April 2025

Let’s talk about the Faerie Realm (Part 1)

For a few years, I’ve been cultivating a relationship with faeries, elves, and other magical creatures. They help me to understand my relationship with energy and to use my gifts.

The Faerie Realm exists in the liminal space between the Earth Realm (that’s us) and the Angelic Realm. Faeries and similar beings can slip in and out of each of these realms. They are nature spirits. Nature is their portal into the Earth Realm.

There are a number of ways to categorize the beings of the Faerie Realm. (Sometimes it’s referred to as the enchantment realm.) The beings that I feel most connected to are earth and fire faeries + unicorns. Creatures like unicorns live in this realm and assist in healing, offering different properties. Unicorns are known for their rare, soft power and beauty. They have strong ties to manifestation and good luck.

For more specifics about different types of nature spirits and angels, see Ted Andrews’s The Enchantment of the Faerie Realm.

There are faeries connected to each of the four elements (earth, air, fire, water). My astrology aligns most with earth and fire and they are the elements I channel most in my practice. From the earth, I draw upon grounding and protective energies. From fire, I focus on its raw power to transform, cleanse, and charge energy.

Reiki and the tools of discernment I learned in my training are the foundation for my exploration of faeries. I have to be very specific in my intentions to use faeries to heal. Before anything else, I must connect with my concept of higher power. This creates a container and filter. My intention must come from my heart. There are many ways to further create a safe container for exploration, and this is where I start.

For fun, I use crystals, plants, and other meaningful objects in intuitive rituals. I like to imagine I am a Celtic witch queen or similar. But really, I’m not a magician. I resonate with the concept of being a miracle worker. It sounds grandiose; however, the difference between magic and miracle working is that magic manifests what the ego wants, while miracle working manifests what our souls want for us.

December 2024

The following are blog posts I wrote in 2020, upon learning Reiki I and II. These entries are discussions of key concepts I incorporate in my practice today. As I look to get more current with my writing, they are helping me make sense of my journey and find my words.

Second Degree Reiki and Intuition

Reiki is color. I see pulsing vibrations. Electricity swarms the area around my hands. The heart becomes an explosion.

When I began practicing Reiki, I would identify blocked chakras based on where the energy most flowed from my hands. The energy knows how much love a person needs. When I felt this rush of light in a specific area, I stopped there. In Second Degree Reiki, I feel a deeper connection to this phenomenon, which takes the form of a twinge in my Third Eye. My intuition speaks to my hands, telling them where to move. I trust and love myself enough to surrender control. My practice is a celestial dance.

I first discovered this evolution of my practice when I gave Reiki to my friend Jonathan. We were in the country, enjoying a bed of grass. Purple, wild thyme surrounded us. I started at Jonathan's crown, moving through his head, neck, torso, arms, and legs. He wore a tie-dye shirt and it was the perfect visual to match his internal waves. Jonatha's insides were a vast ocean of swirling power. We both blissed out. Reiki is teamwork. We all need to show up and invite exploration, wonder.

In learning Second Degree Reiki, I acquired symbols that allow me to more effectively channel the energy. The way we draw these symbols is meant to be a secret among initiates, respecting the sacred tradition. The symbols help me to a) increase power b) increase balance c) defy space and time. I can send Reiki energy to anyone, anywhere in the world.

I was giving remote Reiki to my friend Mary, and just like with Jonathan, I felt a burst. When I virtually placed my hands on Mary's heart, my eyes welled with tears: release. Together, we embraced Reiki energy and its infinite potential to aid in personal growth, bathing in its warmth, from separate locations. Reiki is unity.

I use symbols throughout remote and live sessions to enhance the connection. As I practice remote or live healing, I will have an inkling to use a certain symbol. Once again, my hands take over. My heart is the guide. My head does not help me.

In deepening my Reiki, I have become more empathic. I acutely feel other people's emotional experiences. Empathy helps me to connect with my clients, feeling their internal processes. I have urges to laugh, dance, and cry, which can feel intense. I am sensitive, meaning I must take extra special care of myself. Meditation is key, taking moments to come back to my breath. I forget the simplicity of breathing. Even taking one conscious breath can change my day.

Reiki reminds me separation is an illusion. Recently, I met a friend of a friend, and I had the thought that she wasn't the type of person I would normally spend time with. I had the thought that we probably have different values. I found myself judging this woman, whose higher power perhaps differs from mine. And, I was firm in my kindness. Once upon a time, I would have said as little as possible to someone I label as "different." In this encounter, I relaxed into the moment, making conversation, holding space, and embracing a new soul connection.

Visualizations assist me in staying grounded before engaging with people. These visuals often involve some form of white light protecting me. And, just because something is imaginary doesn't mean it isn't real. We can be as creative as we like with the images we choose. Nothing is off limits, not in the spirit realm.

Second Degree Reiki and Animal Play

My 21-day energy cleanse is over. After being attuned to Second Degree Reiki, my chakras opened to higher frequencies. I am most struck by the dreams I had during this period. They were vivid, sometimes lucid, and always informative. Often, I dreamt of animals, like polar bears, wolves, and frogs.

I feel very connected to my totem, and I am interested to explore the symbolism of these animals. Everyone has a totem, meaning we draw from animal spirits pertaining to different energies. According to Animal Speak by Ted Andrews (my animal totem bible), bear energies help to awaken the power of the unconscious, reminding us to look within for answers. Keynotes for wolves are guardianship, ritual, loyalty, and spirit. Frogs aid in transformation through sound and healing.

