Frequently Asked
Questions about Reiki and Reiki Courses
Q: What is Reiki ?
A:
Reiki (Pronounced
Ray-Key) is a gentle yet very powerful healing energy.
It is often
described as "spiritually guided life force energy."
To me it
feels like compressed unconditional love ~ the most powerful force in the
universe!
Q: How
does Reiki work?
A:
Reiki works by activating, amplifying
and accelerating the body's innate healing ability. It's effects can
be felt on all levels and parts of our lives as it clears blocks &
negativity and connects us to our higher selves. It can stimulate physical,
mental, emotional, spiritual and energetic healing.
On a physical level it can effect change in the chemical structure of the
body by helping to rebalance organs and rebuild tissue, reduce pain and
inflammation.
It can also be used for pain relief and
first aid.
Whichever level the energy is working on it can confer a deep state of
relaxation and a sense of nurturing & peace and may provides insight into the cause/origin
of particular problems or difficulties. Please see the page entitled
About
Reiki on this site and also the PDF file
More
information.
Q: Can
Reiki be felt?
A:
The flow of energy can be felt in various ways. Often it is experienced as
a lovely heat, which reaches deep inside the body. Sometimes it may feel
cold or you may twitch, tingle or get pins and needles, usually where a
blockage is being cleared.
Often there is a dreamy trance like state where you may see colours,
receive insight into your life or problem, get memories, visions or past
life recall. Sometimes there is spontaneous emotional release from areas
that have been blocked.
Q: What is an Attunement?
A:
Activation of
Reiki within a persons hands is made possible by a simple process called an
"attunement" .
It is the attunement which allows the person to tap into and direct the Reiki
energy. The attunement is performed by the Reiki Master during a Reiki
workshop. Once you have been attuned you will be able to give and receive
the Reiki energy easily and freely.
Q: Can
Reiki be used to reduce stress?
A:
It is an extremely effective tool for total relaxation and stress release.
It greatly helps come to terms with and cope with deep emotional distress from past trauma to
bereavement.
Q: Can
I use Reiki in conjunction with other therapies and treatments?
A:
Yes. Since Reiki creates balance on a mental, physical, spiritual and
emotional level it is useful in all situations, either on its own or in
conjunction with other complementary or orthodox treatment.
Q: What
else can I expect Reiki to do for me?
A:
Reiki can clear the
head, aiding thought processes and improving performance in mental areas, e.g.
teaching. Regular Reiki is an invaluable tool for personal growth ,self
development and understanding. Also for increased self awareness and creativity.
It can amplify psychic ability and spirituality - strengthening our sense of
connection.
Q: How
can I learn Reiki?
A:
The knowledge of Reiki is traditionally passed from master to
student and is acquired in three stages - each one complete in itself.
The first
level is for home use, the second necessary for those who wish to practice and
the third for those who also choose to teach.
All levels can be taken for
personal use.
There is information about each of these levels on this site in the
section entitled Courses.
Q: Can
I use Reiki to treat others?
A:
Once you have attended a class and been attuned to Reiki I, you
will be able to treat yourself, family and friends.
Q: Can you
tell me more about your courses? Do you have private courses?
A: Reiki I is the foundation course, it gives you the skills, knowledge and
ability to transmit Reiki for your self, family, friends and pets. It is
easy to learn and yet powerful and effective. For many people the principles
and philosophy behind the practice make a lot of sense in all areas of life.
Usually they are in Aberdeen,
occasionally in Inverurie, but I teach all over the world.
I don’t do 1 to 1’s as you need someone other than me to practice on so I
can continue to observe and teach you. While is may be more “comfortable” to
be by yourself, you miss out on the opportunity to learn from other people’s
questions – usually very interesting, and things you wouldn’t have thought
to ask yourself.
Also, although arriving in the morning to a course you
haven’t attended before, with people you don’t know can be daunting, as the
Reiki energy unfolds everyone relaxes and by the end of the day you have
often made strong connections with the other participants.
