1. Jim, can you tell us a bit about yourself, your background with Reiki, who you trained with and what service you provide now?

I came relatively late in life to Reiki. I was attending a shamanism workshop in Wisconsin. In 1992, I had fallen out of a tree and shattered my leg, and had chronic pain thereafter. At this workshop, I told a friend that my leg was hurting, and a woman behind me overheard. She said, “I’m a Reiki master. If you’d like, I can work on your leg during the break.” I said, “Sure.”

So, during the break, this woman held her hands over my leg and the pain went away. Now, let me explain: I had been in pain for years, searching for healing and wholeness.

I had embarked on a healing path to try to heal myself with non-Western medicine. So, when this woman held her hands over my leg and the pain went away, it was a life-changing moment. I said, “Lady, I don’t know what you just did, but I’ve got to learn how to do that!”

I studied under various Reiki masters, and various lineages, but credit William Lee Rand, founder of the International Center for Reiki Training, who taught me Karuna Reiki® (2002), as my greatest teacher. I use ICRT materials to teach my students. Of course, I’ve gone on to incorporate Reiki with Shamanism, which is the bulk of my teaching today, at our Center for Reiki Shamanism Studies (www.blueskywaters.com).

2. How would you interpret the word 'Reiki'?

As I outline in my book, “Reiki Shamanism: A Guide to Out-of-Body Healing” (Findhorn Press, 2008), the most common Kanji symbol of Reiki literally translates: “Shaman Who Makes Rain.” Most people don’t know that. They think all Kanji of “reiki” means “ki” (life force energy) and “rei” (guided). But the symbol on Dr. Usui’s gravestone marker is more expressive; it means “inspired” “way’ of healing. You can read more about it in the book, and see a depiction of the common symbol on my Drug-Free Shamanism MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/shamanwhomakesrain

In it, you can see the image that looks like a star at the bottom, which is the Kanji (old style Japanese symbol) for “mist.” The symbol at top is “rain,” which can be interpreted as manifestation; the little boxes are the mouths of the people, open in awe, or in happiness; the T with the two ts on each side is the symbol for “shaman,” or one who manifests from spirit. This is the Kanji symbol that people use -- in books, films, T-shirts, etc. -- or that people in the West associate with the “word” for Reiki.

You can read more about Reiki Shamanism and the classes we teach on our Webpage: www.blueskywaters.com/

3. What do you think is happening in a Reiki session?

If you are a “hollow bone” or vessel, you are allowing Reiki energy to flow through you. If you are not grounded, present and clear, you are doing something else.

You are “connecting” with the Reiki guides, for Reiki energy to go where it needs to go.

4. What do you think is happening, at a basic level, in a Reiki attunement/initiation/reiju?

As outlined in my book, “Reiki Shamanism,” basically, an attunement is putting something in your energy body. Symbols are codes for energy. Everything is a code for energy, from our bodies to the great stars in the skies. You can be “attuned” by inspiration (in-spirit), as was Dr. Usui on his fast at the mountain, or you can be “attuned” by someone directing an energy code or configuration given to them to another (which is why we are taught to “attune” by guiding the energy encoded in specific symbols). The same energy can be expressed in many ways, which is why you have forms of Reiki that have existed in other cultures, from ancient Egyptian Sekhem to Indian Prana to Native American Earth energies in symbol or thought form that provide the same function.

5. Do you think Reiki can be used to help situations and inanimate objects as well as living things?

Absolutely. In my book, “Healing Plants & Animals From a Distance: Curative Principles and Applications” (Findhorn Press, 2007), I focus on various ways Reiki and other modalities can be employed to help plants and animals—but also inanimate objects and situations.

6. Reiki is now becoming popular within the medical system. What role do you believe Reiki plays in the traditional medical system?

I have treated hundreds of people over the years, many of them in the medical fields. Some are hot and some are cold on complementary and alternative medicine. So, I always tell my patients to tell their doctors that we are not there to compete with them or to counter anything they do, but to complement and support them. Reiki’s greatest power is in healing. I’m literally a walking example of the healing power of Reiki. But, while it took Western medicine to put my shattered leg back together, it took the ancient method of hands-on healing to remove the pain. That is a powerful lesson in itself. In Western way, we can put things together and take things apart; but the old ways, the ancient technologies of healing, are the methods for bringing balance and wholeness. That is true healing.

7. Distant Reiki and permission has always been a topic with many pros & cons what's your view on this given the earthquake disasters in Haiti and Chile?

You cannot overcome any willful resistance by anyone. Everyone has free will. But you can send healing energy to regions that are torn by strife, disaster, with the intent that it goes where it needs to go. And, if your intent is for the highest and best good, with the long distance symbol, allowing it to be released when and where needed, then it will go where it needs to go. We tend to let our egos think that “we” are in charge in any situation, including, perhaps, sending healing energy to a place, thing, or being. But Creator is much larger than we are. We are pitifully small in comparison. It is our intent that carries the Power of healing. But, if we let it go, that is, give it to Creator, the miracle of healing can then occur. (I’ve written about both Haiti and the current Gulf of Mexico oil spill in our blog -- http://blueskywatersblog.blogspot.com/ -- and on our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jim-PathFinder-Ewing/19604582873 )

You can read more about this in my book, “Healing Plants & Animals From a Distance.”

