There is no doubt that more women than men are drawn to complimentary therapies. Attend any massage, reflexology or yoga course and you are guaranteed that men will be outnumbered by women by at least three to one.

Women innately view things holistically and it is little wonder that an interest in holistic therapies would be a consequence of that fact.

Communication is Key

Men tend to be more practical than women and are often put off by the way complimentary therapies are explained.

As a practical, open minded lady who knows the benefits Reiki has to offer, I sometimes cringe at the impoverished way Reiki is presented.

Stating that Reiki is a Universal Energy that works is not enough to satisfy the inquiring minds of most men.

Science versus blind faith

We live in an age when quantum physics is beginning to understand the reason why some natural energy therapies work. Reiki is being used in hospitals worldwide, and there have been some interesting studies done to bring more credibility to Reiki.

All of this information is available at our finger tips. Yet, it is not outlined in any great way when Reiki healing or Reiki courses are being explained to men.

A Practical Approach works best

I have had the great fortune of facilitating Reiki courses internationally. Everywhere I have been, I have observed that men have much less resistance to Reiki energy if it is explained in a down to earth way.

At my Reiki 1 classes I give participants a suggested reading list and I also recommend DVDs they can watch. Books and documentaries which outline the science of energy are included.

Examples of the DVDS I recommend include The Living Matrix and What the Bleep do we know. Books like The Field by Lynn Mc Taggart are listed.

Committed to the Reiki Journey

About 80% of the men who do Reiki 1 workshops with me continue on to attend Reiki 2, Reiki practitioner courses and the Reiki Master level of training.

Given that Reiki has been explained comprehensively to them, they are very diligent and sincere about using it. They go home and do regular self Reiki treatments on themselves. They also frequently give Reiki treatments to family and friends.

Investigative Minds are a wonderful thing

I love the way the male mind loves testing out Reiki. An open minded person is one who investigates something without presupposing the results.

One of my male Reiki students decided to mark a patch of grass on his lawn. He beamed Reiki energy at this target area regularly to see if it grew quicker than the rest of the garden. The answer was that it did!
Another man bought two identical plants and used Reiki energy on one and none on the other. The difference in the rate of growth between the two was quite remarkable.

The Benefits of Reiki are many

If you are interested in Reiki, perhaps you will investigate having a Reiki treatment or attend Reiki 1 class. Be mindful of the fact that Reiki is unregulated in most parts of the world.

I am happy to say that Reiki in Ireland is undergoing a process of self regulation. My recommendation is that you choose an experienced Reiki practitioner who has their feet firmly on the ground!

For more information and articles about Reiki healing or Reiki 1 courses and Advanced Reiki trainings visit www.thehealingpages.com

I was introduced to Reiki as a healing energy therapy while I lived in New York. One of the things which greatly appealed to me about my Reiki school in Manhattan was that so many cultures and creeds were attracted to Reiki classes.

Like many other cities, New York has its Irish area, its Jewish and Italian neighbourhoods. For me it was like a breath of fresh air to meet people that I normally would have no occasion to interact with. Reiki energy had a broad appeal that touched people on a deep level despite their diversity.

Reiki in Ireland is popular with all cultures and creeds

I have been teaching Reiki courses in Dublin since 1996. Reiki in Ireland attracts people from a broad spectrum. Many people from a variety of cultures and traditions moved to Ireland during the boom times. These people are now represented at my Reiki classes in Dublin.

It is a true delight to have people who have different points of view about religion unite as a cohesive group when it comes to Reiki healing.

Reiki energy is truly holistic and is not dependent on a person’s belief systems and conditioning. You can happily practice Reiki if you are religious or a non believer. Atheists get just as much joy and healing from this wonderful tool of empowerment.

Nuns and Priests learn Reiki too..

I have taught many nuns and priests Reiki. They love it, and find it a great compliment to their prayer life. A wonderful priest, Fr. Padraig, born in Ireland who now lives in Brazil wrote a great book called Reiki for Christians.

He has in turn introduced and taught Reiki to nuns, priests and even bishops in Brazil. They understand that Reiki is not religiously based and recognise it for what it is – a tool of empowerment.

