If you Google “Reiki”, you will find thousands of sites dedicated to this spiritual practice. There are as many names for it as there are people teaching it: Karuna Reiki, Usui Reiki, Essential Reiki, Seichem Reiki, just to name a few. You can go to an institute to learn, or to an individual that teaches in a space in the community or out of their home.

Each teacher brings a different vibration to their teaching, which comes from the energy and experience of the person who developed it, the amount of inner work that a teacher continues to do to be grounded and impartial, and the collective energy of those who practice and/or teach it.

Class structure, course content, and the different levels vary, as do the number of participants in a class, the length of the class, and, of course, the cost. Some teach Reiki as a personal practice, while others teach people to become practitioners and teachers themselves, which was the focus of many teachers when I learned in the early nineties. At that time, there was a boom of Reiki in Ottawa. Apparently, there were more people practicing and teaching in my city than anywhere in Ontario. It was a thing.

Typically, there are three “Levels”, commonly referred to as Reiki 1, Reiki 2, and Reiki 3, as well as an advanced practice known as Master’s Level Reiki. Some teachers will skip Level 3 and go straight to the Master’s Level, and recently I saw an ad for a teacher offering Reiki classes from Levels 1 to 25! Everyone is bringing their own spin and energy to it, differentiating themselves from other Reiki styles, and adding a sense of their own individuality. As there are millions of people looking for the right teacher, there are lots of options.

When I began my journey as a new Reiki student, things were simpler. I wasn’t really aware of all the different styles of Reiki out there. All I knew was there was this thing called Reiki and that it might be helpful to me during a difficult period of time in my life when I was soul-searching for answers. In addition, it was just the early days of the internet, so information wasn’t available to us as quickly, or in the same volume as nowadays.

Regardless of the style, all forms of Reiki are a healing modality meant to raise consciousness by bringing healing to those parts of you that need more love; encouraging you to become comfortable in your skin, more confident with your inner wisdom, and to begin to live as your authentic, true self.

In the 30 years of personal and professional practice and teaching, I refer to what I teach as simply Reiki, however, my style and content are what I call, Relatable Reiki. Being an extremely practical person, yet unusually comfortable with the esoteric, my teaching strives to bridge the gap between the two, as I believe that you cannot have one without the other. The bottom line is that you are a spiritual, energetic being living the realities of a human life, integrally connected to and dependent upon one another to thrive and survive.

Over the years, my understanding has shifted, with my course content changing as well. At the beginning of my career, I was nervous about changing anything of what I was taught since there are core ideas and practices that make Reiki what it is. Basically, I didn’t want to piss off the spirit world, the Reiki gods, or anyone else! But I’ve come to know that there is room for self-expression and a style of teaching that is unique to each teacher. Moreover, it is also encouraged by the Universal Energy, as long as there is an honest effort, one grounded in integrity and respect for that Energy.

If you are considering exploring Reiki, I would encourage you to educate yourself and be selective about your teacher. Go within and ask yourself, which style of teaching and Reiki teacher would suit me? If you are so inclined, ask the universe to send you someone. Or, email them, call them, or look them up on the internet. Do your research, ask around, and choose someone you resonate with, whose teaching style meets your needs, and with whom you feel a connection.

To learn more about my approach of Relatable Reiki, read through the class descriptions or contact me to schedule a free consultation. If we aren’t the right fit, I’ll help direct you toward a teacher who aligns with what you need in this moment to ensure you get the most from your practice. There is no one path, but the right guide can make all the difference.