Reiki Controversies - Many Paths to One Tradition

Dialogs about Reiki are good, and keep Reiki fresh and dynamic. About 10 years ago, I went through a very long time of disillusionment about Reiki, just as its founder, Mikao Usui did during his early days of healing and teaching using the Reiki energy. In the end, I was even more deeply committed to the Reiki energy than ever before. The stories, the histories, and the people were only part of the path that the Reiki energy itself used to come to us. I could see that the core energy was the important thing and always managed to come through, no matter the controversies and confusions.

I was taught Reiki by two masters, one of whom was taught by two other masters, one with a "traditional" Alliance path, and one with a maverick path. My second Reiki Master was very non-traditional. His lineage was non-traditional from Takata forward.

I studied for several years during the 90's with two Reiki Alliance Masters. They were both beautiful women, and though I respected their traditional ways, in the end, took a less traditional Reiki path. I paid 10,000 units of energy for my Reiki Mastery, which I worked through with my master. I was very committed to my process, and to learning everything I could to enhance my abilities as a teacher. I understand the reasoning of paying $10,000 and respect those who go in that direction. I chose a different path, or could say rather, that it chose me. I do not charge that much for my mastery classes, but make it very clear to my students that for the energy to come through most clearly, it helps to give a lot of energy in exchange (at least, 10,000 units) if not directly to me, then to the universe in service or tithing, or some other way.

The various opinions on which is the best way, or the purest way, or the right way, to do or experience Reiki is old patterning moving up and out. Ego will always play a part in everything we humans do. But, masters know that the intent of the distance symbol is to bring us to a higher place, if even for only a short time. We can meet the divinity in another from the highest place in us, and know their absolute perfection, humbly allowing whatever purpose the Reiki energy has brought us together for.

I have always been taught, and believe, and do my best to pass on to my students, that it is not so much about "mastering" the energy, as learning to be "mastered" by it. The true teachers are not the ones in your lineage. They can pass on the energy to you, along with their interpretations about the energy, and the stories they have been told, but ONLY REIKI, itself, can actually teach you anything. It will take you where you need to go for your greatest and deepest healings. It is always there to help you respond to whatever arises. It will gently lead you to the truth of who you are, and if you resist, it will be there to comfort and guide you.

It is a miracle that Reiki has come to us in any form... Those whose hands touched our crowns through attunements are blessed gifts, and are divine beings in their own rights. We are grateful, and pass it on, in as sacred a way as we know... visions of bubbles or not, $10,000 or not, weekend courses or not, published symbols or not.