Why do some people say Reiki is anti Christian?

It has always amused me how some people are concerned about nuns and priests getting involved with healing techniques like Reiki. On some level they think it is in conflict with a Christian belief system.

Such people tend to associate Reiki and Yoga with Buddhism because these techniques have their origins in the east. Of course this is totally incorrect, but closed minds tend not to be great listeners!

From time to time I have participants at my Reiki courses in Ireland who say their relatives were concerned about them getting involved with Reiki, as they considered it anti catholic. I am delighted to report that these participants were mindful enough to make up their own minds about that.

Reiki is there for everyone

The sun, moon and stars show their energy and beauty for everyone. Reiki is not unlike nature in this regard. It is a natural, pure energy which everyone can benefit from.

If you are interested in finding out more about Reiki energy or about Reiki courses and classes in Dublin visit www.thehealingpages.com

Six years old to 90 years plus learn Reiki

There are not too many things in life which are very popular with both children and the elderly. Reiki I am happy to say is one of those things.

I have been teaching Reiki classes in Dublin since 1996. During all of this time, I have had great interest in my Reiki training courses from children, teenagers, adults and our wise elders.

Why Children benefit from Reiki

Reiki is easy to learn and easy to use. Children are uncomplicated relative to most adults and quickly understand how Reiki can be beneficial to them.

My Childrens’ Reiki courses only take two hours. This compares with two days for adults! Children have less of a past, do not have years of conditioning and are more open to accept something which is explained simply and reasonably.

I use art to teach the children Reiki. This is a great way of explaining energy to them.
They are shown how to Reiki themselves and how to share Reiki with others.

Reiki is a great way for children to relax if they are worried about something. It also helps them with general aches and pains, flues and childhood physical challenges.

As Reiki also works on the emotional levels, it tends to instil confidence into the children who attend Reiki classes.

Teenagers practice Reiki too…

Teenage years can be challenging on many levels.These years can be emotionally challenging as peer pressure is a huge issue.

In my years of teaching Reiki, the Reiki courses for teenagers have been the most challenging. Teenagers wish to be ‘cool’ and to be accepted. This is all brought to the Reiki course.
It is important the facilitator understands the mind of a teenager and knows how to communicate Reiki in a fashionable and appealing way. Once this is achieved, in my experience, the teenagers use Reiki energy and are delighted with how it helps them.They use Reiki healing to relax, to help with confidence and to focus during times of stress such as exams.

Adults know they need something !

What is it all about is a question in the minds of many adults. Beyond the career, the relationship and money what is there. Many are searching for answers outside of themselves to find that all the answers lie within.

Using self Reiki treatments is a great way to touch base with the essence of who you are. Many insights, ideas and revelations come in a state of deep relaxation. Reiki energy brings a person to this state easily and seamlessly.

Adults also attend Reiki 1 courses to gain a greater sense of self and to use it as a preventative measure against physical challenges. Others attend Reiki trainings with the desire to help a current physical challenge or to assist with emotional healing.

Older and Wiser

I have always loved people heavy in years. There is nothing like the wisdom of experience to put life into perspective.

People in their nineties have come along to my Reiki 1, Reiki 2 and Reiki Advanced classes. They innately know that this natural energy can benefit them.They come to the Reiki classes with true acceptance like the children do. Unlike the children they also have the wisdom of age. It is always a true delight to have such a person in a Reiki class.

If you would like to find out more about Reiki healing or Reiki 1, Reiki 2 and Reiki Master courses visit www.thehealingpages.com

Before I got involved with Reiki healing I was the type of person who ran around on nervous energy.

It was my belief that we were victims to situations and events and the concept of creating reality mindfully and consciously was an alien concept.

My understandings have changed radically over the years. During my own Reiki 1 course the penny started to drop that my attitudes and thought patterns influence my wider reality. I began to understand that I was the one creating my reality and that I was not some victim to random events.

Our thoughts really do matter

As a nurse I had been aware that stress influences physical well being, but I had not made the connection that thought patterns and emotions also impact on our daily reality.

