When Reiki Finds You

Article by Carrie Anderson

We are told that when one is receiving a Reiki treatment; that the Reiki will go where it’s needed. I believe that Reiki will also enter your life when you need it. I had many opportunities to learn Reiki, but it wasn’t until I had gone through many obstacles that I finally chose Reiki.

Reiki first presented itself to me while I was in college. I had a friend who said that she had practiced Reiki. She refused to tell anyone what it was or what it could do; and said that she wasn’t actively practicing. There was such an air of mystery and intrigue that I became curious about Reiki. However, it was more of a thought filed away for another time.

A few years later, an elderly woman told me about a reflexologist located deep in the heart of Amish country. All of her friends went to him to seek advice for their various ills. She told me that many of her friends at started drinking meadow tea on his advice (many years later, I planted a meadow mint garden in my yard). She suggested that I go to see him. I drove over an hour to receive reflexology. Located in a Victorian style house, plush red velvet surrounded me in his treatment room. Oddly enough, he never touched my feet. I left there feeling more energized and excited then I had ever before, I didn’t know that he had performed Reiki on me. He never verbalized his treatment. I know now that he should have gotten my consent, but at the time, even reflexology was very uncommon and I thought that perhaps I had misunderstood the practice.

Image by Quangpraha

For a time, I worked at a health food store and explored aromatherapy, herbalism, yoga, and naturopathy. I actively looked into going back to school to become a holistic healer. Unfortunately, I had a toxic family and was told and believed that these were not areas that I could learn. They insisted that I had to stay focused and find an office job that would offer me health insurance or else I would find myself destitute and alone. Deep conditioning caused me to believe that my family wanted the best for me and that it wasn’t a form of control. So, I stayed on the path that led eventually led me to a position in a hospital.

While working at the hospital, a new program was introduced that was based on mindfulness. We were encouraged to take employer-sponsored courses on relaxation, meditation, wellness, and work/life balance. I could easily fit these into my schedule and took everything they had to offer. Eventually, they offered training in Reiki 1 and Reiki 2. I thought of taking these classes, I knew that I wanted to, but the times never worked with my schedule and family life. Again, Reiki had shown itself to me and I again had to let it pass by.

Marriage and having a child proved to take almost all of my focus. When my son was born, I was able to see the dysfunction in my family. It took years, practically a decade, to become free of the thoughts and beliefs I had grown up with. One day, I realized that I could be me, the person I had wanted to be all along. As my son became more independent, I was able to get back into yoga. It had been over 15 years since my last yoga class. Out of shape, but in love with the feeling of my body moving, I was so proud to take back this piece of myself. At the end of each yoga session, there is a mini treatment of Reiki and essential oils. Reiki had found me and this time I was ready.

I quietly began to research my options in becoming a Reiki practitioner. When I had a solid plan in place, I began by telling my husband and son that I had a goal. They may not have ever heard me mention Reiki before, but I promised them that this was, in fact, a long desired wish of mine.

A close friend of mine who lived across the US, then came down with a malignant brain tumor. In her pain, she sought many different treatments. When she entered hospice, she met with a Reiki practitioner. She found solace, comfort, and friendship. She said that each Reiki treatment brought her closer to her ancestors, that she was surrounded by love. I told her then that I had begun learning and practicing Reiki. She told me that at each Reiki treatment she felt better, that the Reiki was helping her find peace and she faced the inevitable with a fierce, yet calm demeanor. She was so proud that I had started practicing Reiki. The day she passed away, she was surrounded by family and the Reiki practitioner.
Her final messages to me were filled with hope for my future and hers.

Carrie Anderson is a Usui Reiki Master, Crystal Reiki Master/Teacher, and Animal Reiki Master. She works with several other healing energy modalities, healing mudras, color therapy, chakra balancing and as a meditation guide. She is a member of Natural Healer Society. Mostly busy, as a homeschool mom, she also loves to spin her own yarn, read, and spend time with her beloved Norwegian Elkhound. Carrie can be reached via email at [email protected]