Many Hands Make Light Work (Reiki) - Ice Cream for the Soul by Joy Koenig, MD - Personal Growth, Wellness, Healthy Lifestyle, Meditation, Inspiration

MANY HANDS MAKE LIGHT WORK
CATEGORY

        Mindful Meditation

DESCRIPTION

        Explore Reiki "light work" in a hands-on way.

INSTRUCTIONS

        First, determine your goal: (1) emotional/psychological healing, (2) relaxation, or (3) personal or spiritual growth. Depending on your goal, find a mental health practitioner or massage therapist with Reiki training; or a Reiki practitioner with no additional credential (3). Why three categories? While Reiki itself can do no harm, mishandling an emotional crisis can result in significant harm. Lay people can be supportive, but it takes good intentions and knowledge of handling other's emotional crisis to safely assist most people. If your Reiki practitioner doesn't have formal training in mental health care, consider scheduling your counseling appointment on the same day as your Reiki session to make sure you have someone to assist you with processing memories or issues that may surface.

        There are many ways to find Reiki practitioners. Search for directories on the world wide web, check out the bulletin board at your nearby health food store, or telephone the massage therapists in your area. Sign up for free long-distance Reiki (it might not help, and it can't hurt), and look for free sessions at health fairs. Remember, if your Reiki practitioner is not a licensed mental health practitioner or massage therapist, you should only be paying for the person's time (a reasonable hourly fee) not for a treatment or cure. Be wary of anyone making physical health claims for Reiki. Claims that Reiki alters your DNA or heals physical disease are completely unproven, despite some practitioner's testimonials. Buy a good book on the topic (Essential Reiki by Diane Stein), and if you enjoy your Reiki sessions, consider getting your own Reiki attunements. The practice of charging large sums of money for attunements (as much as $10,000!) is based on fear, so find a Reiki practitioner who "walks the talk." If they really believe that Reiki can do no harm, there is no reason to restrict people from learning how to give attunements to others. The tradition of "proving one's worth" is based on fear not love, and a withholding attitude of "I had to pay, so do you." Finally, although there are many different brands of energy work, Reiki is the only one I am aware of that affirms a "no harm" philosophy and that promotes self-care rather than dependence on a highly trained practitioner. It is for those reasons I include Reiki in this book and not others.

JOY'S JOURNEY

        I felt very strange the first time I walked into a New Age book store, because I was still very much in scientist mode. I was looking for a book on Seasonal Affective Disorder (depression due to a lack of sufficient sunlight), and the salesperson, handed me a book on "light work" instead. I flipped through the pages and felt very uneasy because the idea of hands-on healing was beyond my comfort zone. Politely, yet awkwardly, I said, "Um....this isn't exactly what I had in mind...." She gave me this impish little smile, then said, "Well, maybe not yet." She proceeded to find me a book on Seasonal Affective Disorder. As my massage therapy school experiences opened up my mind to new ideas, I eventually came back to the book store and bought the book on "light work", as well as even more adventurous ones. Thanks, Kathleen, for being patient with me.

QUOTES
You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist.
Golda Meir

A light is still a light -- even though
the blind man cannot see it.
Austrian Proverb

Some people change their ways when they see the light;
others when they feel the heat.
Caroline Schoeder

Dr. Joy is available to present playful workshops (playshops) at your corporate training retreat, non profit organization gathering, or club membership meetings. She is located in Denver, Colorado, and travels throughout the US to deliver Serious Fun ™ Programs for personal growth, wellness, and inspiration. Please see the program pages for details and contact information.

This playful meditation activity is COPYRIGHTED. If you are a professional trainer, coach, human resources person, counselor, or therapist it is not ethical nor legal for you to use it or share it with your clients or those you supervise/train as part of your job. See the copyright notice on the front page of this e-book. Remember, character is what you do when no one is looking. Please take the high road, and pay me appropriately to use these materials professionally, even if you work for a church, school, non-profit or the government.