After my Reiki 1 class I began to have a more acute awareness of my thought patterns.With the daily use of Reiki energy I started to perceive reality differently.Things that used to bother me no longer had an emotional hold on me.

Using Reiki helped me change my life

As my life improved with continued self Reiki treatments I started to put the dots together.

Reiki was certainly a holistic therapy. It was calming my mind as well as my body. My life was changing for the better as a consequence of my new state of mind.

I was viewing situations and events differently, and new and exciting opportunities presented themselves to me. These new changes were a direct reflection of the internal changes taking place within me.

Learning how to do Reiki has so many benefits

At a Reiki 1 course everyone who attends learns how to do Reiki treatments on themselves.

Reiki is very easy to administer to oneself and is user friendly in that you can even give yourself some Reiki on a bus or a train.

Reiki energy has the ability to raise the frequency of our thought patterns and empower our emotional state. When we change our internal state of being it is inevitable that our external reality shifts too.

Self Awareness is a Great First Step

At my Reiki 1 courses in Dublin, I highlight the importance of mind body connections.
I outline how our thoughts influence reactions in our physical body. There are some simple exercises I use to demonstrate this:

I get participants at my Reiki 1 trainings to imagine a person that makes them feel happy. With their eyes closed they see this person in their minds eye. Once they do this for a few minutes, I get them to change the picture in their mind. The second thing I get them to focus on is a person that makes them feel angry.

Before I finish the exercise I tell everyone that I am going to give them a slice of lemon when they open their eyes. I get them to imagine a juicy yellow lemon.

Every thought is important

It is interesting to hear the feedback from the various Reiki classes after this practical exercise. It highlights how our thoughts influence different chemical reactions in our body. The feelings we have when we think about someone we like are very different to the reactions we experience when focusing on someone who makes us angry.

The feedback given when the groups focus on a lemon is consistent. Most people in the group notice an increase in the production of saliva. Some people even smell a lemon. However, where is the lemon! I never have a lemon with me. It exists only in the participants’ imagination and yet they all react physically to what they are thinking about in that moment.

Reiki can change your reality by helping you change your state of mind

I have been teaching Reiki courses in Dublin since 1996. During that time I have witnessed hundreds of people change their lives by using Reiki holistic energy. Reiki helped them elevate their minds and emotional states and as a result their lives started to unfold differently.

If you would like to experience the benefits of Reiki healing energy you might consider taking a Reiki 1 class in Dublin. For more information on Reiki 1, Reiki 2 and Reiki Master courses visit www.thehealingpages.com

The final level of Reiki training is commonly called Reiki 3 or the Reiki Master level.

This is the Reiki course where you receive the Reiki Master symbol.

It is important to highlight that the levels of Reiki that precede Reiki 3 are Reiki 1, Reiki 2 and the Practitioner Level of training. Reiki in Ireland is undergoing a process of self regulation.

Schools of Reiki are now being asked to offer the Reiki Practitioner level if they wish to be recognised by the Reiki organisation Reiki Federation Ireland.

How long does the Reiki Master/ Reiki 3 course take?

This level is taught in various ways and over different time frames depending on the Reiki teacher you choose.

Some Reiki teachers teach Reiki 3 over a weekend and others offer more extensive programmes.

If you are considering doing the final level of Reiki training, then there are two important questions to ask yourself. Are you interested in teaching Reiki and in learning how to do attunements, or do you just wish to get the final Reiki Master symbol for your own self use and to use during Reiki treatments.

If you wish to teach Reiki, then I highly recommend that you take part in a structured Reiki teacher training programme. In my Reiki module the Reiki teacher training programme is taught over a six month time frame on a part time basis.

I also facilitate a weekend option for those just interested in receiving the Reiki Master symbol to use in Reiki treatments.

What is involved in attending the Reiki Master Attunement Weekend?

I offer the Reiki Master Attunement Weekend to anyone who has completed my Reiki Advanced Practitioner course. Those who wish to complete the Reiki module and desire to have the Reiki Master Symbol, but who have no interest in teaching Reiki are represented at this Reiki course.

