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 or another child with them. I have even done an attunement with the child sitting on mom’s knee. The experience brought tears to mom's eyes.
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 happen when you attune children.
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 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.
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.
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