Spheres of Influence with Reiki Women Podcast

In this episode of the Reiki Women's Podcast, hosts Carrie Varela of the Reiki Healing Society and Michaela Daystar of HeartScape Reiki, delve into the topic of the scope of influence for healers. 

They discuss the balance between the desire to help the world and the realistic boundaries of one's influence. Michaela shares her personal journey from social justice activism to Reiki practice, emphasizing the importance of identifying one's true contributions. 

The conversation highlights navigating healer's guilt, avoiding burnout, and finding ways to make a meaningful and sustainable impact. 

The episode also touches on the significance of collaboration, community, and authentic self-expression in widening one's sphere of influence.

00:00 Welcome to the Reiki Women's Podcast
00:48 Scope of Influence as Healers
01:53 Personal Journey and Activism
04:46 Transition to Reiki and Internal Work
06:27 Understanding Sphere of Influence
10:02 Environmental Science and Reiki
16:16 Creating a Reiki Healing Society
33:55 Refining Your Reiki Practice
45:02 Service and Humility in Everyday Actions
47:02 Closing Thoughts and Encouragement

Additional Resources:
- Join our Facebook Group: Embodying Reiki
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1564135767437136
- Subscribe to our YouTube channel
 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCz6Jk8QD_8hjlfpSM8suMIA

Bronwen Logan: https://ReikiwithBronwen.com
Carrie Varela: https://www.reikihealingsociety.com
Michaela Daystar: https://www.heartscapesinsight.com/

🔔 Don't forget to subscribe, comment, and share to spread the knowledge and connect with the Reiki community.

Transcript

0:06

Hello and welcome to the Reiki Women's Podcast. My name is Keri Varela with the Reiki Healing Society, and today my lovely colleague, Mikayla Daystar with HeartScape Reiki, is joining me for a little chat. And of course, I'd love to acknowledge our friend, Bronwen Logan. Um, she is having some Wi Fi connection issues. the heart of winter, uh, in Australia for her and having troubles with the power at home. So, uh, sending her some love and maybe an extra hour to rest and get cozy in front of a fire or something that sounds really nice. Um, today, Michaela and I feel inspired to talking about what is our scope of influence as healers? Do we have, how do we satisfy this? desire that many healers have to help the world. And, um, how do we navigate what is feasible to help the world? Like, uh, and also navigate kind of the shadow side of that, which is a sense of guilt or, you know, like feeling like we were responsible for everything bad that's happened. That we didn't do enough. Um, And, um, you know, on the other end of the spectrum, kind of still in the shadow realm is an apathy around, you know, maybe feeling overwhelmed and that in itself just blocking us from doing good things in our day to day life. So, I'd love to hand it over to you, Makayla. What do you think? What, um, helps us understand our scope of influence? How have you worked with some of this? Yeah, yeah, this topic is really dear to my heart because I've, I've operated just across that full spectrum that you just described. Um, and that feeling of healer's guilt that you just mentioned is something I've definitely experienced. And also the apathy of being overloaded. Um, you know, I've shared before that, that my work history began working in higher education. And so. Specifically around social justice leadership development and my, you know, earlier experiences as a young adult, um, you know, kind of coming of age right after 9, 9, 11 and into the Iraq war era. Like, I experienced kind of really rapid. Like political radicalization at that time and, you know, dived headfirst into anti war movements and like really spent quite a bit of my energy and my attention, you know, focused on changing the world and, you know, with the naivete of a early 20 something person, uh, you know, raised in, you know, relatively politically charged communities as a child. You know, I really kind of took on that, like, yeah, we're going to change the whole world. We're going to, we're going to fix all of it. We're going to make it all better, you know, and that, you know, pretty quickly turned to disillusionment. And then just this like many years of slogging through very, very painful experiences, trying to change the world as an activist without actually having the skills to do that. And so a lot of experiences of like, up to the bigness of the challenges and the problems that we face and the harm that gets done and the pain that people experience all of the things and all of the realms of life really quickly waking up to that. banging myself against it, uh, going into despair because, oh no, my tiny little self can't actually fix the world. And while I had like activist communities, like there was still this sense of like, we're going it alone. There's not enough of us. There was just always this deficit of energy that I felt. And that led to inevitable, you know, burnout, crash and burn, which led to that apathy that you talked about. Just, I don't want to know. I don't care. I just need to focus on my family. You know, I had a young child at the time. Um, you know, don't, don't talk to me about that. You know, like going into that space of