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A Companion Guide For Reiki Healers
Crossing Press 2007 ISBN #1-58091-181-1 I am reviewing this book from the point of view of a Reiki Master/Teacher, as well as from the point of view of a reviewer. It was because of Stein's book "Essential Reiki" that I found the path of Reiki at all. I had heard of Reiki - bits and pieces of talk, but nothing coherent. Then her book showed up on a book club that I belonged to (I have always belonged to various book clubs!), and I had the opportunity to see what Reiki was all about. I never looked back. I was living in Las Vegas at the time, and decided to look for a Reiki teacher. There was no advertising anywhere, so I had to look in the yellow pages. There was one teacher listed. I contcted her, and she agreed to teach me. I had to wait a few weeks before another student signed up, but it was well worth the wait. We did Reiki I and II in one weekend, and it was a profound experience (even though I clashed a bit with the instructor). It was several years before I took my Reiki Master/Teacher training, and I got that from my sister. I feel Blessed to have Reiki as part of my life adn wisdom, because I have been able to use it to help so many people. Before I get into the review, I want to add a word of caution. Stein writes from a feminist point of view. This book is written by a woman, for women. Stein, for her own personal reasons, chooses to teach only women. However, she holds the belief, and states so more than once, that Reiki training should be available for everyone. In the handouts at the back of the book, and in her Reiki III exercise section, she does include the information necesary for male Reiki practitioners. The "Essential Reiki Teaching Manual" does not teach Reiki per se (her "Essential Reiki" manual does that), but prepares students to teach Reiki. Stein makes a point not to set herself up as a guru. She wants all of her students to understand that Reiki energy is not of us, it flows through us. It becomes wisdom within us when we put it to use in our life, and when we teach it. Stein teaches mainly women that come to her from a distance (as opposed to teaching local students). Because of this, she teaches all three Reiki levels in one three day weekend (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings). She admits that the information from this weekend can be overwhelming, but hastens to add that it is not harmful to the student. I find this to be true. The student will process one level at a time, and then move on to the next. (Each attunement brings about certain physical/emotional/spiritual changes within the individual, and these changes manifest themselves in the physical world.) Stein covers all aspects of teaching Reiki, and working with Reiki as a practice. Her focus is not only on the practitioner, but on their clients, their students, and the interplay between individuals. In her introduction, she talks about students who go through Reiki I and II, never intending to become a Reiki teacher, only to discover that this is a part of their path. She makes the point that the earth is in a crisis right now, and that the planet as a whole needs both healers and healing. She also notes what to expect from students who sign up for Reiki workshops. She talks about recognizing when a prospective student is an appropriate candidate for a scholarship, and that some form of energy exchange should be required of these students (unless they are unable to do so). She talks about workshop "junkies" - who just like the thrill of saying that have attended such and such, and have the certificate to prove it - and those who attend workshops for CEU's necessary to maintain licensure, but may never intend to work with Reiki. She also talks about those who sign up, but never show up! Stein prepares the reader well for the real life experiences that they will encounter. Also addressed is the myriad of different Reiki systems offered through the Internet. As she points out - some of these systems are legitimate Reiki, and some are not. She makes a point that I most definitely agree with, and that is that Reiki attunements should be done in person, not through the ethers (i.e. long distance). Sending someone material to read, along with a certificate, and some sort of arrangement for a long distance Reiki attunement is not fulfilling the requirements for teaching Reiki! If these students are serious, they will eventually find their way to a legitimate teacher, who will be able to help them do the work they are drawn to do. Before Stein even addresses class structure, she addresses the issue of preparing to be a Reiki healer. Of paramount importance here is checking state and local laws covering Reiki, and deciding how to present yourself as a healer. In some states, Reiki comes under massage licensing (thanks in large part to a specific massage therapist in the state of Florida who pushed such a bill through in Florida, which several other states now follow). Stein offers alternatives to presenting Reiki as a healing modality, including leaving off the term "healing" and working under a spiritual counseling license. There are suggestions in the book about organizations that have recognized (read accepted) licenses/certificates available to the general public. There is also thought given here on how and where to advertise your services, and how to price them. Consideration is given to the physical environment - the room that you will be working in, the use of color and music, any props that are needed (such as pillows to place under the clients head and knees, as necessary), the availability of pure water for both the healer and their client, and more. Consideration is also given to the physical set-up of the room that you will be teaching in - including comfort, lighting, availability of water to drink, availability of a nearby bathroom, and snacks. For each level of Reiki, Stein goes over what needs to be taught, in what sequence, and how to divide up the teaching time so that the students get adequate breaks, and are not overwhelmed. She talks about having the students practice the hand positions, dealing with excess energy, drawing the Reiki symbols, how to best send distant Reiki, as well as how to give attunements. This book is filled with practical advice, and the very real caveat that a prospective student needs to get their attunements in person from a qualified teacher. Included are all the handouts necessary for giving Reiki I, II, and III classes. While I disagree with Stein at times, I recognize that no one is going to be in 100% agreement with another person. We learn from our differences, and there is really no set way to either practice or teach Reiki. What I admire most about this book - the attitude of genuine caring, of being willing to share experiences, and the high ethical tone that is set down. This is an excellent, and needed, follow-up book to "Essential Reiki".
Bonnie Cehovet
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