It can be very
helpful to connect with other like minded people, from all walks of life.
Q: I am interested in the Reiki. If things progressed well I wondered what
the best way to progress to master level is. Should I get that far, is doing
the Reiki I, II and advanced the best way to go about it or is there another
way?
A: You have
many options as to how to proceed. Start with Reiki I and see how you feel!
The time interval between Reiki I and II was traditionally a minimum of 3
months, however, I believe that when you are working with the Reiki energy
daily, you will be guided to whatever is right for you! Some people are
ready to do it much sooner, while others need longer before moving on. Leave
at least 3 weeks, but other than that, there is no right way – only the way
that feels right for you. If you feel the draw to go to the next level and
get a sense of excitement about it, then move on.
You will need a minimum of 6 months however, between Reiki I and the
Advanced Course, possibly much longer as it is quite a leap in intensity and
there are a lot of new techniques to learn. If you are really drawn to Reiki
and feel that you may like to go on and do the Masters eventually, it is
even more pertinent to take all the time you need to fully absorb and
assimilate the teachings and energy from each level before moving on.
Ultimately, you will benefit much more from doing it that way. However, the
thing is – you don’t really know how it will affect you till you have had
the attunements, so we will always take note of what feels right for you at
the time!
Advanced is an interim stage between Reiki II and the Masters.
Not everyone
takes it, but I feel that it makes you a better practitioner and certainly a
better teacher. Each level also gives us tools to work more deeply on our
own healing as well. This is arguably the most important aspect of Reiki!
The earliest I would possibly suggest you might be ready for the Masters
attunement is 1 year from when you had your Reiki I attunement. (The
Master/Teacher attunement is performed towards the end of the Mastership
programme, so if it begins in March, the attunement is usually given around
July.)
Q: Can I do Reiki I and II together?
A: I wouldn’t recommend doing them both together. My intention with all the
attunements is that each person receives the greatest depth of healing
available to them at that time, along with the appropriate opening of the
Reiki channels. Therefore, you will move on spiritually and energetically as
far as you can with each attunement.
You will receive as much from a good
Reiki I attunement as you would from receiving I, II and Masters in one
weekend. You can only safely move on as fast and as far as you are ready
with each attunement. That is one reason it is important to have time to
assimilate each level’s effects and energetic shifts before moving on to the
next – you will get much more from it!
I like to find things out for myself, so a few years ago I let some people
do I & II in the same weekend. Neither of them progressed as much as they
would have done if they had even had 3 weeks between the attunements, and
some people benefit from considerably longer. Don’t be fooled into thinking
there is not much to it as Reiki can be done so easily – there is potential
for huge, fundamental and transformational energetic shifts when handled
correctly. Don’t take the “easy” route, your growth and development deserves
more!
Q: Is there anything
that I need to do to prepare myself for the course?
A: Some people choose to prepare for perhaps the
week before by reducing exposure to anything that brings you down, i.e.
energy/vibration lowering food, drink, places, people etc.!
You probably
know already what brings you down - just make a little bit of an effort to
avoid these things and increase the things you know are good for you,
perhaps spending some time in nature, meditating, reading spiritual books,
listening to uplifting music etc. It is really up to you what level to take
your preparation to.
Some people do a 3 day or week long detox in
preparation. The minimum preparation I would advise is to avoid alcohol the
evening before and try to relax.
As a general rule, the more you put into
something the more you will get out of it, however, Reiki is very forgiving
and works in its own mysterious ways!
Q: I would like to do
the Advanced but I haven’t done my case studies yet. Can I still do it?
A: Yes, you certainly aren’t the first person in that situation, and you
surely won’t be the last!
The thing is; doing your case studies and your practical is very useful and
helpful. However, that is a third dimensional reality. Getting the guidance
that it is time for you to take the next step and move along on your
spiritual path is a higher calling and more important to listen to. Believe
me, I do understand the pressures and constraints of time!