apathy, um, which felt terrible in a different way, right? It felt terrible to completely burn myself out because I had taken. On responsibility for the world and it felt terrible to disconnect from the world and I was able to bridge that a little bit kind of as I matured into my career in higher ed and like found some specific things that I could do through my job, but there was still this, you know, feeling of of overwhelm associated with that. And so as I shifted into doing this work with Reiki and with, you know, supporting people in. You know, being in their internal experience and kind of remapping themselves on the inside. It's always been with the intention that that, um, have a direct positive impact on the world and that creating that those links between those things has really been, um, a huge part of the development of my practice and one in which, you know, I think I will always be working to refine. And part of what helped me to really come back home to a much more intimate way of doing my work, right? No longer as an activist, no longer as a educator that is focused externally on doing a lot of political work in the world and supporting my students to do that. Into this much more intimate, internal. It's, you know, to, to make that translation, but still feel like they're connected to each other because that was the important piece to me. It felt really, really sad to leave behind this idea of my work, making a difference in the world. But I knew that I was supposed to be working in this other way. And so they needed to stay connected to each other and working with the concept of sphere of influence. has been really, really powerful for me in that because it's helped me to really grapple with and be honest about where is the influence I actually can have, where can I make actual change that makes a difference in a way that sustains me and is aligned with my gifts and my interests and my values, but that doesn't lose sight of how important it is to me that my work impact the world in a positive way. And when we look More honestly about what is my actual sphere of influence? You know, there's a lot of factors in what what that looks like for some people whose talents and drive and their call is to do much more public work much, you know, work on a on a bigger scale. broader spectrum. I have a number of friends from that time in my life who went into politics. I actually know Kamala Harris, our vice president of the U. S. Because she's an Oakland person, and we work together. I know a lot of people whose fear of influence is quite wide. Who can touch, you know, through their platforms, through their work, uh, quite a number of people who can make policy, who can make, you know, structures that touch quite a few people. And for the longest time, I felt that that was the only way to make a difference. You know, if I'm not working on some large political stage, national stage, I'm not making a difference. And one of the things I had to really come home to, and it was very humbling and, and. Kind of a hard transition for me, but really felt right when I finally landed. It's like my, my sphere of influence, the way that I'm supposed to work in the world is actually quite small. As far as the number of people that I directly touch in my world. And when I came to understand that, and settle around that. A couple of things happened. Firstly, I became much more effective in the actual influence I was having because I was starting to influence in ways that really were aligned with who I am and what my gifts are and what my all of my life experiences focused on. And second, I began to naturally, organically, gently increase that sphere of influence. A podcast like this, my YouTube channel, other forms of social media, are one of those ways where our influence can widen. But also, even in my local area, who can I collaborate with? Who can I connect with because I am being much more of a value because I'm being myself? So that's just kind of as a entry point, you know, what's been on my mind around this topic as we're in a period of time that has got a lot of uncertainty, a lot of fear, a lot of moving parts, a lot of things that many of us would really like to have a direct influence on. I'm really looking forward to hearing your perspective as an environmental activist, as a, as a scientist, right by trade, who deeply cares about changing the world around our relationship to the environment. and is doing it through this kind of work. Uh, we share a commonality in that kind of life experience of like training and working in this whole other way and then coming to, to Reiki and other practices as, as ultimately the way that we're going to do that work. Um, So it's an important question, I think, for all of us to ask, especially when we're feeling afraid, when we're feeling daunted, when we're feeling urgency and pressure to do something about the world, and then maybe we're also feeling that, that kind of reciprocal, like, desire to turn away from it and go into apathy. All right, how can we stay engaged and present? With what our contribution actually is, in a way that doesn't totally flame us out is, I think, one of the questions that we're sitting with here. So, with that, what comes forward for you, you know, from your experience of making this transition from environmental science