Preparing for an Energy Session

WORKING WITH OTHERS
"Well I just completed a Reiki Level I class, I'm on fire! I'm ready to go out and save the world!" Have you come across a few of these people? Ok, maybe not so many, or such an extreme example. But this is exactly the type of person I really worry about. And I hope you'll stick with me as I tell you why.

The first thing that comes to mind is-- this individual has missed the most important point of taking a Reiki class- and that is to work on yourself first. There is that old adage about the plumber who has the house with the leaky faucets. Well this applies across many disciplines, but it is rampant in the Service oriented fields. Especially those in the profession of helping others such as nurses, healers, and alternative care practitioners. This often sends a big red flag up for me...wondering, what is this person REALLY up to? Many times, with a bit of exploration it is easy to determine that the care taker caretakes to avoid taking care of him or her self. Rule #1, if I don't take care of myself first, then I am of no real benefit to others.

By working on ourselves with the Reiki energy, we get very connected to our own healing process. This is the process of self-discovery. What we learn is invaluable. What we learn is inspiring. What we learn is real. It is much easier to help someone on their journey, when we have a good understanding, because we are there too.

Rule #2: the only person I can heal is ME! End of story. It is not in anyone else's power to truly heal me. I need to take responsibility and do what needs to be done to reach the place of healing. Now, I 'm not suggesting this is a solo flight. By the contrary, the plane is boarded, the seats are filled with those assisting me, but I am the pilot of the plane. It is more empowering when we take personal responsibility for the direction we go. It can be difficult to sift through the miles of information, well meaning advice and suggestions offered by both professionals and friends when we are facing a health challenge. Listen to your heart, it will give you an indication of the correct direction to proceed. Remember we are each a unique individual with varying abilities and gifts. We are also in various places in regard to our emotions, our mental processes, our physical circumstances and our spiritual unfoldment. All these factors will influence the best decision for our uniqueness. Don't settle for the cookie cutter approach to healing.

When I am working with a client for the first time, I make sure to let them know about Rule #2. If they expect me to heal them, it is best we not proceed. If they are looking for someone to help them facilitate a process they are interested in beginning to explore, well, that I can do. Before going any further I tell that what a Reiki session is like, what may or may not occur as the body begins to rebalance, (see an earlier post, Detecting an Energy Shift, for more information), and then let them know we will spend some time processing the session, once complete.

As a practitioner, it is essential to prepare before a session. It is a good practice to give yourself a short personal reiki treatment if you have the time. If you have been giving yourself regular self-reiki, you are in a better position to help someone else. Remember, Reiki goes to where it needs to go, but will stop along the way to rebalance areas of energetic congestion. If you are in need of reiki, the energy will take care of you first, before going to the client.

At the opening of the session, I like to state that I am a clear and open channel to receive the reiki energy, and this session is for XXX's highest good and the highest good of all. Even though I have been doing reiki for a number of years, using this opening practice helps me to focus on my role, and becomes a reminder. I am not healing the client. I am not using my own energy. I am the vessel through which source energy flows.

The next step is to ground myself. There are a number of ways this can be done. (See post on grounding that covers some of the different techniques.) After I am finished preparing myself, I prepare the client by taking them through a guided visualization that I create specifically for them. It begins with a focused breathing exercise, followed by some progressive relaxation. They are then asked to focus on their crown (7th) chakra, to open and expand this area, with more conscious awareness of the energy they are bringing in, this is following by a grounding technique I use to anchor or ground them into the session. The grounding provides energetic support, and allows for the release or intake of energies.

Once they are grounded, I then proceed with a guided visualization that will help the client become actively engaged in their own healing process. For me, at this point, I also just become the channel. I don't have a prepared script for a visualization. I ask that the words be given to me to know what would be best for this particular individual, and I allow the process to proceed.

From the very start with the focused breathing though the guided visualization, it takes about half of the session. The remainder of the time, I just do reiki without speaking.

As the session proceeds, I may or may not receive intuitive information for the client, which will be shared later on. Sometimes as they are doing their work, an energy release occurs that is quite strong. That release may go through them or may come through me. When the release comes through me as a practitioner, on occasion I will experience pain in a particular part of my body, such as my hands all the way up to my wrists. If this occurs, I will just remove my hands, shake them out vigorously, then state emphatically, " this does not belong to me, you are free to go". Within a few seconds, the pain is gone. I have found that I do not get this particular experience much any more. More frequently, I will have a gentler release, such as one eye tearing for the duration of the session. This can begin as soon as I make contact with the client in the session, and last until my hands are removed at the end. Another release that occurs through me is what I can only describe as a very strong itch deep in my throat, generally on only one side, which can be either the right or left. The only way I can release this is to actually leave the room, and cough it out very strongly. It will then leave and not return. A gentle clearing of the throat will not do it.

Each practitioner will experience different ways that energy is released. Some may never experience the release of another's energy through themselves. The important thing is to be aware of what can happen, so you know best how to deal with or understand the situation. Do a quick body scan before working on another person. If you feel great, with no aches or pains, before a session, and suddenly you are experiencing sensations in your body, it may very well be a result of energy shifting. Knowing this can help you to assist the release work, especially so it does not linger inside your energy field.

There are times when I am giving reiki and suddenly, a part of my body begins to ache, say for example- my third eye. I have learned when this happens, to move my hands to that area on the client. If it was a energy direction being given to me, in a matter of seconds, the ache disappears. Watch for signs you may be given. Learn to interpret them. As you work with the reiki energy, you will be taught many things. Be open to receive. Be grateful for the opportunities that present themselves, and constantly be aware we live in a world that is in constant motion, moving and evolving.

To conclude a session, I once again speak to the client. Any areas which were opened, are closed down. I help bring them back to the present. Their auric field is balanced and I reassess the energy of each chakra which was checked prior to beginning the session. This allow them to see what changes have occurred. We discuss the session, from both the client's and practitioner's perspective. I may ask some questions or make some suggestions to them that would allow the energy of the session to continue for a more extended period of time. They are reminded the stage is set and the real work is about to begin.

Once the client leaves, the practitioner needs to clear and disconnect from the energy of the session. Washing your hands in cold water is the best technique I have found. Shaking your hands works too. Brushing off your energy field--down the arms, and across the shoulders is also very helpful. The better you prepare yourself and your client for the session, the better off both will be. They will be ready to take the lead role, as should be the case, and you as the practitioner, can help facilitate without taking on the challenges of the client in an unhealthy way.


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