 By Crystal Chen
Having just finished a reiki session, my reiki table was a comfortable, high perch which attracted my cat, Lily, to no end. Before I could even turn my head, she was lying comfortably on her side on the table, watching me.
Since my hands were still “on” and warm from the reiki session and she really looked like she was just waiting for her reiki treatment there on the table, I thought I’d give Lily a bit of reiki.
Unlike the instant flow exchanged between my father’s dog and I, it does seem that, in general, cats do take a while to “open up”. It took a couple minutes for my hands to warm up, but when the reiki began to flow, Lily’s head passed out on the table and she quickly fell asleep (paws twitching and all!). Being a light sleeper, she made several attempts roll over onto her back so that I could place my hands directly on her belly. Normally, she doesn’t enjoy belly touching, but belly reiki seemed completely fine by her!
 In times of sadness where feelings of emptiness and loneliness prevail; don’t forget that you have reiki at your side.
Lay down somewhere you feel safe, it can be your favorite couch or under the covers of your bed, and place your hands over the top of your head. Now let the reiki flow through you and comfort you.
Dear Healthy Reiki,
I was wondering if perhaps you may have some insight in the matter of free Reiki treatments for hospital patients, cancer centers, etc. I am branching out and considering making my name known more in my community and starting at our local hospital is a thought. However, my husband who is a Reiki Master, and myself, 2nd-degree practitioner, are firm believers that there needs to be a trade, so to speak, or barter for Reiki services if money is not the medium of exchange. I have even done a Reiki session for vegetables from a client’s garden because monetary funds were low. With that being said, do you have any ideas on what a trade could be for a Reiki session for an ill person in the hospital? I feel rather uncomfortable even mentioning trade of any kind to a stranger who is sick or infirmed. Any ideas would be appreciated.
Thank you,
Hesitant over an Ill Trade
Dear Hesitant,
Your discomfort is understandable because those whom you are assisting are the weak, and it is you who is in the position of strength and able to help. Do you have access to family members at the hospital? Perhaps you can arrange compensation with them for the time you spend treating their ill loved one. It is also worthwhile to think about how the idea of donation and volunteering could fit into your reiki beliefs. Volunteers generally give a fixed portion of their time and reiki talents towards enriching their communities – an exchange that may not be as direct and immediate as money or tangible goods, but seeds benefits that come back full circle in time.
Love and light,
Healthy Reiki
One of the important practices associated with reiki is the setting of an intention. What is an intention? An intention is a thought whose purpose is to direct the consciousness and the energy surrounding it towards a specific aim. An intention is usually set prior to the start of a reiki treatment, but can also be repeated at any time during a treatment. Intentions can be silent or spoken aloud.
Getting tongue-tied when it comes to setting an intention? Try these:
“Reiki, reiki, reiki.”
“Love and light, love and light, to heal, to heal, to heal.”
“Let me be a clear channel for reiki energy to flow through me.”
“May this reiki treatment be for _______’s highest good.”
“Guide me to bring the highest level of healing for ________.”
What are some intentions you commonly use?
In the wake of the devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan on March 11, 2011, a reiki request for all the men, women, children, and other beings directly impacted by this disaster.
 Practicing reiki but not ready to charge a fee for a session? Ease into the idea of exchange by finding opportunities to barter a reiki treatment for something you’d like in return. Don’t hesitate to barter reiki sessions for massage treatments, website development, music lessons, even a well-prepared meal! Bartering is a wonderful means to expand your own horizons and enrich someone else’s as well!
What have you bartered reiki for?
 Hosting a reiki share is a rewarding experience for anyone, be it a reiki practitioner, a reiki teacher, and even those not yet attuned to reiki.
Not all the stars need be aligned to host a share! All that is required are at least two reiki practitioners and a space where a reiki treatment can be given. This space can be as simple as on the floor or as wonderful as atop a reiki table!
Generally where only an hour of sharing time is available amongst practitioners, sharing time can be divided as follows:
2 people – 30 minutes receiving reiki from 1 person, 30 minutes giving reiki
3 people – 20 minutes receiving reiki from 2 people; 40 minutes giving reiki
4 people – 15 minutes receiving reiki from 3 people; 45 minutes giving reiki
Groups any larger than 4 quickly realize diminishing returns. If you have 6+ people attending your reiki share. Break up your reiki share participants into groups of three or four. You can even make this process into a fun icebreaker by creating groups through questions. For example, “Who has gone skydiving?”, “Who can see auras?”, “Who has practiced reiki for more than 5 years?”