into Reiki and yoga? Yeah, I mean, these are all really good questions, and ones that have been really deep in my psyche and practice lately. Yeah. You know, so I don't always know the answer for myself, but I hope that, you know, if this is the question that you've been sitting with, some of these conversations that would help you. Um, but yeah, when I was a kid, uh, you know, it's just interesting. My kids are about the same age of when I remember this particular memory happening, but being really loving camping with my family and just having so much fun camping by this river. I think it was six or something like that. And I just had this intrinsic thought that I love the earth and I wanted to help the earth. I want my life to support the earth. And of course that inspired me to study in environmental science and develop some skills in that world. But I think I fumbled through my education and, um, you know, felt really most of my life this lack of guidance. Yeah. Ultimately, what Reiki helped me do is kind of find my own true Lord inside of me and become the guy that I always never had and, and, and always wished I had, and, um, learning how to listen to myself, learning how to tap in to my wise self and, um, gaining, you know, spiritual clarity are all things that, oh my gosh, they were such a gift to me in my life, and, uh. You know, ultimately, I felt so much more passion for Reiki and the healing arts after I finished my degree, um, that I just really felt like this is the path for me. This is the right path. And that, that choice of life's choice hasn't really come without its challenges for sure. Um, um, but for whatever reason, when I was making those choices, I just knew it would all figure itself out and it has figured itself out, but it, it hasn't figured itself out without some pain, some challenge and frustration. But truly, I can say that, you know, I'm. free of my student loan debt. I'm, you know, living in a totally different world than I can see after 15 years of Reiki practice, of being a Reiki practitioner that I always have, have what I need. Um, and, um, so that's been a relief. Um, so lately I have been, um, developing a course, uh, a mentorship course for Reiki practitioners and this whole mentorship course is built on a journey through the elements of earth, water, fire, air, and space. And, um, lately the element we've been working with is fire and it kind of brings me back to my days working with holy fire and holy fire Reiki and just this kind of amazing energy of fire and the transformation that it provides, the light it provides. And so I've been allowing myself to like, just, you know, sit in the fire and do all the fiery things, like scare the dragon, like, damn it, let's just burn it all up. And, um, And what's really arisen for me is just this, um, you know, knowing that I have this gift as an environmental scientist as well, and, um, you know, feeling into that and sitting with it and really wanting to make a, uh, a change for the better in this part of life. Anyway, so I've been just, like, really, like, whew, pounced, let's say. So over the weekend I was camping and camping up in the Redwoods and it was just an incredible weekend with these big gorgeous trees and I feel so fulfilled by just being in their presence. But I was, uh, near a river and at the river, there was this beautiful heart shaped rock. It was like perfect distance away from the shore that I could sit on that rock. And as I sat on that rock, it brought me back to a connection of all the elements, not just fire. Earth, water, air, and space too, that make up that dynamic balance. And as I did that, I realized like what I'm doing to connect to nature and to hold nature and to connect with nature spiritually. Is that enough for me? You know, can I let that be enough for me? And is that, is that the gentle contribution that only I can make? And I'm still sitting with that question, but. You know, when, when we have the heart to make the world a better place, uh, it's, it's, it's a really heavy, uh, cross to bury, to hope, right? I mean, because the world is so much bigger than you or I, and my place in the world is, is just one of billions. And so the difference that one life can make, yes, we've seen examples of people who have incredible lifetimes, you know, who have this chance to have incredible practices, scope of practice, change the world for the better. Other people are fighting to make their own positive changes. Um, and yet, you know, we can get really lost in, in, in that vision. Right. And, um, you know, coming back that I am only one person, I, you know, even if I had a heart for environment, I could spend my whole life as an environmental science and only make such a, you know, a humble difference in such in one way, you know, and we always have to sit with is what I have to contribute enough. And I think it's always it. And um, being more effective about how we contribute. And so, this is really what, one of the things that really inspired me to create the Reiki Healing Society, because I deeply understand the process of building your business. And like, let's say you have like a hundred subscribers on your YouTube channel, or a hundred subscribers on your social media account. It is hard to get to this place where your posts are being seen by other people. And even to