In a world where Reiki is considered a bit “out there”, the daily practice of Reiki is an act of rebellion. To take an hour out of the day to be with oneself to “do Reiki” is an oddity from the outside. There is so much to do in this modern word of ours: work, media, personal music players, mobile phones, shopping, internet – there barely seems enough time in the day for all the normal day to day activities we fill our lives with, never mind an hour of Reiki practice – every day!

I’m a bit of a stickler for Reiki practice. Daily practice brings such rewards in every area of life: it brings clarity about our relationships, work, activities, encourages to grow past our limitations in ways that make us different to our peers and families and it is a time out to just be for a while. A moment in which we let go of all distractions and face our inner selves, whatever that turns out to be. And I think that it is this that brings up the most resistance to daily practice – the experience of the inner self that many of us go through life without ever noticing.

Daily distractions are designed to make sheep of us all – the great writer and sociologist Adorno, who wrote in the middle of the last century, described the distraction mechanism of life with its constant input of sounds, sights and associations that deaden the call of our souls: the outer world consisting of production (repetitive tasks at work with no real purpose) and consumption (shopping for stuff that we don’t really need and differs only in minor details from what we have already)cycles with very little purpose other than to distract from the condition of our lives and mute the call to purpose and spiritual growth. We don’t get a chance to experience the inner authentic in the noise of the outer world.

When we take time out to practice Reiki, we begin to notice things. Things that are real, rather than the distractions of the outer world. We begin a process that can be quite uncomfortable at times. We notice things about ourselves, our relationships, our work and our lives that had been hidden by the busy-ness of our everyday lives. And once we notice something, the tendency is to whisper at first, becoming louder and louder over time until we can no longer ignore or hide it from ourselves.

Having been through the process, I can tell you that the changes experienced, the yearnings, the apparent chaos, these can be uncomfortable, but they don’t last. They lead you to great light and clarity in your life. As Reiki fills you with insight, it also fills you with purpose and the strength to make positive choices and carry them through. As the critical voice within becomes louder, so does the question “who says?”. The answer emerges: “I say this must change”.

The spiritual nature of Reiki brings us to our own authentic truth. It gives us the courage to make the choices we are not encouraged to make, but that are right for us.

Does this sound like a lonely journey? It can be and many people who have taken Reiki at 1st, 2nd and even 3rd Degree simply do not practice, preferring the distraction to the authentic – the distraction is familiar and safe, while the authentic is unfamiliar and therefore scary.

On the basis that you are actually doing Reiki, rather than some other thing described as “reiki” that really isn’t Reiki, the process starts when you make your first commitment. When you begin the process it doesn’t just stop because you refuse to practice, sideline it and reject the signs of change. Once attuned to Reiki, you are on the path and you can either be dragged kicking and screaming or surrender to the journey, asking Reiki to support you on your path.

We all need support in our rebellious Reiki process. In sharing Reiki regularly, we are in community with like minded people, many of whom become our closest and dearest friends. When we fill at least one part of our lives with Reiki friends, we are building for ourselves a soft place to fall, a support network, a place of shared experience and a resting place of light and hope as those who travel with us and before us exemplify the fact that even the difficult times are showing us the possible. Reiki shares give us support, hope strength and healing on many levels. And they are essential to growth through Reiki if we want to make graceful progress.

At 2nd Degree, I insist that prospective students attend Reiki shares beforehand. Usually at least three, plus daily practice. This is not just because I am controlling and bossy – as a teacher this is part of my function – it is in order to give students their best possible preparation for the quantum leap in progress on their spiritual journey that 2nd Degree Reiki brings with it. It is for the benefit of the student that they practice daily and attend Reiki shares regularly, not the teacher.

If this sounds like what you’re looking for I have a Reiki 2 class at the end of June. You will find the details here. It’s very comprehensive and thorough as well as demanding in terms of your time and what’s expected in order to be awarded your certificate. The fee is well above average, but in my experience, the value placed upon the class and its follow up is also well above average. If you prefer average, there is a lot of it out there to choose from. My classes are exceptional, however, and I invite you to rest in this 2nd Degree class, take sustenance and continue your journey refreshed and well prepared to take your Reiki gifts into the world as a blessing for yourself and those around you.