May We Understand Reiki Attunement and If It’s Necessary
In my last post, I implied that everyone is capable of using reiki, even without any training. But Usui reiki has this process called “attunement” that allegedly opens up the path for reiki to flow into you. Saying that it’s not necessary to start using reiki may ruffle some feathers, so I wanted to explain how I arrived at that conclusion.
Why You Don’t Need One to Begin Learning Reiki
My biggest factor for this belief is my personal experience. Before I started learning reiki, I became interested in Taichi, and specifically, the concept of manipulating the “chi”. So, by the time I became interested reiki, I was already at a point where I could feel the tingling of energy in my hands and I could circulate it up and down my body.
Now, there are people who argue that reiki is different from chi. There’s literally no way to prove if this is true or not. I only know what I’ve experienced for myself. And I think it’s beside the point. Whether it’s the same thing or not, I absolutely believe learning to control the chi made my transition to reiki infinitely easier. Consistent practice is far more important than one single process of attunement.
Another reason why I don’t think you need an attunement to start using reiki is because I believe reiki = love. For me, the flow of reiki is strongest when I feel an overflowing sense of love towards the world. I don’t think we need an attunement to connect with this wellspring of love. We’re already connected to it. We already know how to love.
Getting An Attunement When the Timing is Right
That being said, I do believe that many of us have forgotten how to get to that wellspring because we’ve picked up misguided ideas about what love is on our path to adulthood. This is when getting an attunement IS helpful. To me, Usui reiki method is like a set of road markers that makes it easier for us to find our way back to the wellspring of pure unconditional love. Getting an attunement makes it much easier to find your path compared to relying on instinct alone.
If you the idea of learning reiki excites you, I don’t want you to give up simply because you can’t find a reiki master in your vicinity. This is why I say you don’t need an attunement to begin. Just start by noticing the energy all around you so that it becomes a natural part of your daily life. When the timing is right, I have faith that a reiki master will show up so that you can receive your first attunement.