Reiki Mark Cross

11/04/2026

WHY HAVE A TEACHER?
Why is it encouraged that you not only learn about Reiki with a teacher, but you remain a student after the training course?

I speak from experience when I say having an ongoing relationship with your teacher:

- reminds you to stay present
- is a source of guidance and support
- inspires you to do the meditation practices every day not just on your training course
- shows you the benefits of Reiki if practiced over time
- means you have more opportunities to awaken e.g. group shares and Reiju
- keeps learning about Reiki at the forefront of your mind
- improves your practice and the outcomes you get from your practice.

In short having ongoing teaching is both enjoyable and rewarding. Each teacher brings something different to your practice and each interaction will give you the opportunity to be yourself more fully.

08/04/2026

WHAT IS REIKI?
Reiki is deep interconnectedness with all things.

I am the grass, the grass is me.
I am the birdsong, the birdsong is me.
I am the flower's fragrance, the fragrance is me.

When we experience ourselves in this way we feel complete, whole and connected.

28/03/2026

When people use the word , they frequently mean a Reiki treatment where you lie on a couch, perhaps have some soothing music playing, receive a hands on or hands off treatment and see colours and visions.
However, the founder of the practice of Reiki, Mikao Usui, had a very different definition for the word Reiki. To him the word Reiki, a word only associated with his teachings quite late in the day, described a state of being.
For Usui, Reiki meant our true self where we are free of worry and anger and gratefully embrace the moment as it is. Reiki Ryoho was his map to others to experience anshin ritsui-mei*, the state of absolute calm he'd been searching for all his life.
Usui's method (Ryoho) included guiding principles, meditations, hands on healing, poetry, symbols and mantras and spiritual blessings. These were all designed to facilitate the release of the ego and our historic debris to enable enlightenment. He shared these with students so they may too enjoy the bliss of serenity and know their potential.
Whilst best known in the west as a hands on healing method, this was only a tiny part of Usui's vision. To Usui, a person's calm and balanced state was the ultimate objective. It was from this space that healing abilities arose. The more calm and grounded the person, the greater healing powers they would have.
This is why the emphasis of the practice of Reiki is living in accordance with the Reiki precepts, doing the meditations, self treatments and receiving Reiju (spiritual blessings).
So the word Reiki is therefore a noun, not an verb. It is a state of being that is to be engaged with daily, not something we "do" and then forget about. 💜

* Anshin Ritsumei (安心立命) is a Japanese term referring to a state of complete spiritual peace and mental calm, accepting of all circumstances with a tranquil heart. It translates roughly to "peace of mind and enlightened life," serving as the ultimate goal of Mikao Usui’s Reiki practice.

27/03/2026

Animals can be a hugely positive influence in our life. Open-hearted and joyous, animals help us to remember our open-hearted and joyous self making the world a little brighter.

However, just like us animals can experience trauma and stress resulting in stress-behaviours and health issues. Whilst veterinary medicine is always a first port of call, there is much as humans we can do to support our beloved pets that doesn't cost the earth and will deepen the bond between us all.

One such approach is the practice of energy healing. Energy healing is working with the energy everything is made from and intentionally creating a space for it to shift, move, change and if necessary release. Trauma, physical and emotional, can get stuck in the body creating issues like aggression, separation anxiety, chewing, digestive upsets, skin conditions, injury and poor wound healing. Animals can't verbalise these issues, making it all the more important we observe our pets behaviour and put in place proactive support.

Calm creates calm
Just as emotional contagion can put an animal into a heightened state of anxiety or induce depression, it can also be used to co-regulate and support animals to return to a healthy state of wellbeing and calm.

Energy healing practices such as Reiki utilise this wisdom to create a calm space to allow energy to shift and move. The principles are wholly the same as energy healing for humans, taking into account the safety aspect of being around animals.

Below is a brief outline of how to offer energetic support to an animal:

1) Centre and calm yourself first. You want your energy field to be a place of safety and serenity that the animal can benefit from. Take a few deep breaths to the bottom of your belly. Having a regular meditation practice will speed up and improve your ability to do this and stay calm and centred.

2) Ideally, you would let the animal come to you. This is why pets often join their owners when they are doing their meditation practice, they want to be close to the source of stillness. If the animals comes in close enough, you can gently lay your hands on or close to them or simply imagine your calmness emanating from you like sunbeams.

