by Amy Alward | Sep 10, 2025 | Coming Attractions, Featured Posts, Reiki, Reiki, Reiki Classes
Starting your Reiki journey can feel both exciting and a little mysterious. At Whole Self Unity, we believe everyone deserves the opportunity to access healing tools, no matter their background or resources. That’s why we’re offering limited Reiki I seats at just $111—half the standard tuition of $222.
This special opportunity is first come, first served, designed to make Reiki training accessible to more people. In future cycles, an application process will be required, so if you’ve been waiting for a sign, this is it.
Are you ready to get started with Reiki?
What You’ll Learn in Reiki I
Reiki I is all about self-healing. In this beginner-friendly class, you’ll learn:
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An overview of traditional Reiki hand positions (plus how to practice effectively without them!)
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How to listen to your intuition so Reiki can gently guide your practice
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Simple ways to bring peace, rest, and reflection into your daily life
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Reiki principles that support balance, calm, and healing
This class isn’t about memorizing—it’s about beginning your personal relationship with Reiki in a way that feels natural to you.
How the Class Works
Our classes are taught live on Zoom so you can feel the energy of the group, ask questions, and share in real time. Recordings aren’t offered, because part of the Reiki experience is practicing together as if we were gathered in person.
Each class runs about three or four hours and includes:
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Access to a Google Classroom for supplemental materials and resources
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A manual aligned with the International Center for Reiki Training (ICRT) Holy Fire® III World Peace curriculum
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Group practice, guided sharing, and individual support
Your Pathway Beyond Reiki I
Reiki I is just the first step. As your journey continues, you can choose to go further:
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Reiki I – focused on self-healing. Tuition: $111 limited / $222 standard.
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Reiki II – offered over 5 weeks, this course deepens your practice and teaches how to share Reiki with others safely and sustainably. Tuition: $222 limited / $333 standard.
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Reiki III (Advanced Reiki Training) – meets twice a month for 3 months, introducing advanced techniques such as aura clearing and Reiki crystal grids to strengthen your own healing and the healing you share. Tuition: $333 limited / $444 standard.
Note: Master Teacher training is only offered through Amy’s professional practice, Emerge Guided Healing.
This full curriculum repeats twice a year—once in late summer/early fall and again beginning in February.
Why Start Now
Seats at the reduced tuition are limited and available right now without an application process. We are doing this to promote online access to classes for folks who might otherwise have difficulty attending classes. When the February 2025 series begins, we expect to have an application and award process in place, which means open seats may go quickly.
If you’ve felt a quiet pull toward Reiki, or if you’ve been waiting for the right time to begin, this is your chance.
Your Reiki journey begins here: Reiki I, Reiki II, Reiki III.
Ready to Begin?
Reiki I begins on September 20
. Join us to take your first step into self-healing and discover how Reiki can bring peace and balance into your life.
Reserve Your Seat in Reiki I Today
If this class is already full, you can still register for Reiki I at the standard tuition of $222 through Amy’s professional practice, Emerge Guided Healing.
by Amy Alward | Sep 3, 2025 | Coming Attractions, Healing Practices, Reiki, Reiki, Reiki Classes
Have you felt a quiet pull toward Reiki, even if you aren’t quite sure what it is yet? Maybe you’ve wondered if learning Reiki is complicated, or whether you need special gifts to do it. The truth is beautifully simple: if you’re thinking about Reiki, chances are you’re already ready to begin.
Reiki is a gentle practice of self-healing and connection. It’s easy to learn, supportive to practice, and deeply nourishing for mind, body, and spirit. All you need is curiosity, openness, and a willingness to explore healing for yourself, others, and the world around you.
Why Consider Learning Reiki?
Discover Reiki for self-healing and balance (lotus pose is entirely optional).
Many people come to Reiki during a time of change or searching. You might feel:
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Stressed, anxious, or overwhelmed.
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Curious about natural or holistic ways to support your health.
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Drawn to helping others feel better.
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Ready for a deeper connection with yourself and the Universe.
Reiki offers a simple, practical way to support all of these needs. No prior experience is required, and you don’t have to already feel “spiritual.” Reiki meets you exactly where you are.
