The Reiki Cafe 

Hello All!
It has been a bit since I have posted and have missed your light:)

I was wondering... I have a reiki manual that I put together to teach my students but I am not quite happy with it. I recently found a book at Barnes and Noble that I like very much giving excellent info on Reiki.

What are your thoughts on using a book such as this instead of a manual? I would use the book as well as fill in blanks and have students take notes about info that is not really reiki in the first place. I can also put together hand outs. I have a class the end of September and would love your opinions.

Love and light to you all,
Tracey

Hi Tracey
Which book is it?

I have recently expanded what I teach to Include more Japanese techniques. I had a choice about how to incorparte these teachings into my manuals. Thing is I am taking nothing out and the manaual can't really get that much bigger.
The choice was to either get them to but a book or supply a book with these techniques in or do a seperate manual.
I have chosen to do seperate manuals. The books I have been looking at, do not totally reflect the way and what I teach.
Namaste

Rob
Truth is not a property of language because language has not been able to express abstract ideas as efficiently as concrete items

The Magick of Reiki by Christopher Penczak

It has general info on all levels of reiki, although I would only teach level one or two at this time. I would supply more detail thru lecture and handouts. It also gives a great history of reiki comparison. There is much more but I was very impressed with the comparisons made of reiki vs the reiki system, philosphies, etc.

Sorry Peter if I was supposed to put this on a different board:)

Love and light,
Tracey

otoharo!

For reiki I and II I did not receive either a manual or a book.

finality

Hi Tracey
This book is a very interesting book, but it does look at Reiki from a Magickel perspective. I do know that the book is populer with Wiccains. His take on the history and the way it is presented is one of the best I have seen.
I am currently reading it because I have a Wiccain student that I am about to train at master level and I was wondering if I needed to rework any of the ways that I explaqin certain things, so that he could get a better understanding of what I was saying.
Wicca is very much a dualistic practice, where in many cases male /female, Yin/ yang is seperated, but Reiki is very much a "Oneness" thought form. The book does seem to me to present Reiki as dualistic. Luckilly my student does get the "oneness" thing

My own view on teaching is that it should be kept simple.
My Reiki manuals consist mainly of Vinny's stuff, which present it in a good no nonenese way, but on adding the Japanese technique stuff, it gives me a lot more to teach and also gives my students a better understanding if what reiki is.
You are welcome to a copy of my Reiki 1 Japanese techniques manual, if you would like one. Just drop me an e-mail.
Namaste

Rob
Truth is not a property of language because language has not been able to express abstract ideas as efficiently as concrete items

Tracey,

/*\ Namaste :-}}

- the contents of your classes are, of course, your business - use any information you feel is valuable - just be sure to credit sources that need to be credited

>:-}}

- enjoy the teaching

>:-}}

Reiki All Around,

All Blessings,

Firekeeper

Hey Miz Tracey, *hugs**

For me I utilized the works of Diane Stein and my mentor teacher Diane Ruth Shewmaker because I like her very grounded wisdom on Oneness and the many dimensions that healing actually moves through with use.
Of course the Diane Ruth Shewmakers "All Love" book is a Seichim book but none the less its a wonderful tool for learning about ones self and higher awareness.
I noticed you talked about note taking etc. :}

I urge my students to put down their pens unless its a point they really want to remember because I want them in their hearts not their heads. Healing work is not a mental process it is a heart experience.
The attunements themselves are a heart initiation from my perspective.

As far as what you said in your post about what I'd do.. Can you not adjust your own manual to be more in line with what your beliefs are at this time? What resonates with you and then just give credits on the pages that are not your own works?
Pull what doesn't resonate and add what does type thing. Or are they actually bound professionally?

So many ways to go about this. Remember hon to let this be a FUN learning process for you and let it flow as it will so you will be happy with the results of your labor of love.
If you do not fix this issue with your manual you will lose energy every time you look at it, and every time you try to pass it out.