People who attend this weekend with me are not shown how to do attunements on others. This is something which is included in my six month Reiki teacher training programme. Attendees are given the Reiki Master Symbol and are attuned to this symbol. We spend much time doing Reiki treatments and we do a Reiki Master symbol meditation.

Who Attends the Reiki Teacher Training Course?

Anyone who has completed the Reiki Practitioner Module with me can attend.
Not everyone who does this course plans on teaching Reiki. Some attend for their own self development.

Anyone attending this course does not have to do the Reiki Master Attunement weekend.

What is involved in the Reiki teaching programme?

I run my Reiki teaching module over a six month period on a part time basis.
There is a meeting once a month where various aspects of Reiki and Reiki training are discussed.
In between meetings the group are given assignments.

Each participant sits in on and observes me facilitate at least two Reiki 1 classes, one Reiki 2 class, one Reiki Advanced Practitioner level and one Reiki Master Attunement weekend.

Towards the end of the programme there is a weekend assigned to showing participants how to attune people to the various levels of Reiki training.

For more information on Reiki classes and the Reiki Master level visit www.thehealingpages.com

While a Reiki 1 course can be a life changing experience, it is understandable that participants can have lingering doubts about its effectiveness following a Reiki class.

It is only through the experience of doing regular self Reiki treatments after a Reiki training that doubts subside.

At my Reiki courses in Dublin I get a broad spectrum of personalities represented.
People come from all backgrounds and walks of life. However, the one thing most adults have in common is a doubt in their ability to administer Reiki healing effectively.

Reiki energy is a natural healing method which is not academically challenging. It is a stretch for most adults to accept that they do not need to be directing Reiki with their conscious mind.
It flows naturally to where it is needed at all times.

I love hearing the feedback from people who attend my Reiki Trainings in Dublin. It is a joy to witness people let go of their doubt and self limitations following Reiki 1 courses.

Below is a story written by a lady who has completed her Reiki classes in Dublin with me.
Despite the voices of doubt in her head about Reiki, she kept using it.
As you will read from her story, she is very glad that she had Reiki healing to help her at a very challenging time in her life.

How Reiki Healing helped Jeanette even though she had doubts that it could!

“I did the Reiki 1, Reiki 2 and Advanced Reiki Practitioner Courses over the 2000 and 2001 period.
I knew then intuitively that this was real, but my conscious mind could not let go and trust the Universal Reiki Energy. I continued to give myself Reiki over the next few years, but my conscious mind was always doubtful.

Then my husband became ill. That was when Reiki healing proved itself to my conscious mind. I used Reiki with every situation I had to cope with. My husband recovered from complete paralysis of one side to being able to look after himself again much quicker than his doctors expected, and I coped with the process of finalising his involvement in his business over a six month period.

Through it all I had a calmness of mind, felt no worry, fear, anger or any other negative emotion. Since then I have done the Reiki Teacher Training Course which was of great benefit as it helped my conscious mind and inner being to work as one.

So, my advice to anyone who does not have dramatic results, or has doubts when first coming to Reiki, is to stay with it and practise regularly – through the doubts. The energy is working with you quietly in the background. It knows your intentions and it will prove itself when you most need it.

I’m glad I continued to practise through my doubts in the beginning, but I stayed with it because my ‘still small voice’ kept telling me – ‘this is all there is, this is what you have been searching for – for a long time’.

Jeanette from Dublin

It is a joy to teach Reiki regardless of the level of Reiki training involved.
I always delight in how people wake up to their potential at Reiki 1 classes and how they expand upon that awareness at Reiki 2. Those who ultimately turn up to Advanced Practitioner Reiki courses are committed to major quantum leaps in their self development.

Traditionally there are three levels of Reiki training; Reiki 1, Reiki 2 and Reiki 3.
The Reiki Practitioner level of training is a bridge between Reiki 2 and Reiki 3.
It was created for those who are serious about Reiki and for those who plan on becoming Reiki practitioners. I’ve always facilitated this Reiki course, as I see it as a level where invaluable information is given.

At my Reiki Advanced Practitioner courses we cover a lot of territory

On day one I go into detail about how specific mindsets can be linked to specific physical challenges.
This information is given to highlight the interconnectedness of mind and body.

