How Reiki Taught Me the Meaning of Trust

Trust and Reiki - two words that were foreign to me. Neither had any place in my life. Because of experiences and ideas developed in my formative years, I didn’t trust myself or the knowledge that I would be ok no matter what obstacle came my way. I had never heard of Reiki. Little did I know that going to Brazil would forever change that.  After I started practicing Reiki, trust appeared too. Both of these words have brought so much joy, growth and opportunity. They have formed who I am today, and I look back on the past with amazement at how far I’ve come.

In 2012, after going to Brazil, I began my Reiki journey. Needing to get away after ending a long term relationship, I reconnected with a friend from my youth who lived in Sao Paulo. I spent a few months with him and his family. During this time, I experienced first hand the beauty of their spirituality and how it is woven into the fabric of Brazilian culture. 

 As I was leaving to come back to the States, my friend said, “Hey you should look into Reiki, you’d be really good at it.” As soon as I got back, I googled “Reiki”. At that time there wasn’t a ton of information out there.  Although I was able to find some basic information, I really didn’t understand the concept, and honestly felt a bit skeptical. Something, however, kept pushing me to pursue it, so I decided to look for a class.

I found the North Carolina Reiki Training Center in Asheville and registered right away. My teacher was the kindest, most sincere human being and her passion for Reiki radiated. Her presence and her love for what she was teaching washed away any skepticism about Reiki that I might have had. There had to be something that led me to find this class, and meet this phenomenal teacher. In one weekend, I was certified in Reiki 1 and 2.  Every moment was a magical experience I’ll never forget. 

Some of the students in the class had powerful experiences that left them with huge impressions. For me, it wasn’t like that. Reiki has been what I like to call a slow burn. I felt very relaxed in class. Learning about energy healing and feeling that energy was a very enjoyable experience. I loved the meditations and the spiritual aspect of it. There wasn’t a huge shift for me right away though. I did feel something, but it wasn’t like what some of my other classmates experienced.

Until my time in Brazil, I knew nothing about my own spirituality. As a child and young adult, I had not developed any spiritual beliefs. Organized religion didn’t resonate with me. What I did believe in was energy, and I wasn’t even sure what that meant.  I had always been able to feel the energy of other people: their moods, their sadness, their stress. I could feel energy when I walked into a room or building. So for me, energy made the most sense. It wasn’t until Reiki that I began to understand what my beliefs truly were. 

After the class, I decided that I needed to practice as much as possible. That’s always how I approach anything I’m interested in pursuing. So I practiced on anyone who would let me work on them. At the time I was employed as an esthetician at a large spa with about a dozen massage therapists. I would give them Reiki treatments any chance I could. They loved it! Some had emotional releases during the sessions, some would see colors, feel the energy moving.  Eventually, they convinced the owner to let me start offering Reiki in addition to esthetics.

As I continued giving Reiki treatments, I started noticing that I would feel things, energy moving, emotions in certain areas of my clients’ bodies. Sometimes I would see images or receive what I now know to be messages. At first, I was hesitant to trust what I was experiencing. Where was it coming from? Was it real or just something I was making up in my own mind? I wasn’t sure what to do, so I reached out to a local Reiki Master. After helping me have a better understanding, she said, “Amanda, you have to pass those messages along”. So, that’s what I did.  Ninety-nine percent of the time, those messages were meaningful to the client in some way.

The more Reiki I did, the more information I received.  Over the next three years, I completed my Advanced Reiki Training and Reiki Master certifications. Not only did my Reiki clientele build, but my esthetics clientele flourished as well. I believe that in addition to the knowledge I acquired in skincare, it was Reiki that made me successful. Just being attuned to it, letting it flow in every aspect of my life and work, made my clients feel better. My heart always opens with every client and when my heart opens, the Reiki just naturally flows. For me, that’s what healing is about.

While working with Reiki, over a period of time my psychic abilities became stronger.  Eventually I was led to mediumship. I started  studying and taking classes with a very gifted Medium and Reiki Master, Lee Vanzyl located in New Jersey.  Slowly, I stepped into my purpose. Through this entire process I have continually reminded myself to “Trust.” Trust the flow of Reiki, trust the Universe, trust the process, trust my guides and angels. When something happens in a Reiki session that blows my mind (always in a good way) I trust what I feel and what I’m receiving. When I feel angels surrounding me, helping me with the healing session, I trust that they are really there. I trust that the client will receive what they need, even when I’m tired from a long, busy day. I know that Reiki will do what it’s supposed to do, and I am just the channel.

Because of Reiki, I now trust more in every aspect of my life. When I’m doing a mediumship reading or Reiki treatment, I trust the process because I believe in it completely. The path that Reiki has taken me on has been a steady journey. Things opened up for me when the time was right, when I was ready. The Universe gives us what we can handle, what we are ready for. It is clear to me now that things unfolded in a way and pace that was right for me.

What a gift Reiki has been for me. It wasn’t an overnight shift like it is for some people, but from the moment that Reiki entered my life, it was forever changed. It was a gradual process that got stronger with practice and believing in myself. To me trust is about letting go of fear and doubt. It’s about letting go of our expectations of what we think should happen, the way we want it to. It’s about letting go of the “I NEED this to happen!!!” It’s about surrendering and letting things unfold with the belief that we are supported.

At the end of 2024, when I opened my own Reiki and esthetics business, I decided that throughout that process I would trust. With every obstacle that I ran into, a solution was provided.  I would even have to repeat “Trust” to myself over and over on those days that were really stressful or intense. After a few experiences of this happening in that process of opening, I started to let go of my tight grip of worry and being afraid. 

I have this image in my mind of myself floating down a calm river, lying back and letting it flow and carrying me where I need to be carried.  I am so grateful for the path on which  Reiki has taken me. I can’t wait to see where the river takes me next.