I see bear energies in my full capability to heal myself, rather than externally seeking. I see wolf energies in my self-care routine, where I feel held in the loving embrace of my higher power. I see frog energies in my connection to music as therapy.

Second Degree Reiki introduced me to Reiki as a powerful form of prayer. I learned I can connect a healing session to a personal intention, as if I am praying to my higher power. I’ve been having fun with this concept; it helps me be optimistic in my potential to manifest. On the last day of my cleanse, there was a second new moon in Cancer of this year, heightening my practice. New moons usher in new beginnings.

Some of my intentions are to connect with specific animal energies. I love this idea that I can call on animals for assistance. I have always felt very connected to animals, especially as a small child. I loved observing and playing with different critters. People often associate spiritual awakening with awakening one’s inner child. Reiki is helping me to choose childlike joy, wonder, and playfulness.

I’ve also often dreamt of tigers, which are at the top of my totem. They stand for power, passion, devotion, and sensuality. When I throw love at my connection to this animal, I feel free to express my yin-ness, my mysteriousness, my intangible feminine magic.

I <3 My Heart

A Reiki attunement initiates a new practitioner, offering multi-dimensional healing. Since being attuned, I’ve felt aligned with universal flow, embracing synchronicity. I help to restore balance in and around me. The key for this connection lies in promoting coherence in my heart chakra.

The Heart connects my lower and upper chakras. I’ve heard the lower chakras (Root, Sacral, Solar Plexus) described as earthly, while the upper chakras (Throat, Third Eye, Crown) are more heavenly. The lower chakras keep my feet on physical ground, while the upper chakras send me through the stars. My heart center is a bridge between heaven and earth.

In Lady Gaga’s introduction to Chromatica on Spotify, she talks about having felt split between two realities: her natural “day-to-day” state and a dream, a vision. When I hear this, I think of the lower chakras representing surviving the mundane and the upper chakras representing inspired aspirations. By this logic, the Heart can be a bridge between the mundane and the visionary.

The Heart connects my mind and body. This unity takes me out of my own way, increasing my awareness of a higher power. This consciousness is my foundation for joy, limitlessness. The Heart takes me to my conception of the Source.

I give Reiki energy to my heart each day. When I first wake up, my hands go straight to the center of my chest; it’s an impulse. I feel a rush of love for myself and the world at large. I know tranquility. Also, the accessibility of Reiki comforts me.

Beyond giving Reiki, there are many ways to help my heart flow. When I hug someone, I feel my heart activate. When I am creative, I feel my heart dance. When I meditate and breathe into my chest, I feel my heart swell. Just being aware of my heart space helps it to thrive.

Self-Love

I recently read Reiki Fire by Frank Arjava Petter. Along with an explanation of what Reiki’s nuances are, Petter advises the reader on best practices. He suggests practitioners focus on loving themselves to deepen their love for others. Reiki energy is pure love, so I recently chose to focus on channeling the energy for self-healing.

When I tell people about my self-healing practice, they are often surprised. Many of my friends and family didn’t realize Reiki could be used in this way. I explain that though I receive the energy when treating another person, self-treatment helps promote balance. I feel physically and emotionally light, helping me to be a loving influence. I know healers who were initially drawn to energy work for the benefits of self-treatment.

In lockdown, this application of Reiki is especially useful. To remain a clear channel for the energy, I must consistently practice. My only clients right now are my roommates: my parents, my dog, and my plants. So, when my parents are busy working, my dog is busy being cute, and my plants are busy germinating, I am a huge asset to myself.

Each morning I do a grounding meditation, followed by a full-body, 40–60 minute self-Reiki journey. As I lie down, I feel an impossible whirl of peace and elation. I feel both in and out of my body. I feel connected to earth and sky.

In a session, I travel to each major chakra and to various minor chakras. Chakras are our energy centers. A coherent center might enable confidence (Solar Plexus), love for self/others (Heart), or intuition (Third Eye). I sense physical waves coursing through my body. Most thoughts melt into the present moment. Time is elusive.

Life still isn’t perfect, but I smile more. Reiki helps me feel at home in my skin, leading to simple yet colorful experiences. I admire the birds in Riverside Park. I get lost in pleasant daydreams. I explore new information. The energy directs me.

Reiki Level I

I have wings. I have magical, elemental wings. I use my wings as a shield. They heal. They soothe. My wings are gifts from heaven.

I began my Reiki journey on January 6th, 2020. With my dear friend Liv, I was attuned by a gifted Reiki Master. The attunement process for the First Degree of Reiki involves 4 initiations, or 4 rituals/meditations. These meditations permanently sealed open my chakras, allowing me to channel universal healing energy.

After being attuned to Reiki, there is a 21 day energy cleanse. In this time, my mind, body, and spirit underwent a vibrational “upgrade.” This process opened me up to mind-altering experiences: I went out dancing and socializing, I dated for the first time in years, and I acquired a deep friend/companion. I am a happy boy.

When I am channeling Reiki energy in a session, I must remember my Higher Power is performing the healing. I am a conduit. My ego likes to think otherwise. I am no one’s Higher Power.

In a session, people might cry, see colors/images, feel the energy coursing through them, and/or feel intensely calm. One reason I love giving Reiki is I receive the energy too; there exists a beautiful mutual exchange!

Today, in quarantine, I give Reiki to myself, my parents, my dog, and my plants. I can also channel the energy to electrify my daily activities, like exercise and writing. Liv jokes that we’re like Power Rangers, or in Avatar the Last Airbender.

And, we can all learn to airbend.