To really create a great reiki share, these are some wonderful additions to have:
1. Reiki/meditation music: this genre of music helps to create a relaxed atmosphere for the group.
2. Timer: timers help everyone to know when a session is up and takes away the need for a timekeeper to keep looking at a clock during a session. Some reiki music albums have 5 minute timers built into their soundtracks. Most smartphones have stopwatch/timer applications that are very useful!
3. A throw or light blanket: for those who tend to feel cold during a treatment.
4. Reiki-related reading: If there are participants who are not attuned to reiki, reiki-related reading material such as “Reiki for Dummies” or “Reiki for Beginners” helps them pass the time enjoyably.
5. A pitcher of water and cups: we all know the benefit of a glass of water after a reiki session! A glass of water grounds and refreshes.
6. Light snacks: reiki sessions can make people hungry! A plate of crackers and/or cookies are always appreciated.
If you don’t have any of these above items, don’t be shy about asking your participants to pitch in!
We wish you a successful reiki share!
A reiki request for for Gabrielle Giffords, those injured and present during the shooting, and the people of Tucson, Arizona.
To commit a reiki treatment, leave a comment.
A reiki request for the people of Stockholm, Sweden, who experienced a terrorist attack in the form of a car bombing on December 11, 2010.
To commit a reiki treatment, leave a comment.
Submit a reiki request.
 “Hands of Light” contains six songs ranging from 9 – 12 minutes in length, for a total runtime of just over an hour. Each song is just long enough for a hand position or two, making this album ideal for reiki sessions.
The album begins with “Loving Touch”, a relaxing song led by a simple piano melody and a very subtle background accent reminiscent of a whale call. The song evokes a sense of peace and escape from outside stresses.
The second song in the album, “Healing Circle”, contains a synthetic blending of sounds conducive for reaching a deeper state of meditation.
“Waves of Light” feels similar to “Healing Circle” with its use of synthesized sounds crescendoing and retreating. The song elicits a sense of well-being and contains accents from a flute and harp.
“Illumination of the Heart” gives a sense of being submerged within a loving energy, or a higher realm, with its gentle notes from a piano, sustained synth sounds, and occasional harp accents.
The song “Mystic Voyage” begins strong with strumming of a synth-harpsichord instrument and continues with droplets of bell sounds bringing life to sustained synth chords sounding much like the vocal meditation, “Om”. The music in this song can be described as having the qualities of strength and optimism.
The last song, “Shamanic Healing” is an awakening song. It uses a very crisp piano melody and drum-like accents to bring the listener back to awareness and reality.
With a time for feasting just around the corner, are you making a dish for a potluck or preparing dinner for your loved ones? Try placing a large chokurei into your dishes to give them some added reiki power! Simply visualize the chokurei symbol over your dish and floating into the food, infusing it with positive energy. Say the words “chokurei” three times for good measure and that’s all there is to it!
For reiki practitioners and teachers, it is not difficult to create a small reiki corner in your practice space. This reiki corner was created with the help of Kohl’s (great picture frames on clearance), Ross (affordable table runners) and the internet (beautiful photos of the reiki masters). The reiki corner serves as a space to honor Usui Mikao and two early reiki masters, Hayashi Chujiro and Hawayo Takata. For teachers, the reiki corner can assist in explaining reiki’s history to students. The reiki masters can also be called on to lend their blessings to reiki treatments and attunements taking place nearby.
One of the best applications of reiki for women is for the oftentimes painful menstrual cycle. For most women, the first day is usually the most uncomfortable and a little bit of reiki helps a long way!
While lying down, apply both hands to either side of the pelvis (anywhere near the menstrual area) for treatment. Even if you are not experiencing any noticeable pain, continue the treatment; you may be surprised that the energy will flow robustly! Allow the treatment last for as long as needed or until the hands “cool down”, perhaps 10-20 minutes.
And just like that, the rest of your period will likely go by without a hitch.
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