Greetings friends,
I would like to hear your insights on the issue of intent. I find it somewhat difficult to explain my conundrum but I will attempt it. My question is: given the fact that we understand Reiki to be self-directed for the Highest Good of the individual receiving, where does the intent of the practitioner come into play?
It seems to me that to some extent, the belief that our intent directs or maxmizes the energy is to some degree an ego attachment. In other words, a method by which we tell ourselves that we have more impact on the session than is our business to have.
I do not mean to imply that intent is inappropriate or unnecessary, I mean to say that perhaps we should be a little more open to the possibility that the Universe doesn't need our help in more capacity than that of Channel for the energy.
When I begin a treatment on a client, I always open with a statement of my intent to provide a clear channel for the energy to work through. I ask for my guides and the guides of the recipient to work together for the individual's Highest Good and then I back off energetically, allowing my Reiki channel to direct the flow, intensity, and purpose of the treatment.
This certainly doesn't mean that I remain uninvolved in the process. There are more times than not when I receive information in words or visualization that I may make conscious to my client and I follow my guidance to know how to facilitate this process. All in all though, I consider the healing process of my clients to be entirely their business and feel no need to attempt to influence the energy pathways or effects.
The reason I bring this up is that I read a lot of mention here on Intent and the direction of that intent to maximize the healing benefit the client receives. I am certainly as interested as the rest of those people in the healing professions, in doing my utmost to benefit my fellow creatures. If there is more I should/could be doing to facilitate healing in my clients, I am open to learning and indeed, feel that that is part of my obligation as a servant of the Universe.
I suppose the shortened version of my question would be: How does the intent of the practitioner impact the recipient? For example, what if I was a spiteful person who intensely disliked my client and wished them ill (I don't suppose there are many Reiki practitioners for whom this would be an issue but let's just play devil's advocate for a moment)? Let's say that my intent is to direct the energy to some place in pain and intensify that pain so that the client will be in agony for the next three days. Let's say that I didn't like the way they kicked their dog when he chewed up the newspaper and I felt that this would be proper retrobution for their conconsciousness. What do you say to this?
I feel that the Reiki energy, being directly from the Source is completely benign in nature. My belief is that I could have the worst intentions with regard to my client but that the Reiki would do its work as a Force of Benevolence and that ultimately, the process of the individual in question is none of my beezwax whether I agree with their lifestyle or not.
Sorry for the long windedness of this post. I am anxiously awaiting your replies.
Namaste,
Sara