Above all, a Reiki practice is a set of tools intended to bring you peace, stress relief, and a sense of well-being. It is not a belief system, and can be used to complement any set of beliefs. Reiki practice is more about committing to how you want to show up in the world, according to your personal beliefs and values. Whether your beliefs are rooted in science, specific spiritual beliefs, or anywhere in between, you are welcome here to learn and explore.
You are safe here. Here you are home.
Signs You’re Ready to Learn Reiki
So how do you know if the time is right? Here are a few gentle signs:
1. You Feel Curious
Reiki brings calm, balance, and self-healing energy
If Reiki keeps showing up in your life—whether through a friend, a book, or simply popping into your mind—that’s often your inner wisdom nudging you toward it.
2. You Want to Heal Yourself
Reiki I, the beginner level, is all about self-healing. If you’re ready to carve out a little time for your own peace, rest, and reflection, you’re ready.
3. You Feel Called to Help Others
Many people come to Reiki because they want to comfort loved ones, offer support, or share healing energy. Reiki gives you a safe, structured way to do this.
4. You’re Seeking Balance
If you long for more calm, clarity, or harmony in your daily life, Reiki can become a gentle practice to return to again and again.
Learn Reiki online with supportive community connection
What Learning Reiki Looks Like
Learning Reiki is simple and supportive. In Reiki I, you’ll:
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Discover how Reiki works and its history.
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Receive placements (attunements) that empower you to strengthen the flow of healing energy into the world.
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Practice giving Reiki to yourself and others.
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Build confidence in a safe, compassionate learning space.
At Whole Self Unity, our classes are paced with care. We believe in slow learning—time to ask questions, to practice gently, and to absorb the experience fully. Our emphasis is on helping you create your own relationship and practices with the Reiki energy.
Although we offer Reiki certification, our mission is to give you tools to put to good use in your own healing journey–whatever that looks like to you.
You Don’t Need to Be Perfect—Just Willing
A common worry is, “What if I’m not good enough?” But Reiki doesn’t require perfection. You don’t need to meditate for hours, have psychic abilities, or live a certain kind of lifestyle.
All you need is:
That’s it. Reiki will meet you exactly where you are. Even when you fall down, like we all do, Reiki is there to empower you to stand up and try again.
Ready to Begin?
If you’ve read this far, chances are you’re ready to learn Reiki. The first step is simply saying “yes” to yourself, and your own intuitive “knowing”.
Ready to Learn Reiki – gentle energy flowing from cupped hands
Join us for Reiki I: Reiki for Self-Healing Online Course.
This beginner-friendly class includes three sessions (3 hours each), guided practice, and plenty of support. You’ll leave with the tools to begin your own Reiki journey with confidence.
Take your first gentle step into Reiki—you’ll find yourself in a safe, supportive community ready to walk beside you. Come to an online Reiki Share – we meet every 2nd and 4th Thursdays from 5:30 – 7pm pacific time or register for an online Energetic Workshop (see our Events calendar for upcoming offerings). We can’t wait to meet you in HeartSpace.
by Amy Alward | Aug 20, 2025 | Reiki, Reiki Classes
What if the way we learned Reiki could feel just as healing as Reiki itself?
That’s the question I found myself asking after years of offering energy healing, supporting women on their cancer journeys, and guiding trauma survivors back to their bodies. Because while Reiki itself is gentle and loving, many classes move fast—and for a lot of folks, that fast pace creates a barrier instead of an invitation.
Every healer starts somewhere — begin your Reiki practice with care, space, and wonder.
That’s why at Whole Self Unity, we teach a slow-paced Reiki class. It’s online, beginner-friendly, and intentionally designed to feel like a soft landing—especially if you’re overwhelmed, sensitive, or healing from something big.
When Reiki Feels Rushed, It’s Hard to Let It Land
Most Reiki trainings happen over a weekend—Reiki I on Saturday, Reiki II on Sunday. For some people, that format works great! But for others, especially those living with chronic illness, navigating trauma, or just trying to make it through a tough season, that kind of learning can feel rushed, intense, and emotionally unsafe.
You walk away with a certificate… but maybe not a real practice. Maybe not a sense of connection. Maybe not enough space to process what’s unfolding.
Why We Chose a Slow-Paced Reiki Class
We offer Reiki Level One over three Saturdays because integration matters.
