Today Reiki is practiced by millions of people all over the world. Reiki practitioners of all levels are sprouting up like mushrooms in the forest after autumn rain.

When Dr. Ususi first taught Reiki, he explained that his uber-simple, superbly gentle and ultra powerful method of energy work should be spread around the world. The more people practice it, the easier it is for everyone to use it, the stronger the energy channel becomes and the easier it is to absorb and attune to. In short, Reiki is accelerating.

As Reiki accelerates, builds momentum and grows strong, we too in turn respond – as a collective human race we are becoming more open to receiving this beautiful gift from our universe.

When Dr. Usui first opened his practice, his students would spend years at the center, painstakingly working their way through the levels of the very same energy we so abundantly use today.

Dr. Usui stipulated that Reiki will never need more complication. There will never be more symbols and it will always remain a three tier process requiring three separate attunements. With each attunement, the new practitioner is given a descriptive title. With the first, the title of Reiki Level One, with your second attunement it is level two and with the third attunement it is level three or master.

Master is teacher level. At master level the new practitioner should have received all the symbols and have been taught how to pass attunements to others.

New practitioners would spend years in Dr Usui’s center preparing themselves for each attunement through a multi-year process of hours of practice, hardcore study and intense meditation.

By the time Reiki reached the western world through Dr. Takata in the early 20^th century, one only needed 29 days between levels.

And the energy keeps accelerating.

In 2003 when I got my master attunement I found the 29 days a nuisance. At my first taste of Reiki I was so drawn to it I took my class as soon as I possibly could.

I have practiced Reiki ever since and started teaching within a year of getting my Master’s Certification – though I had never intended to teach, profoundly and strongly protesting the suggestion of such a thing by my teacher. She just smiled and said “you will teach”.

She was right.

I have now taught a new class every couple of months resulting in over 36 classes, giving the world 42 new Reiki practitioners and it is one of the most rewarding things I can possibly do. This is just my impact in a few short years… imagine the impact of all the Reiki Masters around the world!

But with acceleration comes change, and this is how I came to make a major change in the way I teach Reiki:

Some years ago I had a group of clients who wanted desperately to learn Reiki from me before leaving town less than two weeks later.

I protested, witch each phone call and with every request I would say, in respect to the traditions of Reiki, I cannot teach all three in such a short span, plus, it might cause way too much turmoil for you to have all three attunements in such a short time.

No, it cannot be done!

During one of my daily meditations where I often receive inspiring messages from my what I believe are my spirit guides, I got this: “What makes you think you can dictate what others are ready for!”.

My guide was not pleased and I had no idea why. This was the only thing I got, and mind you I had a busy life where Reiki plaid a small part in. I spent days trying to think of, what could this be about. I strive to be an open-minded person so this was a rather disturbing message. I combed over memories of conversations, relationships, workshops and readings.

Then I received one more call form this same group of clients who asked me one more time if I could please-please-please teach them Reiki before they move out of state. It dawned on me in that moment – this is what I was being so wrong about!

Reiki energy is accelerating!

I instantly thought back to my first experience with Reiki. How I felt that my Reiki master in spirit had been working with me for years before I even knew what Reiki was!

How much I longed to go to the next level within hours while being made to wait for weeks. How my spirit guide would scuff at my teacher every time she explained why I was given this harsh sentence of waiting.

Yes, this was true… but it is not anymore.

I combined the classes and taught all three levels in an intensive class to my eager clients and I must say, this is almost the only Reiki class I teach anymore. It is in high demand and for some a little too intense. But I am there for them to help slow down the process as they absorb the information weeks after their class.

Now this brings me to another point. With all these people who sometimes create their own versions of Reiki and their own systems. How is one to know what to do?

I teach Universal Usui Reiki, this is the practice as it was taught by Dr. Usui so many years ago. The same system untainted and for the most part, unchanged. We still use the same symbols; we still use the same hand positions; there are no complications. It is clean, pure and powerful energy.

