© iStockPhoto/Choreograph

www.reiki.org • Winter 2015 • © Reiki News Magazine 35

Holy Fire, burn away the parts of me that keep me from being a blessing to others!

Iremember vividly the first time I heardof Holy Fire Reiki: I was sitting on mydeck in the summer of 2014, enjoying

the latest issue of Reiki News Magazine. AsI read the “The Birth of Holy Fire Reiki”by William Lee Rand, I felt a rush ofexcitement in my belly that rose upthrough my chest and erupted as laughter.I realized that the Holy Spirit of my Cre-ator God had initiated a grand anddynamic movement in the world of Reiki.I recognized that beautiful Spirit, andvowed immediately that I would be

attuned with Holy Fire Reiki as soon asthe opportunity presented itself.

It wasn’t long before I learned thatWilliam Rand was taking enrollment for anApril 2015 class in Glens Falls, NY—just anhour drive from my home! I signed up toattend, along with my friend and Reikiteacher Theresa, who had attuned me inUsui Reiki Levels I, II and Advanced ReikiTraining (ART). In our confirmation email,William said that transformation wouldbegin the moment we registered for theclass, and I watched for those changes. Theywere real and immediate.

First, there was a shift in my writing,another one of my favorite pastimes, in

Reiki. I also received and deeply appreci-ated my new ability to attune others.Although I had no plans to teach at thattime, I immediately began practicinghealing attunements—on my husband,my mother and myself. We were allamazed by the strength and significanceof those attunements.

The day after my Usui Reiki Masterattunement, I received advance copies ofmy Reiki News article, which I passedaround the table at a card game I was host-ing for some women friends. My friendDiana scanned the article, and comment-ed that she had been a Reiki Master sincethe 1980s (of which I had not been

aware). Suddenly she spoke out clearly,“We should teach a class together.” Mag-gie, another of the women present, is onthe board of a local retreat center, and sheencouraged us to contact the center andask if they had any available dates for aReiki Level I class. The next day Dianaemailed the center and learned that,although there is usually a one to two yearwait list for class space, they had a cancel-lation in early March. We excitedlybooked the date and began collaboratingto advertise, organize and prepare for ourjoint presentation.

During the next several months, Ibegan to seriously entertain the idea of

addition to Reiki. In the fall of 2013, Ipublished a book I had been working onfor six years. Abba House & Me: PrayerChanges Everything is the history of anAlbany, New York house of prayer thatoperated for 30 years; the book interspers-es Abba House’s history with my own spir-itual memoir describing a period in my lifewhen I developed a strong spiritual con-nection as my family dealt with the men-tal illness of our son. After publishing thebook, I continued writing, submittingshort pieces to different magazines, butnone were published. In November—around the same time I signed up toattend the Holy Fire class—I considered

writing an article about my healing expe-riences with Reiki. I sent an email inquiryto determine whether Reiki News Maga-zine would be interested, and Williamresponded within 10 minutes! I took thatas a sign that I needed to focus my writingon healing. I wrote the article and it waspromptly published, in the Decemberissue of this magazine.

Around the same time, Theresa askedif I would like to receive my Usui Masterattunement so that I could see the differ-ence between that and Holy Fire, and weset a date in early December. During theclass I was gifted with greater sensitivityin my hands and spirit while channeling

Finding a New WayHow I Let Holy Fire Reiki Take the Lead

B Y A N N E S A M S O N

I was gifted with greater efficiency in my day job, and a deeper empathy for the challenges faced

by my elderly parents. I became more aware of some of my own long-standing attitudes and

propensities that have caused me pain over the years, and prayed for healing, which was granted.

36 © Reiki News Magazine • Winter 2015 • www.reiki.org

F I N D I N G A N E W W A Y

how giving Reiki to my friends and familyactually healed me! I always felt healthierin body, mind and spirit after I gave a ses-sion. I began to understand the connec-tion between Reiki and my own healthand happiness; I also began to deeplyappreciate the ability to channel the giftof Reiki to others, and to positivelyimpact their health and happiness.

All of these changes happened in justthree months! Meanwhile, I continued togo to work every day and fulfill all my fam-ily obligations to my husband, adult sonsand elderly parents.

With the April 24 Holy Fire ReikiMaster class hovering on the horizon, myReiki teaching partner Diana and I werebusily creating flyers, discussing our out-line and enrolling students for our class.We both also became quite ill with differ-ent ailments and remained so for twoweeks. Diana suggested that we wereundergoing a “healing crisis,” which Ichose to believe, as it sounded far moreromantic than simply being sick. Our bod-ies were purging themselves of toxins aswe moved forward in our collaborativeeffort to bring the healing gift of Reiki toour students. (I learned at my April HolyFire class in Glens Falls that several of myclassmates experienced similar healthchallenges prior to our class.)

