Thank you wrangler Joy Vernon.
From a practical point of view as we are human beings and viruses & bacteria love to spread, I do think that when you have a cold, flu, impetigo, foot & mouth (it does exists for humans) or other spreadable illness then keeping clients & the general public away is a good thing. This is vice versa too if clients are ill, isolation is the key. However this is not about reiki this is about human hygiene and respect for others. Reiki as an energy won’t change if we are ill, we could still practise reiki on ourselves or family, but physically it may only be able to carry out a short session.
My concerns is when illness and practising reiki becomes rules, judgement or discriminatory. A lot of thoughts went through my mind with this. Is illness bad energy? What determines illness? Is disability within that same framework? Is dealing with mental health or a chronic condition within that too? Is illness non-normal? How far do we go? Can it be detrimental to determine that you cannot practise or share reiki if ill?
I have a chronic condition and have suffered mental health and reiki is part of my routine, daily ritual that helps me nurture and take care of myself. My mental issues can resurface now and then, but the chronic condition has never been ‘healed’. It stumps the medical world too. An acupuncturist told me, with over 5000 years of history behind Chinese medicine I believe her, if it returned I would have it for ever and it returned. Will that illness stop me practising reiki? Does it make me less perfect to practise reiki? No.
Reiki is an energy that already exists, we are attuned to channel reiki but not alter it. It will go where it is required no matter how we are positioned etc. Our Ki is upgraded to tune into it. No matter what our physical state is reiki should just go through us. Therefore if someone feels the reiki energy is not right or is ‘bad energy’ is it more about intention, rather than the physical or emotional body. Is the energy being channelled not reiki but coming from the person instead. This could be due to the ego getting in the way or a need to please or feel the energy.
If we feel someone else has ‘bad energy’ are we just vibrating at a different frequency, there are many people that I rub the wrong way just by being me, there is probably people out there that feel I have bad energy. Therefore is it differences of frequency. How do we discern manipulation of energy for personal gain or intention to channel reiki badly? Reiki has no contraindications so in essence the reiki energy is doing no harm, the person channelling may not be aware that other energy entities are attached, there may be chitter chatter in their aura. If that is the case the person should be informed that they need to work on the own energies and ensure good boundaries. Have they protected themselves and the client correctly? It may be, a lesson in energy etiquette is required.
Practising and sharing reiki is about respect. Respect of yourself to ensure your own energies are cleansed and there is a boundary between you and your clients. A client’s energy should be grounded and disengaged from, so it is whole. An awareness is required of how reiki feels or what the sense is of reiki when channelling. Some people do not feel the energy but know it is doing what it needs to do. It is trusting the process for you. Can you practise & share reiki when ill? In general the answer is yes. You may have a chronic illness but be able to practise reiki effectively as you are able to work with your own energies in a respectful manner. The sessions may be shorter or the position you work with the clients may be different but the reiki is cool.
However we are humans and some days we need time out for ourselves, a day to hang out in our pants day. A day to not spread that virus about.
Blessings Clare