Now I hear about the Atlantian Reiki, Karuna Reiki and other hybrids of Reiki that honestly I personally believe, god never intended. They are complicated, intense, drawn out and sometimes ridiculously expensive. In some disciplines, new practitioners spend thousands of dollars before they are even allowed to think of practicing on others and forget about becoming master, this is left for the privileged few. Who decides who is worthy?

Some disciplines add dozens more symbols to memorize. Some completely change the way you use the original symbols. Some disciplines have four, five or even move levels.

There are even institutions and organizations popping up all over the country each of which claim themselves to be “experts” and creating a self proclaimed regulatory body for Reiki in the world in attempt to completely remove it from the hands of the average person.

It all just rubs me the wrong way – I like it simple, I like it pure. I like the real thing. If you are going to add something on top, why not just call it something else because it honestly is not Reiki in any more.

But then again…

Hard core traditionalists are also very much against what I am doing. They do not believe that a person is working with the Reiki energy long before they are exposed to it in the physical. They do not believe that the energy is accelerating at this rate.

So I must respect these new forms of “Reiki”. Who cares what things are called, it is just a word we use for energy. But energy is energy so if people want to make it complicated they have the right to do so. Perhaps one day my budget will catch up with my curiosity and the availability of these new forms of Reiki will be convenient enough for me to try one of these systems out. Then I will know for sure. Though I am fairly convinces they are good and powerful forms of energy work, I will not be convinced it is Reiki until I try one these systems for myself.

But as a renegade Reiki Master, while breaking out of the mold, I still try to respect and uphold the integrity of the practice and the traditions of Reiki.

My intensive training class, though it is Reiki in Warp Speed, is still Reiki. I did not change a thing about the teachings and my Reiki lineage can be traced all the way back to Dr. Usui.

It is still the energy that Dr. Usui wanted to be accessible to the common man, the same energy he wanted mothers to use for their children, and masters to pass on to their students and let them go forth and set free an avalanche of the beautiful healing energy.

Yes, some have changed things quite a bit. Some have added what they believe is right. Some have kept it so strict there is absolutely no room for growth. But overall, Dr. Usui’s wish of energy work for the masses has been fulfilled. It is still growing and still accelerating and each of us masters serve to better the world though unconditional love… no matter what we call it.

So to answer the original question, has the healing energy of Reiki become bastardized?

In short, yes.

But that is not a bad thing, at least not according to this Reiki Master.

It is only growing and diversifying just as we are. The collective needs all the Reiki it can get, so let them get it in whatever form they choose.

It is still a beautiful, gentle and powerful energy that should be shared with all.

To learn more about Atena’s Reiki Classes in Miami, please visit her Reiki site http://MiamiReikiMaster.com

Well, life just doesnt work that way. I often feel pressured to put on a good face and smile or no one will ever come to me for guidance again.

The other day I had a bad day, got some confirmation that I made a mistake I hurt someones feelings though I really didn’t mean to.

As an Empath, I don’t just feel bad because I made a mistake. I feel what the other person feels too… It was a downward spiral from then on. Things just started piling up one on top of the other. Before you know it, I just decided that I can’t do anything right and let the emotion take its course.

I decided to comit wholeheartedly to feeling sorry for myself until I figure out how to feel otherwise.

What a release!

But, some people made comments like, wow, If Atena feels sad I cant imagine what I will do…

What, am I supposed to just hide my bad days in obscurity and only show myself when I am happy and the world is in harmony with me.

Well I am just going to go ahead and say it. That is a load of crap.

Spiritual people are just people just like everyone else. We have good days and bad days and the thing that is diffidence is not that we our lives are all peachy and the world is a rosy place to be, the difference is, we seek to learn from the experience and come out a better person as a result of it. We seek to find that place of happiness and harmony no matter what may be happening. My place of harmony at the moment was to let myself experience the feeling, from this I could build.

This bad day just shows the law of attraction work.