8. Many Reiki practitioners say you can go back into the past and heal it. What's your take on this issue?

Absolutely. We tend to think that time is linear and one-way because our physical world works that way. But our physical world is a small bubble in the limitless ocean of time. You can journey shamanically into the past or future, by going to the under world; and you can send Reiki energy through time and space, as well. Physicists know – just as all indigenous people have always known – that everything is a circle. Our literal minds think in straight lines and are limited. But the world that our minds are viewing exists in multidimensions and various overlays of time and space. That is why a shaman (literally, one who sees in the dark) can see more with eyes closed than with eyes open. Every seer and wisdomkeeper has said, truly, all is illusion. It is so. Particularly when we “think” we know – anything!

9. Have you had any notable experiences concerning Reiki that you could tell us about?

I’ve had too many miraculous healings and happenings to list. Anyone who practices Reiki for any length of time has them. They even include inanimate objects, such as using the Reiki Shaman symbols in my book to fix cars! That’s one story. A lady called and said her tractor wouldn’t start. I told her to draw the “problem solving” symbol and focus on it, and try again. She called back laughing: It worked!

10. Can you describe your relationship with Reiki, and how it's affected you?

My beautiful wife, Annette Waya, now teaches all the Reiki classes here (I teach the Reiki Shamanism classes). Reiki has become a beautiful healing walk that we share. I would say we use it all the time, but that would not be accurate. We don’t “use” Reiki; it’s a part of us, and our life, like breathing, sleeping, eating. It’s there, all the time. It makes for a beautiful life, especially when you share it with those you love. Annette’s 88 year old mother is now a reiki master, and our animal companions all give and receive reiki. It adds greater dimensions to love itself. What could be more loving than healing each other?

11. Do you feel that Reiki needs standard guidelines across the board for practitioners to obtain certification?

No. I’ve taught any number of people from any number of lineages, and I think that each is like a flavor. Some are more “salty,” and some more “sweet,” but each has its own goodness. I’m a firm believer that the more you learn, the better off you are, and it’s a good thing to have lots of teachers and lots of experiences. The only rule I would suggest is to tell students upfront what is taught, the lineage that is taught, and the materials that are being used. That’s why I support Rand’s Center for Reiki materials. The books and teaching are standardized. I use ICRT materials as the basic training, and then teach in addition to that. In my view, when you are a Reiki “Master,” it means you have learned enough to know what is required in any situation, and to expand your knowledge and abilities as you see fit. It’s a beginning, not an end.

12. Is there anything that I/we have not asked that you find is important when talking about Reiki?

Maybe because I came from decades of practicing shamanism before learning and adopting Reiki into my “medicine bag,” so to speak, but I believe Reiki is big enough and powerful enough not to be diminished by any other modality. In my view, as outlined in my book, “Reiki Shamanism,” Reiki is a form of shamanism. It has roots that are clearly shamanic and shares characteristics with shamanism as practiced through the ages around the world. It is a universal modality. That is its strength. Seeing Reiki as broader than normally taught does not take anything away from Reiki or detract from its uniqueness; rather, it provides a guide for more fully exploring its ability to heal, teach and guide.

About the author:



Jim PathFinder Ewing (Nvnehi Awatisgi) has written four books and numerous articles on Shamanism, Reiki, Native American Spirituality, Sacred Ceremony and Energy Medicine. He lives in Lena, MS, with is wife, Annette Waya, where they operate ShooFly Organic Farm. He is the author of four books: Clearing: A Guide for Liberating Energies Trapped in Buildings and Lands, illustrated by Annette Waya Ewing with a foreword by Brooke Medicine Eagle (Findhorn Press, Scotland); Finding Sanctuary in Nature: Simple Ceremonies in the Native American Tradition for Healing Yourself and Others; and Healing Plants and Animals from a Distance: Curative Principles and Applications. His latest book, Reiki Shamanism: A Guide to Out-of-Body Healing (Findhorn Press), was published in September, 2008, and is now in its third printing.
His books are sold internationally, published in English, German, Russian and Japanese.

For more, see his Web page: Healing The Earth/Ourselves, www.blueskywaters.com

Follow him on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jim-PathFinder-Ewing/19604582873



Or write:

Blue Sky Waters Group

Center for Reiki Shamanism Studies

P.O. Box 387

Lena, MS 39094

that's a great interview Jim! Many, many thanks!

Thanks for sharing your personal experience.
I will check out bluewater blog when I have more time

Yes, a great interview, Jim!

Thank you for sharing your insights!

for sharing your experience with Reiki.

great interview! "What could be more loving than healing each other?" nice!!

nice information is there............