Reiki II; Deeper into the Light

     In the western tradition of Reiki, we often refer to Reiki II or Second Degree, as "Practitioner level".  When I initially learned Reiki, that title was a little confusing.  However, it is not a complete misnomer.  For anyone desiring to open a Reiki practice it is a logical next step.  Yet, that is not the only reason for wanting to take your Reiki to the next level.
     Second Degree, is, also, known as Okuden.  This has been translated to mean "the deep inside" or to transmit in depth".  The essence of Second Degree is that it takes your practice to the next level.  This level takes you deeper into the uses and understanding of Reiki.  Not only does it enhance your treatments for others, it enhances them for yourself as well.  Through my personal practice of Reiki, I have come to understand it as a way of life--not just a healing modality.  In fact, I never personally established a Reiki practice.  Although, I have spent a lot of time using Reiki to treat others, I found my personal journey with Reiki to be much more beneficial to me.  I spent many years at Level II.  I found that at this level, I was able to heal others and myself while deepening my relationship to Reiki.
  In fact, with the guidance of my Master, my self-treatments turned into something different.  Using the three Sacred Symbols that I acquired at this level and the Second Degree techniques, my personal practice flourished.  I developed a new understanding of what it means to be connected to Divinity.  My intuition began to grow and become stronger.  I could feel in my hands where healing and energy were required.  When I sat in meditation, I could feel the energy around me and moving through me--even stronger than before.
     Furthermore, the more I practiced and used Reiki, the more focused I felt the energy become.  It was, also, as if I had more control over the energy.  I likened it to being like a laser.  I seemed to be able to concentrate the energy more effectively.  The Reiki energy seemed to be telling me where to put my hands, for how long and what to do with them next.  Thus, I began to change as did my view of the world around me.  It was a gradual process--so gentle and loving.  Yet, it changed me at my core.  It deepened my connection to everything.  It was at this level that I truly began to understand the limitlessness that Reiki holds.  Coming to understand the symbols and their many uses can take a lifetime.  Thus, only those who have a calling to teach really pursue Reiki beyond this level.
     Looking back on my life with Reiki, I realize that it was at this level that Reiki sank into my heart and soul and I began to know:

Reiki is a Way of Life!

Reiki I; The Journey Begins

     My Reiki master, Barbi Lazonby, used to say that treating yourself with Reiki was like giving yourself a big hug.  The essence of Reiki is love.  From a point unknown, from a source unknowable comes this amazingly powerful energy.  Energy that can transform your life and body.
     Reiki I, or First Degree, also known as Shoden, is a powerful  first step.  It serves as a foundation.  Upon completing his 21 day meditation on Mount Kurama, the first miracle of Reiki states that Usui Sensei stubbed his toe in his haste to get down the mountain.  When he sat down and applied Reiki to the injury he found it was immediately healed.  So, one of the first teaching of Reiki is that we work on ourselves first.  At all levels, Reiki is available to use on anyone.  However, the fundamental teaching is to use Reiki for our own healing and enlightenment first.  As we transform, the world around us will be transformed.
     In First Degree, we also learn that Reiki affects us on all levels--physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual.  Through self-treatment and daily practice, we are able to heal traumas and transform toxic thoughts.  We can break old behaviors and form healthy, new thoughts.  Even at it's most fundamental level Reiki is a life changing experience.  The joy of this is that it is so gentle and so subtle.  Sometimes, we may not even be aware of the depth of change that is occurring until after the fact.  So, when applied with intention and mindfulness Reiki becomes limitless in it's ability to transform us and we see this transformation begin with our first attunement.
     One of the important aspects of the first attunement is that we signal to ourselves that we are ready to make a fresh start.  We are ready to take our health and our life into our own hands.  First Degree is an invitation to leave all old, outmoded ways of thinking behind.  It is an invitation to a new beginning.  We begin to examine ourselves.  We are asked; What are the things that no longer serve us?  What is our body telling us about our behaviors? What can we change in our life that will help heal us?  Simply, by placing our hands on our body and letting the energy move, we begin to find answers, healing, and transformation.  One of the joys of Reiki is it's simplicity.  If it hurts, touch it.  If you are stuck, confused, or just in a funk, give yourself a treatment.  Soon, you will find the answers you need.
     The Chinese philosopher, Lao Tzu said, " The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step."  First Degree, Reiki is that first step.

