Attunement for Children
Questions regarding how I do attunements for children seem to be foremost on Reiki Masters minds. I find it easiest to do individual attunements with children. While I am doing each attunement, my helpers keep the other children busy with various art projects. A special room for the attunement is set up with soft music and candles. I smudge the room and prepare the space with Reiki symbols. This makes it very special and the children really respond to the welcoming environment I have created for them. If any child is unsure or nervous, they can have mom with them. I have even done an attunement with the child sitting on mom’s knee. The experience brought tears to mom's eyes.
For Reiki Master’s who use the four-attunement method it may become a little complicated keeping the children engaged for a long period of time. It is recommended that you do just one attunement. If you only know the four attunement method, just use the last attunement, which brings in all the Level One symbols. I have a sense that is all children require. I use the one attunement (Usui/Tibetan) method as taught to me by William Rand of the International Center for Reiki Training. I find it to be highly effective.
The attunements themselves can be an interesting experience and I have learned to be very flexible in honouring each child’s uniqueness. Occasionally a child does not wish to receive the attunement. This is rare, but this too must be honoured. I just let the child know that if they ever change their minds they can come and see me for their own special attunement day. Sometimes they just aren’t ready to sit still and I honour that as well. Intent is the most important element of the attunement so I have learned to adapt. Most children will sit very respectfully in the prayer position and receive the attunement. Amazing and beautiful things will happen when you attune children.
One seven-year-old boy named Addison, sat so respectfully during the attunement. It was obvious that this was a very sacred moment for him. As I did the attunement, I could sense and see all his chakras line up in micro movements. His field was changing and filling with light. At the end of the attunement I instructed him to put his hands over his heart and allow the Reiki energy to flow. He did this and sat very quietly for a moment. Then he looked at me with the most loving expression and said, “My heart has changed it’s beat.” He continued to sit there for a little longer then turned his gaze towards me again and said, “There, it is finished, my heart is beating differently now.” I asked him if it felt like a good thing. With a dreamy look in his eyes he said, “Oh, yes. It is very good.” Then he went off to join the other children.
When his mother contacted me later, she told me how he had spent the week after the workshop in a state of bliss, experiencing the world around in him in a very loving way.
Noah was another special one; at four years old this little guy knew what he wanted. He was very busy during the class and when it was his turn to receive the attunement he skipped down the hall ahead of me. Even before we entered the room I knew he was not going to receive his Reiki Attunement in any conventional way. As we entered the room, quick as lightening he was across the room and up on the treatment table. His mom was there and she asked me if that was going to be O.K.
This was not how William had taught me how to do an attunement, but trusting how Reiki works, I knew it would be received in any position. I put my hands on Noah’s head and for the first time all day this incredibly active little boy began to completely relax. I just kept that contact for a few moments as his little body became very still and his second chakra began pulsing. Then I began the attunement. When I blew into his hands, he opened his eyes wide and said, “Uh, I got Reiki now!” and then quickly closed his eyes and settled back down.
With adults we usually talk about our experiences after the attunement. This is not always an easy form of expression for children, so rather than talk about it I get them to express their experience through art. At the end of the class I have them lie down on a large sheet of paper and I trace and outline of their body. Then I let them go to town with paints, markers, sparkles, glitter, paper and glue. It is amazing to see what they create. Sparkling auras, flower like chakras, spirit guides and angels will appear on the paper as they freely express what they are seeing, sensing and feeling.
I don’t teach them the hand positions the way I would in an adult class. These little ones don’t seem to have a need for that kind of model. They instinctually know what to do. Don’t forget, many of them can see the changes that are taking place in the field and they know when they are done. Interestingly enough they do not take as long as we do to give a treatment. One of my little students has watched his mother and grandmother give Reiki treatments, but when he gives a treatment he does it very quickly. He scans the aura, uses a few hand positions of his own, then brushes down the aura and says a prayer. His grandmother tells me how effective it is and he even seems to know when she is in need of one of his quickie treatments.
Rather than teaching a strict set of hand positions I help them to get in touch with all the possibilities of using Reiki. If the weather is good we spend time in nature. I love to see the wonder in their eyes as they put their Reiki hands on plants and trees for the first time. Bringing a gold fish to the class can be very interesting. As the children give in Reiki the fish does not seem to be able to get close enough to the glass.