It is amazing to observe how participants begin to understand themselves better.
They gain an increased awareness about how their thought patterns impact on their physical well being.

Why the Information Given is so Important

I have observed huge shifts in the mindsets and lives of people who attend my Reiki Advanced courses. These changes occur in participants who wake up to their habitual thought patterns and actively change them.

This awareness also helps potential Reiki practitioners in the group. In a Reiki treatment a Reiki practitioner does not have a licence to diagnose. However, a well trained and experienced Reiki therapist will be able to resonate to their clients when they have a deep understanding of mind body connections.

What else is covered at this Reiki Course

Asides from amazing self realisations on day one, we progress on to Reiki clinical practice on day two. Those who plan on pursuing Reiki as a career are prepared for the professional road.

We discuss malpractice insurance, the importance of having a current first aid course as well as the basics of running a Reiki practice.

Reiki practitioners have to fill in consultation forms for malpractice reasons before a client’s first Reiki treatment. I show the group how to approach this and highlight the questions that are frequently asked before and after Reiki treatments.

Along with the information that is covered at this Reiki training course, we also do, have a Reiki attunement and explore Reiki symbols.

To find out more about Reiki classes in Dublin visit www.thehealingpages.com

One thing I always have to be mindful of when organising a Reiki Get together or Reiki Gathering as some of you call them, is that there is enough room for everyone.

These evenings are open to anyone who has completed a Reiki 1 course with me or with another Reiki teacher. Although, due to room constraints I really only advertise them amongst my own group.

Why do people still come along after a decade and more…

At every Reiki Get together we have what we affectionately call the regulars or the oldies!
These are people who started their Reiki path with me when I first started teaching Reiki in Ireland in 1996. It is a real honour and quite a humbling experience to see people from those early days still attend and get something from these Reiki evenings.

What happens at these Reiki evenings?

No two Reiki evenings are the same, but we always have time for Reiki stories, a booster Reiki attunement, and Reiki chair or Reiki table treatments. We also have a cuppa and some chocolate biscuits at some stage during the evening.

Meeting Like Minded People is a Big Appeal

It is lovely to gather and meet likeminded people, and to know when you walk in the door that everyone is on the same page. This can be said for any interest or hobby a person might have.

You may not have many friends or family members who share your interest in Reiki, or who understand where you are coming from. It is great to have a forum where you can touch base with others and share stories.

A great cross section of people who have done various levels of Reiki training attend.
Some have just completed Reiki 1; while others have gone on to do Reiki 2, Advanced Reiki Practitioner level, and the Reiki teaching level.

Wonderful Opportunity to Get the Practice of Giving Reiki to others

During the Reiki evening everyone gets a chance to give and receive Reiki.
Offering Reiki treatments is a wonderful confidence booster for those who are new to Reiki.
It is also a great way to gain valuable experience if you are thinking of doing Reiki professionally at some stage.

Get Re-Inspired, Motivated and Enjoy Deep Relaxation

When I ask people why they keep coming back, I am told that these Reiki evenings are very inspiring.
People comment on how they notice great benefits for weeks afterwards.
Others comment on how relaxed the evenings make them feel.

My own sense is that these Reiki gatherings also give people a sense of community and belonging.
They seem to provide a social aspect to the other benefits of Reiki.

See you at our next Reiki Get together!

You will find my next Reiki Gathering listed on my website www.thehealingpages.com

All of these evenings are held at the Stillorgan Park Hotel and are usually on Sundays.
Make sure to book in advance as space is limited.

I have been facilitating Reiki courses for 20 years. During that time, I have made the following observations with regard to who attends Reiki classes and the main reasons people are drawn to Reiki energy.

People of all age groups are interested in Reiki

All age groups turn up to Reiki 1 classes. I teach children’s Reiki classes, Reiki courses for teenagers as well as Reiki trainings for adults.

In adult Reiki courses I can have people from their early twenties to people eighty years and more. However, I can say that the majority are somewhere between 25 years and 60 years of age.