be seen is one thing, but to build this relationship, to actually reach somebody across all of the noise on the social media platform and actually be able to give to people a heart centered offering. The piece that only you can provide, you know, that, um, that aspect of looking at a specific challenge or problem, um, and giving and helping people find the right solution. And, um, So, you know, that's kind of my vision for the Reiki Healing Society is, is to create a bigger platform, a place where, you know, you can promote your services and your amazing content on this platform so that, you know, you can get out your, a bigger scope of practice because I know I've built some amazing courses and offered some amazing recruits and amazing things and just getting it in front of the right people is kind of one of the hardest parts of it. Um, I know that when we. Can find those connections, like you and I, the connection we have and Bronwen and then coming together and making this podcast has been so joyful. And that has absolutely expanded our ability to reach more people and share more of that special offering we all have in our hearts. You know, let's share the wisdom we have in our heart and have people listen, you know, and really want it and helping people. That's so rewarding. So I'm not sure what I have in terms of answers, but I think when you have that heart to help the world, it's important to sit with that mindfully all the time, because I think in my own journey, it has led me down to this feeling like I can only do that if I have so many followers, if I have so much, you know, and it's just about these number driven things. And it can even impact us when we're in our own Reiki sessions because giving somebody all the answers, sometimes that's not as empowering as they like. What is empowering is, is giving people tools to access their own inner knowing. And then they're like, everything shifts when that happens because, um, they found their truth and they found a methodology to get into that space, their soul's wisdom. And so. Um, you know, in that sense, you know, creating a change, a positive change in the world can be wonderful. I agree with you. I think that's a really much more, um, empowered place to be in, rather than having it be driven by all these. Yeah. Yeah. There's this piece that's kind of, that I'm hearing underneath what you're saying that, Is like, we, we have to, we have to root into what our actual contribution is before we can think about the scope. And I, and I think that I had that backwards early on, like in the early parts of the story that I just told, or I was so focused on the scope, changing all the things, right. Making the biggest change possible. Um, impacting as many people as possible. But I mean, I was very young and naive at the time. I hadn't gone through the process of like, okay, but what's my actual contribution? Yeah. Right. What, what is the thing that I can do that would make any change that would bring any good to anybody's life at all, you know, let alone millions of people, or, you know, whatever it was that I was thinking and, you know, to be fair and to be compassionate to that younger self, um, I was in an incredible state of, Of fear and an incredible state of passionate devotion to what I was waking up to. So I don't have any regrets and I have no condemnation at all for that, that me who was just doing my very best to adjust to my changing perspective on the world. Um, and, you know, as I went through my life, this question of, but what is my actual contribution became more and more important. Especially as I came out of that time of apathy where I'm like, okay, no, I really am meant to be engaged in the world, but it has to be coming from a place that's authentic. Um, there was a resource that helps me tremendously in that process. Um, and that was a book called let your life speak by Parker Palmer. And, um. It's a memoir of sorts, but also a, an instructional book to those of us who would seek to understand our vocation. Um, and he talks about vocation in this book in the way that, you know, that that's also reflected in the Japanese concept of ikigai, which is basically seeking fulfillment and purpose inside of the intersection of what we love, what we're actually good at, and what the world needs. And then if we're talking about paid work, we would add in what can we actually be paid for, but those first three being the most important, what do we love, right? What actually speaks to our heart? Adding to that, what are we actually good at? Because we might really, really love things that we wouldn't actually be all of that effective if we made that our vocation. And then aligning those two things with what the world actually needs. And. Those three things adding up to our vocation and our sphere of influence. And so Parker Palmer really outlines his own journey with that and kind of landing and some really powerful instructions for those of us who would seek to find that intersection for ourself. Highly recommend it. And when we do that, we can find ourselves being much more creative, and much more enlivened, and enjoyed, and joyful, um, about this question of what is the influence that I'm meant to have. And, We can't stop at that question of what am I meant to do? Because the scope does matter, right? How far that influence