As Diana’s and my class approached, Ialso noticed the difference between myanticipation toward it and the anxiety Iusually felt around speaking engagementsat my day job. I was grateful to notice thecontrast, and wrote in my journal that itseemed to confirm my decision regardingearly retirement. During our class, weintroduced six wonderful women to thegrace and beauty of Reiki, while greatlyenjoying ourselves and our collaboration.This was a new and wonderful way to“work” in the world.

I began to listen to the Reiki guidedmeditations from William for spiritual

early retirement from my full-time gov-ernment job as an office manager to starta healing practice, as well as spend timespeaking about my book. One night, Ihad a dream that combined elements ofmy full-time job with my healing prac-tice. In the dream I provided comfortand pain relief to a business owner whowas also an exhibitor at an annual workevent I coordinate. I viewed this as a“transition dream.”

As the weeks passed, I practiced themoving meditation that I had learned inmy ART class, using the Master Symboland chanting “I establish my divine pres-ence on earth; I fulfill my divine purposeon earth.” I continued to ponder earlyretirement, discussed it at length withmy husband, consulted a financial plan-ner and determined that it would be eco-nomically and practically possible. Soexciting! I began to understand thatReiki really does move us toward ourtrue life-paths. I made a new visionboard for my goal of being a Reikiteacher (I had made a vision board sevenyears earlier for my book with the focalpoint “I am a writer and speaker of God’slove.”) I realized that my Higher Power,whom I choose to call God, had provid-ed me with an abundance of money andjust enough time while I was working,but that I was moving toward a newphase of my life, when I would be blessedwith an abundance of time and justenough money. I felt very blessed.

My awareness of negative energy andthe effect it had on me increased signifi-cantly in the months preceding my AprilHoly Fire Reiki class. I noticed that I wasdeeply affected when I encountered any ofmy staff at work who exhibited anger ornegativity: I became nervous and lessarticulate than usual. I began to practiceKenyoku or dry bathing more often andwas able to finish each day with moreenergy and a better attitude. I also noticed

protection, healing and spiritual guid-ance, and had a profound experience onemorning. As I lay in bed I felt the pres-ence of the Archangel Michael whotouched my third eye, awakening wis-dom and connectivity to the spiritworld. I found myself at a pool of waterand understood it was the pool of Wis-dom. I drank deeply. When I returned toa consciousness of my physical body, Itried to get up and write about the expe-rience in my journal. Before I could rise,I sensed the presence of three individualslaying Reiki hands on me. Usui Senseistood at my feet with his hands restingon me. I heard “Go where you need togo.” His presence was peaceful andserene and he exuded great Reiki energy.Hayashi Sensei stood next to me withhis hands on my abdomen. I heard “Healwhat you need to heal.” His smile wasfull of light, and as he placed his righthand over my heart, I was flooded withhealing energy. Takata Sensei stood nearmy head, with her small hands lightlycovering the sides of my face. I heard“learn what you need to learn.” She wasvery real, very present. I awoke in awe ofthe experience, deeply and profoundlygrateful for the visitation.

Daily life continued, with its stressors,including my day job in my office. Foryears I have struggled with a tendency totry to do more than I am physically ableto do, and once again, over a period ofseveral days, I repeated that pattern. Ibecame ill and chastised myself about mybehavior, which made it worse. I decidedto try one of my new Reiki tools—auracleansing to remove what I identified as aclump of self-loathing. It worked amaz-ingly well. I was purged of that negativityand provided with a new awareness of myphysical limits.

Finally, the April Holy Fire Reiki Mas-ter class arrived. It was tiring, but richwith William’s wisdom, profound experi-

www.reiki.org • Winter 2015 • © Reiki News Magazine 37

Anne is enjoying the jour-ney that Reiki is leadingher through, and excitedlylooking forward to receiv-ing her Master training inHoly Fire Reiki in early2015. Anne is the author

of Abba House & Me: Prayer ChangesEverything and the co-founder of a bountifulprayer shawl ministry at her home church inAlbany, New York. Anne can be contacted byemail at annejoyful1@hotmail.com or byphone at 518.322.1373.

ences during the meditations, beautifulnew friends, and the deep, healing energyof Holy Fire. It has a different, highervibration than Usui Reiki, which wasapparent immediately. Many of the stu-dents received profound healing on manylevels. Several spoke openly about theirrevelations and experiences, and we wereall enriched by each other.

William encouraged us to notice thechanges in our mindsets, tendencies andhealing abilities. I was gifted with greaterefficiency in my day job, and a deeperempathy for the challenges faced by myelderly parents. I became more aware of

F I N D I N G A N E W W A Y

some of my own long-standing attitudesand propensities that have caused mepain over the years, and prayed for heal-ing, which was granted. I have beenstruggling with some of these issues forover 20 years, in therapy and 12 stepgroups, and they were resolved with HolyFire within weeks!

In November I take my early retire-ment and begin the next phase of my life,a time of graced healing. I look forwardto introducing more people to the won-ders of Holy Fire Reiki, both individuallyand by teaching classes. Holy Fire, takethe lead! 1