I wasn't really sure what to expect from the Reiki NZ Conference. I have attended many conferences over the years, both as a participant and as a speaker, but they have generally been in areas connected to my previous professional life. In fact, the last conference I spoke at was a Property Law conference, where I presented on updates to the Sale and Purchase Agreement. A Reiki conference was a very different proposition and I admit I was a little unsure about how my particular topic would be received by a room full of Reiki practitioners and teachers.

The conference was held at the Distinction Hotel in Christchurch on 29 - 30 August, with Reiki people attending from around New Zealand, as well as a few visitors from Australia. I was genuinely impressed by how well organised and professionally run the event was. There was a lovely balance between learning and socialising, and the atmosphere was welcoming, engaging and fun. It was clear that a great deal of thought and effort had gone into creating an event where people could come together, share ideas and connect with others from the wider Reiki community.

Looking beyond the Rainbow Chakra Model

My presentation was on the energetic body and the way our Western understanding of it has often become quite simplified, particularly through the familiar model of the seven rainbow-coloured chakras and the aura. These ideas are now so commonplace in Western wellness culture that it can be easy to forget that they represent only one particular interpretation of a very small aspect of a much larger and more complex body of knowledge. The yogic tradition in which I have studied presents a far richer and deeper exploration of the relationship between the body, mind and subtle aspects of human experience. Yoga, at its core, is a sophisticated system for understanding and exploring the human body and mind, and its teachings about the energetic body extend considerably beyond the simplified chakra system that is so often presented in the West.

Trying to introduce such a huge topic in an hour was quite a challenge. There was no way I could cover the subject in any real depth, nor did I expect people to remember everything I presented. My intention was really to open a door and perhaps encourage people to become curious. I wanted to challenge the idea that the rainbow chakra model is the beginning and end of our understanding of the energetic body, and instead give people a glimpse of some of the deeper concepts found within the yogic tradition.

I wasn't sure how the audience would respond. It is one thing to explore these ideas within the context of my own yoga studies and teaching, but another to stand in front of an audience of Reiki practitioners and introduce a different framework for thinking about something that many of them have encountered through a very different lens. Would people find it interesting? Would it challenge some of their existing ideas? Would they want to know more?

As it turned out, the response was far more enthusiastic than I could have hoped for. After the presentation, I had countless people come up to me to ask questions or continue conversations about particular aspects of the topic. Several people told me that they had found the presentation fascinating and that it had given them a completely different perspective on something they thought they already understood. For me, that was enormously rewarding.

One of the things I enjoy most about presenting is not necessarily giving people all the answers, but encouraging them to ask better questions. Sometimes the most useful thing we can do as teachers is introduce an idea that sparks enough curiosity for someone to go away and investigate it for themselves. I would be delighted if my presentation did that for some of the people in that room.

Learning from the Reiki community

Of course, I wasn't only there to speak. I was also there to listen and learn, and I came away with something from every presenter and from many of the conversations I had with attendees throughout the conference. One of the great things about coming together in person is the opportunity to hear perspectives that you may not encounter in your own day-to-day practice.

The Reiki community is made up of people with very different backgrounds, experiences and approaches, and I found that diversity particularly interesting. Some ideas resonated immediately, others challenged my thinking, and there were plenty that I know I will continue to reflect on. That, for me, is one of the real benefits of attending a conference. You don't necessarily have to agree with everything you hear. Sometimes it is much more valuable to encounter an idea that makes you stop and think.

Some nuggets of wisdom I took away

I took notes throughout the conference and found myself writing down little comments, observations and ideas from almost every speaker. Some were profound, some were practical, and some were simply a different way of looking at something I thought I already understood. A few of the ideas that stayed with me were:

Tina Zion – We enjoyed two wonderful sessions with Tina via Zoom. What a precious soul she is! I loved her how openly she shared and how she asked us to consider some deep reflective questions. What is a thought? She described thoughts as electrical signals, vibrations, that rush through us out into the world. Are our thoughts diminishing us? Who is actually in charge of our thoughts?

Elaine Hamilton – Elaine's discussion around online Reiki courses and self-attunements generated quite a bit of debate. I found the discussion particularly interesting because it raised an important question about self-empowerment: if Reiki is ultimately about empowering ourselves, why do we need another person to give us an attunement?

Bronwyn Logan – I particularly enjoyed Bronwyn's session on Waka, a classic form of Japanese poetry. She guided us beautifully from analysing the poetry intellectually to actually experiencing it, really feeling it rather than thinking about it. I found this really profound.

Nicola Lincoln – Nicola's session on manifesting gave me another idea to mull over: perhaps manifesting isn't really about getting what we want, but about becoming who we are meant to be.

Jeffree Clarkson – I loved Jeffree's beautiful nature-inspired music and some of the ideas he shared around Creator Consciousness. Particularly how the world is always in a state of change. We however, can choose to see it in its perfect form  even if it doesn't always appear that way. He believes that by holding onto the beauty we can calm down the disruption.

Cathy Cremen – Cathy shared a personal reflection on her own Reiki journey, describing Reiki as a mirror through which she sees where she is and supports others to know themselves.

These were just some of the ideas that stayed with me, but there were many more. What struck me was how much there was to learn from simply being in a room with people who have each developed their own experience and understanding of Reiki over many years.

A community worth connecting with

I left Christchurch feeling very positive about the experience and particularly impressed by the professionalism and organisation of Reiki NZ. It was encouraging to see practitioners and teachers from around the country coming together not simply to promote their own individual approaches, but to share knowledge, ask questions and learn from one another.

For me, the conference was also a reminder of why continuing to learn matters. Even when we have been practising and teaching for many years, there is always another perspective to consider, another tradition to explore or another question to investigate. My own Reiki journey has taken me from Western Reiki into a much deeper exploration of Japanese Reiki, and my yoga studies have opened another completely different door into understanding the relationship between body and mind. I find those different perspectives increasingly interesting rather than feeling the need to fit everything into one neat model.

So, what did I take away from my first Reiki NZ Conference? A renewed appreciation for the diversity of the Reiki community, some new ideas to explore, some questions to ponder, some great conversations and, hopefully, I sparked a few things for others to think about too.

Thank you so much to Reiki NZ for inviting me to talk and for putting on such an awesome event!

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About Sirpa Gunn

Sirpa Gunn is the founder of Soul Tree and has been teaching Reiki in New Zealand since 2018. She is a Reiki Master Teacher and 500-hour yoga teacher, with training in both Western and Japanese Reiki traditions. She regularly teaches Reiki courses in Auckland and Christchurch and continues to practice, study and research Reiki.