Teaching Children Reiki

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Teaching Reiki to Children

by Barbara Mckell

This is an excerpt from an article in the Spring 2004 back issue of the Reiki News Magazine.

Teaching Reiki to children has been such a gift, for it

is actually the children who are teaching me. Their openness and

willingness to explore their innate abilities makes each class special

and unique. I share so much laughter, creativity, and fun with these

children. They have taught me what childhood should be like and how to

help manifest it.

A ten-year-old girl named inspired me to create

a program specifically for children. Her parents, and ,

had taken Level I Reiki with me. A few days after their course, they

called me saying they really needed to talk to me. They spoke to me

from separate extension phones and told me what had transpired in their

home after the Reiki I workshop.

's mother had been looking after her two

children for the duration of the workshop. When and her

husband arrived home, her mother had said, " I don't care what you

learned this weekend, my knee is hurting so bad I need you to try it on

me. " was a little apprehensive about her newly acquired

skill, but she remembered how she could really feel the energy when she

created an energy ball between her two hands. She did this just to make

sure the energy was running, and as she began to feel the energy

between her hands, said, " Oh Mommy, can you show me how to make

one of those beautiful balls of color, too? " Her mother showed her what

to do, and could quite easily see the energy and talked about

the different colors she was seeing. She helped her mother do Reiki on

her grandmother, careful to keep her hands above the area being treated

so that she could still see all the colors. When 's father went

to move a stool that was beside the grandmother, said, " Don't

take that stool. Nanny's angel is sitting there. " Then took her

mother aside and said, " You remember when I was little and I could see

the angels? Well, they are back. I can see them again. You brought the

angels back! "

recognized that there might be challenges in

having a child who is clairvoyant, and so she called me to get some

advice and assistance. I listened patiently to all she had to share

with me. She really needed someone to talk to about this wonderful

little being that was her daughter. I told her what a special gift

was and that the most important thing was that she lived in a

house where her perceptions would be honored. " Your job, " I said, " is

that of a true Guardian, to protect her and make sure no one ever

exploits her gifts or ridicules her. "

It was through my conversations with 's mother

that I realized I needed to create something for special ones like

. I couldn't accept that she had to wait until she was an adult

to learn Reiki. From my own experience, I knew that many children shut

down these special abilities because they feel they have no use for

them in their physical world. I knew that Reiki would give them an

outlet and a practical way to use their perceptions. As Reiki

practitioners, we all know how simple Reiki is and that it is neither

dependent on spiritual evolution nor intellect, so why should it be

kept from someone based on an age barrier? I was also encouraged by

some of my Reiki students who told me that if I set up a class for kids

they would provide me with willing participants.

Reiki KidsWhen I created the first Reiki

Kids program, I sought the advice of experts. One of my colleagues,

Alison Normore, holds a Ph.D. in Childhood Education. She has spent

many years working in child development and program evaluation, so she

became a valuable resource. She also had her Level II Reiki and wanted

to support my project. Another woman who I called in as a resource was

Heidi Klaming. She was a teacher and had spent many years teaching

creative arts to children. Heidi had been practicing Reiki since the

early nineties and was a Reiki Master. Both Alison and Heidi wanted to

be part of the first program and were an immense help to me when we put

our creative minds together.

We decided that we wanted to direct the program to

children aged between six and twelve years, and soon the first Reiki

Kids program was in the works. I wanted a place that wouldn't restrict

the children in any way. A small retreat center where I often teach my

Reiki Master classes was rented for the first workshop. There was

plenty of room for the children both indoors and out. The wood plank

floor would make it easy to clean up any of their creative endeavors,

and the furniture was well worn and comfortable. . . . . . . .

The Attunement for ChildrenQuestions

regarding how I do attunements for children seem to be foremost on

Reiki Masters' minds. I find it easiest to do individual attunements

with children. While I am doing each attunement, my helpers keep the

other children busy with various art projects. A special room for the

attunement is set up with soft music and candles. I smudge the room and

prepare the space with Reiki symbols. This makes it very special, and

the children really respond to the welcoming environment I have created

for them. If any child is unsure or nervous, they can have mom with

them. I have even done an attunement with the child sitting on mom's

knee.

Reiki Masters who use the four-attunement method may

find it a little complicated to keep the children engaged for a long

period of time. I recommend that you do just one attunement. I have a

sense that is all children require. I use the one-attunement method

taught to me by Rand and find it to be highly effective.The

attunements themselves can be an interesting experience, and I have

learned to be very flexible in honoring each child's uniqueness.

Occasionally a child does not wish to receive the attunement. This is

rare, but this too must be honored. I just let the child know that if

they ever change their minds, they can come and see me for their own

special attunement day. Sometimes they just aren't ready to sit still,

and I honor that as well. Intent is the most important element of the

attunement, so I have learnt to adapt. Most children will sit very

respectfully in the prayer position and receive the attunement. Amazing

and beautiful things will happen when you attune children.

One seven-year-old boy named sat so

respectfully during the attunement, it was obvious that this was a very

sacred moment for him. As I did the attunement, I could sense and see

all his chakras line up in micro movements. His field was changing and

filling with light. At the end of the attunement, I instructed him to

put his hands over his heart and allow the Reiki energy to flow. He did

this and sat very quietly for a moment. Then he looked at me with the

most loving expression and said, " My heart has changed its beat. " He

continued to sit there for a little longer then turned his gaze towards

me again and said, " There, it is finished. My heart is beating

differently now. " I asked him if it felt like a good thing. With a

dreamy look in his eyes he said, " Oh, yes. It is very good. " Then he

went off to join the other children.

When his mother contacted me later, she told me he had

spent the week after the workshop in a state of bliss, experiencing the

world around in him in a very loving way.

More on this subject:This is just part of the article which appears in the Spring 2004 issue of the hard copy Reiki News Magazine.

The complete article contains lots of additional information and

techniques you can use to develop a Reiki program for children. To read

the whole article, please order the Spring 2004 back issue.__________________________________________________

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