First Published – Reiki News Magazine, Spring 2019
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Reiki can be used as a practical life management tool for everyday life, giving spiritual guidance and energy to help in any circumstance. Reiki has shown us that it works whether we invite and engage with the energy for extended lengths of time or if we call on it for a quick moment in what we call “Reiki-on-the-fly.” In this article, Robyn and I will define what we mean by Reiki-on-the-fly and give examples of how we both use it in our daily lives. Whether for self-care and mental and energetic stability or to manage the stages of motherhood and family situations the possibilities of Reiki-on-the-fly are endless. We hope you resonate with them and are able to apply the technique to your own life. Regardless of the situation, using Reiki-on-the-fly can be a tool in your tool bag to help you live your life more consciously and effectively.
Reiki-on-the-fly is a creative technique where Reiki responds at once through any method of invitation you have available at that moment. You activate Reiki in any situation, in any way you can—think Reiki, chant it, sing it, draw it, say it, fill your eyes and beam the space around you, fill your lungs and breathe it into your hands or fill the space with your breath. You may draw the Reiki symbols or sing them as you drive. Sometimes you can just say “Reiki On” to activate it, and Reiki responds immediately.
Reiki-on-the-fly, as an experience, is different from a deep meditative self-Reiki session in that Reiki is always working and guides you through every step of your day. Since we all live busy lives, it is such a gift and solution to know Reiki is available continuously in any moment to help in more ways than just in formal Reiki sessions.
I coined the phrase “Reiki-on-the-fly” during intense years of caregiving with my mother. My life moved from having time to spend in long hours of meditation and self-Reiki, into a pace of extreme busyness and because of this, I needed Reiki to be available on-the-fly in a moment’s notice. By necessity, my self-Reiki practice had to become an anywhere, any place—for however long I could place my hands on my body—self-Reiki practice. I also had to practice Reiki-on-the-fly for distant Reiki and found that it worked for that too. Answers and solutions come to me from Reiki-on-the-fly too, rather than in the deep relaxation I experience in long Reiki sessions.
You can also use the distant symbol to send Reiki-on-the-fly ahead to yourself to help manage situations before they occur. I find this especially helpful if I am entering a medical setting, such as a hospital, or going to a busy store. It is possible to invite Reiki in any way that occurs to you, for however long you have, and Reiki responds. You can also use the distant symbol to send Reiki-on-the-fly to others. I also use the Kokiho technique, sending Reiki and blessings with my breath. I fill my breath with Reiki and send it through my hands to others like I am blowing a kiss.
Reiki-on-the-fly works because it quickly invites Reiki consciousness into any situation matching the busy pace of life. Think “Reiki” in the middle of your busyness, and it can shift your mind into heightened perceptions and solutions and it can guide you to your next effective action.
I use Reiki every day to create energetic stability. Being an empath, I can feel what others feel—sometimes the feeling of a specific person, sometimes a whole group of people or the energy of a global tragedy or the plight of animals. Reiki activates my higher discernment and intuition so that I can decide what is mine and what belongs to others and not swim in the collective emotions of others. When I activate Reiki-on-the-fly, it instantly guides me to positive feelings so that I notice collective positive frequencies instead of the collective negative frequencies. I activate it in any group situation, even simple daily ones like the supermarket. It also helps me discern feelings and thoughts in my one-on-one interactions.
I am teaching my granddaughter Eva how to use Reiki to manage her empathic ability. She is eleven, and her empath sensitivity came on in a flood of emotion. She feels what her friends and the kids at school feel, she is passionate about human rights and wants to save the world. Reiki-on-the-fly is a tool to help her stay in a positive state of mind using her gifts instead of being burdened by them.
I use Reiki-on-the-fly every day to create mental stability. Managing my mind has been a focus all my life. Reiki gives me the discernment to observe the feelings and thoughts I experience and to choose where I focus my mind and attention, avoiding repetitive or circling thoughts, worry or discussions with others in my head or any other mind games my mind may try to play.
When I have unwanted thoughts, I refocus my attention on pre-determined subjects about which I like to think. I have already decided in advance what I will change my thoughts to if I start to worry or have circling or negative thoughts. I take a moment to observe my thoughts, then I quickly do Reiki-on-the-fly and intentionally shift my mind to one of my predetermined subjects. I have practiced this technique for years, and it works. Subjects I use to shift my mind can be thinking about innovations that work well with Reiki energy, what we are creating with Reiki Lifestyle and our podcasts, myself or my family, horses, beauty, God, philosophy. I pick one and turn my attention straight to it.
Robyn and I talk a lot about Reiki and mind management. Reiki is a daily answer for her as well. Aside from using it in her Reiki practice, she uses Reiki in her home, for her daughter and family, and her mental health and self-care. The following are some of her thoughts.
“I use Reiki-on-the-fly as part of the solution for my daily mental health. With medically diagnosed anxiety, I use Reiki, along with diet and exercise, to help with my symptoms. While this may not be the case for everyone, I am now able to manage my anxiety without medication. With Reiki, daily anxiety is now the exception, not the rule.
My symptoms include circular and intrusive thoughts and Reiki on-the-fly helps me with this, and the symbols are a powerful solution for me. In an “on-the-fly” scenario, if I have mind chatter, I call in the mental/emotional symbol SHK to help break the cycle.
When I have intrusive or depressive thoughts, I use the power symbol CHK and the distance symbol HSZSN to help heal and release them. I use Holy Fire and HSZSN as a bridge of light to move my thoughts into higher consciousness so I can hear appropriate solutions.