Each class builds on the last. Between sessions, you have time to reflect, practice, and explore your own energy. There’s no pressure to perform—just permission to be with yourself.
You’ll also get access to a private Google Classroom full of guided meditations, printable resources, and video demos so you can revisit the material anytime.
And because it’s taught online (live via Google Meet), you can show up from the comfort of your home—curled up with tea, journaling quietly, in your body and at your pace. We do not offer replays, because the energy of the group is part of what we explore together during class sessions.
Grow in good company — our Reiki classes create a circle of support.
What Slower Learning Unlocks
Taking your time to learn Reiki isn’t just about comfort. It’s about powerful transformation. Our slow-paced Reiki class helps students:
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Build confidence gently and gradually
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Develop a daily self-healing practice that feels natural
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Strengthen personal intuition without pressure or expectation
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Trust their body’s signals and energetic boundaries
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Integrate spiritual growth without bypassing or rushing
For sensitive, neurodivergent, skeptical, or spiritually cautious folks—this format is often the first time energy work feels accessible.
When Privacy and Safety Are Part of the Healing
For some, this slower, trauma-informed approach isn’t just preferable—it’s necessary.
One of the most potent and beautiful things about Reiki is that you don’t have to talk about your pain for it to work. You don’t have to explain what happened. You don’t even have to name what you’re healing. Your Reiki teacher or practitioner doesn’t need to know your history. Reiki meets you where you are and just loves you—no questions asked.
This makes Reiki uniquely safe for people with trauma, spiritual wounds, or complex health experiences.
And when you learn Reiki for yourself, you take that safety even deeper. You can work with your own energy without needing to involve anyone else. For many students, this becomes the doorway to finally letting others in—with care, in time. That’s part of my story, too, and why I took such care to design this approach to learning Reiki.
A Quick Look: Traditional vs. Whole Self Unity Reiki I
| Format |
Traditional Reiki I |
Whole Self Unity Reiki I |
| Timeframe |
1-day workshop |
3 Saturdays (4 hrs/day) |
| Location |
In-person |
Online via Google Meet |
| Cost |
$545 for Reiki I/II |
$111 for Reiki I / $222 |
| Support |
Just during class |
Google Classroom, recordings, Q&A |
| Integration |
Self-guided post-class |
Built-in between sessions |
| Ideal For |
Fast learners, extroverts |
Sensitive, cautious, reflective folks |
Please note that we are able to offer deep discounts on our class offerings for several reasons:
- Whole Self Unity is a 501c3 nonprofit organization with a charitable mission to increase access to exactly these kinds of trainings.
- Amy Alward, our Holy Fire III(R) Karuna Reiki Master Teacher opens a small number of slots in her regular online offerings for Whole Self Unity to sponsor. Amy receives no payment for these classes, and donates 100% of all tuition to the organization.
- These limited spaces are offered first-come, first-served in 2025, but will later be distributed to applicants on the basis of need.
- Additional and sliding scale funding may be provided to those in need, feel free to apply for those funds here.
- Donations are collected in Reiki Shares and Reiki Workshops to help fund Reiki Scholarships to further reduce the out-of-pocket costs our students have to pay.
Depth. Wisdom. Transformation. Learn Reiki like it’s meant to be learned.
About Registration & Scholarships
Our slow-paced Reiki I, II, and III class series is offered twice per year on Saturdays from 8:00 am to Noon pacific time, through Whole Self Unity in partnership with Emerge Guided Healing.
- $111 for Reiki I (regularly $222) – 3 weekly meetings – offered in Jan/Feb and in Aug
- $222 for Reiki II (regularly $333) – 5 weekly meetings – offered in Mar/Apr and Sep/Oct
- $333 for Reiki III (regularly $444) – 6 meetings, 2x/month for 3 months – offered Apr – Jun and Oct – Dec
If the class is full, you’re welcome to apply for a Reiki Scholarship to be added to a waitlist, register through Emerge Guided Healing at full price—or register for the next class.
Proceeds from Whole Self Unity registrations go directly to support our nonprofit’s healing work and scholarships. Your healing journey helps support others, too.
If You’ve Been Waiting for a Different Way to Begin…
Maybe this is it.
A way to learn Reiki that honors your energy, your pace, your process.
A gentle unfolding instead of a firehose.
