There has been an interesting percolation of ideas bubbling up that I am playing with. I'm expressing it here as a way of intention, but also as a way of getting some feedback and ideas from you all – what do you think? What are some barriers you foresee? Does it resonate?
Would it be wonderful if Reiki was accessible and available for all?
I am imagining a network of Reiki teachers, from any lineage, who are passionate about this and want to do their part in making this a reality. By creating individual community projects we can add a small amount of our own time and effort to a larger group of projects that will, over time, become a wonderful connection of Reiki communities.
This Reiki community is offered free of charge, donations may be accepted but the idea is that anyone can come, regardless of affordability.
All you need to do is find a space – perhaps a community centre, or a charity space who will gift/rent you a space once a week, or even once a month. This can be very low cost and you may be able to recoup the rental through donations, or you may see it as your own charitable donation towards making Reiki more available.
People come to receive an attunement, and to give Reiki to themselves – the point is to engender a habit of self-empowerment and self-treatment. People can drop in every session, or once in a while but the community will grow with a core group who will deepen their relationship with Reiki, make lasting friendships with like-minded people, and support each other in other areas of their lives. We see this time and again during Reiki class – the lasting bonds and incredible friendships that form due to sharing a common passion around Reiki.
As the facilitator your role is to hold space for self-healing. To create a safe space, to encourage self-reflection, to deepen their relationship with Reiki and their own self-awareness. If you feel drawn to teaching some tools and tips, or if you like to give little side-techniques to help then that is up to you, but the importance is placed on an open, non-doctrine approach to Reiki where all comers are welcome. Whether the person is totally new to Reiki, or has a different lineage than yours.
Your role as the facilitator is not to be the teacher or get involved in any ego antics, you are drawn to do this because you believe in empowering others. You will need an open approach to Reiki, and you will need to be open to the idea that people can really find their own path without any particular process, doctrine, rules or guidelines.
All levels can come together because there is no official teaching – it is not a class, there are no certificates, no levels. All the communities are facilitated by teachers whose main focus is opening the space for all, to encourage self-healing, and to offer this for free.
On an individual level I am sure many of you are doing something like this already with Reiki shares – but perhaps you charge, or offer the gatherings for your students, or use it as a space for practicing Reiki on others as opposed to self. Although all these reasons are also wonderful and have their place, the idea and vision of Reiki for All is to offer a resource open to all.
You can imagine extending it out to more specialised groups – low income, those struggling with illness, those at end of life, the elderly. We could consider venues such as hospices, hospital outpatient centres, Care homes, Samaritans and other charities, homeless shelters, prisons. If you are called to work in schools, with youth or children with learning differences - the possibilities are endless.
When it is just you thinking of doing this, it can feel overwhelming, I know it is for me – how to split my time so many ways? How to balance wanting to give the gift of Reiki to others with practical income needs? Just me doesn’t make much of an impact – perhaps I affect 10-20 people. But imagine joining forces and each of us taking on just one project. Each one facilitates and impacts 10 people. Very soon there are 100 of us impacting 1,000, and in a few years 1,000 of us in different countries impacting 10,000 and so it grows. Now it becomes interesting!
The vision is to centralise and network under one website so that people who have benefited can tell their friends and they can see if there is a Reiki community in their area. When people travel or move location they can find another community in their new area. We can also use the website to publicise Reiki, its benefits, and grow the awareness of Reiki as a self-help modality.
So that’s the simple idea in a nutshell.
Reiki for all, accessible and available, free from dogma, structure or teaching. Just people coming together to practice Reiki, connect with like minded people, and benefit from group energy and support.
Logistics –
Yes, there are some – to co-ordinate the network; to put in training for teachers who are not too comfortable or experienced in running groups and group attunements; to develop and run the central website; to put in place evidence based research to prove the efficacy of Reiki, and community Reiki; to develop marketing and ideas to promote these communities; to the running of day to day admin.
So this idea will need funding – perhaps government funds, charity funds, donations, angel Reiki investors – who knows what will come?
Let me know in the comments what you think?