Some days I have time to immerse myself in a Reiki session, other times I only have five minutes to get myself into a better place, and many times I don’t have any time, so I will invite the symbols as I’m driving, cleaning or working and watch as my day suddenly feels easier. Reiki helps me manage my mind and move from the level of my problems to the level of my solutions.
Reiki can reveal the purpose, priorities and actions I need to achieve my goals. It helps me develop the personality traits, skills, and resources I need for my daily life. Reiki also helps heal my obstacles, limitations and old injuries that can trigger my problems so that I can receive guidance about my solutions. It empowers me and gives me clarity of mind about my daily choices and actions. When my mind goes into unproductive or negative thoughts, I invite Reiki consciousness to help shift my focus to solutions and resources.”
In this fast-paced world, we are continually looking for solutions and tools to help us manage our family life. Reiki is a daily answer for both Robyn and me as motherhood is a big priority in both our lives.
As for myself, my kids are now adults with their marriages, children, work and homes. They are established in their lives with their plans and choices, and no longer need me to parent them. Today, my role as a mother is that of a mentor. I am at a time in my life where I can focus on myself for stability and consistency. My kids see the benefit I receive from using Reiki to manage my life, and they use Reiki in their work and families.
At age 35, Robyn is the mother of a highly active two-year-old, as well as a wife and a business owner. She described using Reiki-on-the-fly in her daily life when she became a mother.
“Before I had a baby, I thought that I would be a very calm, “Zen” mother. I had all kinds of ideas about the type of mother I would be, after all, I am a Reiki Master practitioner and an all-around ‘chill’ person. Then I had a baby and everything I thought I knew, changed. My baby has never slept well, she is extremely active and independent and has an eye for the most dangerous things in a room. Fortunately, I have Reiki-on-the-fly. It is a tool for managing my stress, my mind, my emotions and my energy. I run Reiki-on-the-fly constantly, and it supports me in making conscious choices. Most importantly it helps me be the mother I hope to be for my child and the person I want to be in life. I use this technique every day to create an intentional home environment of love, light, joy, laughter, warmth, support and nourishment for my family and me.”
Robyn is a great mother. We have talked a lot about Reiki and motherhood. Robyn told me that she expected to “just turn Reiki on” as her main plan to calm Luna down when she was crying, sick or couldn’t sleep. It turned out that Reiki gave Luna more energy. So those middle of the night times when Robyn desperately needed Luna to go back to sleep, Reiki woke her up and she wanted to play!
Along the way, Robyn realized that Luna needed to feel her own emotions and that she was putting pressure on Luna and Reiki for Luna to be “Zen” all the time. Reiki revealed to Robyn that constantly doing Reiki-on-the-fly was the solution for her rather than Luna, so that Robyn could heal her frustrations and enjoy her very “full-of-life” child! Robyn says that she now uses Reiki to help her manage her mind and choices in her family life so that she can lead by example as Luna learns how to navigate this world. Robyn knows that joy, pain, sadness, frustration, happiness and empathy are a normal part of daily life that Luna will experience, and she is teaching Luna to use Reiki-on-the-fly as a support tool too.
Robyn found a poignant statement in an article published in New England Naturopathic Health, “Benefits of Reiki for Children,” where the author Corrie Marinaro wrote, “Learning about and utilizing Reiki at a young age promotes a healthy way of living throughout their lives, helping children make better choices and create balance.” (1)
Robyn says, “I am teaching Luna Reiki as a tool she can use to help her manage her daily life through all the lessons she will experience. She will grow up knowing that Reiki is a friend she can always call upon that can guide her for her life solutions. Luna is two now, and she already understands about Reiki. It is beautiful to watch her empathy for me when she strokes my arm or hair and says, ‘Reiki, Mama.’ Knowing Luna will grow up with Reiki-on-the-fly as a tool in her tool bag gives me a sense of peace for her.”
The Reiki-on-the-fly technique is a great solution, and as an unlimited resource, a tremendous gift and blessing for us. It’s another tool that will enable you to live your life more consciously. Reiki works in any way we ask whether for extended lengths of time or if we call on it for a quick moment of help! Just invite it to guide you to your on-the-fly solutions!
Colleen Benelli is a Licensed Senior Reiki Master Teacher, Holy Fire® III; Co-Director of Licensed Reiki Master Teachers; ICRT Mentor Teacher; the founder of Reiki Lifestyle and the Reiki Lifestyle Podcast and an Associate Teacher for the Light-Song School of Shamanic Studies. Colleen lives and teaches in Portland, Oregon, and is excited to announce that she is teaching Usui/Holy Fire® III Reiki I & II and Master Training, and Holy Fire® III Karuna Reiki® Master Training in India in April 2019! Contact Colleen by email at colleen@reikilifestyle.com, on her website at www.reikilifestyle.com or by phone at (503) 912-0664.
Robyn Benelli is a full-time Holy Fire III Reiki master and practitioner in Portland, Oregon. She can
be reached by email at robynbenelli@gmail.com and by phone at (503) 912-0664. Listen to Colleen and Robyn on Reiki Lifestyle® podcasts on Reikilifestyle.com or Apple podcasts/Reiki Lifestyle.
Colleen offers Reiki training and Reiki sessions. She is a compassionate, conscious healer who has clients around the world. Her healing methods include decades of discovery into the world of Reiki, including the new and powerful Holy Fire III Reiki. Learn more >