More women than men can be found at Reiki courses

I have witnessed more women than men attending Reiki 1 workshops over the years. There is definitely more interest from the females when it comes to all types of complementary therapies. Women tend to be interested in the intuitive side of Reiki and in using it to help others.

However, I have also noticed more men attending Holistic therapy courses in recent years, and young men in particular are very interested in finding out more about Reiki.

The men who attend the first level of Reiki with me usually go on and do more advanced Reiki courses. The men tend to be very sincere about their interest in Reiki, and once it is explained in a no nonsense and practical way they then to be captivated by the potentials of Reiki.

Reiki appeals to the middle classes

No matter what country I have taught Reiki in, it is people from middle class incomes who predominately attend. In many respects this makes sense.

Reiki training is not free; it is reasonably priced but requires a financial commitment.

My sense is that those who are well heeled often prefer to attend health spas and have relaxation therapies performed on them, rather than learning how to administer relaxation techniques for themselves.

Mothers are too busy with children to take two days out for them-selves!

Busy mothers of young children are thin on the ground at Reiki 1 weekends. I am not saying that mothers of young children do not attend Reiki 1 classes because they do, but they are usually out- numbered by people who have teenage children, grown up children and no children.

All religions, colours and creeds are attracted to Reiki

One of the things I love the most about facilitating Reiki courses is that people from all walks of life, all creeds, belief systems and cultures are represented. This makes my role as a Reiki teacher so much more enriching and interesting. It also provides those who attend with an opportunity to mix with a broad range of people.

Curious and self committed people love Reiki

Everyone who attends a Reiki 1, Reiki 2 or Reiki 3 training course have one great thing in common. They are all looking for a way to empower their lives. I have never taken for granted my work as a Reiki teacher. It has given me so much joy to be in the company of people doing their best to make a difference in their own individual lives and in the lives of others.

Complementary therapists and energy healers involved in other forms of holistic healing frequently attend my Reiki courses. These holistic therapists come from the fields of yoga, tai chi, meditation, massage, reflexology and bio energy.

Likewise, the general public who receive holistic therapies such as massage or reflexology often prefer to attend a holistic practitioner who integrates Reiki into the treatment.

Why Holistic Practitioners are attracted to Reiki

The feedback I receive from complementary practitioners who attend my Reiki classes is very encouraging. One of the main reasons such people attend a Reiki 1 course is to learn how to give themselves energy on a daily basis.

Having a massage is heaven, but it is difficult to give yourself a massage. Reflexology works on many levels, but again, it is difficult to administer this technique to oneself. Bio energy is a credible method of energy healing, but many bio energy therapists attending my Reiki training courses say they get depleted doing their work.

The reason holistic practitioners are attracted to Reiki is that they can boost their own energy levels on a daily basis by giving themselves a self Reiki treatment. Reiki energy also helps to sustain them as they do their work.

Reiki energy relaxes both mind and body

Complementary therapists often report being drained emotionally and mentally as well as physically as a consequence of their work. The great advantage with Reiki is that Reiki practitioners do not get depleted as they administer Reiki to others. They are like channels for universal energy and do not use their own energy in their work.

Reiki energy works on all levels of our being. Using Reiki healing energy on oneself can boost and enhance energy levels after a long day.

What people are saying about using Reiki with Tai Chi and Meditation

Reiki is a wonderful compliment to other relaxation techniques and to the martial arts.
Those who complete my Reiki trainings who also practice Tai Chi report noticeable differences in their energy fields following Reiki.

People who like to meditate have told me that they find it easier to enter a space of deep relaxation as a consequence of doing continuous self Reiki.

Reiki empowers the use of other Natural healing techniques

Many complementary practitioners use a variety of techniques in their work.
The feedback from massage therapists and reflexologists is that when they use Reiki during a session the client seems to go to a deeper level of relaxation. I have also received interesting accounts from acupuncturists who have attended Reiki classes with me. They have used Reiki on clients when the needles are in, and they say using Reiki empowers the session.

To find out more about Reiki training in Ireland, Reiki 1, Reiki 2 and Reiki Master courses visit www.thehealingpages.com