A class where healing isn’t something to rush through—it’s a space where you can be held and nurtured.
If your body is whispering yes, we’d love to welcome you.
Wondering where to go to get started? There are a lot of options–choose your own adventure:
Learn Reiki the S–L–O–W way with Whole Self Unity’s gentle, deep Reiki I class.
You’re Not Behind. You’re Right on Time.
At Whole Self Unity, we believe healing starts with kindness—to your body, your past, your pace. If the world has asked you to go fast for too long, maybe this is where you finally get to go slow.
We’re here to walk beside you.
Let’s begin.
by Amy Alward | Aug 6, 2025 | Coming Attractions, Reiki, Reiki Classes
What to Expect in Reiki Level One
If you’re feeling drawn to Reiki but also feeling nervous, unsure, or even a little skeptical—you’re not alone. That’s exactly where many students begin. Reiki Level One is a beginner-friendly class designed to gently open the door to energy healing and personal growth, at a pace that feels safe and supportive.
Whether you’re someone on a healing journey, someone seeking calm after burnout, or just someone curious about energy work, this class is for you. At Whole Self Unity, we’ve created a Reiki training experience that helps you move from learning to living Reiki—with plenty of support along the way.
First Things First: What Is Reiki?
Reiki I is your first step — a gentle and powerful tool for healing yourself.
Reiki (pronounced RAY-key) is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing. It’s gentle, non-invasive, and often described as deeply calming. Reiki is not a religion, and you don’t have to believe in anything specific to benefit from it. Many people experience Reiki as warmth or flow in the body, a sense of peace, or emotional release.
Reiki Level One is the beginning. It’s where you learn to offer this healing energy to yourself—and start discovering how it can support your whole self. In Reiki I you meet and help your first client: you.
Who Is This Class For?
This class is especially designed for:
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Women navigating cancer or chronic illness
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Caregivers who need time to restore themselves
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Therapists, social workers, and other helpers ready for deeper self-care
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Trauma survivors seeking gentle, embodied healing
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Curious beginners who want to connect with energy healing
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Anyone who has said, “I don’t think I’m intuitive enough for that…” (Spoiler: you are.)
You don’t need to have experience. You don’t need to have all the answers. You just need a willingness to show up for yourself.
What You’ll Learn
Reiki is for everyone. Join our shares or apply for a scholarship.
Over three Saturday mornings, we’ll gather online via Google Meet. The class is kept intentionally small (just 5 students through Whole Self Unity) so there’s plenty of room for questions, sharing, and real support. You’ll learn:
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What Reiki is and how it works
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The history and principles of Reiki
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Guided meditations to ground and connect
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Energy hygiene and safety practices
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Traditional techniques from Usui and Holy Fire® Reiki
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How to begin your daily self-healing practice
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A Reiki I Placement (like an energetic jump-start) to activate your Reiki connection
You’ll leave each session with tools you can use immediately—plus videos, tutorials, and digital resources in our private Google Classroom.
What It Feels Like to Learn Reiki
Students often say the class feels like a mix of gentle spiritual growth, practical energy tools, and supportive community. Some experience emotional shifts, deeper sleep, or a stronger sense of calm. Others find they finally understand how to tune in to their own energy and body’s needs.
And if you feel uncertain or overwhelmed at first? That’s okay. We build in time to go slow, ask questions, and revisit concepts. Healing is not about perfection. It’s about presence.
Reiki Is a Complement, Not a Replacement
Reiki does not replace medical care, therapy, or other forms of treatment. It works alongside those modalities, often enhancing the benefits of traditional approaches by reducing stress and increasing relaxation. It’s one more way to support your body, heart, mind, and spirit as you move through life—and especially through difficulty.
With Reiki, the practitioner channels universal energy to support your natural healing process.
What Happens After Class?
This is the beginning of a journey—not just a one-time training. After class, you’ll have:
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A daily Reiki practice you can return to again and again
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Optional group shares and events to keep learning
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A strong foundation for Reiki II and beyond
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A network of encouragement and support
Whether you choose to pursue further training or simply continue practicing Reiki for your own well-being, Reiki Level One is a beautiful first step.
Your Next Steps
If you’re feeling curious—or even just Reiki-curious—here’s what you can do next:
Join a Free Reiki Share
Experience a group healing session and meet others who are exploring Reiki. No experience necessary.
