Retraining as a reiki practitioner

[Mydogpongs]

I woke up again this morning so unhappy about work, my boss, my workload, my bank balance, time away from my family and home and decided I need to do something about it.

I got a very odd ball of energy feeling my tummy when the thought of training in reiki popped into my head. Now I'm not a hippy or anything and have never had reiki and i know little to nothing about it but I can't shift this feeling. It feels like it's the universe telling me why has ut taken so long to realise this is what I'm meant to do!

Would I be mad to do this? Could I make a living doing this? I'd there anyone willing to give me the lowdown on this sort of work? Any pointers or reality checks are welcome but please be kind.

I can't see that you'll ever make money from this. There are thousands of reiki practitioners most of whom do it because it's a short easy course. I live in Glastonbury and every other person here is a reiki "master".

OP I am looking at doing something in complementary therapies as well or teaching yoga/pilates.

There are more established and respected areas you could qualify in than Reiki: massage therapy, reflexology or if you have the time and money things that would require longer term studies like osteopathy, podiatry or mental health therapist.

It has a placebo effect so it's useful for treating certain conditions, That's what it's all about, IMHO.

I'm not looking at offering cum I'm not sure many people offer reiki with a happy ending!

If you're worried about your bank balance probably not the 'career' for you tbh. One of my former best friends does it - she had a midlife crisis and has now become a reiki/holistic wellness practitioner but it took her a long time to build up a client base including massive time spent spouting motivational quotes and other deep and meaningful stuff on insta, offering numerous free 'seminars' every week and inventing a whole backstory of trauma in her life as her 'specialty' is trauma healing via reiki and meditation. She was doing lots of other part time work in between for the first few years plus she has a healthy inheritance so no mortgage. How good you are at marketing yourself and making people feel at ease so they want to throw money at this is going to be a lot more important to your success than any training because as others have said it's all BS and not based on any actual science in the first place. Fair play to my friend, she has fully embraced the lifestyle and does seem genuinely happier than when she was working a corporate job and has built a good business out of it, although I've lost a bit of respect for her because she's now extreme in her views around vaccines, dismissing western medicine altogether, completely anti-alcohol and processed foods, anti-capitalist etc. It does seem like to be successful at this sort of thing you really need to drink the cool aid completely or at least project those views publicly - whether or not she actually believes it all I don't know.

You'd be better off financially learning to teach Pilates and Zumba. My friend does this and earns enough to survive. Add in reflexology maybe?

Reiki in my experience is a load of old tosh.

GrumpyPanda
You're taking the words out of my mouth. Was going to suggest reiki-cum-palm reading.

I'm not looking at offering cum I'm not sure many people offer reiki with a happy ending!

I think GrumpyPanda was actually trying to insert a bit of Latin into this "enlightened" conversation 😂

You can do a first-level Reiki training course fairly cheaply over a weekend. If it seems right for you, you can progress from there. As part of the training you would need to do a certain number of supervised sessions before qualifying.
You would then have to register as self employed and join some kind of professional body that allows you get insurance for your practice. Again, not too expensive individually, but it adds up. Practicing without insurance isn't a good idea, though not illegal.
I doubt that you could make a decent living from it at first; not for a number of years, perhaps never. You would need good marketing and a network of recommendations, and where you live is significant. I know a few Reiki practitioners but none without another income source.
Good luck. Whether you decide to pursue Reika practice or not, it sounds as if you are ready for a change of job, and perhaps this is the first step.

I’ve a relative who does Reiki along with past lives regression. She has a full time ‘normal’ job alongside. Unless you combine it with other things or are exceptionally charismatic and maybe teach it as well, you are unlikely to make a living.

@ellitheelephant this so much describes a relative of mine. The ‘ massive time spent spouting motivational quotes and other deep and meaningful stuff on insta’ and the sharing of past trauma (which is hurtful as involves a late family member).
I’d like to think she does believe in it (I certainly don’t) as otherwise she’s just exploiting clients, some of whom in a vulnerable state.

Shame, at least as a sex worker you'd be in a more ethical profession.

There are, indeed, more established and respected areas you could train in, like clown college.

It's a load of old woo nonsense.

😁

Oh I'm used to unethical work I currently work for a charity in a paid position! I'm sick of the wasted money they spend on marketing, branded goods and parties while people are making donations, leaving money and more in wills and giving up their time for free to raise these funds in our shops. I was given a merch bundle that must have cost hundreds last month for no reason other than they had to spend the money before they lost it! Why not spend it on the people we are meant to support 🤔I didn't need multiple water bottles, 2 different travel mugs, flashy rucksack, wireless phone charger, hat, brolly, bottle opener etc! I had a similar one last year too. These were given out to prob 150 members of staff! If you work there too hi 👋 don't tell the bosses I'm moaning 😉

We work for an awfully long time relative to lifespan. It’s important to get it right for ourselves and to accept we are likely to evolve over time into different areas of work, just as we change as people. So…being practical….it’s reasonably straightforward to do short taster courses and have some reiki in order to explore your instinctive feelings about it. If it’s for you, well, you’ll find a way! You may want to develop other therapeutic skills as well if working in independent practice is a goal. The practitioner I see is qualified in massage therapy as well as reiki. Most training can be done part-time and knowing that you’re working your way out of a job you hate can help make it more bearable.

The universe is not telling you to hand over thousands of pounds for 'attunements' and being told about 'secret symbols' to think nice thoughts about people.

It's telling you that your job is shit and you need to get another one, not to make your worries about money even worse because you've handed over thousands and can't make your mortage or rent payments.

Wisest words on the internet, frankly.

It's true but this morning it really felt like the thing that the universe was telling me. I love how mumsnet bring things back to reality.

Oh and I have dropped my mooncup OMG that wasn't good! Bring on the menopause

I recommend considering it as an option but I'd go for massage training first. Everyone believes in the power of massage but reiki is hit and miss. I know someone who does massage, she's added extras to it over the years, like aromatherapy, using hot stones etc, she's doing acupuncture next. She makes a living and loves it, some days she's drained but said often it's relaxing for her too, a dim room, relaxing music, lovely smells, no or minimal talking, and kneading flesh like dough. I think you could add reiki to your portfolio but it can't be only thing.

I have already commented but was really interested to see that you also work for a charity!

I have been in that sector for over 20 years and I have grown to hate it.

Like you I have seen money being wasted on Trustee's and CEO's vanity projects, dodgy fundraising practices and also a lot of bullying, including of staff with mental health conditions and/or disabilities.

Not to mention a lot of 'hush' money being paid out to directors who make claims for bullying and unfair dismissals to avoid employment tribunals and more money wasted on hiring 'consultants' who are usually the CEO's mate...

I find it appalling that donated funds are used that way and that so many charities are often really poor employers that treat staff and volunteers badly.

That's why like you I want to get out and retrain because I have lost any kind of interest in continuing to work for the 3rd sector.

Hardly.

Unless you think sleeping with married men is cool.

You think the ethical problem with prostitution is adultery? Wow.

Not the only problem no but then I never said that it was.

Well done for trying to put words in my mouth. Wow you lol.

I trained in it up to level three. I found I did not enjoy treating people. It wasn't my thing. The vast majority of those who do these courses do it for 'personal development'. Same as Indian Head massage etc.