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Many Reiki practitioners find it very difficult to charge for Reiki treatments mostly at the beginning of our practice. We know that Reiki is given to anyone willing to receive it but we still need to remember that we are offering our time, guidance and services.
Money is an exchange of energy and it is good for everyone somehow some of us have been brainwashed into thinking otherwise. |
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Like those who say, “I rather being poor but healthy” when they could say “I rather being rich and healthy”. Do you find the negative impression about money familiar? If so, there is something deep within you that makes you feel bad about money. You need to be honest with yourself, come to peace with whatever causes you to think negativity about money and fix the issue.
I had issues with money too, I could give and give but could not receive as easily.
I grew up in a culture in which we offer our time freely and it feels wrong to charge for it. People say ‘Gracias’ (Thank you) to what we respond ‘De nada’ (that was nothing) So we are continuously helping out and feeling it is not a big deal. I learned in time that I come from a ‘WE’ culture a place where we live as group not as individuals. Families live together even after they have married and so the family keeps on growing as well as the time that you invest helping out those who live with you. When I came to Canada it was hard for me to be that ‘I’ who will have to decide what to do with my time. I also had the mentality that only those who were in a terrible situation were meant to receive money as a “gift”, having in mind that I was used to give my time and services freely. so I felt uncomfortable with those offering money to me for my time and service. Very often it was someone else that could benefit from money before me and that made me a very generous person, who was constantly broke.
Money can come to you in many ways; wages, tips, gifts and/or exchange of services. I was OK with wages because this money is deposited directly into the bank account and there is not personal contact with the finance department. On the other hand, I felt differently about cash, tips and gifts.
Back home at my teenage years it was the norm that people would buy you gifts like a shirt, flowers, toys, perfumes, etc., Money as cash was something I never saw as a gift. In my mind, money given to someone without a material good in exchange would be considered charity and for only those who were in a rut.
One day, my uncle who had travelled through out North America, came to my birthday reunion and handled me an envelope. I was excited to open it; I thought it would be concert tickets or a birthday card. I was shocked when I saw a $20 bill and I did not know what to say, my face only reflected one question... Why? I went to talk to my mother and I said… “My uncle may have mistaken my situation; he probably thought I needed money”. My mother told me to let it go and to be thankful for my uncle’s gift; it was not a big deal. Later on, after living in Canada for almost a year I was attending mass with my godparents. My godfather brought me an envelope and I already knew what was inside after the experience with my uncle many years ago and again I felt terrible. I left my chair, went to the charity box at the entrance of the church and donated all the money. The couple taking care of the charity box seemed quite happy. A couple of friends who knew my godfather saw what I did and gave me a big lecture about doing that.
It was only until I started working at a hotel that my view of receiving money started to change. I was working at the front desk as a clerk. Sometimes guests would hand me a tip and I would say “Oh no, that’s ok, it is my job, you don’t have to tip me” Guest would look at me all puzzled, some will just leave the tip on the desk and some would just take it back. One day, I saw my co-worker receiving tips which looked so natural to him and both guest and clerk seemed quite grateful. I had to ask him how he could do that. He said “all you do is look at your guest with confidence and say: Thanks, I appreciate it”. Well, that was easy! I knew I deserved it and I wanted to be able to receive money; it sure would help me pay the bills. That same day I took the risk, next time a guest handed me a tip I did what my co-worker said. It felt so odd at the beginning but my guest smiled and made me feel that he was happy with my service. It felt so good and best of all, I finally passed my first step to receiving money; phew, a vast weight was gone from my shoulders.
Later in time, through meditation studies, I remembered that appreciation in mathematics means “add more to it” and so the word appreciation became like a powerful word to me. Since that day, I appreciate the things, services and lessons that come my way. When I became a Reiki Practitioner I understood the value of one’s time. Since it was not proper to charge money while in Level I, I exchanged services. For instance, a client will offer to pet sit my dog on a weekend, or a carpenter would offer to build me a wood box, a hairdresser will give me a hairstyle, etc. I suggest the same to my level I students, it is a great exercise to get familiar with the concept of giving and receiving. If you do not charge anything at all, you will create an imbalance, people will feel guilty about asking you for a future treatment and that feeling doesn’t really help them. What really helps is for them to feel that they can book future appointments and release stress so that they can let the body use its own resources to heal.