Book a Distance Reiki Session
Want to feel what Reiki is like before committing to a class? Try a one-on-one session for just $25.
Download our Distance Healing Session Prep & Integration eBooklet
Get a free digital guide with tips and journaling prompts to support your healing journey. This guide is useful to prepare for distance healing sessions of any kind, but it may help you understand a little bit about the process of “the work” this is part of the process.
Ready to dive in? Register now.
If your heart says yes, you can register for Reiki I and reserve your spot. Five 50% off scholarships are available for students who register through Whole Self Unity.
Reiki is a gentle, hands-on energy healing practice that supports your body, mind, and spirit.
You Are Welcome Here
At Whole Self Unity, we believe healing happens when we come home to ourselves. Reiki Level One is an invitation to do just that—with kindness, clarity, and connection. If you’re ready to begin, we’ll be here to walk with you every step of the way.
Let’s begin.
by Amy Alward | Jul 30, 2025 | Cancer Navigators, Distance Healing 101, Featured Posts, Reiki, Reiki Classes, Reiki Events
The Benefits of Self-Healing with Reiki
You have struggled, but now is the time to reveal your beauty and open to your own wisdom.
What if a few minutes of gentle touch each day could help you sleep better, ease anxiety, and find your center—even on the hardest days?
Whether you’re navigating a cancer journey, recovering from burnout, living with chronic illness, or simply feeling called to reconnect with your body and spirit, Reiki offers a powerful yet gentle way to support your healing.
At Whole Self Unity, we’ve seen firsthand how women with cancer have used Reiki to calm themselves before treatments, soothe pain, rest more deeply, and reconnect with inner strength. But the beauty of Reiki is that it’s not only something you receive—it’s something you can learn and use every day to care for yourself.
This post explores how learning Reiki for self-healing can benefit anyone, especially during times of transition, illness, stress, or deep personal growth. You’ll also find an invitation to join us—whether that means coming to a Reiki Share, learning to give Reiki to yourself, or simply saying yes to a new kind of support.
What Is Self-Healing with Reiki?
Reiki is a gentle, hands-on (or hands-hovering) healing practice that helps balance the body’s energy system. Rooted in Japanese spiritual tradition, Reiki can be shared with others—but one of its most life-changing aspects is how it empowers us to heal ourselves.
Once you’ve been attuned to Reiki in a class or training, it’s with you for life. That means you can place your hands on your own heart, belly, or body whenever you need grounding, rest, peace, or strength.
Self-healing with Reiki is like an energetic version of brushing your teeth: it helps you stay clear, present, and nourished in a world that can feel overwhelming. It needs to be done regularly to get the best benefits from the practice. It is a gentle, effective way to increase your sense of well-being and overall health–but it generally isn’t a substitute for quality care by professionals when more intervention is needed. It does make an incredible addition to your self-care routines–even when the “big stuff” comes along.
Why Reiki Is Ideal for Long-Term Support
Are you ready to step toward your best self right now? Reiki I for Self-Healing.
Many clients and students describe Reiki as the first time they’ve felt like they could do something for themselves in the face of intense circumstances. It’s a portable, side-effect-free, body-honoring practice that:
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Can be done anywhere, even lying in bed
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Is safe to use alongside conventional medicine
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Doesn’t require belief—just willingness
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Builds strength over time with regular use – as we become better at allowing it to work!
Whether you’re managing your energy after a medical procedure, recovering from trauma, dealing with sleep issues, or navigating emotional overwhelm, Reiki meets you where you are—without judgment.
5 Benefits of Learning Reiki for Self-Healing
1. Ease Anxiety and Regulate Emotions
Reiki helps settle the nervous system, making it easier to ride the waves of stress, appointments, emotional processing, and daily uncertainty.
For women going through cancer treatment, it can become a comforting ritual before scans or surgery. For others, it’s a way to ground before meetings, caregiving tasks, or life’s more chaotic moments.
2. Sleep More Soundly
A short self-Reiki session at night can cue the body into rest mode. Many students fall asleep while practicing!
People with chronic pain or insomnia report deeper, more restorative sleep with consistent practice.
3. Make Clearer, Healthier Choices
Reiki gently increases self-awareness. Over time, this can lead to choosing foods, boundaries, and relationships that better support your healing.
