Dearest Friends:
As our healing community is at the forefront of my thinking as we plan our community Reiki clinic in August, I would like to share a few thoughts that might be insightful in some way.
When I was an Assistant Professor of Community Health Education at UNLV, my students permeated the Las Vegas community. I required that they serve internships in grassroots organizations. They served at the American Cancer Society, Aid for Aids of Nevada (AFAN), United Way, REACH OUT (Relieve Every AIDS Child’s Hurt Our Ultimate Task)---and the list goes on. (Yes, I have seen HIV, cocaine addicted newborn babies.) These organizations were very active and offered a desperately needed service to the community; thus, for my students to offer their personal service and some additional knowledge about health education was an additional gift. Later I attended the first International Women’s Day Conference in Moscow with a delegation of six women from the United States, including Karla Scherer of the Karla Scherer Foundation, (whose father invented the gel capsule). As a delegation, we spent a great deal of time meeting with the many women of Russia who were heading grassroots organizations. In my opinion, these women and their grassroots efforts continue to be the power and strength of Russia.
My present community orientation with individuals (who are “team players”) comes from my background and an innate sense of altruism. This is what I admire the most about the Native American culture. Native Americans truly think of the “tribe” before they think of self, much like the Buddhist adage, “I am one but others are many.” I have always known that the practitioners in our Reiki community will be of great benefit to others, and they do not need to be physically present in Utah because our community is very active in sending distant Reiki as a group. I also know that we will be called upon one day to serve others as a united and thus, powerful healing community. As I watched news reports of the devastation of New Orleans and saw the despair of its residents, all I could think about was how they needed a community of Reiki practitioners there to make a difference. Reiki can be compared to the ripples that reach out to others after a pebble is thrown into a pond.
As soon as I meet a new student, I see a vision of their community. I see them as an individual with karmic connections. I see the individual’s family and the community around them. I take note of their workplace setting. It is a natural thing for me to do to see the subcommunities within a community. So often my students think they have little to do because they have no clients. Yet, all they have to do is draw an imaginary circle around their body and observe the people who come into their space. This is their community being delivered right to their door! And, the circle continues to grow.
However, trying to be of benefit to others can be overwhelming. I remember when I was at the home of His Holiness the 17th Karmapa in Kalimgpong, India, a man told the Karmapa that he had little time to help others. The Karmapa responded by telling him to just think of one person…even if you are helping one person you are helping that person to be better, live better, and die better. However, some may not be ready for that just one person; thus, it is important, as Byron Katie says, “Do your work!” It is important to heal self. All the wounds and hurts and anger are waiting to be healed. Yes, anger is a by product of being hurt for most people but it does not resonate with or support Reiki. I always remember the story of a woman who was being hurtful to Mrs. Takata and causing her many problems. Mrs. Takata went to Dr. Hayashi and asked him for his permission to give this woman “my elbow”. Mr. Hayashi said “no.” He would not give her permission to be angry with this woman, regardless of the harm she had caused to Mrs. Takata. I believe that Mrs. Takata took this to heart because after she became a Master, she was very protective of her healing space and would not allow angry people in her home. With uncompromising courage, she would ask them to leave, stating that her home and clinic was about healing—not about anger. From a Buddhist perspective, one outburst of anger can destroy eons of accumulated merit. That is why His Holiness the Dalai Lama and other spiritual leaders such as Thich Nhat Hahn have written about and given many teachings about anger. It is absolutely destructive at the deepest levels with severe karmic consequences. It is not surprising, then, that the first Reiki principle is, “Just for today, do not anger.”
Therefore, I like to remind everyone to begin with healing self so they will have the capacity to benefit others. It is then that one can be of real assistance to family, co-workers, friends and acquaintances. You will then automatically receive the hundreds of hours of experience that you need as a practitioner before you begin teaching if you choose a teaching path. Although one of my dreams is to develop a uniform standard for Reiki training, we have heard from some of our leaders on this topic. Pamela Miles recommends 3-5 years; Fran Brown, one of Takata’s Masters, says that 4 years as a practitioner is minimum; Mari Hall, founder of IARP and the author of 4 Reiki books, now requires from her students a 3 year practitioner minimum prior to Mastership and even more time after Mastership, prior to teaching. It is not only common sense but ethical that one needs to take the time to learn from Reiki; i.e. just as a nurse wouldn’t graduate from nursing school and begin teaching or a massage therapist wouldn’t graduate from massage therapy school and begin teaching, so, too, must a Reiki practitioner engage in practical experience before formally teaching. There is a HUGE learning curve; however, what I want to emphasize is that those experiential opportunities to practice Reiki are around you in your very own community. It is not as difficult as you might perceive. In fact, I know Reiki practitioners who are busier channeling Reiki to family members than Mrs. Takata was kept busy in Dr. Hayashi’s clinic in Japan. I will also continue to offer support. Last year I referred more clients to my students than I had clients on my own Reiki table. And, my circle continues to grow.
You are the ripples in the pond. BE Reiki. LIVE Reiki---in your homes, with your friends and acquaintances, and among your co-workers. TEACH Reiki best--by living the Reiki principles. Your community is right there at your doorstep--waiting for you. You only have to see the door---in order to open it.
Boundless love and light,
Carol
www.carolwilson.org
Copyright © 2007 by Carol A. Wilson
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