knowing the Reiki energy was flowing from the universe though my hands to my patient/client.

Another physical feeling I get is that I sometimes feel my breathing changing, it gets a little bit faster and deeper and I find myself relaxing and feeling a sense of peace and calm.

I like giving Reiki/healing as it feels natural to me, although at the beginning I felt new physical sensations I quickly got used to them and found that after giving Reiki I often felt energised and also more at peace myself. I like knowing I’m helping someone help themselves as the Reiki does not come from me to heal the individual but from the universe through me to enable the patient/client to if they chose to accept it, to heal themselves on a spiritual, physical or emotional level and I like that.

While giving Reiki I keep my mind clear as much as I can to allow the Reiki to direct me to place my hands where they need to go and I seem to intuitively know where that is and when it is done.

This leads nicely on to, what does it feel like to receive Reiki?

So it appears these blogs aren’t going to be all about Reiki but also about life, my life in particular, which is good, as I think it adds more possibilities and depth to it. I am a Reiki Master and I do Reiki so it is still relevant I am sure.

I’ve been thinking I am a lot more present now than I used to be, and it is not just from reading and listening to Eckhart Tolle although I’m sure some credit is due to him and I must say I’m a lot happier.

I’m not 100% if I am happier just because I am more present or if because I’m more present my life has got better so I’ve more reason to be happy.

It doesn’t really matter why, as even when I’m sad now I’m still more present than I used to be and I know my sadness is just due to my perception of reality, my resistance of what is, and that all things change and this will pass just like everything else.

Any direct link to Reiki? Not on this blog, but perhaps next time.

Having been reading all sorts of spiritual natured books for the last few years from the Dali Lama, Paulo Coelho, to books on healing, Reiki, body types, spiritual novels to read something different is refreshing but surprisingly I am still learning from them sometimes more factual real world stuff but also relevant personal and spiritual lessons.

I know that lessons and signs are everywhere from the beautiful sunset into the sea the other night to the beach this morning and the stray cat wanting affections but its nice to have a change, change is as good as a holiday. But it is also nice that my two day long fiancé (it is the first time I have written that word) got me some new books. He is going to be good for me in more ways than I can predict and his favourite mantra is proved yet again ‘it is all about balance’, with reading and everything.

I know I am extremely lucky to have this lovely beach holiday and I am soaking up every moment of it and will look back on it with fond memories as I am sure there will be times when we can’t holiday and I hope that these words will bring it back to life for me and make me smile:

It is hot

But maybe I’m acclimatising

That would be nice

I’m all wrapped up in my turtle towel

Sitting in the shade

While my new fiancé

Sits writing too

In the sun

His hat wet from the pool

Brown unshaven face

The face I love

He looks up and smiles

And says, ‘what?’

We read until we’re too hot

Then swim

Bop along to the music

Eat our Greek salad for lunch

Drink litres of cold then warm water

The sea so aqua

It’s too hot to do anymore

So there’s no guilt

Just relaxation

No stress

As there is days to go

And my special new ring waits

To be resized safely in the box

I take it out to look at it

And feel peace

That this is the beginning of something

Special

Written 09-07-09, uploaded 29-12-09 (due to move from London to Adelaide)

It intrigues me and resonates with me to think of Reiki as a philosophical way of life, or commitment to some principles and the truths that underlie them.

The principles have been translated and one translation is:

Just for today (Kyo dake wa):

Don’t get angry (Okoru na)

Don’t worry (Shinpai su na)

Be grateful (Kansha shite)

Work hard (Gyo wo hage me)

Be kind to others (Hito ni shinsetsu ni)

It challenges me to try to not worry, anger, to be honest and good with my thoughts and words. It is something I struggle with. Mainly the bit getting angry and not worrying. I also find myself criticising myself for using bad language as it doesn’t fit with the image of the person I want to be. It is not that I don’t like or appreciate who I am.

I am actually pretty happy (probably as I’ve grown up a lot in the last two years no doubt in part due to the journey Reiki has taken me on), but I still wish that when anger or frustration flushes within me I could think of more constructive language and express myself more serenely accepting what is.

But without something to work on i wouldn’t be human and I know once I have got that under control, licked that challenge, there will undoubtedly be something else to work on, I wonder what that will be. But for now my energy and focus will be on having an even tempered nature and a clean mouth.

Addendum

Since writing this, I have managed to improve on my use of language and my current focus is on becoming more calm and consistent with my mood. Happily I am working hard and my job allows me the opportunity to be kind to others. I am working for a company that assists people with disabilities or disadvantage and my job is to help them get into work. I am loving it which is great!

With love and light.

Emma

This is my first blog for my brand new personal Reiki web site.

It is funny, ever since the internet started and I got my hotmail email address I thought it would be cool to have my own web site. Not that I knew what it would say.

Now I have one it is cool. I didn’t feel vain enough or I guess famous enough to have emmabarker.com but maybe one day I will.

I feel the need to share that I write this on a deck chair in my togs (kiwis will know I mean my bathers or bikini), by a glistening aqua blue pool in hot Santorini.

I got engaged two days ago which is so exciting and makes me think about other life changing events that have happened to me.

Reiki is one of them.

A lot of people share why they came to Reiki and it would be easy for me to reflect on this but even though I am feeling whimsical it isn’t there I want to go.

I am reading a book called Salmon Fishing in the Yemen and it is a really funny interesting book. It makes me laugh and realise it has been a long time since I read a funny book. I just read in the book about some people working on a crazy project taking it one step at a time, and knowing as they achieve each small step it gives them more hope they will achieve their dream, that made me smile and think of all the crazy dreams I have and know I am one step closer with this web site and my engagement.

Closer to my personal goal of living the Reiki way as it is sometimes called and making a difference to this world and others, healing myself and others, to being the person I can be, to being with the love of my life and having a life and family with him.

So I sit here smiling and feel truly grateful of my life, my love and my journey. This little holiday is a rest on my journey and truly heaven on earth.