We’ve seen survivors of trauma, cancer, and burnout begin to trust their own needs and instincts again.
4. Build a Grounding Practice That Sticks
Reiki can be paired with meditation, prayer, or breathwork—or practiced on its own. Even 5 minutes in the morning can anchor you before the day begins. Taking 30 seconds to yourself in the bathroom before continuing with an overwhelming day can bring you back to yourself in the present instead of worrying about the path ahead.
Those with ADHD, autoimmune conditions, or anxiety often say Reiki helps them slow down and focus without needing to “do it perfectly.”
Self-Healing with Beginning Reiki Class can be the catalyst to shifting your whole reality.
5. Get Through the Hardest Days with Gentle Power
From chemotherapy to grief, caregiving to recovery, Reiki offers a soft, steady presence. It can soothe physical discomfort, emotional turbulence, and that deep inner ache that longs for peace.
For many, it’s a daily reminder: You are not alone—and you are not powerless.
You Can Learn Reiki Yourself
You don’t need to be “spiritual,” a healer, or anything other than yourself to learn Reiki. You don’t need to “believe” in anything, Reiki is a set of practical techniques and tools, not a belief system. That being said, Reiki also works right alongside all belief systems, if you happen to have a spiritual “Home”. All are welcome to heal here.
In our Reiki I course, we teach you how to:
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Give yourself a complete Reiki session
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Understand the history and ethics of Reiki
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Begin using Reiki for your own wellness goals
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Start sensing energy and tuning into your inner wisdom
Once you’ve taken a Reiki I class, your hands become lifelong tools for healing and peace. And you’ll always have something to come back to when life gets overwhelming.
Interested in learning Reiki? Join our next Reiki I class and begin your self-healing journey.
Reiki Shares: Heal in Community
Sometimes, we need the support of others. Our monthly Reiki Shares are open to anyone, even if you haven’t learned Reiki yet. We also love to see practitioners: anyone who has learned Reiki (even years ago!) is especially welcome. It’s a chance to give and receive healing in a supportive circle—online or in person.
“I didn’t know how much I needed this until I logged on. I could feel it start to flow over me. So much peace and love!” – Reiki Share participant
You’re invited. Come receive. Come reconnect. Come share your light.
Sign up for a Reiki Share and join our community of healing hearts.
Calling All Practitioners, Caregivers, and Change-Makers
Are you ready to unlock your potential to help yourself heal? Slowly, gently, and quietly?
If you’ve been attuned to Reiki and want to be of service—especially to women on a cancer journey—we welcome you to volunteer, refer students, loved ones, or deepen your practice with us.
We are building a beautiful network of support and care. Whether you’re just getting started or decades into your Reiki path, there’s a place for you here.
Join our community and help bring healing into wholeness. Refer women on a cancer journey (or members of their support team) to apply for a sliding scale treatment through our Cancer Wellness Fund.
Closing: A New Way to Be With Yourself
Whether you’re sitting in a treatment chair, curled up in bed, or taking a few deep breaths between errands, Reiki can be there with you. Gentle. Steady. Unfailingly kind.
And if you’re feeling called to explore self-healing with Reiki, we’re here to help you begin.
Your journey matters. Your healing matters. And your hands—yes, your hands—can become the doorway to peace.
Next Steps for You:
by Amy Alward | Jul 16, 2025 | Distance Healing 101, Featured Posts, Reiki, Reiki Classes, Reiki Events, Reiki Experiences, Reiki Sessions
When Crisis Hits Close to Home
Rila’s wounds were going to be open for 8 to 10 weeks.
Last week, something happened that every service dog handler dreads: my dog—my companion, my helper, my heart—was attacked by two neighbor dogs. It was sudden, violent, and traumatic for both of us. She sustained a serious abdominal wound, and the vet was clear: this would be a long recovery.
Eight to ten weeks of open wound care. Multiple bandage changes per week. Pain meds, antibiotics, and round-the-clock care. Sedation for the bandaging–again and again and again. I was devastated and overwhelmed.
Travel plans for the two of us, and work with clients were rapidly being scrubbed for the summer. I wasn’t worried about that, though. I wanted my partner to be okay–and the vet had to explain the way dog bites work and heal before I grasped the real issue: it might look like healing is going well one day, and tissue can then “die off” inside or at the edges of the wound. I was so scared for her.