3) Let the animal take from you what they need. There's no transfer of energy per se, more an awakening of their own energy back to a state of harmony.

4) Keep breathing in a relaxed and calm way from your belly. This will keep you grounded as you may become aware of areas of tension or pain in the animal. This is all perfectly normal and you'll find it will likely soften as time goes on.

5) Keep your mind light and open - avoid thinking or being distracted.

6) You may notice after a while the animal sighs, stretches, yawns or shakes. This is them resetting their energy.

7) The treatment is finished when you feel it is time or the animal moves away.

8) Swipe your body down with your hands afterwards from shoulders to hips and down your arms to ground yourself, and have a refreshing drink of water.

9) Take a moment to yourself before you go about your day.

Offering energetic support to people and animals is highly addictive! You will likely find that you enjoy the experience yourself and that is has dramatically improved the bond between the animal and you. Intention is the most important part, as energy flows to where attention goes.

There is no limit to how many times you can do this practice, so long as it remains natural and easy. It is also, in no way, a replacement to veterinary care which should be your first port of call in a health emergency or for the treatment of long-term issues. That said, the ability to give energetic support is a great tool to have in your tool box whether you are a pet owner, therapist, provider of services to the animal sector or simply love animals. You will find animals to be responsive and clear on their feedback, I always tell my students, animals are great teachers to improve your healing skills!

If you would like to learn how to treat yourself, others and animals with Reiki, I run training courses. I would be delighted to share my knowledge with you!

13/03/2026

Huge congratulations to Chantal Greenfield for completing her Okuden qualification today! Chantal demonstrated an ongoing awareness of herself, others and how to perform effective treatments that means I know she is going to go on and do amazing things!

10/03/2026

Be grateful is the third Reiki precept. Why? Because when we are grateful we are:

- relaxed
- present
- at peace with our current experience
- whole
- harmonious
- positive
- healthy
- balanced
- resourced
- open to possibilities
- pleasant to be around
- being aligned
- a magnet for more of what we want.

Sounds like a very healthy and sustainable way of living to me. Agree?

25/02/2026

In the 16 years I have been a Reiki student, I have come to realise attitudes towards it have dramatically changed. What was once considered very woo, woo or even something people didn't know anything about, now most people have a rough idea of what Reiki is and many have had a treatment or have even learnt.

I believe this to be due to the popularity of the outcomes Reiki gets. It is always interesting to see what is a fad and what steadily grows in popularity over time, and Reiki as a well-being practise has grown steadily each year .

As awareness and knowledge of Reiki grows, I look forward to sharing more of the benefits with people from all walks of life. Wouldn't it be great if like in Japan whole families learn this practise to support one another?

23/02/2026

I have very much enjoyed the Milan Cortina 2026 winter Olympics. I was watching the injuries and psychology required for performance and thought how useful Reiki would be!
Reiki can't create potential that doesn't exist, but it can take away barriers to performance such as nerves, unhelpful thoughts and pain.
The Canadian team already has a Reiki practitioner in their midst, and New Zealand cyclist Hayden Roulston cites Reiki as the reason he was able to return to the sport after a serious heart condition.
With so much benefit from this holistic approach will other teams follow suit and recruit Reiki practitioners? I hope so. Please can I be on the list for horses and humans for ?



P.S. Congratulations to local athlete Matt Weston for his two golds! 🥇🥇

06/02/2026

You cannot pour from an empty cup
If you are already full then how will you take on something new?
*************
Those two phrases make me think about the important role Reiki teachers play in awakening Reiki within their students. Being a teacher is a deeply sacred position that both holds great responsibility and privilege.
When choosing a teacher there are several important considerations to take in mind:

1) Do you like the person? Are they like yourself or someone you'd like to be like? Do you have shared interests and perspectives on the world? Do they make you laugh and smile?
2) Do you feel safe with them? You will potentially be opening yourself up to new experiences, do you trust them to hold you through that process?
3) Do they have something of value to share? Teaching Reiki isn't about teaching the manual by rote, it's about sharing lived experience and hard earned wisdom. Do they have first hand experience of what they are sharing? How long have they been practicing and how many treatments have they done?
4) Are they empty enough to learn something new, or do they act like they know it all (dangerous)? Teachers are still students of Reiki, which means they too are constantly learning.
5) Do they themselves have a teacher? It's not essential, but for their continued growth I highly recommend it.
6) Do they offer follow on support? What ongoing learning and practicing opportunities are available?
7) Are they coming from a place of love or teaching to get adoration and love? A great teacher will be grounded and self-assured, not needing students to put them on a pedestal or validate their worth. Reiki is about losing your ego, not feeding it.
8) What type of Reiki do they teach? There are many, Holy Fire, Western, Jikiden, traditional Japanese, I've even seen dolphin Reiki! Listen to how each teacher describes the type of Reiki they teach. Does it resonate?
9) When they teach how many is in the group? Some will only teach big groups, others will do 1-1. I personally like 2-4 people, but will occasionally go up to 6 if I think it will benefit the participants.
10) How flexible can they be around the learning hours? Are they able to teach during the week or at weekends? Do they offer one day, two days or over a period of weeks? What are your needs?
11) Do they teach online or in-person? If you are planning to practice professionally online courses are not accepted by many of the Reiki alliances and insurance companies. If it's just a bit of entertainment and learning you're looking for then online might be fine, but if it's deep spiritual awakening (the purpose of Reiki) then in my experience a student benefits most from being in the same room as their teacher.

If you're considering learning Reiki, ask to speak to some of the teachers students to find out what they think about them. Word of mouth still remains the best recommendation as opposed to flashy marketing posts. Most that are great at their craft are poor or disinterested in technology so you may want to ask around to find out who is good and who others would recommend. I would highly recommend you have a treatment with them too, as it's a great way to get to know them.
There are many Reiki teachers now, far more than there was 10 years ago, so you really are spoilt for choice.
A good teacher may encourage but would never pressurise you to learn, nor would they push you through the levels quickly. Instead (from their own experience) they will know Reiki is something you learn gradually with practice over time. Depending on your start point and how much time you can put to it and how much input you get from those further down the journey than you, determines your progress. A weekend course but no practice is going to be a lot less impactful than a weekend course plus daily meditation practice, monthly Reiki Shares and reading about Reiki in books and online.
So as you can see, there's a lot to learning Reiki than just signing up to the first course you see.
I wish you well on your quest! 💜

31/01/2026

Lovely Weekend Reiki Share this morning!
What's a Reiki Share? It's where trained Reiki practitioners come together to give and receive treatments under the supervision of an experienced practitioner and teacher.
It's a great opportunity to further your Reiki skills, enjoy time with like-minded people and receive a treatment!
I had a wonderful treatment on my tired shoulders this morning, just what was needed after a hard training session on Thursday.
Want to be in on future Reiki Shares? You don't have to be a student of mine to attend.
Look out for future opportunities on this page or check out the events section of my website to learn when future shares are!

30/01/2026

I have had five people in the last month feel concerned that if I was to give them Reiki it would deplete my own energy.
The first time it was said to me I really thought about it, and I realised that we often talk and say that "I will give you Reiki", "I will send healing", but this isn't actually a correct description of what happens.
In reality, when treating another we are helping reorganise their own energy.
Frequently where there is pain, exhaustion and discomfort there's what feels (or looks if you are visual) a distorted energy. It can seem spiky, gnarly, compressed, in a fight with itself, heavy, scattered, busy or fragmented. What it isn't is soft, free-flowing, relaxed, open and light.
What a practitioner is doing when they give a treatment, is they are being light, open, calm, centred and grounded - encouraging the energy of the other person to join them in that coherent place. The laying on of hands helps bring proximity of that calmness to areas that are chaotic and distressed. This is often perceived as heat, coolness or tingling.
In a grounded practitioner, no transfer of energy takes place between the two people (or animal) per se, but a gravitation towards calm in both parties.
This is why the practitioner is bright and buoyant after a treatment, they have enjoyed sitting quietly in their own calmness, radiating it outwards like the sun.
This is also why adhering to the precepts, doing the meditation practices and self-treatment is so important in the system of Reiki. These are the foundations that enable us to be of benefit to others whether we lay our hands on them or not!

28/01/2026

Us Brits are a nation of animal lovers, but what would it be like if you could be a source of healing support for them too?

https://www.beccigodfrey.com/post/energy-healing-and-animals

Not everyone is an animal person, but the chances are that if you love animals, you enjoy the way they make you feel. Animals can be very calming to be around. I'm sure part of this is because they don't have the same stressors as humans. The pets in my life have never had a mortgage, a text message...