I felt bad about one thing, this attracted lots of other things for me to feel bad about.

Yay, law of attraction!

Well, thank you universe for the lesson.

I have also learned that as much as I have the ability to breake someone’s heart, I have the ability to also help mend it again. I have the ability to be humble and say I am sorry.

And then I feel better.

I can go back to be my fairy sprkle filled world again.

Life is good.

I had a great time with the dances but ever since I have been back, I have been busier than ever. I am hoping all this business keeps up!

There was a certain comfort to not having to put so much effort into making a living but I had hardly anytime for the work that so love. I am now back to beading, back to readings and back to paths of enlightenment.

And I am not feeling like this is the slow lane by any means.

I have been busy planning beading classes, a fairy day event and a Reiki retreat. This is in addition to the pendulum workshop I will be giving at the end of April.

Somewhere between all of this I am making time for my private life and my paranormal life. Some of these, needless to say, have been a little neglected lately.

Even so, life is good. I am happy working on my art and sharing my spiritual, artistic and healing journeys with those who are open to it. If I had to pick one thing (there have been so many) that I have learned in the past month and a half, i would say more than anything, it is that I love my work, and I should stay with it.

I find myself falling into a new routine, my job starts at 5 so I need to leave home sometime around 2:30pm to get there on time. The first week I found myself rushing and running, but now I have fallen into a routine. My life is still a rollercoaster ride complete with all the ups and downs of self-employment before 2:30 in the afternoon and on the weekends.

I find myself enjoying the stability. For the first time in my life I actually know where I will be every day for the next month.

Sadly, the studio I work at is undergoing some major changes and may not keep me in employment past the end of the month, unless the new ownership takes over AND agrees that I am important to running the place, who knows. So if you know someone who is looking for a bellydance studio to run, please pass them on to Bozenka’s belly dance academy. It’s such a wonderful space with so many inspiring people I have come to really like the space. Though I am happy for the exciting changes taking place in the life of the owner, I see the sadness and sense of loss and uncertainty many of the students are feeling.

The uncertainty is what keeps me from completely committing to the merry-go-round life. This makes me wonder, if I was as committed to my art and as disciplined about the time I spend connecting to other people with my art, would I even need the job?

Perhaps this is a way the universe is reminding me that I am not a merry-go-round rider, I am a rollercoaster rider. I run at the speed of inspiration and lately, I have noticed how much I miss being able to create at the moment inspiration strikes… now I have to wait till after I get back home before I am able to put into practice the new inspiring idea that just came to me at 6 in the afternoon.

My mornings are rushed with the routine of housework, making healthy food, lunch dinner and laundry, by lunchtime I usually have a moment to create, perhaps if I am not helping a client or offering a phone reading I am free to take a moment to create. The promise of a steady paycheck, even for a month is a comfort. But do I feel like I am running in circles? No, not really, there is still so much change and so much promise and so much uncertainty in my day to day life.

…And inspiration never sleeps.

I can’t say I connected with a real sense of stability, and the fear of what happens next month if I don’t meet my monetary quota, still exists. But it also drives, it inspires and it helps to be ever so grateful for all the blessings that come my way.

Seeing so many people affected by the changes within this studio, I have learned so much.

It seems to me that more than anything, I have learned that the universe always provides. I have been magically been offered this position, and almost as if by magic, it seems to be offered to me just long enough to learn my lesson.

I have changed my point of view and with this, my entire vision.

Instead of being on the inside, stewing in my own lack of confidence and disappointment – what collectively adds up to a rut, I have been given the beautiful opportunity to stand on the outside of my own business and look in. From here, I can see I am not in a rut at all, my view is into blocked by the challenges ahead, i see right over them and I am inspired to climb my way through the next level of creating. I can see that unlike I have previously though, I have not taken my business as far as I know how to take it, I know much more now. Through the silent ride on the merry-go-round, I have found my strength and renewed my inspiration.

