©TuesdayMayThomas
In this post we will talk on the importance of taking time for your own healing with Level Two before serving others. We will also review scenarios whereby creating healthy boundaries with clients, friends, family, and students are important. Learn important aspects that will help you navigate your time and space when just beginning to share professional Reiki Sessions. Read my post titled 'Unwanted Energy Penetration' on more peculiar aspects of this theme.
If you are guided to begin sharing Reiki with more than just your Self, your goldfish, houseplants, and the occasional hands on with your boyfriend or girlfriend-... Then it is important that you are attuned to Level Two before placing an add in the local paper to attract clients, sharing Reiki with hospital patients, and/or hanging a shingle on your house that reads "Reiki Healing Here". It is not only important for the practitioner to be attuned to Level Two, but to also be in a disciplined process of doing their own healing work by laying hands on themselves regularly. Why?
*Over the years I have met Reiki practitioners from different lineages, with very different guidelines of practice. It surprised me to find out that many Reiki lineages do not establish, or encourage the practitioner to lay hands on themselves as a regular practice. While this is directly opposed to how I teach, I understand there is a teacher and teaching for each student. This said- in the Usui lineage which I am attuned with, a consistent hands-on-Self practice is paramount and serves as an important part of the practitioners initiation to their attunement and Self healing path overall.
Learning Reiki is learning Self Love. The Reiki practitioner learns about healing by devotion to their own personal passage while under their own hands. This is a very unique and profound initiation that Reiki bestows to the student. In understanding their own mental and emotional healing, they can better serve holding space for those who come to them for Reiki. For example; Imagine the difference of taking a yoga class with a teacher who is immersed in their own personal practice, versus learning from a 'yoga' teacher who rarely does yoga at all.
Another reason for being attuned to Level Two before building up your client list, or serving very ill people in a hospital setting- is your Level Two attunement will open your channels up to an appropriate gauge, allowing a greater flow of life-force energy to flow through you than your Level One does. In this way it is with greater ease that you can channel larger waves of life-force energy without you getting exhausted, and without dipping into your own reserves of energy.
When attempting to share more Reiki than your channels are ready to facilitate, you may experience a snap, crackle, pop! "She can't take it captain!".... You will be asking your channels to take on more than they can handle, and this may invite the experience of energy strain, energy drain, and the surge or release of your own Tarbody issues to come to surface at a faster rate than would more naturally happen when you are with your guided attunement Level. We will go over this notion in further posts.
All of the above said, just because you are attuned to Level Two- doesn't mean you shall necessarily begin to book tons of healings for others right away. In receiving your Level Two attunement there is an important healing process in place just for you. And part of the initiation is the expansion of your channels, which does not happen without your Self practice. Just so I am clear, unless you are practicing on yourSelf regularly your channels will not grow, become toned, flexible and expanded. Generally there is an initial six month period of change, healing, growth and transformation once someone is attuned to their second Level. Granted the healing and growth one undergoes never ends, yet this beginning period is most precious and not to be overlooked as a vital 'time' for the healer/Reiki practitioner to get to work on themSelves. The work you do on yourSelf is the most important part of the process.
Now that we have the above covered, lets go over some guidelines for maintaining Self Love, and Self Respect whilst building your Reiki community.
Once attuned to Level Two, and clearly guided to begin serving others, the practitioner may charge for sharing a Session. Barters with other energy healers, or teachers is also a nice way of surfing the learning curve of your called path. A Session is usually one hour in length and can either be facilitated at your home site, or at the client's home. Meditate on what you feel your worth is for the level of your experience, time and travel, if it applies. If you cannot think of a price, ask your Self if you are worth $1 a minute. If so, consider charging that much for your time. I started my practice at $60 per hour when I first began.
Align with your ability to say 'No' and 'No Thank You' without feeling guilty.
I have a student, lets call her Tracy (not her real name)- who extended Reiki to a cousin going through a hard time. The cousin would stop by on a weekly basis- in need of repair and restore. Tracy was happy to be of service and jumped to the opportunity to share the gift of Reiki. After sometime the cousin is better and Tracy senses their healing interval is fulfilled. Yet, the cousin continues to stop by (unannounced) for healing.
The cousins' unannounced 'drop ins' became radically obscure. Tracy would be relaxing in a bath and the cousin would show up expecting healing. She would end up curtailing her own evening in order to serve his needs, yet she did not feel this was in alignment with her guidance. She just didn't know how to say 'No'. Things continued to build, with the cousin dropping in and expecting her to 'drop' her personal life events and serve him. She feels extremely uncomfortable because she knows she must honor this experience as an opportunity to communicate with her cousin. Its also a big one for her, because its an exercise in conducting Self Love and Self Respect by creating healthy boundaries.
This process is a great gift, both to Tracy and to the cousin. He obviously does not know his conduct is inappropriate, yet she feels it is. In a graceful way, she gets to practice opening her throat chakra by expressing her truth to her cousin, in all the ways that truth will seek its way. How would you handle this situation? Creating healthy boundaries is a muscle. The more you open yourSelf to sharing Reiki with others over the years, the more you will come into contact with the opportunity to explore how you will show up in these 'healthy boundaries' spaces.
For years I would answer the phone after 10pm to students and clients, and offer free counsel. I don't do that anymore. For a certain period of life it served me, yet it was obvious when the time came to change the rules I set for mySelf. Even counseling others on the phone can incorporate creating healthy boundaries.
In serving others with Reiki, may you follow the intimate guidance of Reiki itSelf in communion with the truth in your heart. I give you permission to say "No", "Not now" and "No Thank you."
Namaste, Tuesday©TuesdayMayThomas