But I wasn’t alone.
Calling on My Support System—and Reiki
As I’ve done during many hard times, I turned to my community. I shared what had happened on social media and asked for prayers, thoughts, light—and Reiki.
And wow, did she receive it. Reiki was flowing constantly to her from all directions. The powerful, compassionate Reiki practitioners I have worked with lovingly with in HeartSpace for years responded. My connections with the International Center for Reiki Training (ICRT), called for help from practitioners around the globe. For four days straight, she was bathed in gentle, loving energy from people near and far—many of whom have practiced Reiki with me, received sessions from Whole Self Unity, or simply held good intentions.
Practitioners put her in their Reiki crystal grids, so a continuous flow of Reiki would find her and boost her healing for the greatest possible good, in the highest possible way. Across time zones and across the International Dateline, we were bathed in unconditional love from near and far.
Rila looks miserable, even though she is heavily medicated.
During that time, I also gave her Reiki in person, tuning in to her body’s signals, her nervous system, and her inner knowing. I could feel her relaxing into it—releasing the initial shock, allowing peace to return, one breath at a time.
A Medical Surprise
When we returned to the vet on day four, something remarkable had happened.
The wound had changed–on the phone before opening the bandage, the vet reminded me again that this would take 8 to 10 weeks. Yet that story changed once she sedated my nervous partner and took a look under the bandage. The deep bruising that extended across her abdomen had almost completely healed. The pocket that was expected to drain for weeks had nearly closed. The vet called in another surgeon who examined it also and agreed–this wound was okay to stitch up!
Now, instead of a long, uncertain journey, we’re looking at just two weeks of healing. No more exposed tissue. No complex dressing changes. Just rest, care, and cuddles. (And a very bored service dog who isn’t used to being told to take it easy.)
We got home from the vet that night overjoyed and relieved–and so very grateful for all the help we had been offered. We even sang her song (The Rila Song) together as a duet. Normally, she just listens, but she is also Reiki attuned, and I believe she knew exactly what had happened.
What Reiki Is—and What It Isn’t
Rila had excellent medical care AND Reiki.
I want to be clear: we had excellent veterinary care. Reiki didn’t replace antibiotics or pain relief or medical guidance. It worked with the vet’s care—not in place of it.
Reiki is a gentle, non-invasive form of energy healing that promotes deep relaxation, reduces stress, and supports the body’s natural healing processes. It doesn’t override medical treatment; it enhances the environment for healing—physically, emotionally, and energetically.
In my dog’s case, I believe Reiki helped her body shift out of fight-or-flight, supported cell regeneration, and gave her nervous system the space it needed to recover from trauma. The antibiotics, pain medication, and excellent medical interventions helped her tissues and physical systems–the Reiki boosted those effects and also helped shift the nonphysical aspects of her fuzzy being.
Healing Isn’t Just Physical
This experience reminded me of something I often tell my clients: healing happens on many levels. Yes, her physical wound healed quickly—but I also saw her emotional recovery accelerate. Her eyes softened. Her breathing slowed. She slept deeply. Her trust returned.
That’s what Reiki can do. It supports healing not just in the body, but in the heart, the mind, and the spirit.
A Message for You, If You’re Overwhelmed
Rila feels better, because her healing was speedy with Reiki.
If you’re facing something hard right now—grief, pain, burnout, anxiety, illness—you’re not alone. Healing isn’t always fast. But it is possible.
Whether it’s through medical care, energy work, or the support of a loving community, healing happens. And Reiki can be part of that journey.
If you’re curious about trying Reiki—whether for yourself, a loved one, or even a furry companion—I’d be honored to hold space for your healing. I firmly believe that anyone who earnestly asks for healing receives it at the right time in the right way. Healing is already on the way, Friend.
Next Steps?
Curious about how Reiki can support you in hard times?
Book a Distance Reiki Session or Learn More About Our Practitioners.
Want to support someone else’s healing? Donate to our Reiki Scholarship fund, join our email list below, or connect with us to ask a question or volunteer. We are also offering a limited number of donated one-on-one sessions to women with cancer, nominate yourself or someone else on our Wellness Scholarship form.
