Reiki Training

Two hours are not enough time to teach three levels of Reiki. An overview? Yes. We had 17 participants. I attuned 10 participants for level one and 7 for level two. One Reiki Master had co-workers attending the class, and she gave 7 level one attunements, and was going to give most of them level two and three attunements on the job.

I am teaching two classes in the urban area of the state in September, and 3 of the participants from this class live there and will begin their level three training at that session. They will sit through the level one and two trainings and attune at least one participant. This will be their level three training, along with an attunement and practice on the other participants.

There is practice included for level one training, which means they learn some of the hand positions when giving a Reiki treatment, and they will have a Reiki treatment. In level two, they will practice both sending and receiving Reiki.

For those unfamiliar with Reiki, it is an alternative treatment, much like massage, acupuncture, and others. The Reiki I was taught goes back to Dr. Mikao Usui, 1865–1926, who passed Reiki to 16 masters in Japan, and in the beginning, it was only men, and those men who could afford it.

Then, later, Hawayo Takata, 1900–1980, a woman, passed it to another 22 masters in the United States. 

REI - Universal

KI - Life Energy

I received my first Reiki treatments in 1992/93, then in 1994 I received level one Reiki. I practiced Reiki on myself and gave others treatments for a year before receiving Reiki level two from the same person who gave me level one Reiki.

After practicing level two Reiki for four years, I was given level three Reiki from a woman who had just received the training and wanted to pass on what she had learned. I have been teaching Reiki since 1999. 

When MN tribes notified the state that there was an Opioid epidemic, the state Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division created a position to work directly with those reservations. As a part of that time, in 2011/12, I was given 100 Reiki workbooks to train 100 counselors and providers to give Reiki treatments.

Reiki assists with pain and healing. A few years prior, doctors were being monitored on their opioid prescription usage, and they were cutting back on those scripts. Then there was an influx of Heroin that was both low-cost and high grade, contributing to that epidemic.

Similar to Reiki's energy work are Healing Touch, Craniosacral, Shamanic, and others. Then, with our Anishinaabe people, I have witnessed in the Midewiwin lodge, a very similar hands-up and people gathered around a sick individual that appears similar to Reiki. 

And also, the more fundamental Christian religions in the United States that have practices such as 'slain in the spirit' and prayer over someone with hands on the person appear very much similar to a Reiki treatment.

The majority of my Reiki treatments are for relaxation and stress management. They take about 15-20 minutes. We all have busy lives, and counselors and therapists, where most of my trainings take place, are no different than anyone else.

Most Reiki treatments are similar to a massage and are one hour long. And the charge is similar. The participants at this conference get sample Reiki and massage treatments, and a regular acupuncture treatment if they choose. It is important for them to experience these alternative forms of treatment to be able to refer their clients to them.

At the conference where we had the training yesterday, there was a lot of walking, so participants' feet and legs were sore, especially in the afternoon. They have been watching and reading PowerPoint slides and videos all morning, so their eyes need some rest. And there are stressful topics around working with trauma, grief, and loss. This was day two of the conference.

We had lots of handouts for the participants, but we forgot the certificates for those who received level one and level two Reiki. I will get those ready to send today and tomorrow.

Stay tuned for September, when I will follow through with the three women who wish to be level three Reiki teachers/Masters.