How do I know if I should take Reiki?

As a spiritual business owner and Reiki Master Teacher of 10 years, I am often asked the question if taking Reiki is the right decision for someone to make. Truly of course, I can’t answer that question because the answer lies within you! However, I can help to guide and demystify what Reiki is all about and hopefully this info can help you discern if this is the next right step for you along your spiritual journey. Generally speaking, if this question has come to mind and you are reading this article- then yes, you are probably being led to take Reiki because it would benefit you (and those around you)!

WHAT IS REIKI AND WHAT DOES IT DO?

Reiki is often defined in its literal translation: “Universal Life Force Energy”. However, I like to define it as love, prayer and intention all wrapped up into one. I regularly describe a Reiki treatment to others as a supercharged nap + meditation, like a car wash for your energy field. Reiki is an amazing modality to bring into your life. It’ll ground you, offer you clarity and keep your energy light and clear.

MY REIKI JOURNEY

When I was first practicing massage nearly 25 years ago, I was told by energy sensitive clients that I was channeling energy. They said that their sessions with me felt like I was giving them Reiki. I didn’t have any experience with Reiki, so I couldn’t say. I just knew I felt energy and emotions while I worked on them, and I naturally helped to shift them. Later on down the road in 2008, I had my spiritual awakening and took many classes in Theta Healing. This modality opened me WAY up to my intuitive healing abilities, and I wanted to bridge that gap of massage and deep esoteric work for my clients. Learning Reiki felt like a good idea, so in 2010 I sought it out without ever having received a session. I just figured Reiki was somehow spiritual and people had at least heard of it! I took the class not knowing how much of an impact it would have on me, let alone that I’d eventually be teaching it to others!

IS ANY EXPERIENCE REQUIRED?

Enrolling in Reiki 1 doesn’t require anything from you, you don’t even need any experience with Reiki in order to take this class. What you do require, though, is an open mind and a willingness to learn. Perhaps you, too, find that you are sensitive to energy, identify as an empath and have always (or more recently) been drawn to healing work. Having a belief in the possibility that we can shift energy and an awareness of or trust in the divine is certainly helpful- although it’s not required. Doing this work will definitely strengthen that connection, this much I can assure you.

Taking Reiki 1 can be a life altering experience for many. It basically gives us permission to tap into our inner magic. To trust in and rely on our intuition to guide us. It opens us up to the subtle energy realms. It really is the most natural thing ever.

WHAT DO I LEARN IN REIKI 1?

In Reiki 1, we go over the history of this ancient modality (which was “re-discovered” back just around 100 years ago by Mikao Usui), we discuss the story of Usui, we learn about the chakras, the different ways our intuition communicates with us, we speak about being a sensitive person in a harsh world and ways to protect our energies to avoid burnout and depletion. We also go through an attunement, which is what brings the Reiki into your physical vehicle and allows you to channel Reiki from here on. One of the best parts of class is when you get the chance to exchange with fellow classmates, everyone gets the chance to give and to receive. This is when all the learning from the day becomes REAL. We then realize just how natural it is to tune into and channel energy in this way. Your intuition and energy sensing often become amplified post-attunement and it can be pretty wild and awe inspiring.

WHAT WOULD I DO WITH REIKI?

Integrating Reiki into your life is simple and fun. Taking Reiki can “just” be a tool for keeping oneself calm, having better sleep, helping yourself or others with pain, stress, and anxiety, never mind strengthening your connection with Spirit! It’s a wonderful boost for meditation and offers you a great way to start and end your days with peace and calm. The more you call on your innate healing abilities via Reiki, the louder your intuition will grow, and the more you will gain the confidence to trust in yourself. You don’t need to have ambitions of becoming a Reiki practitioner with a shingle hanging outside your door. You don’t even have to have any desire to practice on anyone outside of yourself. It can open up so much for those on a spiritual journey. It’s a great tool that you can’t mess up, there’s no “dark side” to it and you can’t overdo it!

REIKI IS CALLING, WILL YOU LISTEN?

I’ve been practicing Reiki since 2010 and teaching it since 2014. I’ve taught Reiki 1 to about 200 students in that time! It’s amazing, empowering work. I’ve witnessed gifts turn on instantly, I’ve experienced miracles firsthand many times over, I’ve witnessed lives change for the better. It really is awesome work and I know the world will be a better place if more people were regularly on the receiving end of Reiki. Reiki lets the light in. I hope that this article has ignited a spark in you. The world could use more love and healing and you taking Reiki can help to achieve just that!