Sometimes, in the exciting and exhilarating carnival that is life, all we need is a moment on the merry-go-round.

I mean this was the worse food I could possibly want, all junk and sweets.

Today was the first day that I really cooked. Partly because I had to. I had a refrigerator full of organic veggies that have been patiently waiting for their day to become something spectacular. They have been neglected to the point where I had to clean out and peel back a lot of the parts that were no longer remaining fresh. Needless to say, this is a tedious process that involves preparing several dishes simply because the food just won’t last in its raw form and i hat to have it go to waste.

I diligently washed and picked through everything and chopped some of the veggies up for freezing.

I made a garden salad consisting of fresh lettuce leaves, finely chopped raw kale (so good for you!), parsley, red peppers and thin sliced carrots. This will serve as a dinner side salad tonight and lunch for the next few days.

I have been hording potatoes for a few weeks now and it was time for them to come out and play. I baked all of them and used half to make twice baked potatoes with fresh ricotta cheese and onion. Topped off with some Parmesan cheese and sour cream they made an excellent addition to my salad.

I finished off the dinner with blackened flounder that has sat in the freezer – utterly ignored.

In the end I ended up with an excellent and nutritious meal. Everyone was happy and I realized that even though I was craving all this junk, what I really needed was some food that fed my spirit.

Nothing like a hint of fresh herbs and a freshly made salad to wake up the senses. No food brings as much comfort as that which you just created and a brand new recipe that you just thought up from nothing.

I loved every bite of the wonderful meal… I felt my mood grow happier with every delicious nugget. This was bringing comfort to my soul, my heart and my happy to be finally getting some vitamins body. This is the real comfort food.

Tomorrow I will make an old-fashioned polish style veggie salad with the leftover baked potatoes I have now in my fridge. This will make a great snack for lunch or breakfast.

I will get a brand new batch of veggies on Tuesday, I am already inspired by the prospect of fresh new carrots, sun chokes, white mushrooms and red peppers…

I feel a risotto coming on!

But when it comes to my own limitations I often find myself on the stubborn side. I tent to take my responsibilities too seriously and often work myself into a rut before I notice.

I did that with this silly cold I have been facing. I felt better this week and thought maybe I will be back to normal now. The past few days I have been waking up feeling stronger and cleared so I took up my bags this morning ready to go to work as I always do on Friday.

Upon arrival at Celestial Treasures where I offer psychic readings and aura photos every Friday I found myself our of breath, out of fuel in the most undignified of ways.

I did have a few errand to run but most of all I was good to go. Sitting at the table on the new comfy chairs I realized that there was no way I  was getting through this day unscaved. I packed my bags and left.

I did try to play a little but my playtime consider mostly of sitting down quietly eating. I got home and quickly head for bed.

Maybe I should really listen to my body. Maybe I should really say this time, enough is enough and just allow myself the time I need to heal and be well again. Perhaps I am going down the wrong path, or the right path in the wrong gear and I just need to step back and relax. We all need to know when to call it quits and for me, that time is now.

It is friday night, I have a whole weekend to rest. I will go to my art opening as it is a task I enjoy a great deal, and I will probably go to the investigation tomorrow night too, but I will be sure to take it easy, spend most of my time sitting down and I will not vualnteer to crawl into a hole like I always do, or help carry the equipment to and from. I will take it easy.

I will skip the long day at Coral Castle, and I will allow myself the sleep my body asks for.

I will allow myself the spiritual nourishment I so crave and give myself time to create.

I will create well beaing. I will create inner peace. I will create for me and no one else. Just for this weekend. And then, I will see where my creativity takes me to next.

I could barely keep my eyes open at the time because I took a nightime cold medication the night before and it seriously knocked me out. I am not used to taking medications so they tend to work on me very powerfully. Luckilly the effect had worn off by noon and I could actually crawl out of bed just in time to find my sunshine again at the door with a dozen roses.

