Putting on the teaching hat

Another engaging weekend of stepping into the role of teacher.  It feels very much like putting on a hat, or at the very least, assuming the ‘role’ of instructor.

It’s a different state of mind than when I’m going about my day writing, counseling or practicing Reiki with clients.  Yes, some degree of educating comes through all that work.  But sharing wisdom ‘live’ in front of students is another dimension that I thoroughly enjoy.

This weekend’s lineup is Reiki 3 and Advanced Insight Reiki.  Next week it’s Insight Reiki back-to-back in two parts of the state.

Teaching, for me, is really about sharing wisdom and encouraging students to find their own through the course material.  It requires a bit of stamina to ‘hold space’ for a group for a full day or weekend workshop.  You are riding the wave of group energy, and when it gets tired, it’s your job, I feel, to bring it back up.  Or at the very least, acknowledge the dip in energy and give a brief pause or relaxation moment.

Above all, as a teacher, you’ve got to love what you are talking about.  If you don’t, students won’t.  And if they are brave enough, they might call you out on it.

Years ago, when I was first getting the Reiki Training Program going, I took a job as a computer instructor for the Art Institute of Seattle.  Not in teaching programming, but basic computer skills.  It’s something I know and do pretty well.  But it’s not something I can say I ‘love’.  But I tried to make the class as exciting as possible, bringing in videos, art and even music to make my point about where the technology could take you.

Yet, I’ll never forget the last day of class, one student who got to know me through the course, came up and said, ‘Eileen, you are a great teacher, but I know your heart isn’t in this class, I hope you go and do what you really love’.   That candid statement gave me the additional affirmation I needed to ‘say good-bye’ to the ‘secure job’ and dive even further into self-employment.

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