Everybody, thank you for your thoughtful replies and interesting links! I'm really interested in that Master Key system... it's an interesting (and historical) look at energy in your life.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AndyMartin  My sticking point is where to go from here. I've considered training in Reiki or some other practice of external manifestation of energy. Please share some thoughts from your workshops and reading if you don't mind. |
You know, I picked Reiki as my intro into energy work because it sounded like a "energy for dummies" kind of practice. I couldn't sort through the crap on Web sites geared towards ESP and energy work because I know so very little about the subject, so I thought an in-person workshop would be a better idea. The idea is that Reiki is a particular kind of universal energy that transcends time and space and "knows" where to go. Since it's not coming from your personal store of energy, it doesn't deplete you as you use it.
It requires an "attunement," which lets you tune into this particular kind of energy like a radio even if you're as clueless as me! During the attunement the Reiki master makes it so that you channel this energy through your palms (some say as an extension of your heart chakra, which is a loving analogy), though historically Reiki practitioners have been able to use Reiki through their eyes and breath as well.
The class I took was geared towards yogis and martial artists (i.e. people already interested in energy); the owner of a yoga studio, a tai chi instructor, and an astrologist/numerologist took the class with me. We had some interesting discussions in class, about how Reiki sounds like tacheon energy, about the difference between Reiki and kundalini, etc. The concept seemed to really "click" with the yoga instructor, because she is used to making hands-on adjustments for students in her class.
The amazing thing was that, after an all-day workshop in a yoga studio with no chairs, afterwards I had a higher energy level and mood than I normally have on a good, relaxing day, and my back and butt weren't sore! And my interactions with my significant other that evening and next day were very postively charged, as well.
I picked up the Barbara Brennan book (Light Emerging; her first book, Hands of Light, wasn't in stock at the bookstore) because all the info on Reiki seemed very narrow and opinionated. I would actually recommend a nonenergy book, The Artist's Way, in conjuntion with Light Emerging, because they have a lot in common, discussing how you need to heal old emotional wounds (not beleiving in yourself, thinking you're unloveable or doomed to a life of uncreativity) to acheive inspiration and physical health. Brennan's books are rather technical reads -- she started a four-year institute to train energy healers, so it could almost be considered an intro college text on human energy. The Reiki book I read is called Reiki: The Healing Touch. It's okay as far as energy goes, but it does explain a lot about the history and methods of Reiki as well. It was written by the guy from the International Center for Reiki Training.
If you're interested in doing Reiki, I'd certainly suggest having a Reiki session first, so you have an idea what to expect. It's very relaxing! And you can have very interesting sensations during a Reiki session. It made my knee stop twinging (I strained it running 5Ks a few months prior), and it made me realize that my breathing problems (I had asthma as a kid) were somewhat related to stress. The attunement itself was a powerful experience as well, and made me realize both how hurt I still was over my loss of faith and how frightened I was to be confronting this idea of energy, and with it, unresolved problems in my life.
Like anything else, though, it does take practice. I don't think I'm very "good" at Reiki yet, but it's a helpful technique to use throughout the day as you get headaches, or stressed, or eye strain from the computer, etc. And if you're having a hard time going to sleep or sleeping well, it's a fabulous practice!
A Reiki circle just started in my town as well, so I'm hoping to get more experience sharing Reiki with others during this monthly get-together.
On a side note, I find it very annoying that all of these new age books have purple covers with glowing human figures... It's almost embarassing!