Although I
suggest that you have your case studies in within 6 months of your Reiki II
class, I know that sometimes it just doesn’t happen. I don’t think you
should let that stop you from taking a class that is going to raise your
vibration further, inspire you with new and exciting techniques & ways of
working for yourself and others and empower you in your practice.
By the time you do your case studies you will have much more confidence and
a deeper level of skills to use with clients and your Reiki flow will be
stronger and faster. (Do make the effort to do them later though – you will
gain more confidence and learn a lot from the process!)
Q: I
had my first Reiki treatment last year but I got nothing from it which was
disappointing. The lady seemed inexperienced and nervous making me feel
uncomfortable, I nearly asked her to stop. I believe she had completed a
one day course but I'm not sure how much practice she had before my session.
A: Your email raises some interesting points.
There are all kinds of training available. Some people just read books and
think that they can then practice (without having received the attunements.)
Others learn “by distance” on the internet. There are Masters who teach all
3 levels at once. Unfortunately some of these people then go on to teach
others.
However, it may be that your therapist was just inexperienced. What I do to
ensure good practice with my students is have a one-to-one practical session
following the Reiki II class. I ask people to do 6 case studies before their
practical to ensure a certain level of experience. This is designed to
assess the energy flow, check the use of symbols, pick up on any areas of
practice that could be improved and most important – to instill confidence
in the person’s ability to practice.
Q: What is the difference between
empowerments and attunements?
A: "Empowerments" and "Attunements" are actually different ways of
describing the same thing.
The attunement is the most important aspect of
the Reiki course. My intention is always to use this powerful attunement
process as an opportunity for everyone to receive the deepest healing
available to them at that time, to enable them to live their life more in
tune with their core essence and highest purpose, as well as being able to
channel this wonderful Reiki energy.
Q: I just recently
decided that I would like to understand my healing abilities more clearly,
so I am able to heal myself and others properly.
Right now I am starting with the little things like my daily routines. I am
signed up in tai chi, and yoga. It has been helping a lot, but I still have
not been able to sit down and practice healing myself with my hands. I feel
like since I have never been taught I may be making things worse. What do
you think?
A: It sounds like it is time for you to move on! I have consciously been on
my spiritual & healing path since 1989. Reiki is the tool that has helped me
the most in all this time. It does this by raising our vibration, which no
amount of studying alone can do.
So yes, I would say you would benefit from a teacher. To practice Reiki
(rather than other healing modalities,) you require the attunement as well
as the teachings. These cannot be got from a book, nor effectively from a
teacher at a distance.
I would suggest that you start with attending a Reiki I class and see how
you get on with that before making further plans. Once you have the Reiki
energy to use, it will guide you in the path of your highest potential.
Q:
I am considering the possibility of
working at a Complementary Health Clinic, as the new house does not have
room for me to work in at present. Can you fill me in generally on how they
work etc.
A: There are advantages and disadvantages to clinics.
Advantages:
It is nice to work with others and great to have reception. It can be
helpful when starting out to have your time sessions more formalized, so
clients don't expect you to see them all through the week, and they tend to
be more aware of time in clinics, understanding that you are likely to have
someone else waiting at the end of their session.
This can be more difficult
when you work from home. The money side is a bit easier to handle also, as
your receptionist can deal with that – freeing you to focus on the work. You
don't have to keep your own diary and therefore be available to speak on the
phone all the time. You are also likely to pick up more new clients than you
would working by yourself. You can keep your own energy good by doing swops
with the other practitioners.
Disadvantages:
The cost - it can be expensive especially in the beginning when you are
building up your practice. Most clinics charge a day rate payable monthly
and have at least a 6 month contract. It can be a hassle carrying all your
equipment around and it can be noisy depending on where you are and who you
work beside. There is also less flexibility in when you can see clients.
Q: What is Karuna Reiki?