My Life with Reiki

     Nearly 20 years ago, I had the pleasure of taking my first Reiki class.  I loved it. I used Reiki everyday.  I used it on myself, my food, my pets, my family and friends--anything that moved got Reiki.  After, a few months, I realized the value that my new found path held.  So, I delved into Second Degree.  Learning some of the advanced techniques of Reiki took me even further along my journey.  I soon realized, as my Master had taught me, that the more I used Reiki, the more I connected to it.  Many years passed, and I came to use Reiki more and more.  Until, eventually, I realized that it had sneaked into and permeated nearly every aspect of my life.
     During those years of using Reiki, I had continued learning and studying other healing modalities--crystal healing, aromatherapy, etc...Just about anything that fell onto my path.  Yet, what I found was that Reiki was always there.  It augmented all of those other techniques.  So, I would always return to it as a constant in my daily practice.  It was truly at the core of all that I did.
     As time went on, I realized that I wanted more.  I realized that I wanted to share what I knew about Reiki on a deeper level.  So, I pursued Mastership.  I wanted to teach.  And, I did.  I taught Reiki in the same fashion that I had learned Reiki--as a healing modality.  That was what people wanted to learn.  In fact, for many years, it was the only thing that people seemed to know about Reiki.  They had come to know it as a "healing technique".  As I taught,  I realized that not everyone was getting the same thing from Reiki that I did.  So, I stopped teaching for awhile--thinking perhaps it was my teaching style or maybe I had missed an element in learning to teach.
     So, I began to research and meditate.  I just sat with the energy.  I returned to what I knew about Reiki.  I knew that IT would show me the way.  What I saw in my study of Reiki was that many of us in the West were struggling with the same issue.  So, as more and more students began researching (some even going to Japan), more knowledge became available to all of us.  This only fueled my love of Reiki.  Then, I realized all of the things that I was learning about Reiki had been taught to me by my Master.  She, just taught them in a very subtle way.  So, I jumped right into all of this "new" knowledge.  I wholeheartedly began to incorporate it into my own practices.
     Thus, a new way of Reiki was born into my life.  It took me a few years to pull all of the pieces together.  However, what I realized was that I had come full circle.  My life with Reiki was reborn with a new and deeper understanding of the Art of Reiki.
     This "new" path only echoed what I had known to be true for so many years.

Reiki IS a way of Life!

The Light

     When I was young, going to school was quite challenging for me.  So, my Mom took on the job of trying to make the mornings as cheerful as possible.  When I woke up, she would be really excited about the day.  I would eat breakfast.  As the time crept closer and closer for me to leave, I would feel this wave of anxiety come over me and I would start to cry.  That was when my Mom would break out in song.

     She would sing, "Oh, Let the Sunshine In."  A simple little song that has stuck with me my whole life.  In all honesty, I thought it was something that my Mom made up.  I only ever remember hearing the chorus.  After some research several years ago, I found out that it is indeed a real song.  However, to me it was a magical incantation that taught me to fight back the dread and fear that I felt every morning. 

"Oh, let the sunshine in

face it with a grin

smilers never loose

and frowners never win.

So, open up your heart

and let the sunshine in."

 That was the magic that got me started in the mornings.  I kind of joke about it now.  Yet, the truth is, from childhood to now, when I'm facing a daunting task or challenge, I return to this practice.  When, I'm stressing out about money, work, or just life changes, I find myself humming this tune. Over the years, it's almost become automatic.

     Moreover, the great thing about this little ditty is that it can be sung, chanted, or spoken like an affirmation.  After a little research, I learned that this song is actually a religious song.  It talks about how smiling and being happy keeps the "devil" away.  I, personally, don't believe in such a being.  However, I do believe that there is negativity.  I, also, believe that like attracts like.  So, when we get caught up in a negative pattern, it grows if left unchecked.  So, teaching me this song, was my Mom's way of teaching me to reign in that negativity.  Just that small portion that I knew seemed magical.  Obviously, my Mom had no idea the impact this one little song would have on my life.  

     However, it wasn't just about the song.  It was about how she taught me to stand up tall and talk to myself encouragingly.  Fortunately, I have always had a very active and powerful imagination.  So, as we performed our morning ritual, I would envision myself standing in the sunshine.  It would shine straight into my heart and spread throughout my body.  I never really told my Mom about what I was seeing in my head.  However, it worked and made the mornings a little more bearable.  Even now, when I start to sing the words or just say them in my head, my posture changes.  My attitude begins to shift and I just know that I can handle whatever needs to be handled at that moment.  It wasn't until later that I discovered that this little trick had a name.