is going to reach, um, you know, beginning with, of course, ourselves and our family and our immediate community and letting ourselves, like, work through that sphere of influence. Um, at a pace that works for us, like giving ourselves grace, giving ourselves time to develop that Ikigai, that, that sense of well being and contribution that comes organically from that intersection of what we love, what we are good at, and what the world needs. And once we get that sense of settledness, and I would say for me, in terms of my current vocational journey with Reiki and the associated topics. Practices and endeavors. So with heartscapes, which is going into about an almost 10 year journey. Now, at this point in it, in that journey, I feel settled and I feel competent and I feel clear. of what my contribution is. And so it is time to look at scope and how can I then take that and magnify it farther. You've named some really great practical ways of doing that. Obviously, social media is a place we can do that, but social media can also be, uh, some wild streets that, uh, have a lot going on. There's a lot going on on social media. It's a lot of competing voices. There's a lot of noise. There's a lot of static. There's a lot of. Bullshit, honestly. Um, it can be a daunting place to navigate, right? How to bring our You know, precious message that we have spent time cultivating. Uh, that we don't want corrupted. You know, that we want to get to the right people. How to actually bring it out into the world in such a wild, chaotic space such as social media. Social media is not going to be the way for everybody. But there are ways to magnify and elevate the world. Widen our sphere of influence on social media in ways that are organic and effective and that are in integrity to us. But it's not the only way, right? And collaboration has been one that has come up for me lately. Um, and doing this podcast, doing my YouTube interview series, Reiki Crossroads has been a really, really wonderful way to organically connect with people that I feel resonance with. And so there's starting to be more and more conversations and, and actions taken on, okay, how can we take our little spheres of influence that we've cultivated, um, that we know makes a positive impact in the world? And how can we combine them in ways that magnify their effectiveness? Um, and, um, Honestly, I think that kind of conversation for wherever we are in that journey, wherever we are in that question of what is our, what is our contribution and therefore what is the scope that it needs to have, um, wherever we are in that journey, community and connection and collaboration really should be at the heart of it. Part of that conversation. We've talked before on episodes where we're kind of talking more about the business side of things, how often it is that Reiki people are working in isolation, that people within healing, you know, spheres tend, you know, we, we are often kind of feeling a little bit on an island. Maybe we live in a place that there isn't a lot of people like us. Um, you know, we're entrenched in a kind of capitalist business model that emphasizes Individuality and like kind of being unique and like doing your own thing, uh, in a way that discourages collaboration and connection. Um, and we have to push back against that, uh, because whatever happens on the political stage, and I, I feel very. buoyed and grateful to know, like personally know quite a few people working in politics, because it makes me feel a little bit more hopeful, um, about the state of politics. But I know that that is not my sphere of influence, right? It is my sphere of influence when those people come to me for healing sessions, right? Because then that very intimate one on one connection that I have with them, with clients that each of us who works in this realm has with clients supports that person who themselves has a wider sphere of influence. And so the types of collaborations that we have, you know, can be part of a strategy for widening our sphere of influence. Who are we serving? Who are we connecting to? And who are they connected to? It might not be a question that's important to everybody and that's okay, but if you're a person who's sitting with these questions of how can I make the biggest impact in the world in these hard, hard times and still be true to what my actual contribution is, there's some strategic ways to think about that. You know, who is it that I am serving and what is their sphere of influence? And how can my influence on their life make them be in a better position to spread goodness in the world? Um, and that's a fascinating conversation to have. If any of y'all out there in these YouTube podcast streets, Please do work out, um, please do reach out because I think it's a valuable one to have, but in the general for this conversation, you know, again, starting with what actually is my contribution based on what I love and what I'm good at and what the world needs and then how can I authentically, naturally, gracefully increase that sphere of influence. Yeah, I mean, I think it's really, uh, it sits at the heart of, of becoming a Reiki practitioner is, you know, first following this, taking this very courageous and brave leap and saying, yes, this is my path. I'm really taking ownership of that and responsibility