A:
Karuna Reiki is a healing system, very similar to Usui Reiki. It feels
like the same family, like a spiritual cousin,
but with a definite distinctive feel to it. It is a natural
extension to Usui Reiki, the next logical progression.
One leads naturally
and effortlessly into the other.
There is more information on the
Karuna
Information page of this site.
Q: Are Reiki Training Centre courses recognised?
A:
Yes, on completion
of Reiki II you will be able to obtain practitioner insurance for professional
practice.
Elizabeth's Reiki
courses have been accredited by IPTI (Independent Professional Therapists
International) which means that on completion of the training you can be
insured through IPTI as a practitioner, Master Practitioner or Master
teacher.
On completion of the Advanced Reiki Training you will be
given the opportunity to join the RTC register as Advanced Practitioner
and use the letters "RTCAP" after your name.
On completion of
the 6 month Mastership programme you will be invited to join the register
as Master Teacher and use the letters "RTCMT" after your name.
The Karuna Reiki course leads to International Registration with the
William Rand Centre for Reiki Training. You will be
registered as a Karuna Reiki Master, and entitled to use the letters
"KRM" after your name.
In addition, Elizabeth's courses are listed on many government and
official databases including Learndirect Scotland, The National Grid
for Learning and UCAS (University and
College Admission Service).
Q: What
about Quality Standards?
A:
Elizabeth holds a City & Guilds Teaching
Certificate in Further & Adult education.
She is a Founding Company Director of
The Rosemount Centre for Complementary Therapies in Aberdeen and is Principal of the
Reiki Training Centre.
With her partner Duncan Harley, Elizabeth founded
Peace on
Earth Ltd in 2004 with the intent to promote universal world
peace.
She has taught widely in college and university settings and in other
countries including Indonesia, India, Tibet and America.
Elizabeth is North Scotland
Coordinator for the UK Reiki Federation.
Q: After
I have completed a class can I expect ongoing support?
A:
Yes always! There is a support group specially for this. Dates for this
are on the page Reiki
Support Group on
this web-site.
Additionally Elizabeth will always provide appropriate support for her students via
e-mail, phone, personal contact, and by letter.
Q: What
does it cost to take a course in Reiki?
A:
Full details of costs for Reiki I, Reiki II, Advanced,
Mastership and Karuna Reiki courses are on the
Course Dates
page
Q: Can
I access funding in order to pay for courses?
A: If funding is an
issue you might consider approaching you local enterprise board or local
Community Development Agency for advice. See also the
course
funding page on this site.
Past students have been funded via Job Centre Plus and by
employers for career development purposes. Funding by employers has
included Scottish Water and Aberdeen Foyer.
Q:
Do
you provide course notes?
A:
All Reiki Training Centre courses are accompanied by a full
set of notes.
You will also receive a certificate when the course is
complete.
Q: If
I have taken classes with a different Reiki Master can I still enrol with
you?
A:
Certainly. Please supply a photocopy
of your previous Reiki certificates.
Please feel free to contact me to discus
this.
Q: Is
all training the same?
A: There are all kinds
of training out there.
There are very many excellent and committed
Masters & practitioners, but there are also people who have just read books and think that they can
then practice (without having received the attunements)
Others learn “by
distance” on the internet.
There are also Masters who teach all 3
levels at once. Unfortunately some of their students then go on to teach
others.
What I do to ensure
good practice with my students is have a one-to-one practical session
following the Reiki II class. I ask people to do case studies before their
practical to ensure a basic level of experience. The case studies and
practical session are designed to
pick up on any areas where the person could do better and to therefore
give them confidence in their ability to channel Reiki and to give
successful sessions. As the
Reiki II certificate enables people to get insurance to practice Reiki
professionally, it is important to have some kind of check to ensure an
appropriate level of knowledge, understanding and practical ability. This
system is designed to instil confidence in the practitioner and confidence
in the public.
With Love,
Elizabeth
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