I've started offering Reiki sessions to close friends again, and this has brought up some old feelings for me, prompting me to write this post. My hope is that I can release shame from the way I was treated, and also help clear up any misconceptions anyone who might read this has about Reiki.
Last year I encountered a group of close-minded individuals who didn't understand Reiki and were afraid of it. Unfortunately, this also included someone who chose to pursue me knowing I had interests (Reiki, Astrology, psychic channeling, the paranormal, and more) that made him uncomfortable. I believed he accepted me, and didn't find out this wasn't the case until I innocently mentioned doing a Reiki session in a Telegram group. I'll never forget the painful memory of walking up to the person I was deeply in love with thinking everything was okay, and him backing away from me in disgust.
I cannot and would not cause harm to anyone using Reiki. I tried explaining this to him, but he was done with me and nothing I said mattered at that point. Reiki is the energy of unconditional love. It is energy from God/source/the universe. Consent is required. I cannot perform Reiki on someone who is not open to it and who does not accept it. I cannot, and would not, ever do energy work of any kind to spy on or manipulate anyone. I do not take negative energy from people and put it into objects. I can direct energy, but I cannot control the outcome. I can set an intention for healing, but the energy will go where it's needed. When I am performing Reiki, the energy is flowing through me into the other person. I am not healing them; they are healing themselves with energy from God/source/the universe. Reiki has no belief system attached to it. You can be religious and also get Reiki or perform Reiki on yourself/others.
Those who have received Reiki from me always feel more calm when the session is complete. In many cases, especially when the session is performed in person, they fall asleep. Some people experience warmth, others feel tingles, and some people just feel relaxed. I've helped people with relieving/reducing physical pain, coping with emotional pain/grief, sleep and relaxation, mental clarity and anxiety relief, and much more. I've helped a cat relax after stressful situations, and provided information to the owner regarding healing after an injury. I've assisted a friend with locating their lost dog, and calmed the dog while she was in an unfamiliar environment.
I have no problem with skepticism, and would have been happy to answer any questions about what I did and why. It hurts that something I see as so pure and positive, others see as negative or evil. How is it that people think prayer, even when the person being prayed for didn't ask for it and doesn't want it, is okay, but Reiki, which requires consent, is not? It breaks my heart that someone I loved could turn on me like that, because they don't understand. The thought that others misperceive me to the point that they would believe I would harm anyone is really upsetting. It shows they don't know me or my character at all.
I'm extremely grateful for Reiki and the ability to use it to help others. Not only has it brought balance, clarity, and healing into my life, I've been able to utilize it to do the same for others. I've always known I'm meant to help others in some way, and Reiki feels like one of the ways I'm meant to do that. I will continue to share things I learn about myself, healing, and my purpose. Thanks for reading! I hope this post is informative and helpful. 💙