From Hawai’i to Queens: My Reiki Journey Towards Healing

In 2005, I started my Reiki journey in Hawai’i.  At the time, I was going through massive shifts in my life that left me heartbroken and shattered, so I went to see a kahuna there (a kahuna is a wise woman/shaman in Hawai’ian culture.)  She told me that I was very powerful, and that I need to start doing Reiki.  She also told me that Goddess Guan Yin (the Chinese Goddess/boddhisattva of compassion and love, also known as Kwan Yin, Quan Yin) was around me.  Little did she know that I’ve always had an affinity for Guan Yin.  So, although I didn’t know much about Reiki back then, I trusted the kahuna, flew back to the mainland, and did my first Reiki attunement.  My Reiki journey continues, years later, and will continue to always be a part of my life.

Two Saturdays ago, at my Reiki Master’s house in Queens, New York, I was attuned to my Third Level of Reiki; and thus, earned the title Reiki Master.  People don’t often wait as long as I did in between attunements; but, everyone has their journey, and my path made it so I assimilated my healing work in my life, helped me harness my energy work style, as I continued going to grad school to finish my Masters of Science in Acupuncture.  This attunement was incredible and profound, and felt empowering and humbling at the same time.  With the first two levels of Reiki, I was able to hone Reiki healing on a wonderful physical level.  The Third Level delves deeper, because it heals on a soul and spirit level.  I’ve already seen its impact on my enhanced skills in the past week, alone.  In fact, my first Reiki patient since my attunement, a regular who wasn’t aware of my newly acquired skills, said after her Reiki treatment, “I don’t know what it is.  But, even though all past sessions have been amazing, this treatment was the most powerful!”

Reiki is a healing technique that was developed by Japanese Buddhist Mikao Usui in 1922, and has since evolved into many practicing traditions.  “Rei” is defined as the all-knowing divine universal, and “Ki” is the energy that animates all living things, and flows through everything that is alive, including plants, animals, and humans.  It is used all over the world by people of many different faiths, cultures, and spiritual paths.  I practice White Light Reiki.

Reiki is not taught in the way other healing techniques are taught.  It is transferred from the Reiki Master to the student during an attunement process, which opens the crown, heart, and palm chakras to create a special link between the student and the Reiki source.

Before the attunement, I prepared my body through eating well and cutting out red meat, no sweets, increasing my meditation practice, and keeping my mind clear and my body healthy, in general.  It’s recommended to not smoke or drink, but I wasn’t planning to do either anytime soon, anyways.  The attunements are always followed by a twenty-one day detox that flushes toxins you’ve been holding in your body, and releases feelings and thought processes that are no longer useful.  I’m still going through that part now.  It’s been intense, but I’m loving every minute of it!

So, what started out as a quest to heal my heart, has become a practice that helps me soothe my body, soul, and spirit, and also allows me to share that, and the healing effects of acupuncture, with others for a living.  When you follow your heart calling, only good can come of it!

What is your heart calling you to do?
I’d love to hear about it in the comments, below!

For common questions about reiki, check out my “What Is Reiki?” page.

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