What the heck is Reiki and why should I care?
I first experienced Reiki 25 years ago, when I was in college. I was a journalism student and worked for the school newspaper. I’d pitched a story idea to my editor about “alternative medicines,” namely Reiki, aromatherapy, and reflexology. In the year 2000, these modalities, especially Reiki, weren’t as well-known as they are today, so asking for money to experience these treatments as research for my article was a bit of a stretch on our college paper budget. But my editor said yes, and off I went to my first Reiki treatment. (For more details on what Reiki is, see here).
I didn’t expect much, to be honest. But it’s not an exaggeration to say I walked out a changed woman. This Reiki practitioner, who I stayed in touch with for many years after that treatment, knew absolutely nothing about me, but somehow still managed to read my energy and emotions like she’d known me half her life. She picked up on the childhood pain I was just starting to unravel, and she picked up on my increasing struggles with depression and anxiety. Beyond her obvious intuitive gifts, she offered practical suggestions for how I could take better care of my energy. She introduced me to essential oils and crystals. And she gave me the most powerful gift I’ve ever received – an understanding and appreciation for my own intuitive skills.
Seeing the signs
I’d like to tell you I did something with all that right away. I’d like to say I recognized my calling and jumped in with both feet. But I did not. I finished college and embarked on my career. I moved across the country, from Colorado to Georgia. And then a year later, I moved back (because the South is … something else, bless its heart). I got divorced. I climbed the corporate ladder. I got remarried. I had a baby. I continued to occasionally receive Reiki sessions, especially when I felt anxious and overwhelmed. Even though I couldn’t explain why, Reiki calmed me in a way nothing else did. It still has that effect on me. My brain can be a jumbled, whirring mess of all my to-dos and existential dread, but once I’m on the massage table and a Reiki practitioner starts working her magic, it melts away.
But there’s something about hitting your 40s that makes you – or maybe just me? – take a step back and re-evaluate your life. I found myself wholly dissatisfied with my high-level corporate job that was slowly sucking the life out of me. My stress level continued to climb. I felt very out of alignment with myself but not sure what to do about it.
Then one day, while at my local yoga studio for a class, I spotted a flyer that said, “Do you feel intuitive but aren’t sure what to do with it? Learning Reiki could be for you!” Now, I believe in signs and divine guidance, so I took that as a flashing red arrow pointing me in the direction I needed to go. So I signed up, and over the next six months, I took certification classes in the first three levels of Reiki (Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 Master Practitioner). I slowly began to practice giving Reiki to others. My confidence and abilities grew. And I finally felt like I was making a positive difference in the world. I saw the peace Reiki brought my clients, which, in turn, brought me peace. The final level of Reiki is Master Teacher. I took that last step in the summer of 2024, so I can now teach Reiki to others.
Positive Difference
“I saw the peace Reiki brought my clients, which, in turn, brought me peace.”
The power of Reiki attunement
At each level of Reiki training, you receive a series of attunements that activates or elevates the Reiki energy in you, clears any energetic blocks, and readies you to begin transmitting that level of Reiki. The energetic process of attunement is what makes Reiki unique from other healing modalities. Through attunement, sometimes called initiation, Reiki passes from the Master to the student and opens the energy field so the student can be a channel for the Reiki healing energy.
After a Level 1 attunement, called Shoden (self-healing), students may experience:
increased energy levels in the palms (tingling or heat)
improved mental clarity
better sleep patterns
healing of physical symptoms and ailments
Learning Reiki can be profoundly beneficial for empaths or those who identify as intuitive, yet haven't yet harnessed their abilities. Reiki offers empaths a structured way to manage their heightened sensitivity. It helps individuals distinguish between their own energies and those they pick up from others, preventing overwhelm. Through becoming attuned to the Reiki energy, people can strengthen their intuition, ground themselves, foster a sense of inner peace, and cultivate a deeper connection to their intuitive gifts.
Reiki Level I class on April 5, 2025
I am honored to offer Reiki classes to those looking to explore this powerful practice. Do you feel empathic and intuitive but not sure how to direct it effectively? Do you feel called to serve others? If you are interested in taking the next step on your spiritual journey, then becoming attuned to the loving energy of Reiki may be for you.
While I offer private Reiki classes, I occasionally offer them in a group setting, which is a cost savings in addition to being super fun! In my group Reiki Level I certification class on April 5, you’ll learn what Reiki is as well as its history. You’ll receive an introduction to the first sacred Usui Reiki healing symbol, dive into how to utilize the chakra system, and practice doing Reiki on yourself and others. You’ll receive four attunements to activate the Reiki energy in you and leave as a Reiki I certified practitioner. I’m keeping the group small, capping it at 6 participants, so if you’re interested, sign up soon!
Attending a Reiki class and becoming attuned to its energy opens the door to a remarkable journey of self-healing and personal growth – it definitely has for me.
Reiki Level I Certification Class
April 5, 2025, 12:30-6:30pm
$149
Be Free Healing Center, Fort Collins, Colorado