     Furthermore, I discovered that it had several names--visualization, affirmations, visioning, and creative visualization just to name a few. No matter what you call it, to a six year old it was magic.  You see, all of those mornings spent singing and self-talking taught me about the Light.  Not just the light of the Sun, but the Light with a capital L.  More importantly, I learned how to call upon this Light--shifting my consciousness from fear and negativity to positive thoughts and empowerment.  You see, this Light was not just sunshine.  Yes, it came from the Sun.  However, it was powered by Divinity.  I really don't know if I figured that out on my own.  Maybe my Mom told me that.  Either way, somehow I knew.  I knew that it was not ordinary sunlight that I was standing experiencing.  More importantly, I knew that the Light was there to protect me and guide me.  I developed a trust in this Light.  To this day, that trust has never been broken.  There have been times when I have forgotten about it or not listened or just straight up ignored it.  Yet, when I return to it.  It's always there just as loving and protective as ever.

     Furthermore, this Light taught me that my fears were not founded in reality.  They were forged from doubt.  When you shine a light on something, things become clearer.  The shadows that plague us begin to disappear.  We can then see the truth of the situation.  Author and teacher, Richard Seaman uses the phrase, "Hold it up to the light."  A teaching I identified with while taking one of his classes.  He further explains this in his book, Spiritual Reliability. 

"For the purposes of my teachings, 

holding something up to the light means

to expose or reveal the truth about something

and to bring clarity to a situation."

This thought resonated with me very deeply.  It reminded me that I had been doing this my whole life.  What started off as a simple form of encouragement, turned into a life long technique of self-empowerment.  Since I had practiced this technique from childhood, I believe learning other forms of visualization came easily to me.  

     More importantly, it taught me that when you invoke the Light, you are connected to Divinity.  When you are connected to Divinity, you live an empowered life.  You pause, you breathe, you listen.  Then, when the Light has revealed all that you need to know, you act. 

  

   

The Reason For the Season

     Yule, Hanukkah, Christmas, or Winter Solstice, there are so many ways to celebrate this time of year. Houses fill with tradition and merriment.  The excitement of the season crackles in the the air as thoughts of loved ones fill our hearts and minds.  In almost every culture around the world, people gather in some way to celebrate the miracles that this season offers.
      In ancient times, tribes and communities gathered to celebrate the longest night of the year.  To some it seemed that the sun was drifting away from the Earth.  The people would gather and hold all night drumming and dancing vigils hoping to call the Sun back.  Often, a great feast was prepared from any foods that were not able to be kept over the winter months that were yet to come.  Fearing for their survival, winter rations were meted out in the hope that no one would go without.  Even though, the winter months were a lean time, survival of the tribe came first. In later times, as humanity's survival became less threatened by bleak winters, the celebrations continued.  Some well known examples of this are the observances of Saturnalia by the Romans, The 12 Nights of Yule by some Germanic tribes, and Christmas by the Christians.
     During Saturnalia, a sacrifice was made at the Temple of Saturn and a public feast was held.  Private gift-giving took place.  Masters reversed roles with the slaves allowing them to be "king for a day".  Eventually, this observance became a week long, almost carnival-like celebration.  Lucian, in The Saturnalia, has one of the priests of Saturn declare,

" During, my week, the serious is barred; no business allowed.

Drinking, noise and games and dice, appointing of kings and 

feasting of slaves, singing naked, clapping of frenzied hands,

an occasional ducking of corked faces in icy water--such

are the functions over which I preside."

   Thus we can see, cloaked in all of the merriment and festivities the remnants of the ancient tradition of reaching out to others and sharing what we have.  

     The Germanic tribes also had a similar practice.  In his book, Teutonic Religion, Kveldulf Gundarsson writes,

" Twelfth Night should be, as is traditional everywhere,

marked by feasting, partying, and making lots and

lots of noise at midnight."

   The final act of celebrating this festival actually falls in the first week of January and is a feast known as the Feast of Thunar.  With the coldest parts of winter yet to come, this feast honors Thunar (also known as Thor).  Gundarsson explains, " Thus, at the Feast of Thunar, we hail the Thunderer for driving back the darkness..."