With the stuff I have that doesn't resonate, i've actually cut it out, or blackend it with black marker so words that do not say what I'd like to say aren't read. At least not in my class. :}

Hope this was helpful,

Loving you and supporting all your beautiful efforts to assist others,

Jahnavi

Hi Tracey and Rob, namaste ...

Just to add my twopenneth .... I have written manuals for each stage that I teach. The manuals incorporate everything that I cover in class and more. They are a mixture of excerpts from manuals I have been given on courses, items I have researched on the internet, and sometimes, additions which have come up from past students themselves, which are all equally helpful.

Like you Rob, I incorporate Japanese techniques, and I have added sections to my manuals to cover these.

Sometimes, especially during a Master course, questions are asked where material may not be covered in the manual. In this case, I try to produce appendices to the manual to cover the points, before the last day of the course, and if all else fails, offer them by post as an add-on to the manuals.

Also I tend to take a selection of Reiki books and magazines to classes, and lists of websites, so that students can have a taste of things they may not have sampled before.

Hope this helps.

Love and light
philanty

Hi Finality,
That was my other avenue. As reiki was originally taught without a manual and reiki one has no symbols to teach then I thought I could teach from an outline and give the students handouts for hand positions, chakras etc. The students would be required to take notes.

Hugs,
Tracey

Thank you Rob for your feed back. I love the book but I do feel it would not appeal to everyone due to the Wiccan aspects. I, too love the history representations. Perhaps I will just pick and choose info from the book to relay to students.
I have Vinnie's manual in print as I downloaded the whole kit n kaboodle. I love the way he explains things as well and keeps it simple as reiki should be (in my opinion:))

If I don't make up my mind soon I will just use my original manual for the time being and work at this some more. Yes, I would love to see your Japanese references. I will e-mail you for this.

Have a wonderful weekend!
Tracey

tracey,

Hi.

Chakras were not, as far as I can tell, part of traditional Usui Reiki. And, it is amazing the variety of ideas about the Chakras there are now. Spin and more spin. One might really get dizzy if one paid attention to most of it.

LOL

Cheers,

RC

Good Morning!
Such wonderful advice here as always. There are so many books and views that in the past I have laid them out on the table and given my students time to flip thru and write down the books for their own research. I am actually more comfortable working from an outline and talking from my heart. When I have done this the class just seems more "right" and the students are more relaxed. With all the talk of manuals I thought I "needed" one and put one together. I have just never been very happy with it. I was also taught that adult learners like to come away with something tangible from a class. This may be where the handouts come in.

Ahhh, the heart grows clearer and the mind follows:)))

Love to all,
Tracey

Hi Rc
You are right about chakras not being part of the original teachings. These were added post Mrs Takata's death, probally due to the lack of understanding of the Tanden and Hara teachings in the original form.
When you add this stuff back into your Reiki and actually practice it, you energy handling capacity becomes a lot better.
Thing is it does require work to get the get these results ans I wonder if perhaps Chakras are there because of a certain amount of " You can do this, without having to do so much work on yourself".
Personally I don't teach Chakras and never have. mainly because like you I am never sure which way they should be spinning, also anything more than just a very basic knowledge can be taught in a weekend workshop, especially when there is so much else to cover.
Chakra work is now being added into Japanese Reiki, especially by Horoshi Doi, who was trained in the raidience technique of Barabra Ray Webber, but he has still kept the original techniques in.

Incidently, Although we are told that Mrs Takata did not use manuals, a copy of the Hayashi treatment guide in Japanese was given to several of her Master Students. Those who bothered to get it translated probally got a deeper insight to the art of Reiki.
Namaste

Rob
Truth is not a property of language because language has not been able to express abstract ideas as efficiently as concrete items

Otoharo!

I like your point that you want them in their hearts not in their heads. Bravo!

finality

Otoharo!

