Welcome!

Reiki is a very personal thing and here, you’ll get my personal take on it.

Since the 1980’s, Reiki in the West seems to have been about healing others; but that’s not how it started. Mikao Usui, Reiki’s founder, saw it as a philosophical system for  self-development and healing. That is how it is still practiced in Japan.

While it is perfectly possible to go from no Reiki knowledge to Master over the course of 3 weekends, I do not believe this benefits the majority of people. I would normally advise a year between levels as students undergo profound emotional and psychological changes during instruction.

There are many similarities with Yoga. It’s perfectly possible to have Reiki sessions for relaxation rather like using Yoga for exercise but underpinning both are disciplines built on meditation and self-discovery. That to me is at the root of Reiki. Only when we start to understand ourselves can we help others.

Many different styles of Reiki exist and I have been lucky enough to have had Masters in both of the main ones – Traditional and Tibetan. Having done my Level II and III with a Tibetan Master/Teacher, I was surprised to find myself dropping some Tibetan traits and going back to the Traditional style.

I got my Level I in May, 2008 and have recently been granted my Master’s certificate. In almost 4 years, I have changed dramatically. The changes in my attitudes and understanding of myself and the world around me are largely the result of daily meditation which I believe is an essential element of any Reiki course.

As a practitioner, I do not push my beliefs on anyone. Whatever reason they have for choosing a Reiki treatment, it is my duty to ensure that clients receive that in an open and welcoming way without having any belief strictures imposed on them. As a teacher, however, I expect students to be diligent, disciplined and uphold the highest standards.

I’m well aware that it’s not uncommon for people to collect healing practices. A phrase I’ve often heard people say is, “adding Reiki to my healing toolkit”. This is not an attitude I approve of. If Reiki works, which it does, then there is no need to tack it on to anything else. It is a life-long learning process that stands on its own.

Throughout the rest of this site, I’ll explain more of my views and working practices. I’ll also provide listings to sites that I’ve found informative or inspirational.

For the last few years I have been working as a Reiki practitioner in Scotland with the site: http://www.reiki-scotland.com (which this largely mirrors). Now, with a house in Saint Yrieix La Perche, I’m hoping to work from there for a considerable part of the year. Check out the Appointments page for details of when I’ll be available and how to book.