     This also speaks to the ancient tradition of calling the Sun back as the days will begin to grow longer.  Also, it is from this tradition that we draw many of our modern symbols.  The use of evergreens as wreaths and the yule log come from this tradition.  Many believe that the use of a tree is an extension of the yule log practice. Many of these practices were adopted later by Christians and a have remained in use to this day.

    Moreover, according to some Christian traditions,  Christ was born at this time.  Upon his birth, tradition holds that three wise men arrived bearing gifts. Thus, perpetuating the tradition of giving to the less fortunate.  As the story goes, Christ was born in a manger to "common" parents who didn't have money or hold a high station in society.  So, only a few people recognized the significance of this birth. Thus, there is some conflict surrounding the actual time of Christ's birth.

     Furthermore, some historians have suggested that the date of December 25th was assimilated by Christian writes during the reign of emperor Constantine.  This date had previously been associated with a Winter Solstice festival celebrating the sun god.  The writers of the time associating Jesus with the Sun as mentioned in Malachi 4:2 as the "sun of righteousness" replacing the previous solar deity with Christ.  Thus, assimilating all the associated festivities into Christianity which included feasting and gift-giving.  Again, carrying on the most ancient traditions of caring one for another.  The act of community sharing it's abundance to best serve the people.  So, it is in modern society that we see some of these same traditions being carried out.  All of these rooted deeply within humanity's beginnings.

     So often, I hear people say "remember the reason for the season."  I say the reason for the season goes far beyond any one religion or any one tradition.  The Reason for the Season lies within our humanity and our ability to care for one another.  As this season celebrates one of humanity's oldest characteristics--compassion.  

  

 

The Law of Withdraw

  Ah, relationships!  In his book, Spiritual Reliability, Richard Seaman reminds us of a teaching taken from A Course In Miracles.  He says," One of the most profound quotes in my opinion is: ' The relationship is the classroom of the Holy Spirit.' "  I certainly have to agree.  If we take a moment to reflect on relationships that we have, we can see that others reflect back to us as we reflect back to them.  This happens on many levels obviously.  Sometimes, it's very overt.  For example, a close friend may point out things about your character--both good and bad.  A parent might teach you about handling your finances.  The list could go on.
  However, there is another level to this learning that we aren't always privy to.  That level is the intuitive or energetic level.  Within the scheme of the Universe, we are all connected.  So, when we enter into relationship with someone our energies become even more connected.  Have you ever had the experience of thinking about a friend and suddenly they call or you run into them somewhere?  I know that I have.  I have also noticed that the closer my relationship is with the person the more this happens.
  Recently, I have been trying to explain this and the words have failed me.  Today, what I realized is: I was trying to explain the "energy" of relationship and what I call the Law of Withdraw.  Simply, we all know when a friend or partner is distracted or distant.  However, what we don't often realize is that this knowing starts on an energetic level first.  I, also, realized that this has to do with presence in the relationship.  If one or both partners aren't being present with one another then the other partner will feel that.
  Life is full of distractions.  Distractions erode our ability to be present.  We can't fully be in the moment.  We can't fully give our all.  Perhaps, one partner is "married" to his job and can't leave that behind.  Maybe, one partner is constantly worried about money.  So, she can't give her full presence to the relationship.  Whatever the distraction, it will create a barrier within the relationship.  Now, that DOES NOT mean that the relationship is doomed.  It simply means that you are giving away some of your energy to other things.  This diminishes our spirit.  A partner will feel that.  Believe it or not.
  This is where the Law of Withdraw comes in.  If you are withholding energy from your relationship, they will feel it.  They may ask questions like: "what's wrong? You seem distracted."  Even though, you may not have done anything physically to signal this.  The true challenge of handling the Law of Withdraw comes when there are underlying issues in the relationship.  One partner may have become dissatisfied for whatever reason.  This dissatisfaction may lead them to begin an emotional bonding with another person. Rather than taking up the issue with their partner. In some cases it may lead to having an affair or a couple just drifting apart. No matter how innocent the action; because the other partner will feel that lack of connection.  And, when that connection is missing, your partner WILL feel it.
  So, this feeling may manifest in many ways.  Couples may begin arguing and fighting.  One partner may simply withdraw into an emotional shell.  Yet, in many cases, this feeling of withdraw results in jealousy.  I have had a few friends over the years come to me with suspicions that their partner was cheating on them.  In some instances, they were wrong.  When confronted, the other partner would confess that their job was the problem. Or, they were concerned about finances.  However, there have been times when the friend was right.  In both instances, one partner was feeling the energetic withdraw from the other person.  Now, once the withdraw is noticed and dealt with, the reasons for it have to be handled. (Which is another topic for another time.)
  Furthermore, to me this begs the question, "so how do I prevent this."  Remember earlier, when I mentioned presence?  I believe that is fundamental.  Learning to cultivate presence takes practice.  Since, the art of being present is, also, a spiritual principle, there are a great many books written on the subject.  So, I will refer again to Mr. Seaman's book, Spiritual Reliability.  He talks about and explains the four levels of "present-ness" as he calls them.  He, also, gives some advice on how to attain them using some very practical tools.
  For me, the long and short of it is this:  Listen to your Self.  Stay focused on the task at hand. Don't get lost in the past or worry about the future.  Give ALL of your energy to the dreams and desires that you hold dear--even your relationships.  Cultivate couples dreams as well as your own.  Check-in with your partner about their dreams.  We can all dream a great many things--both in relationship and individually.  Neither has to be exclusive.
  But, most importantly, BE present and BE love.  After all, you fell in love for a reason.
 





