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An Introduction To Reiki Circles & How To Host Them
Reiki circles or reiki shares began as a way for reiki practitioners to hone their skills and receive healing themselves. Over the last several years, these gatherings have become a popular way to send the loving, supportive energy of reiki healing where it's needed the most.
What is a reiki circle, and why is it useful?
The premise behind reiki circles is simple: A certified reiki practitioner will gather a group of people to assemble (either virtually or in person) around somebody or something who is in need of positive energy. It can be a person who is recovering from trauma or injury, a philanthropic cause, or a social issue.
Collective consciousness is powerful, and when multiple people direct their energies toward one focus or goal, the results can be astounding.
I personally help facilitate a reiki circle for a friend who has ALS. When we gather virtually, I'll ask people to send light energy toward him, say prayers and blessings, or visualize him surrounded by healing light. This allows others who aren't reiki certified to also lend their energy, which is channeled through me, the reiki practitioner, before being grounded and directed. My friend with ALS continually reports more feelings of peace, calm, and happiness after the circle. Additionally, it's been a beautiful way for him to connect with all the friends and family he has across the world who can't physically be with him. And it allows those friends and family members to also feel the connection.
A sample format for your reiki circle.
Reiki circles can be highly individualized depending on the practitioner and the needs of the participants, but here is a sample format with instructions for virtual participants. If you aren't certified to practice reiki, find someone who is and ask if they are interested in starting a circle with you.
- Choose a date, time, and location. Plan for an appropriate space for the practitioner and all of the in-person participants. Invite your community to participate via email, text, Skype, or other social networks.
- Send a reminder and ask for RSVPs, taking note of the names of virtual participants. I like to call these names out as I'm connecting them to the circle.
- Select a chant or song to play during the treatment, deepening the energetic connection to the group for those joining virtually. Buddhist and Vedic chants lend themselves well and can be found on YouTube (include this link in your invitation).
- Before the circle begins, sage the room and all participants. Assemble in-person participants in a circle around the first or sole recipient.
- Let the participants know the format you've chosen for administering healing touch (this depends on the number of in-person participants and recipients). In general one person lies in the center, with up to five individuals providing hands-on reiki. If there are multiple recipients, after 15 to 20 minutes, the current recipient switches out with another. If there is just one recipient, participants can come up from the circle, one to four at a time. Virtual participants can use the reiki distance healing symbol and hold a photo of the recipient or a representative object that will help guide the healing energy.
- If you've selected music, begin playing it.
- Lead the group in a brief grounding and centering meditation, which can be as simple as asking everyone to connect to their breath and bodies.
- Follow your personal protocol for accessing reiki energy, if you have one.
- Verbally ask to connect to the distance participants, and call out their names if you have them and say, "And anyone else who is sending healing energy" while utilizing the distance symbol. Virtual participants really only need to tune in energetically—phone or video conference aren't needed but can be incorporated.
- Provide the reiki treatment, keeping an eye on the time.
- When finished, close out the reiki circle by thanking all the participants, releasing their energy and closing the circle.
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