Apart from being a very famous song now used for a popular TV series, this question is one that thinking people have asked themselves for as long as humans have been capable of thought.

Traditional healers especially are expected to ask themselves at least two basic questions before they begin to practice on others: Who am I? and Why am I here? The philosophy behind this is to ensure that healers truly know themselves before they set out to heal others, so they are not projecting their own concerns or problems onto those they touch.

There are no ‘right’ answers, just the answers that are right for you. Some of us respond with symbols, others with visions. My answer to Who am I? and Why am I here? at this time is that I am energy and I am here to appreciate, to understand, to use and to share the knowledge of energy – but I reserve the right to change my answer as I learn more.

One way to answer the difficult question of Who am I? for Reiki people is to use one of the Western traditions in Reiki, which is to give your lineage. It’s like the Begats in the Bible or giving your pedigree. Some Reiki Masters believe that the closer you are in lineage to Mikao Usui, the better or stronger or purer your Reiki is. Some Masters also believe that you should serve a set time with your Master like an apprentice system before you can be allowed to travel further in your Reiki journey.

You may choose to believe either, or both, or none of the above.

Whichever way, Reiki is.

For some of us, the Reiki journey is longer than it is for others. My Reiki journey began in 1991, when Faye Matthews attuned me to 1st Degree. Seven years later, in 1998, Stephen Rose attuned me to 2nd Degree. And three years after that, in 2001, I was attuned to Master Level with Dawn McLaughlin. Both Faye and Stephen were Masters of The Reiki Alliance when I trained, and Dawn is an Independent Reiki and Seichim Master. So my Reiki Journey up to now has taken 15 years, 3 official teachers with different belief systems, and a significant amount of reading, writing, talking and hands-on Reiki. My Reiki lineage (as Dawn attuned me to Master Level) is:

Mikao Usui
Chujiro Hayashi
Hawayo Takata
Phyllis Furumoto
Claudia Hoffman
Mary Shaw
Christine Henderson
Bruce Way
Dawn McLaughlin
Sue Bagust

In 2005, I published my first Reiki book in the A Guide to Your Journey series: a First Degree Reiki Companion, which was followed in 2006 by the Second Degree Reiki Companion. These books illustrate the Usui meridian system, which encourages us to slow down and to live every moment joyfully in the Now. Given the time I took to learn Reiki, and the techniques I follow and methods I use to teach Reiki, I guess that makes me a Slow Coach.

Like to know more?

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