A Journey with Reiki

A few years ago, I dismantled my carefully constructed life, relinquished the majority of my possessions, converted my car into a camper, and set out to travel the country alone—a journey I was keen to embark on in the pursuit of meaning.

You know...that deep, elusive "why am I here?" kind of meaning.

At that time, my life was nothing like it is now. My calendar was jam-packed with various tasks, work deadlines, social events—everything and anything other than "breathe."

I had become addicted to a busy calendar, feeling like it somehow gave me a sense of meaning and purpose in the world. As “productive” as it may have looked to others on the outside, I was drowning on the inside. I felt empty. I had no idea what I was doing or where I was going. I was surrounded by wonderful people but struggled to really feel connected to anyone or anything...including myself.

All those accolade-seeking “to-dos” that filled my schedule didn’t manage to fill the one thing that was really parched: that inner part of me that thirsted for true meaning, for connection to something beyond myself. Some may call it the soul; others may call it something else. But whatever that yearning is, I believe we all have it somewhere deep within us.

So, what was my response to this inner crisis? Well, in a remarkably messy and chaotic fashion, I decided to call it quits. I put in my notice at my job, my residence, and the slew of extracurriculars I had at that time. I sold and donated most of my possessions and moved into my decade-old Ford Escape.

As expected, many people thought I’d lost my mind. But I finally felt like I was finding it.

It had been over a year since I became a Reiki Master. While I practiced Reiki occasionally, I always felt it was something that required a formality (like a client on the table) to “work.” My life had transformed tremendously since my first Reiki attunement, but I was too clouded by the noise of the world to fully appreciate it. And I certainly didn’t know what it meant to embody it.

Looking back now, I see Reiki had been moving in my life all along, and it played a huge role in my soul’s yearning to embark on this journey...to feel connected to the Earth and humanity in a much deeper way.

My travels had no direction nor destination. I was just guided by my desire to be alone, seek novelty, and immerse myself in nature. I wanted to tune out for a moment, to experience the freedom of anonymity. To become a silent observer of the world, rather than an active participant in it.

I found myself tucked in the corners of coffee shops across the country, witnessing the bustle of people around me; existing, conversing, and building their lives. I found solace during long walks alone through busy cities and along beautiful trails surrounded by tall trees, open deserts, or rushing rivers.

In this solitude, I began to experience a peace that went far beyond the fleeting sense of relaxation I once found on a day off work, lounging on the couch and watching TV. This was a deeper, more enduring tranquility.

I began hearing my inner voice, the one that had been muffled under the external clutter I’d piled atop it for so long. The one I’d done everything in my power to avoid because I was afraid to face what it had to say.

I had stripped all my identifying factors. Sure, I'd strung a few part-time and odd jobs together to make ends meet, but I didn’t have a “career” to speak of, nor a house or a relationship. I would meet all those normal questions— “What do you do?” “Where do you live?” or “What are your goals?”— with a blank stare.

Yet, I was slowly learning to identify by who I was being rather than by what I was doing.

I had less money in my bank account than I’d ever had in my adult life. Yet, I felt more abundant than ever.

That familiar restlessness, that guilt that scolded me for never doing enough despite my busy calendar, began dissipating. And suddenly, I could sit on the grass and watch ducks play in the water for hours on end.

What was happening?

Of course, this isn’t to say my journey was completely free of the expected human anxieties and sleepless nights questioning what the heck I was doing. But peace began to become a more dominant vibration in my life. Somehow, I had a deep sense that everything was going to be okay. And while there were so many unknowns, I felt protected the entire time—by something beyond myself.

The joy of solitude was only surpassed by the incredibly beautiful people who crossed my path while on the road. I was the regular recipient of generous and utter kindness—completely unwarranted—from complete strangers.

I’d meet people on walks, at coffee shops, in grocery stores, and suddenly, we’d share our life stories with each other. These encounters made me realize that the masks we wear come off easier when you’re speaking to a stranger who you’ll never see again.

I noticed similar threads through what people expressed, as if the shared human experience was extracted through different versions of personal narratives.

People felt happy at times, sad at others. Many shared they felt lonely or trapped despite their seemingly put-together and successful lives. Others expressed they, too, were seeking deeper meaning in this life, although (like me) they couldn’t quite pinpoint what that was.

We were all just humans out there trying our best in the world. Trying to figure out what all of this was for. At the very core of it, we all just wanted to feel seen and heard. We wanted to feel like we mattered.

The universal oneness of us all began to feel so apparent.

We are all summiting mountains and stumbling through forests, often feeling alone on the path, without realizing there are hands to hold right next to us.

Reiki would enter into conversations sometimes in a more overt sense, with people eager to talk about the world of energy. Sometimes, our conversations would lead to spontaneous formal sessions, the way I used to view as the sole situation in which Reiki moved.

But I discovered that the true essence of Reiki was moving the entire time. It was in those conversations with beautiful strangers, through those long walks alone amidst the busy metropolis, and while sitting on the grass watching ducks. It fostered that deep sense of peace, protection and the shift to being.

It had always been there.

Reiki is love. It surpasses any rules, structures, or definitions. Reiki is the essence of compassion—of loving one another, honoring the Earth, and connecting to something greater than ourselves. It is the life force energy that flows through every being, weaving us together in a way that our language cannot fully capture. Yet, it is a presence that can be deeply felt.

Its core principles of letting go of anger and worry, of being grateful, honest, and kind are not just words to be studied. They are words to live by—to the best of our abilities. Just for today.

And while I still experience my fair share of stumbling through the forests of this life, I am finally beginning to understand what it means to invite Reiki on the journey with me.

If you’ve ever heard the faint whisper of something more, something deeper within you, I encourage you to take a moment to listen. It may not come in the form you expect, but if you tune in, you may just find that peace has always been right there, waiting for you.

Sending you light and love on your journey,

Jaime