Is there a dissociation attunement for the Reiki practitioner?

This is a question posed to me by a Reiki student.  I had to smile, because I was initially stumped for an answer.

Dissociation in psychology is actually considered a pathology.  When one ‘separates’ from the mind, it can lead to delusions, inappropriate behavior, bad decisions.  In extreme cases, schizophrenic manifestations.

But in the realm of energy work,  the mild form of disassociation is actually an asset.  You get out of the way of the mind, and of the ego, and you let spirit channel through.  You practice detachment.

How do you cultivate this?  Can you get an ‘attunement’ for it?

Some practitioners, like myself, come to the practice already hard-wired this way.

I think my version happened from numerous events early in my life that were traumatic.  I was bullied in elementary school, I had to deal with a family tragedy when I was ten, and as a young adult, had several car accidents.  Dissociation often occurs during traumatic situations as a coping mechanism.  The trauma is too much, so the mind simply says, “I’m outta here until things return to normal”.  It’s also a part of the manifestation of post-traumatic stress disorder.

But I don’t think these traumatic experiences are the only way you can ‘get’ it.  When you go into a daydream, you kind of dissociate from ordinary reality, you separate from your circumstances.  You also experience it when you are in nature, or are in the flow of something creative.

I even feel the Reiki mantra ‘This is not about me, this is greater than me’ is a powerful affirmation for cultivating this state of being.

Another exercise is to project the mind into a far corner of the room or up to the ceiling so that you can actually ‘watch’ yourself from that perspective.  It’s a technique of getting out of your personal reality.

Buddhists call this state of being equanimity.  A balanced perspective that is removed from the current emotional content.

I would suggest spending more time in those environments and with this focus to foster this gentler form of dissociation for the practice energy work.  Also, practice the principle of not being attached to result of the session.  Let go of you having to be the one to make things happen.

And as always, returning to one’s center and ground following the practice.  It’s hard to exist in the ordinary realm of the world if you are floating about and not in your body.  Grounding is key.  Come back into your body, into the earth, after you have stepped aside for a while.

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