by Dawn Marie Costorf

There are many things that witches do but, most of us, don’t do everything.  Some witches really like crystals and others don’t. Some like reading historical texts and some want to just experience ritual. Some witches only practice solitary and others want to find community. You get the idea. The one thing that I would read often is that witches are healers. This was one thing that I did not necessarily believe. Some witches are definitely healers but all? I believe that witches have the power to change energies and to change situations in their favor but the idea of being a “healer” escaped me. It wasn’t until I started studying at the Temple Mystery School that I understood the power of healing itself.

There will be people that say they are sending you energy and you might be able to feel it or not.  Energy—healing or otherwise—is unfocused. There are many ways to get it focused, and witches work to do this on a regular basis. You can assign energy a color or an emotion, almost like giving red roses to someone you love. In giving that gift you are giving red energy, love or passion or even motivation to a person who needs it, who has asked for it. The usual way I’ve sent energy is in circle spaces—releasing the energy of the circle to go and make changes in the world. Small, focused energy designed to heal does not need a big circle in order to make it happen—you just need a little bit of concentration.  Reiki is a great way to do this.

I had heard of Reiki before and I have received Reiki but it always seemed to me unattainable, mysterious and just for that exclusive group of Reiki practitioners.  At the time, twenty years ago, it was expensive and hard to find a class (called attunements). I had many other expenses and precious little time. But there was something about it…Something that said to me that I should look into it.

Many years later, as I was in Witchcraft III in the Temple and working a lot with my shadow I had many revelations. One was that I realized how tired my soul was and how the old ways of doing things aren’t going to work for me anymore.  I needed to raise myself up and change my energy. So I went to find a Reiki master and I asked her if she could give me an attunement. She in turn created a class and filled the room with people! We spent the first half of the day learning and getting attuned to Reiki 1 energies and after lunch we received Reiki 2.

My experience was profound.  I could feel a line of Reiki Masters supporting me and Reiki lifting me.  After that I could understand why people liked Reiki so much. The next step was trying to find a place to practice Reiki – which is how the Reiki shares at the Temple of Witchcraft got started…I asked Renee what she thought and we in turn asked Adam.

Reiki is an experience of love and trust. Love is the healing energy—you want to heal because you want to help, to stop people from hurting.  I believe that this is because you recognize them as you – as human. Trust is letting the Reiki work.  Reiki is an intelligent energy that will go where it’s needed. You can’t really force it to go in the direction you want.  What I mean by that is if you are working with someone and you are sending Reiki to their injured foot, the Reiki may go to the knees or hips.  Reiki looks for where the healing needs to go and then you facilitate that healing.

Reiki has brought me a gift that I never thought I would have. The gift of healing for myself and a way to send focused healing to others. Reiki is relaxing, fun, and definitely raises your vibration. If you are interested in getting attuned to Reiki energies feel free to reach out to the Virgo Ministry or send an email to [email protected] and we can get you in touch with those we know that are doing attunements and then you can join us at the Monthly Temple Reiki Share!