We are one, indeed. You know, I just don't get all this emphasis on the history of reiki. Who cares? It has always been here. Usui delved into the ancient records and found about it there. The fact is it is here and ready to use all the time. Everyday, every hour.

finality

Hi Finality
Personally I see the history of Reiki the system as being quite important, mainly because if we can see where we came from, it gives us a better understanding of what it is.
You could say that the History of the USA is not important, but without it where is Americans sense of national identity.
Sadly there are some people out there who are or have been playing with the history of Reiki and Usui. Basically making stuff up. That muddies the water somewhat.
I do agree with you thou, that you don't need to know the history of Reiki to do Reiki.

Namaste

Rob
Truth is not a property of language because language has not been able to express abstract ideas as efficiently as concrete items

Hello Finality,
Yes, I find being in the heart important. I want them to listen to my philosophy and take what they will from that lesson, not worry about pages and writing down their thought. You miss so much that way. Just see how it feels in your body, thats my perspective.
I also give them the non philosiphal aspect of the healing works anyway. I give them plenty of stuff to review later.
Luckily where I work we have two shares a month, one for the public and one for practitioners only. This is such a wonderful way to see personal growth transforming the people whom have been attuned. So cool. Almost everyone that comes to Triad has been attuned by me but I love seeing all the cool ways that the soul chooses to manifest this in the world.
Some are more physically inclined, some get intuitve hits, and many other modalities that have manifested through the attunements. I love watching all of them blossom under the watchful eye of all my friends and family at Triad.

I'm like you. I could really give a hoot about the history of Reiki. I always hated listening to people rattle on about things like that when I take workshops. Hey, Just give me the information and let me read that mundane stuff later. Lets get to the meat! :}
Just my thoughts. I give about a five minute talk about usai and Patrick, the rest is on paper if they want to look at it later. I"m more interested in how energy works, how it flows from the body, and how it works and why it works.
Also of importance to me is making people comfortable in understanding that they are needed here on Mother earth as healers and why and knowing why they are worthy to receive these blessings and that they are already an inherent part of who they really are.
i'm all about empowering people. All the lineage stuff just leaves me bored. I like to let people know I'm truly of a non traditional bent and not to expect that types of workshop when they sign up. :}

Perhaps it would be cool to give an informal paper that asks these questions to workshop participants.
What was most important to you that you learned today? What was least important?

That might be fun eh?

Bright blessings,

Jahnavi

Otoharo

Rob, I just lost my message. Here I go again. (there are tens of buttons around the keyboard and I hit something all the time that loses what I havfe written.)

I know. I have just moved from being national. From being anything but an occupant of earth. My image is standing on the ball of it, against the horizon, just me and the earth in the universe. So little else matters anymore.

finality

rob,

Hi.

What I have read that many folks say about their chakras or 'chakra work' often sounds woefully shallow or downright incorrect. But, people must find out for themselves. I would offer that if one is not doing regular kundalini work then Reiki for the chakras will have little longterm effects.

But, so many desires for shortcuts and so many cellphones stuck in ears that few will likely be listening.

LOL

Cheers,

RC

Good Morning Rob,

I believe I saw a copy of that healing guide in a book recently. It tells where and what to treat for certain ailments? It does not incorporate any chakra work at all.

As for chakras, I do not concentrate on the spinning as much as whether or not I am being pulled in or pushed away. I give my students a diagram simply for them to be aware of the terms as they will surely encounter it and wonder why they didn't learn about them.

I have also found that the way I do reiki has evolved so much since learning level one that I now have to change the way I teach things a bit to encompass this.

Love and light,
Tracey

Hi Tracey
Yes I know what you mean by changing what you teach. I ahve just added a half a days worth of material into my Reiki 1 workshop. I guess some of the meditation will have to go LOL
Namaste

Rob
Truth is not a property of language because language has not been able to express abstract ideas as efficiently as concrete items

Otoharo!
Tracy, we were not allowed to take notes either. The idea is to practice over and over until the student KNOWS the positions by heart. No head stuff allowed. And the master was available for later questions, if any.

finality