Last year my friend gave me a cute little cupcake bath fizzy. the top of it was made of soap and the bottom part was the bath fizzy. It was adorned with little soap jellie beans and a real birthday candle. You are supposed to float it in your bath, ligt the candle and make a wish, which I did.

It is the cutest thing ever!

I was tired of feeling sick and looking it, so I took a nice bath and did my hair and makeup. It’s my birthday, I want to look good!

I got a call from my friend sheri who braved my contagious condition to come see me on my birthday. What a pal!

She brought me some of my favorite things… more chocolate (in the form of a cupcake)m fancy soaps and a vintage nude (in the form of a card).

But best of all it was good to see her smiling face, it has been so long since I’ve been cooped up in this place with no visitors. I am so glad I feel better and I could at least say hello to her in my little squirrel voice.

The day is not over yet, Ed is heading home soon and I think he may have some more surprises planned for this evening.  I am really feeling blessed by having this man in my life. I always tell him he is the bestest boy I girl could ever want. And he really is, He takes such good care of me.

I am blessed in so many ways, I have so many wonderful people around me, a great family and the sweetest kitty!

I know it doesn’t always seem that way, and I know I still have dreams, aspirations and goals to reach, but today- right now I really feel like I live a charmed life.

Right now, as I sit with the itch in my throat and the medicated fog in my head alone in the twilight of the room … I really am blessed.

I am not even finding any sort of difficult ones.  Maybe my brain is till foggy from all the silence or maybe this techies stuff is really a little out of my league, but I am used to playing out of my league. I do it all the time and usually with great success. So what’s up with this?

In my search I found an old blog of mine that i opened in another application a long time ago. I typed up a quick update and was able to instantly post it on Facebook and twitter.

So it isn’t just me then, this application is a little more complicated. I do like the features though I just need to get familiar with the environment. I like things to be simple and simple usually means you give up some amount of control. Or does it?

I will just keep plugging away. I suppose the lesson for the day is to remember that it isn’t always comfortable when you leave your comfort zone, but I am still here. Starting to familiarize myself with the new space. I am assimilating it into my new comfort zone. I will let you know how it goes. By then I should have a brand new zone to break out of!

I like the freedom of this blog. I can post anything here. This blog is not limiting like the other one is. The other one is all about my life in the paranormal, this one  is going to be all about everything else.

I suppose that means I have two blogs now. Wow, who would think in a matter of days before I decided to try this blogging thing again that I would be updating two blogs?!

See what I mean about that brand new comfort zone?

I have been feeling better, then worse, then better, then even worse. At the this point of this wonderful journey I figure the road ahead is about as long as the road getting here. It took me a week and half to finally stop and say enough. I worked through fever, I worked though pains, body aches, through coughing and through congestion. Now on top of all this, I lost my voice.

Today I find myself in silence.

I spent most of the day sleeping, the rest of the day trying to understand some rather bazaar dream symbols.

I got help from some wonderful friends and of course my love Ed, who has gone out of his way to take good care of me. I got a very amusing call from my mom, at the news that I have lost my voice she decided to call me to talk about it.

I also built up enough voice mails to top off my voice-mail and I had to erase the ones that had called multiple times.  I wish I could call everyone back but I need a voice to do that. I am finding it a colorful tapestry of subjects to call back about. Each person has such vastly different things to talk about. Coincidentally, I heard from people whom I have not heard from for months. I would normally call them back not noticing the colors that tie them together. Funny what you notice when you actually listen.

I am better now, I feel better, still coughing but not in as much pain or fever. The only thing is the silence.

Underneath it all, what I am finding a strange metaphor for the silence. I spent my day listening to the world around me.

Maybe this is the whole reason for this entire odd and wacky coaster ride. Maybe I was just supposed to stop. Well, I knew I had to stop, I have worked myself into a frenzy since last October.

But what is different is the silence. The lack of a voice that has reminded me to listen.

I find it another weird coincidence that I found my silence the same day I started this blog, and thus, found a voice in the silence.

So here’s to listening…