for it. Like, I am going to do this. I'm going to put my, you know, everything into this and see where it takes me. Um, And, um, you know, I think I've shared this before, um, well, first of all, thanks for all of those words. I think it is really important and, and, and it might be a journey too. Oh, for sure. I can definitely say that, like at first it was just like, yeah, how many people can I give Reiki to? I know how to give Reiki. That was my offering. I know how to teach a yoga class. How many people can I teach a yoga class to? This is my offering. And it felt really, really empowered and, um, you know, passionate about those things, right? And I, over the years, gained more skills, more qualifications, certifications, more training to enable me to do those things really well. Um, but at a time, there's a time where you have to really, uh, start to understand yourself and that special piece that you have. Yeah. really begin to make a little bit more clarity around that. And so that's what I always encourage Reiki practitioners to do is, uh, is start to feel into what your scope of your practice is. Like, where can you really, really help people? And where might you by just being gentle and be able to help a person or you're willing to try to help them, you know? Um, Um, Sometimes I have a lot of people in my practice, my Reiki practice and yoga practice who have a lot of physical pain and like tension in their body. So I'm really gifted at being able to like work with them physically with yoga. And then most energetically, emotionally and physically, of course, too, with Reiki. Um, but that's taken time to develop and feel a sense of comfort inside of. And, um, and I'm really realizing that. I'm choosing to be more effective about helping people. It is giving my clients and potential clients a little bit more understanding of what I have to offer, what that unique aspect of my practice that might benefit them. And then of course you can kind of build offerings around helping those people. It's always been something that's I've really challenged. I feel challenged with within Reiki because I feel like Reiki is such a good general tool. Like it's, it's such a, such a broad application. I mean, it's always been hard to like kind of niche that down or narrow that down. Um, but. I think it helps with this kind of conversation we're having around this feeling like I have to help everybody, um, feeling a sense of guilt for not helping enough, not doing enough, um, when we're really, as Reiki practitioners here, just sitting there to sit with them inside of whatever's happening and be there, witness that, be with that, help shift. What we can and what, you know, is possible to shift and recognizing that it's not something we're doing for other people or doing to other people. It's something that we're doing to shift with them. Yeah. I will pause and let you go ahead and take a second. I don't know if it's still hearing. So, we'll be right back. Okay. We'll just, we'll just pause. I just paused along with you. I'll make a note for Bronwen that we had a little. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Let's see. There was a piece that you said. Um, yeah. Okay. Yeah. So this piece that you're speaking to around, um, you know, niching down or narrowing our, our scope in terms of who we specifically are working with, I think is an important one. I mean, it's an important, you know, business strategy generally, um, to really understand who we serve and in what way specifically, but in the context of this conversation of, you know, really, how can we, you know, um, you know, do the most good in the world while still being most aligned. There is a way that talking more honestly and completely and transparently about what we really care about and what our pathway has been can really help us to do that because we start to, you know, find ourselves really speaking to those people that we can most serve. I remember when I first started doing Reiki, you know, as you mentioned that desire to help everybody, like, of course, Reiki can help everybody. So I'm supposed to help everybody and not really realizing that, number one, I can't help everybody. I don't have access to everybody and I'm not the right person for everybody. And so that process of really refining how I talked about the way that I practice Reiki and what really matters to me, the, the day that I put like my values, my values, like my personal values and how they relate to my business, like on my website felt like such a transformative moment because it was like, it was kind of vulnerable because it was like, here's a little bit about who I am inside. And, and I'm, I'm asking if you resonate with this. Right. And you might not, right. So then I might not be the person for you, but if you do, if you resonate with the, with these values and the way that I'm talking about them, then, then, then we're meant to work together. And I've, you know, that's, there's this constant refinement process. I, you know, just today I'm like, Oh, here's a couple more layers of that, that I could be more clear and more direct about who I am and what my values are and therefore who I'm meant to serve. The more that I've been willing to do that. Um, yes, it narrows down the scope of who I can work with, but it makes that work so much more