As March unfolds, we welcome spring changes, as well as honoring the achievements, strengths, and contributions of women today and throughout time for Women’s History Month. The things women have been able to achieve for themselves and for future women alike are just nothing short of remarkable, especially those involved in the realm of spiritual work. Take a moment this month to honor the incredible female Reiki Practitioners and Masters within our community, who have made such profound contributions to the history of Reiki as a whole and who have shaped its very history by paving the way for so many others to learn about the wonderful benefits of reiki healing.
One woman in particular, is known as the individual who brought Reiki to the Western world. She was a Japanese-American woman who’s story depicts the transformative power of women in these spiritual spaces, as she helped make this healing modality become accessible to hundreds of thousands of people, eventually making it accessible for women all around the world who may have not had a clue of this kind of spiritual practice. Hawayo Takata was an exceptional teacher who trained under Chujiro Hayashi, a student of Miako Usui, who was the founder of Reiki himself. Without her, Reiki may not have made its way from Japan to the West in the time that it did and spread with such explosive energy. The transmission of healing energy between these original 22 Reiki Masters that were personally trained by the Third Grand Master herself created so many other masters, some of which were women themselves, such as Iris Ishikuro, Wanja Twan and Barbara McCullough. Their commitment to spreading and teaching Reiki allowed it to expand not only geographically but over time as well, preserving Reiki in a way that many, if not most western Reiki practitioners today can be traced in their lineage all the way back to Takata and her original students.
In Today’s time we are seeing an increase of interest in Reiki and accessibility in becoming certified more than ever before. It has become extremely healing and empowering for contemporary women all across the world to not only receive Reiki from other women but also become practitioners themselves. In addition to the historical figures, such as Madame Takata, we acknowledge and are grateful for all of the women who contribute to the Reiki community in their way, whether it be with practice, guidance, books, workshops, healing and just overall taking care of the growth of the Reiki community. At Self Empowered Minds, we want all women (and men!) to feel their most confident, happy, purposeful selves. We offer Usui/Holy Fire Reiki I & II Certification, where you can learn to heal yourself and others, guided by our very own wonderful practitioners. Additionally, our Director Saba Hocek offers the Biological Intuitive Master course, a method unique to SEM, combining Traditional Chinese Medicine, Access Consciousness, Biodecoding, Acupressure and so much more.
Overall, Reiki continues to grow and become accessible to individuals seeking healing, balance and spiritual growth. This month we take the time to honor the divine feminine and its role in shaping the history and evolution of Reiki, both its Japanese roots to its adaptations in the modern era in the West. Remember to continue honoring these important women of our communities by taking care of our mental health and spiritual journeys.