Owner of Moon Magic Spiritual Wellness Center in Hillsdale NJ, Karen Foote, has been focused on healing work since she was introduced to massage therapy at the age of 16. Her career began with massage therapy back in 2000, and by 2002 she stepped into her role as an entrepreneur with her first business doing massage. Over the years her massage focus shifted into energy work and esoteric studies. She incorporates the metaphysical into her bodywork practice and loves assisting those on a spiritual journey, both as a practitioner and as a teacher. She offers 1:1 healing bodywork sessions along with intuitive readings, group classes, including sound healing meditations and Reiki Certification Classes. In 2021, she began the "Spiritual Seekers Podcast, Stories of a Spiritual Healer". Karen lives in Westwood NJ with her two teenagers and husband of over 20 years.

The "Working Mom" Thing

Oh, to be a “working mom”. When my kids were younger, I was fortunate enough to be a full time stay at home mom. After starting my business back up 3 years ago, I reluctantly began to identify as a “working mom” and it was weird. It was something new that I didn't know how to adjust to, but as my business gradually grew, so did that title and what it really meant.

With my kids then 8 & 10 and in school all day, I (foolishly) thought it’d be more manageable to juggle the whole "work thing". What I neglected to factor in was the work-work behind the scenes and how consuming all of that can be! When they were little, I took clients out of my home on a VERY part time basis; the client would come, would leave and that was it. Maybe I spent some time making a brochure or creating meetups (I ran a Spiritual Discussion Group), but it was hardly consuming. I had a fraction of the clients I do now, I didn't advertise, didn't do networking, didn't have any social media accounts to manage and definitely didn't have much in the finance department to worry about and balance. Running a “real business” and all that entails is quite different than managing a hobby!

It’s hard being a working mom. My counters are often sticky and my sink is regularly full. Dinner isn’t usually figured out before 4:30pm (unlike in the old days when I’d often start preparing dinner around 2pm). I’m happy that I can volunteer at school sometimes at least. That’s the benefit of being your own boss and scheduling your own hours. I've got lots of clients who wait a long time to see me for an evening or weekend appointment - scheduling around my kids is a priority so those later afternoon/evening and Saturday hours are hard to come by! Sometimes it’s a bummer when my husband has to work late and I also have clients or a workshop scheduled, but my kids are older now (11 & 13) so they make due just fine on their own at home. I prefer not to be away from home when they're at home, though. It's just one of the sacrifices I make for my clients/students. (My kids aren't terribly heartbroken to stay home and watch YouTube or play video games, though.) 

I get up early most days with enough time to meditate and then get to yoga or the gym. I discovered that when I start my day this way, I’m beginning with my tank FULL so when the demands of the day start, I’m not being tapped out before I even begin. I originally picked 5am wakeups because logistically, it was the best time for me to go with my husband's work schedule when my kids were still pretty little. I discovered that I LOVE being awake before sunrise. To arrive home with golden sunlight is so motivating and energizing. I never regret waking up early to get my fitness in. My kids always appreciate a chipper mom with sweaty hair waking them up versus a tired mom yelling from her pillow for them to wake up!

It’s a balance, when work is going great and getting all my focus, the house and family may suffer a bit. The reverse is true as well. It’s important to be okay with that pendulum swing. We do the best we can. I take help where I can and lower expectations of perfection! I don't sweep every day anymore and I hired a monthly cleaning service. It’s not worth getting bent out of shape about certain things and I don't have to prove to myself that I can do it all on my own- I don't have to! 

When I DO find myself getting worked up and easily frustrated, however, I KNOW that it’s important to schedule some “me time” ASAP. Shameless plug—my favorite way to do that is to receive a Reiki session. I definitely do practice what I preach. I find that getting Reiki really does help to shake off the b.s. drama that we bring onto ourselves! Self-care is not selfish, it’s self-preservation! Reiki just sort of readjusts us, reboots our physical well being and our mental state as well- and an added bonus- connects us deeper to our spirituality if we are ready for that! These benefits make receiving Reiki a priority in my own life. Whether a “working mom” or not, it’s important that we make that time for us because if we don’t, no one else will. It directly benefits everyone around us when we take that time out to make ourselves a priority!