A Magical Manifestation, While Running My First Reiki Training

In the concept of "manifestation," one can make something happen or appear, simply by attracting it from the universe through intention and focus. Though manifesting may seem farfetched, many of us have experienced a moment in our lives when it actually happened -- and oh, what a delicious feeling!

Here is one such story, originating from the first Reiki training and certification class I ever ran, which happened just a few months ago. You be the judge: Was it manifestation, or something else?

Leading Up to Manifesting

As you may recall, after many years of training in energy work following an exceptional moment of serendipity (click to read the full, wild origin story), I finally opened my Reiki business in Boston in August of 2021. I'm thankful to say that it has grown and flourished over the past three years, attracting hundreds of clients and numerous five-star reviews online.

Thanks to requests, I branched out to add Couples Reiki, group workshops, life coaching, and corporate wellness events (even one high atop a gleaming skyscraper that I used to gaze upon far across the city during some of my most challenging teaching years). Every time people asked me to TEACH Reiki, however, I replied that I wasn't ready yet.

Launching Reiki Classes

Finally in the summer of 2024 (three years into running the Reiki business), enough people were requesting that I conduct classes -- and my experience and confidence level had risen high enough -- that I agreed at last to run a Level 1 training! I set up the registration portal, and sign-ups began coming in for the full-day course.

With two weeks to go before the class began, there was an odd number of participants registered. Uh oh! Though it's workable to do the hands-on hours of the training with an uneven number, it was not optimal for how I wanted it the class to flow.

Time to manifest! Starting at that two week mark, I began to put energy into the universe for a final person to join the class and make it complete. I had a full two weeks to go -- it was possible!

Time Began Ticking

At first I had two weeks left until the course... then one week left. Then six days. Then five days. Time was beginning to run short.

Several people contacted me saying they would love to do the training at a later date, but couldn't make this one. Three days left. Two days. One. I began to give up hope of finding that final person.

A Morning Manifestation Shock

The morning of the Reiki certification class, I checked my registrations one more time, saw no one new, and let out a resigned sigh. I packed up the workbooks and sheets... then on a whim -- a hope-filled, wild whim -- added one extra workbook and sheet into the bag.

Now, I share my studio with a wonderful Functional Patterns practitioner, and when I arrived at 8am to set up, he was running a tad late, and was just finishing his 7am session with a new client, Laura. As I arranged the sheets on the massage table in the back of the room and pulled out the workbooks, I watched the two of them wielding dumbbells and stretching.

Their session ended, and Laura began to pack up, drinking water from her bottle and eyeing me as I started to write the class's agenda on a large whiteboard. On a whim, I turned to her.

"Hi," I said, "I'm Lillie and I'm about to run a Reiki Level 1 energy work training! If you're not doing anything else for the next five hours and are intrigued, I'd love to have you join us." It was a flailing last attempt. There was no way someone would say yes to such a request... but I had to try.

Laura paused and looked at the board. "I've never heard of Reiki," she said. I let out a defeated breath and began to turn away... but she continued. "Hm," she mused, "I actually don't have plans for the rest of the day."

"WHAT?!" I gasped in excitement and awe. It is RARE these days for a person to be so flexible, so bold -- so open-minded, and so generous with their time to even consider such a proposal. Five hours to try something new that she'd never heard of? WHAT?!

"I'll do it," she said with a smile. "Just give me a moment to let my family know where I'll be."

Ahhhhhhh!

Gratitude and Acknowledgment

As the Reiki class participants arrived and settled into our welcome circle, I shared the remarkable story of Laura's appearance, and the whole class cheered. Thanks to this woman's spontaneity, our hands-on practice went perfectly, and everyone had a partner to work with throughout the day.

Laura also added insight, wit, and fun into the class. What a gift her presence was!

What is Manifestation?

So what the heck caused this miracle? Was it manifestation thanks to my ongoing focus and energy on producing the outcome? Was it random luck? Was it the effectiveness of my last-minute ask against all odds?

All I know is that I will never forget that moment -- that moment when, after weeks of trying and trying to no avail, everything suddenly clicked into place. The relief and the gratitude!

I will also always draw inspiration to try to BE more like Laura -- bucking societal pressure to constantly be wary, over-scheduled, and walled-off -- and instead, every once in a while, be open to a brave and random, "Yes!" in reply to a mysterious open door. It could be a gift both to others, and to oneself!

So what about you? What has been your experience with manifestation? Do share...

Curious about Reiki but not in Boston? I'm now offering remote online Reiki distance energy balancing!