A challenge for many people developing a new Reiki practice is knowing how and where to apply your new skills.
Colby Gaudet, an Usui Reiki Master/Teacher, says that once you have the basics of Reiki down, the applications are wide-reaching. “You’re only limited by your own creativity and comfort levels,” Colby said.
Japanese researcher Dr Masaru Emoto is well-known in the wellness community for his experiments on how the molecular structure of water is impressionable to conscious-intention.
In one experiment, he showed the difference in the molecular structure of two frozen water glasses. The first glass was exposed to loving intention and formed beautiful symmetrical ice crystal once frozen, while the second glass was exposed to hateful intention and formed jagged, asymmetrical crystals.
“You can take this theory and apply it just how you would apply Reiki,” Colby said. “For example, if you have a self-care practice that involves taking baths, you can infuse your bath water with Reiki.”
Colby said the theory isn’t limited to water and can be extended to food, pets and of course, willing-recipients.
“Once you have the Reiki training or you know how Reiki works, you can use it just in the same way you would apply Reiki to a client,” Colby said.
While cooking, Reiki can be turned on when chopping vegetables or boiling pasta, infusing the food so that the benefits are consumed with the meal.
“It’s a great way for you to help your self-healing or you can extend healing to your family, friends or whoever you might be serving food to,” Colby said.
Another way that Reiki students can keep an active practice is to use Reiki with your pets. (There are some practitioners who specialize in animal Reiki!).
“A lot of people who come to class say they don’t have anybody in their life who is interested in receiving Reiki. Animal companions are very receptive to ‘energy’ so it’s a really valuable way to practice. If you begin a Reiki session at home, most cats and dogs will come and investigate what’s going on. Cats especially love it!”
Despite the applications of Reiki being so wide reaching, Colby said that it’s important from an ethical standpoint, just like any form of healing or therapeutic work, not to use or send Reiki when the recipient has not consented.
“I wouldn’t go around doing Reiki all the time to people everywhere but if a client is coming to you for an ayurvedic head massage and they say they are curious about trying Reiki – you can incorporate it in the session.”
Colby said that many of the hand positions in Reiki involve the head and shoulders so for those with an existing bodywork practice, Reiki is easily integrated during a head, face, neck or back massage.
“The Reiki hand positions perfectly interlace with bodywork techniques used in that region,” Colby said.