   



 

Meeting Divinity

  I've always been a spiritual person.  Growing up, I went to various churches off and on.  However, I never really found a place that I fit.  I feel that I was really fortunate to be born of parents that encouraged spiritual questioning.  In my early childhood their seeking fed my own curiosity and fulfilled my need to build a relationship with Divinity.  Yet, our family experience always seemed to lead to the same result.  We would attend a church for awhile.  Then, due to some turn of events--conflicts among the congregation, religious megalomania, or our own disagreements with the church's doctrine we would stop going.  However, my desire to know Spirit never diminished.  Somewhere inside me, I knew something about God.  Something that all of these other groups of people didn't.  Well, if they did, they never shared it with me.  This inner knowing spurred me onward.  It drove me to seek the Truth.
  So, it began--the journey of a lifetime.  One of the first things I realized was that I had some inner conflicts.  These conflicts put my mind into direct conflict with my soul.  I had been taught so many confusing things about God and my relationship to Him.  Things like, "He is merciful."  Yet, ready to smite you if you didn't follow the rules.  "God created us in His image."  Unless, you are different in some way.  Then, you are doomed to burn in hell.  This wasn't the divine being that I wanted to believe in.  Moreover, all of the teachings I had encountered made it pretty clear.  This was God and either you believed or you didn't.  I felt lost and doomed.  Yet, I held on to one question that desperately needed to be answered.  That question was:

"If God created me this way, and I love Him

so much, why would He create me to suffer

a lifetime.  Just to reject me at the end?"

None of it made sense to me.  It made my head reel and my soul scream for answers.  In her book, One Day My Soul Just Opened Up, Iyanla Vanzant says,

"The fullness of truth as related to the Divine

exists at the core of every living being."

I, of course, didn't encounter this teaching until much later in life.  Yet, even in my youth, I knew the truth of it.

  So, I kept searching.  I delved into philosophy and world religions.  All the while developing a personal relationship to Spirit.  I began to dialog with this Divine Being.  The more I opened up, the more I heard.  I began for the first time, to develop a friendship with "my God."  But, wait!  I wasn't "supposed" to do that.  Well, that's what I was lead to believe anyway.  So, I didn't talk about it.  I didn't stop.  I just didn't talk about it. I was already harboring secrets.  What was one more?  As this friendship developed, I began to see things change in my life.  I began to feel joy and see the beauty in things around me. Then, in my early teens, I encountered a 12 step program.  I learned many things in that time.

  However, the single most important thing I took away from that learning was that I COULD have a relationship with Divinity.  Furthermore, that relationship could be defined by me.  For the first time, someone said to me, "you can have a Higher Power of your choosing.  Whoa! Wait! What?  Suddenly, I felt that my inner knowing was affirmed.  The Universe, in the blink of an eye, became much more than what I had been taught.  I could reframe my beliefs about God and I didn't even have to call Him God?  It was a whole new ball game.  

  In retrospect, I realize that this was the movement of Spirit in my life.  My prayers and pondering were getting answers.  I still had a lot to reconcile.  But, it was a beginning.