The Reiki Blog

What do you use in class? July 7, 2012

When I was a Reiki student, I received all sorts of materials from my teachers. I got handouts, binders, notebooks, even crystals and pendulums. One of my teachers was meticulous about bringing books she felt were relevant and helpful to our classes, including her own books. (She didn’t give them away or sell them, but gave us all an opportunity to look at all the materials and make note if we wished to purchase any of them later online or in a bookstore.)

When I first thought about teaching Reiki, I wanted my students to have all the fun stuff, too: I planned to hand out quartz crystals, pendulums, chakra charts, white sage for smudging, you name it. Fortunately, somewhere along the way I realized the centrality of the Reiki Principles (aka Precepts, Ideals), and all the extraneous stuff fell away. Not that it’s not still fun! It’s just not Reiki.

These days, my materials more closely reflect my belief that Reiki is much more than just a healing modality—valuable as that is—it’s a life path, a Way to ultimate realization and union with the All. Yes, I still give out anatomical charts, photos of the Teachers (Usui Founder, Hayashi-sensei, and Takata-sensei), Earth marbles for global healing, articles on the history of Reiki, the hand positions for self- and client healing, and the Reiki Principles in Usui Founder’s own hand, with translations in English and transliteration in Japanese.

For Reiki II, I of course hand out drawings of the symbols and directions on how to draw, say, and understand them, and give out Amish-style faceless white cotton doll figures as proxies for distant healing. I give the students a wealth of materials on how to use distant healing and the symbols. And in every class, I present books, magazines (such as the Reiki News Magazine), CDs, DVDs, online resources, and other resources that students might find helpful.

Master class is, obviously, even more involved, more like a college teaching course combined with deep spiritual work. Yow! Not everyone is cut out for this level of commitment, and I’m content with that. Better those few that hear the calling than the many who, for their own reasons, are looking for a certificate.

Even so, I’m always trying to grow in Reiki and in Reiki teaching. If there are materials you use in your classes that you think are really helpful and effective, please share them with me and all here on The Reiki Blog. Gassho! I know Usui Founder would want us all to help each other spread the good word.