Reluctant Reiki
Received an interesting email this morning about one aspect of Reiki Training that isn’t discussed very often that I thought I’d share my response with you.
The question was: How do you give Reiki to someone who doesn’t want it, doesn’t believe in it, or doesn’t trust it?
Basically I would answer… you don’t! But this isn’t entirely accurate. So let me explain how I handle this type of situation.
First of all I will try to make sure they understand exactly what Reiki is, i.e., a non-intrusive energy that helps to balance out energetic imbalances in the human energy field(s). Some people understand things better on a scientific level, others on a practical level and others on an intuitive level. I find most of those that understand things on an intuitive level are generally more conducive to the idea of Reiki, so they usually don’t need any coaxing.
For people that don’t respond to an explanation of the benefits of Reiki delivered in a way most suited to their understanding (which varies greatly from case to case) another tactic is needed. In their defense, I believe that most people really don’t know what they want or what’s best for them, especially in times of turmoil… which is when they need Reiki the most. Many people live for instant gratification… the NOW generation, and anything else doesn’t even appear on their radar. Others only believe in things they can actually touch… anything else just isn’t real. So there really is no rhyme or reason as to what people want, what they believe and/or what is good for them. And when this is being coupled with some kind of energetic imbalance… the mental faculties are even less dependable than usual.
Luckily, men (and women) were created with a mechanism in place that takes care of this. It is called the subconscious mind. Without it, those people who can’t actually touch the air would’ve probably stopped breathing a long time ago. So when I run across a reluctant case, I direct the Reiki to their subconscious mind, and let it decide what to do with it.
The subconscious mind has access to a great deal that the conscious mind never will. Besides being a vast repository of memories, it also has the ability to communicate with other subconscious minds. So I basically just direct my subconscious mind to communicate with the subconscious mind of the receiver and let them sort things out. 99% of the time I then can feel the Reiki flowing, which indicates that it was, after all, received.
There have been a few occasions where I felt, for one reason or another, the Reiki was not flowing and it was not being received. Why it would be blocked is a mystery… although I’m sure there are some legitimate reasons, as the subconscious mind does not make decisions on impulse…. as does its conscious counterpart.
At any rate… there you have it… make of it what you will and please do tell if you have any alternative suggestions.
For further explanation or discussion, your thoughts are most welcome and highly encouraged, please feel free to comment below!!! 
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is this the same as appealing to someone’s “higher self”?
that’s what i was taught to do, and that’s always included in my intention when sending reiki to someone who is not physically present or when doing stealth reiki on someone who is consciously opposed to it for some reason.
well, i guess it’s something i do regardless. i set my intention so that reiki will flow to where it is needed so long as it is acceptable to that person’s higher self. if not, i ask for it to be returned to me or directed toward the earth. i figure that if i don’t have the permission of a higher authority, it’s not going to work anyway even if someone consciously requests it
Ummm, my 10 cents worth. If the person doesn’t want reiki for whatever reason, doesn’t understand reiki, misunderstanding, doesn’t know what is good for them ,or whatever the reason, if it is important to you then you do a reiki on yourself (or get someone to do a reiki on you).
I was taught in absent/distant healing to always ask the person’s permission, if I don’t get it I don’t do it. This I should clarify is a person that has asked me to do a reiki on them. Usually the person wanting a reiki on someone is close to them and is most probably a reiki channel. If I THINK a person needs a reiki for example my daughter because something she is doing or has something that is bothering ME, then it is my ego that says “She should have a reiki, that will fix her!:roll:”, so I would do one on myself.
Going back to being asked to do a reiki and then the permission is blocked, I believe it is because for some reason it isn’t the right time for that person, time has an essence for them, but they would be open another time.
I don’t believe reiki should be forced on anyone. I wouldn’t like something forced on me even if it was good for me. It is my body and I have a right to learn my lessons as I learn them.
Well maybe in the long run that was my 90 cents worth.
Hope everyone enjoyed the day today.
