Reiki in Wisconsin

Reiki KISS – Keep It Simple Students (of Reiki)

by Arline Rowden, Reiki Master Teacher & Certified Acupressure Practitioner & Teacher © July 2015

You have probably heard that KISS means Keep It Simple Stupid but that’s not how I use it. So for the Reiki KISS, I’m just saying Keep It Simple Students (of Reiki). So how is this relevant to Reiki? I’ve been asked more than once how someone can take a one day Reiki I class and then be able to do Reiki for themselves and others.

I go on to explain that students receive a Reiki attunement in the class which connects them to the Reiki flow of energy. The Reiki attunement is a sacred ceremony performed by a Reiki Master Teacher during a Reiki Attunement class. It involves a breathing technique and Reiki symbols but more importantly the teacher calls on the Higher Energies & Beings to make the connection for the student during the ceremony. The teacher is just doing the physical ceremony.

There are generally three attunements that are connected with Reiki – Reiki I, Reiki II and Reiki Master. To help my students, in a Reiki I class, to understand the significance of the attunement I use the example of a lamp with a 3 way light bulb. Receiving the Reiki I attunement is like plugging the lamp into the electrical wall outlet and then you can turn the switch on the lamp and the light from the first wattage of the bulb begins to shine. If a student feels drawn to continue with Reiki then they can attend a Reiki II class and receive the 2nd attunement and it would be like accessing the second level of light from the bulb. The Reiki Master Attunement in our example would then give the student access to the full wattage of light from the bulb.

In a Reiki I class, we focus on the basics of Reiki, self-Reiki and hands on Reiki for others. In Reiki II, Reiki symbols are introduced along with a formal distant Reiki process. Students can send distant Reiki at Reiki I but it’s in more of a meditative process. I teach the Reiki Master level in 2 parts. In the Reiki Master Practitioner class, the student receives the final attunement, learns a few more symbols and the Reiki breathing. I also include Emotional Nature info in the RMP class. Then if a RMP student wants to do attunements and teach Reiki, even just for loved ones, they would take the Reiki Master Teacher’s course. It’s a series of 3 classes over several weeks with requirements beyond just having received the Reiki attunements and with homework, etc. Also, the Emotional Behaviors info is included in the course.

Of course there are many other energy systems and some people work with healing energy in a self-taught way. Many other systems involve lots of classes and the extensive use of techniques. All of this works. But there are a few benefits of Reiki that might not happen so easily in other systems or self-taught healing work. These are the elements that make it possible to be able to do Reiki for yourself and others after a one day class. Of course, if you want to do Reiki sessions as a business, part time or otherwise, then you would need to practice quite a bit on friends and family before starting a business.

One of the benefits of Reiki is the ability to access that greater flow of Life Force energy almost instantly whenever the student calls on it. It’s as simple as thinking Reiki or Reiki On and then connecting your hands to yourself and Reiki will flow. Another benefit is what I call “No Wash Back” when using Reiki. In other words, once you start the flow of Reiki for yourself, there is a strong flow of Reiki flowing from the palm of each of your hands. After that you can give Reiki to others without their energy flowing back into you or having any energy that they are releasing adversely affecting you. Also, as you give Reiki to others you receive what you need so you do not get drained.

When you are actively using Reiki, it flows throughout your physical, emotional, mental and Spiritual self and into the energy space around you that we refer to as your aura. Many people who are drawn to Reiki are very sensitive and often feel uncomfortable around certain energies. I recommend that students activate their Reiki when they are in situations that aren’t comfortable. This will create a space within and around the student that holds a higher vibration of energy. The Reiki creates a comfortable space for the student. Running your Reiki frequently during the day and whenever you meditate are great ways to incorporate Reiki into your everyday life and gain the greatest benefit from it.

Another part of keeping Reiki simple has to do with the minimal training that Reiki practitioners receive in classes. Reiki is an intelligent energy and knows where to go and what to do. As Reiki practitioners, we only need to focus on being the best conduit for the Reiki that we can be. We don’t have to know what the person receiving Reiki needs for them to benefit from a treatment. So in my opinion, trying to read the person’s energy field or trying to “fix” an issue, etc. are not part of Reiki. Reiki is a beautifully simple and yet, at times, a quite powerful energy system. It can be used as a stand-alone energy system or as a foundation for other energy or bodywork. For example, I use Reiki all the time during acupressure sessions. And I know of Healing Touch Practitioners who run their Reiki as they do the Healing Touch techniques.

When you compare the amount of training that a student receives at a Reiki I or even Reiki II class with the number of classes and training that a student has who becomes certified in Healing Touch, Cranial sacral, Acupressure, etc. There is quite a difference. I do believe the Reiki training that students receive is appropriate when you look at Reiki as a wonderful energy system for friends and family. And with lots of practice doing Reiki sessions as a business is very safe if the practitioner just sticks to Reiki as an intelligent energy.

I am always available to my Reiki students to help them determine how much and what kind of practice they need before offering Reiki sessions to the public. When Reiki students feel drawn to offer sessions to the public, I also ask them to consider additional training in other energy or body work systems where they receive extensive training. Many of my Reiki students have been receiving training in acupressure often starting out with a beginning course that I teach called Seva Stress Release Acupressure. If they love Seva then there are other classes that they can attend and become certified.

The simplicity of Reiki is wonderful but it’s important to recognize what Reiki is and what Reiki is not in order to represent it well into the world. So I encourage Reiki students to consider the Reiki KISS and keep it simple students of Reiki.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Reiki and/or Acupressure sessions and classes are offered by Arline Rowden in Janesville, WI
Please email for more info or to register for a class or schedule a session.
Arline Rowden is a Reiki Master Teacher, Certified Acupressure practitioner and teacher.