Adventures in Reiki Shares

or How I learned to be drummed over, hummed over, energetically enhanced, reduced, altered and still be at peace.

Kristine Azzarello is an Animal Reiki Practitioner who lives in the USA and is a Shinpiden Reiki Level III student of the International House of Reiki. Kristine had studied with other teachers before studying with us and her experience of Reiki practice groups is something that we commonly hear within the Reiki community. The International House of Reiki and many of its students provide practice groups around the world and hopefully there’ll be one starting up near Kristine soon 🙂

My first Reiki Share was before I had even taken a class. It was the practice of this particular group to invite someone who might be interested to come to a share, kind of a “come and see (or feel)” experience. The shares always began with a quiet meditation and centering. Afterwards, we went to the pre-determined massage tables (there were usually at least three) for the sharing. As a newbie I remember the reverence, the stillness and the amazing experience of the Reiki. When it was time to get off the table, I went to the pillows placed on the floor to simply be still and be part of the experience until everyone had their turn. Then afterwards, there was tea and sharing of experiences, if anyone chose to. Usually after this experience, a person either decided they wanted more and decided to take a class or decided that they prefer to schedule a treatment. I decide to take a class.

I had a western style teacher who taught that there were only 4 symbols and that Level 3 was Level 3, (not Level 3a & 3b). There was emphasis on centering oneself before a share or a treatment and a sense of reverence during the experience. I was taught that we didn’t need “extras”, no extra symbols, no crystals, drumming, etc. In fact, many of the people I met through this group found Reiki to be complete in itself, that they stopped working with crystals and other ways, they found what they were looking for in Reiki and had no need of the other anymore.

I thought all Reiki shares were like this.

Boy was I wrong!

I moved out of state and looked to find a local Reiki group. I found a group and eagerly attended a Reiki Share. I was a bit surprised that there was no preliminary meditation or centering; the person was already on the table surrounded by practitioners who were still chatting until someone went ”SHHH!” The silence did not last long as I was immediately chastised “you never do Reiki on the crown chakra!” Oh. My bad. I moved my hands to an acceptable part of the head. As I held my hands there, others were seemingly pulling things out of the woman, intensely drawing symbols over her, and there were some seriously vibrating hands waving over the recipient. Then the timer went off. The woman got the table with a dreamy look and took her place at the side of the table. It was now my turn.

I was, to be honest, a bit nervous. But I lay down and slowed my breathing and away we went. The first thing I remember was feeling a lot of air rushing by my face, I peeked to see a woman standing over me, making gestures that were part fanning and part twirling a pizza. I closed my eyes quickly. I then felt a plucking sensation on my arm (I later was told that they removing “astral parasites” that had attached to me). I was very relieved when the timer went off.

I visited another group who had Reiki Shares. They did take the time to center themselves and meditate before the treatments. I began to relax a little. I was jolted out by the drum being beat over my head. The drummer was then accompanied by someone on my left humming. It was a unique experience.

Afterwards, there were refreshments and conversation. I was told by one person that I had too many attachments so she “cut my cords”. Another told me that I was not committed to the area so she gave me roots. Another told me that I was “stuck” so she gave me wings. Another told me that all my past incarnations said hello to her. And, my personal favorite, that tiny spaceships from another dimension flew out of my solar plexus (I have no idea where they went). Could it be that having a vast armada of tiny spaceships from a galaxy far, far away and every incarnation I’ve ever been inside of me be the reason I’m a little chubby?

My most recent experience at a Reiki Share (yet another group) was that at the last minute they decided they wanted to do polarity therapy at the same time. One problem: there was only person who knew how to do it. I was on the table and the person was trying to explain it to the others with a lot of giggling. It finally got quiet when I felt a sudden, hard slap on my knee as someone was trying to find “their” polarity position. It was not a pleasant experience.

Now all of these folks are, I believe, good people who truly want to be of help and who believe they are practicing Reiki as it “should” be. The common denominator of all of these groups is that for some reason, Reiki isn’t enough on its own. The attitude seems to be if you are not “doing” something (externally) than nothing is happening. It is very difficult for people to simply sit, to simply be still, to simply BE.

So what’s Reiki yogini to do? You cannot bludgeon someone into a shift of consciousness. You can only be authentic, do your practice and not compromise while still honoring others’ paths and practices. And perhaps, just perhaps, people may become open to another way of being.

I have been pondering over whether I should simply not attend any more Reiki shares, or start my own (I have found 2 people who are interested in a “no extras” practice), or continue to attend other shares, in the interest of keeping the lines of communication open.

For now, I have decided on a “middle way”. I will attend the available Reiki shares and also to get together with the few people who are interested in Reiki, simply Reiki.

And if you see any UFOs, don’t panic, it may just be the results of a Share somewhere!

Kristine Azzarello