Michelle
Hello again,
Was riding to the gym and remembered a situation years ago…so might have to eat my words a little, I think I am about to use the saying “All rules have exceptions and can be broken”. I was at a university and a student was having a violent rage, he was throwing desks and chairs around the room and by the time I got there was pulling things that was screwed into the wall off eg projectors etc. I walked up behind him totally calm and put my hand on his shoulder, all I felt was love for him, he seemed to be in so much pain and he dropped. I mean dropped to the floor, flat on his back!!!! I asked the other teachers to remove the students and just put my hands on his chest and just felt compassion surging though me. He then just started crying and babbling. Telling me he wanted his mum (who I thought at the time he had just found out had died), but no he was totally homesick and had been the victim of classroom bullying. I just listened and he talked and talked. Eventually security guards came and I said he wasn’t a problem, he was ok and he left as meek as a lamb, thanking me as he left the room. Other teachers refused to teach him then so he ended up in my class after that. I didn’t fear him, he was fine, maybe a little different, but aren’t we all.
Later other teachers said it was amazing. There was a glow about us and wthey anted to know what I had done. Why did he drop! I was hauled up to the DOS who asked was I certified to do reiki. I asked him,”Why, what do you mean?” and he said his wife daubled in reiki and that was all he could think of, so when I said yes I have 2 certificates he said “Good, can’t have weird people here. Glad you have certfication, that makes it valid”. I told him I actually didn’t mean to do reiki, I just put my hand on him and then he dropped so I figured at least he wasn’t pulling out the projector anymore so I would go with the flow.
I must admit I didn’t intentionally do reiki. I didn’t ask his permission. It just sort of happened. So I guess I am guilty of sending reiki without inital permission in special cases…like accidents etc. As I said I actually didn’t intentionally mean to do it, it just happened, so I guess that was higher self to higher self calling for help.
Loved the red, red sunset tonight. Hoped you managed to see it too.
Michelle
Hi Joe!
Yes, this is exactly the same as appealing to someone’s “higher self”. Consciously they may be opposed to it, but unconsciously their higher self, or higher conscious mind, generally knows better.
“Stealth Reiki” is a term I haven’t heard in a while… I actually have a blog post named exactly that that’s been sitting on the bench waiting for its turn at bat. I’ve discussed it before though… great technique!!
~light & love~
Duane
Hi Michelle!
Amazing story and it illustrates the point about asking permission wonderfully. If you went up to him and asked if he wanted Reiki he might’ve thrown you out the window… his higher conscious mind obviously grasped the situation immediately and realized the benefits.
There is really no way of knowing why the unconscious mind does what it does… I guess if there were that would take all the mystery out of life… and that would be no fun at all!
Great job and thanks so much for sharing that awesome experience.
~light & love~
Duane
BTW yes… the sunset was especially spectacular this evening!
We don’t actually “do” anything – it’s the reiki. we have just given reiki permission to use us as a channel so that it may more directly influence our environment. we can actively call on reiki to flow through us to heal someone, but our role is still rather passive.
likewise, reiki can seem to flow from us automatically when we touch or approach someone or something in need. we just have to be an open channel. you must have cleared away many of your own blocks to have had reiki flow through you with enough ease and intensity to help that young man so quickly, Michelle.
there are some folks who think reiki treatment isn’t so much a sending of energy, but more like the receiver drawing the energy out of the reiki practitioner.
i tend to agree, but i also recognize that there can also be the active element of sending the energy as well. the yin and yang of reiki, i guess. makes me think of the “action in inaction” of the tao, or the way lao tzu describes the hollow center of a wheel as the emptiness or element of non-being that makes the wheel useful
Hey Joe!
Very thought provoking… active vs. inactive Reiki… I never really considered it in those terms before, but I like the idea of having Reiki constantly there and doing it’s thing whether we call it or not as well as available for calling should we choose to do so.
Awesome!
Thanks for sharing that!
~light & love~
Duane