From Reiki Therapist to Front Desk

19th Jun 2019

My journey began in 2001.

I’d spotted an ad in ‘Time Out’ magazine (which cost quite a lot back then but is now free at tube stations!).

The ad mentioned an Introduction to Reiki Workshop and was just £5! Back then, holistic therapies existed but were not so well known, so I decided to go along and discover more…

My Reiki teacher, Angie Litvinoff (Medicine Woman – Empowerment Expert Soul Coach, Shaman), was so inspiring that I ended up studying one-to-one with her over the coming years.

The simplest way for me to describe Reiki is that Reiki itself is a non-invasive therapy which focuses on clearing negative energy away from the body’s energy points (which are also known as chakras). It may help with various conditions from anxiety to depression, eczema to sleep Issues.

I went on to study Reiki Levels 1 and 2 and began attending reiki energy exchanges, where newly qualified therapists would give each other treatments. These took place across various parts of the Capital – so I went along everywhere from Acton to St John’s Wood, to build my confidence.

Since I was four, I had always wanted to nurture and look after people, so although I felt it would be a very natural progression for me to be a therapist soon after qualifying, it turned out to be a very personal journey for me and with a bereavement along the way, it wasn’t an instant leap to becoming a therapist, I mean I could have done but I wasn’t quite ready… but a lightbulb moment years later in 2008 when I decided to learn to be a Reiki Master was the point I realised I was ready to start-out as a therapist.

I attended charity taster events at The Special Yoga Centre in Queen’s Park and a few years later, based myself from Coppergate House near Spitalfields Market and had a wonderful room like the beautiful rooms we rent out at Brighter Spaces!

I was now at the point I was confident to start out and I had a website built and leaflets and business cards printed with my company name ‘Eastern Holistic’ (as reiki was rediscovered in Japan) and I was also based in East London at the time!

Sadly, recession hit and I had to search for a regular job but the irony was, that after committing to another contract, the website builder contacted me and said, “since you’ve closed your website, you’ve had four new enquiries come through!”

I kept all my reiki certificates safe but then turned my attention to music, which was the original discipline I’d trained in and semi-professionally joined bands in London as a dep, covering musicians who were off away, or off sick and this gave me the flexibility to do another passion I loved and have the income from a day job.

I still dep today on trombone for The Incredibly Strange Film Band, so do Google them if you are curious! 🙂

I’ve kept my trombone and guitar but my musical life has reduced as I am a part-time carer outside of my role at Brighter Spaces and this has taught me so much about kindness, patience and acceptance, which are great skills for practising Reiki therapy.

I am delighted that Brighter Spaces took me on last June, as this has led to meeting so many wonderful and inspiring people and I am very blessed to have wonderful colleagues too!

I will continue welcoming you all as concierge but perhaps one day, I may be on the other side of the desk and rent a space at Islington…

The team here are certainly exceptional when it comes to giving support to therapists e.g with on-site events and the opportunity for all therapists registered with us, to write guest blogs!

Do get in touch if you need any support with anything and thank you for reading about my journey.

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This is a Guest Post by Lyn Rajah.

Lyn is a certified Reiki healer and the lead concierge at Brighter Spaces in Islington. When she is not busy welcoming clients with her beautiful smile, she is humming along to Duran Duran.