A Reiki Master's Journey

My Journey into Reiki

By Saffron & Sage Reiki Master Tiffany Schrade

The Meaning of Reiki

I think it’s safe to say that the Reiki energy had been pulling me along my path my whole life. For as long as I can remember I’ve been interested in psychology, inquisitive of human behavior, and fascinated by the workings of the human body.  From a young age I remember being able to sense dissonances in energy around me, when things were not harmonious, a desire to understand why and seek immediate resolve. But alas, we all know instant gratification is for the birds! So for many years, I learned… but I didn’t know exactly what I was learning, yet!

Acting like a typical child, I played all the sports, did all the dance recitals, got good grades, and palled around with the neighborhood kids. Like an atypical child, you know the ones whose interests may set the parents alarm bells off a little, I had an intrigue in the world of the unknowns, spirits, angels, ghosts, and of course halloween, my second favorite holiday! Maybe that’s just my Scorpionic nature, but anyhow... Having been raised in the Catholic school system, I was also fascinated by the teachings of the saints and healers. 

Mysticism, Philosophy, Yoga & Meditation

My whole life I’ve had a strong sense of intuition, sometimes unnervingly predictive. Backed by the curiosities from religious teachings and my own insatiable thirst for uncovering mystery, I knew with some certainty there was more to our capabilities as human beings than we were being taught.  

Alas, I carried on as the dutiful child, playing sports, getting good grades, acting “normal.” From playing sports, I moved on to working with athletes while I was in college, in a healing capacity, taping ankles, cleaning wounds, making big football players cry by having them submerge their feet in ice baths, and later was encouraged by a mentor to take on personal training certification. Ah, working with the capabilities of our bodies in a wellness capacity, what could I love more? A sprinkling of mysticism and philosophy…!? Yes, please! Enter in yoga and meditation. Getting certified in 2 different theories of yoga, took my knowledge of my own body and mind, and their connection to an entirely new level! I began studying meditation and the science of its effect on the brain and physical body. 

The Mystery of Reiki

Along this path, while expanding my horizons of intrigue, I was simultaneously trying to clean up my own act and reconcile the things I perceived were “wrong with me.” Let’s face it, we’ve all got some baggage, because being human is hard! I had spent much time in the therapist’s office deliberating over my continual existential crises. While talk therapy and various versions of it proved helpful in getting to know myself, understanding my personal plague of anxiety, why it existed and how intricately it weaves itself into our everyday experience, eventually I hit a hard ceiling with talk therapy.  As timely as divinity is, Reiki ushered its way very synchronistically into my life. 

The Self Healing Powers of Reiki

Reiki gave me the insight into Self that no other person or external process would be able to. It has taught me, from first person experience how we are all connected, how we are all energy, that energy is the only thing that exists, and that change is the only constant. Reiki has shown me how to navigate and shift my own energy, the most invaluable resource of all.  It has shown me that the ultimate vibration of everything that surrounds us is Love and that Love is where we come from, who we are, and what we ultimately return to. I have insurmountable gratitude to be able to share this gift of my journey and Reiki with others!