My Reiki Secret — Diary of a Reluctant Reiki Master

Andrea’s journey to becoming a Certified Reiki Master.

Photo by Billy Pasco on Unsplash

I have a secret. Although, it won’t remain a secret for long because I’m about to tell it to you. But before I do, I want to let you know that it’s a baby bird wisp of a thing. You know how new ideas are, they’re vulnerable and precious, easily subject to attack. If ridiculed, they crumble. So it’s with trepidation that I share because it could die on the spot. But also, with a wisp of an idea, if given love and support, it can grow and strengthen. The reflection of others is the very thing that could help it become a mighty oak.

I’m investing in this being a mighty oak experience.

I have a thought to become a Reiki Master.

Growing up in southeastern Virginia I’d never heard of Reiki. I spent a significant amount of time in a Black Baptist church so I’d certainly heard of “laying on of hands.” But I thought it was a practice that had died when Jesus did. I never gave it any additional thought outside of scripture and the walls of my church.

After moving to New York 18 years ago, a friend mentioned that she was becoming a Reiki Master. She likened it to laying on of hands. I didn’t say this out loud to her but inside I thought, “She’s a wack job at best and a blasphemer at worst. Jesus is the only person who does that, not us.”

As I write, I’m remembering how my mentor always lifts up verse John 14:12 in the Bible — This ye shall do and more. Although the actual verse in the King James version is this:

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.”

A verse that indicates, at least to me, that human beings shall do what Jesus did and more. I never thought about what that sentence meant, I just heard it a lot in church. And when my friend said she was training to become a Reiki Master, I wasn’t thinking of it either obviously, instead I judged her, something I’m really good at. Silent scorn is not worthwhile in the moment but in hindsight it makes for a great story. Me judging her harshly for something I’m now feeling called to go into — classic. So, yeah…