effective. It means that the people that I'm connecting with are the right people and they're gonna, they're going to be benefited as much as possible because of those alignments. And I, I just think back and I'm just like, for anybody who might be in this place, uh, I just think back with so much compassion on how. Afraid I was to be clear about that publicly, you know, to be transparent around, you know, these are my values. Like, I value social justice. I value inclusion and anti racism work, and that matters within Reiki. You know, I value the environment. I value working with nature. I value the Japanese origins of Reiki, so I'm not gonna work in certain forms of Reiki that people are very accustomed to and are looking for. That's going to cut me off from a whole wide range of people that I might be able to help, and that felt scary, and it felt risky and vulnerable, and it felt like, you know, revealing something about myself that for some reason I was, I was hiding, but the more I've been willing to do that, the more aligned the connection is. and I think paradoxically, the more widespread the positive impact becomes because it's more concentrated and it's more effective. And the people who see that, I mean, I was just in a conversation today with a couple of folks who might be coming into my nine month Reiki training program. And to hear them reflect back, like I, we chose you because we could see See our values and our family reflected in how you talked about your work on your website. I was like, oh, thank goodness, like, like I have finally arrived at a place where I'm honest enough about who I am that like the, like the people who are gonna be. So delightful to work with because they're like, yeah, sister, let's do this are just are coming, you know, and it's, you know, again, thinking back with compassion to myself and any of you who might be in the same place of how scary it felt to do that initially to say, this is who I am and this is who I want to help. And if that's not you, it's okay. But I'm not for you. Right? Like that's a hard thing to say. Um, but there's such value and there's such power in doing that. And, and there's also the trust that those people that are not for me, that there is somebody that's for them. Right? And part of, you know, our responsibility as practitioners and again, in service of community is to, to know the other practitioners who work in different ways than we do. So we can say, Hey, Hey, I'm not for you, but this other person really, really could be, right? Let me refer you to them. Having networks of community and connection and collaboration and referral within our Reiki communities, it doesn't, it can feel threatening. It can feel like, what, I want to, you know, collaborate with my competitor. That's, that's oppressive thinking. That's indoctrination that we've been raised with. That we should be in competition with each other. That we should hide what we're up to from each other because we're in competition. That's just not reality. And it's not how we're going to survive. It's not how we're going to get through these times. We're going to get through it by turning towards each other and being willing to say, Hey, I'm not the best one to help you, but boy, I sure know who is. Let me send you to them, right? And then to work together to magnify those voices and, um, you know, that's part of what we're up to here on this wee little podcast of ours. Totally. I mean, it's just really exciting when those, when those moments of connection happen and you see your scope widen. And I think that was something that I really desired for so, so long. And, and yet, yet I was doing it. I was living it in every day. But then, you know, seeing it. It's something that is more of a sustainable thing that's, it's, it's kind of happening all the time. That's exciting. Yeah, to encourage other people too is, um, I think, you know, there's this kind of mindset, uh, within Reiki practitioners is that we're, we're off the grid. We're out of the hive. You know, we're not part of the system. And, uh, that is true, right? It's kind of cool. Fundamentally economically true because there's nobody paying for your IRA and 401k as a, you know, a solo practitioner business So it's important to keep my be mindful of that and and so that's why it means that you know Maybe it's not for everyone. It's the path of being a Reiki practitioner as your full time job isn't right for everyone And yet there are still people who have this incredible connection to Reiki and it's supporting you to live your life and empower your scope of influence and it doesn't have to be Reiki related, you know, and obviously the topic of this podcast is, but it's related to Reiki, but if you love Reiki and you're a nurse, or if you love Reiki and you work in environmental science, or if you love Reiki and lawyer, you know, any other aspect. And that's kind of your career path. There's still so much that Reiki can provide, you know, and, and really do at the shimpident level, right? When you've taken a little toolkit of Reiki into your life and you can still have this resource and really use the practice of Reiki to reflect on what that special piece is that you have to add And it doesn't have to be about an ideal client, that's kind of the language we use in marketing and stuff like that, but, uh, really