In March 2009 I will be teaching a REIKI I Class for the Adult Education program in Kennebunk, ME.  It will be held on 2 consecutive Thursday evenings:  March 19 & 26, from 6 pm to 8 pm at Kennebunk High School on Fletcher St, Kennebunk. 

The focus of REIKI I is self healing, taking responsibility for one's own health and well-being.  In this class I will teach a little history of Reiki, including the traditional story of its founder, Mikao Usui; the derivation of the word "reiki"; and the story of its introduction to the US by Madame Hawayo Takata.  That is all very interesting, but the most popular part of the class is the actual hands on teaching of self-healing & healing another.  After being given the first attunements, the students learn the hand positions that form the basis of a REIKI treatment.  Each student gets the chance to give REIKI and to receive REIKI during this class.  It is very much a "hands on" type of learning experience.  Students are encouraged to use their intuition, but I have found it is helpful for beginning students of REIKI to have a set of hand positions to use at first until they trust themselves enough to follow their own intuition.  Each student is given a handout that includes illustrations of the hand positions, the REIKI story, an outline of what I teach in the class, a book list, a resource list and more.   Each student is encouraged to practice REIKI on himself and on anyone else who is willing to receive it and to write about his REIKI experiences in a journal which he can then share with the class or not.  There is also a simple assignment to read part of a book on REIKI and be prepared to discuss it in class.  During the second and final class students discuss their homework, receive their final attunements, give and receive REIKI, take an exam and receive a certificate.  These new students are then encouraged to do self REIKI every day and to start to view life in a new way.

Dr Mikao Usui formulated the following REIKI Principles:
    1.  Just for today, do not be angry.
    2.  Just for today, do not worry.
    3.  Just for today, be grateful.
    4.  Just for today, earn your living honestly.        
    5.  Just for today, be kind to every living thing.

What a wonderful way to live one's life!