My dog gets plenty of Reiki because he gives me unconditional love and my plants get Reiki too in exchange of them thriving and offering beautiful flowers, we all give you see!!
If you have a hard time receiving money just remember that the money you receive will help your massage therapist, the bakery, the grocery store, the student who cleans your back yard, etc., In other words, embrace money and let it flow we all benefit from it.
I had issues with money too, I could give and give but could not receive as easily.
I grew up in a culture in which we offer our time freely and it feels wrong to charge for it. People say ‘Gracias’ (Thank you) to what we respond ‘De nada’ (that was nothing) So we are continuously helping out and feeling it is not a big deal. I learned in time that I come from a ‘WE’ culture a place where we live as group not as individuals. Families live together even after they have married and so the family keeps on growing as well as the time that you invest helping out those who live with you. When I came to Canada it was hard for me to be that ‘I’ who will have to decide what to do with my time. I also had the mentality that only those who were in a terrible situation were meant to receive money as a “gift”, having in mind that I was used to give my time and services freely. so I felt uncomfortable with those offering money to me for my time and service. Very often it was someone else that could benefit from money before me and that made me a very generous person, who was constantly broke.
Money can come to you in many ways; wages, tips, gifts and/or exchange of services. I was OK with wages because this money is deposited directly into the bank account and there is not personal contact with the finance department. On the other hand, I felt differently about cash, tips and gifts.
Back home at my teenage years it was the norm that people would buy you gifts like a shirt, flowers, toys, perfumes, etc., Money as cash was something I never saw as a gift. In my mind, money given to someone without a material good in exchange would be considered charity and for only those who were in a rut.
One day, my uncle who had travelled through out North America, came to my birthday reunion and handled me an envelope. I was excited to open it; I thought it would be concert tickets or a birthday card. I was shocked when I saw a $20 bill and I did not know what to say, my face only reflected one question... Why? I went to talk to my mother and I said… “My uncle may have mistaken my situation; he probably thought I needed money”. My mother told me to let it go and to be thankful for my uncle’s gift; it was not a big deal. Later on, after living in Canada for almost a year I was attending mass with my godparents. My godfather brought me an envelope and I already knew what was inside after the experience with my uncle many years ago and again I felt terrible. I left my chair, went to the charity box at the entrance of the church and donated all the money. The couple taking care of the charity box seemed quite happy. A couple of friends who knew my godfather saw what I did and gave me a big lecture about doing that.
It was only until I started working at a hotel that my view of receiving money started to change. I was working at the front desk as a clerk. Sometimes guests would hand me a tip and I would say “Oh no, that’s ok, it is my job, you don’t have to tip me” Guest would look at me all puzzled, some will just leave the tip on the desk and some would just take it back. One day, I saw my co-worker receiving tips which looked so natural to him and both guest and clerk seemed quite grateful. I had to ask him how he could do that. He said “all you do is look at your guest with confidence and say: Thanks, I appreciate it”. Well, that was easy! I knew I deserved it and I wanted to be able to receive money; it sure would help me pay the bills. That same day I took the risk, next time a guest handed me a tip I did what my co-worker said. It felt so odd at the beginning but my guest smiled and made me feel that he was happy with my service. It felt so good and best of all, I finally passed my first step to receiving money; phew, a vast weight was gone from my shoulders.
Later in time, through meditation studies, I remembered that appreciation in mathematics means “add more to it” and so the word appreciation became like a powerful word to me. Since that day, I appreciate the things, services and lessons that come my way. When I became a Reiki Practitioner I understood the value of one’s time. Since it was not proper to charge money while in Level I, I exchanged services. For instance, a client will offer to pet sit my dog on a weekend, or a carpenter would offer to build me a wood box, a hairdresser will give me a hairstyle, etc. I suggest the same to my level I students, it is a great exercise to get familiar with the concept of giving and receiving. If you do not charge anything at all, you will create an imbalance, people will feel guilty about asking you for a future treatment and that feeling doesn’t really help them. What really helps is for them to feel that they can book future appointments and release stress so that they can let the body use its own resources to heal.
My dog gets plenty of Reiki because he gives me unconditional love and my plants get Reiki too in exchange of them thriving and offering beautiful flowers, we all give you see!!
If you have a hard time receiving money just remember that the money you receive will help your massage therapist, the bakery, the grocery store, the student who cleans your back yard, etc., In other words, embrace money and let it flow we all benefit from it.
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