reflecting on that's, that's actually your own piece that you bring to whatever you do, you know, and, and how you, um, show up. And what's beautiful about making a difference is that it's our leadership. That really is, ignites that path, and, um, and that way we really can't, can never really define what that scope of influence is, because, You know, I was thinking about it the other day, like, you don't know the impact it is to just being nice to somebody at the grocery store. Preferential to them, or kind to them, or to see them, look at them in the eyes. Um, you know, go out, out of the ordinary to know that, just share that you see them. Um, without it being creepy or whatever. But, like, we don't know what that scope is. And similarly, I don't know the scope of, um, you know, what, what impact one Reiki session might be for somebody. And it's not really my job to define that. Uh, same with people who come to me with Reiki training, uh, and so there's, is, there's always that ripple effect, which I think, um, and it doesn't, it's, it's not limited by Reiki. It's limited by that. you know, being a good person and living in alignment with your values and showing in a way that feels most aligned for you. So, yeah. And as you say, you know, these concepts that we're talking about, they, they are applicable whether or not we're talking about our actual like job, you know, it can be in whatever our, our practice is, right? So if our Reiki practice is strictly a self practice, that is still going to impact the way that we show up inside of the sphere of influences that we have, right? As you're saying, we, we, like our job might be, a lawyer or a farmer or a psychologist or a transit driver or whatever that position is. If we are inside of that position in a way that is aligned with who we are, that is Mindful of our connections, and of course, if we're bringing our Reiki practice into that work, it's going to increase the value of that work in the world, no matter what the content of that work is. You can apply the principles of the system of Reiki inside of any sort of work, any sort of relationship, any sort of interaction. Engagement with the world at all, right? And in doing so, make your sphere of influence more effective and more impactful, uh, simply by, by being you and by being in your practice, by being diligent about it. And the more that you think about that intentionally, right? The more that it can help align our behavior and our choices, um, in whatever. Endeavor or insight of. So I appreciate you bringing that point forward. Yeah, I guess I guess another just tag along with what you were saying. is that, you know, we can be of service no matter how we show up. And I think in a world that lives on hierarchies and certain people being better because they earn more and you know, just all kinds of different stuff that's really go driven. It's, um, it's so important to remember, like coming back to that humility and heart of service. So we could be working in a kitchen somewhere and maybe, Making people food and if that is act is done with love like that is your special giving people up and Recognizing that service that you've given to somebody helping somebody today You know take the stress off of dinner and I'm cooking for somebody and that is actually a beautiful sacred spiritual act So I guess what I'm just trying to say is that when we confine it to a certain way of Being of service certain way of showing up that can be limiting itself. And, um, and, and, and so for people who do struggle with burnout and who have given their all on something or have a bunch of apathy around kind of rebounding between apathy and burnout is, is to try to connect mindfully to how you serve and those things that really actually do. And even if it's a job you've worked for 20 years or, you know, however long you feel connected to that. It is like really trying to recognize and be in good relationship with the things that you really enjoy about that, that, that work and, um, try to do more of it, right? Um, and so it doesn't require always a dramatic shift in what you're doing. It can be just these little shifts in my awareness of like, I'm going to give this, you know, act of service with great care and great love and just see what happens, see how that shifts the energy. Yeah, that feels like a really lovely place for us to land. Yeah, totally Well, thanks so much for joining me and having this wonderful conversation. I'm sure it will keep you inspired to make Nikita. Um, and thanks so much to each of you who are listening and made it all the way to the end of our talk today. I hope, yeah, it inspired something in you and we'd love to hear what your comments and questions and reflections are about, um, practice and, wanting to change the world by making a difference. Tell us your stories in that realm. We'd love to hear that. And, um, can't wait to hang out with you on a future episode and sending you all so much love and blessings and, um, encouraging you to, um, you to do the thing that will help us, uh, broaden our scope by, you know, liking our podcast, sharing it with somebody, um, and, uh, writing us a review or, you know, just a wonderful comment. We'd love So appreciate all of that. So dude, awesome. Much for joining us and we'll see you again next time. See you next time.