Returning to the Roots: My Journey from Holy Fire® to Traditional Japanese Reiki
- Rev. Amanda Carter
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
A Personal Awakening
When I began my Reiki journey, Holy Fire® Reiki offered a sense of peace I hadn’t known before. It opened doors to healing—first for myself, then for others. Over time, I certified at the Master level, embraced its structure, and built a practice rooted in love, compassion, and energy. I followed this with a Master Level class in Kid Reiki, and the ICRT Animal Reiki Master Level. But something in me began to shift.
It started as a quiet restlessness. I felt drawn to go deeper, beyond the comfort of what I’d been taught. I found myself asking: What was Reiki before all of this? What did Mikao Usui really teach? What have we forgotten in our modern adaptations?
That question pulled me into something I didn’t expect: a spiritual return, yet another awakening within me.
Training with Frans Stiene: The Door to Traditional Reiki
In 2024, I began studying with Frans Stiene of the International House of Reiki—one of the most respected teachers in the world of traditional Japanese Reiki. His teachings weren’t branded, flashy, or scripted. They were rooted.
His teachings are known as coming from pure Japanese lineage is known as Usui Reiki Ryōhō, isn’t about channeling energy from a divine source or receiving symbolic downloads. It’s about becoming Reiki—living it, breathing it, embodying it.
Through meditative practices, chanting, breathwork, and self-inquiry, I was guided not toward something new, but toward something ancient and forgotten within me:
That Reiki is not what we do. Reiki is what we are. Every living being is Reiki.
What Changed in My Practice
Letting go of Holy Fire® wasn’t easy—it had become part of my identity. But the more I stepped into this traditional system, the more I realized: I wasn’t walking away from healing. I was walking toward something more honest, grounded, and clear.
Some key shifts in my practice include:
Discovering the hara and the importance of the awareness of this energetic center 2 to 3 inches below the belly button.
No longer “channeling” energy—instead, I create space for connection with others by
entering a state of grounded, empty presence. I guide people to their healing.
Letting go of external symbols as the primary focus and returning to breath, stillness, and the five Reiki precepts.
Reiju instead of placements—an energetic blessing that gently awakens your own connection to spiritual energy. Interconnected not separate.
Teaching students that healing begins with them and then and only then is it shared. It is a personal journey first and foremost.
Why This Matters for You
Whether you’ve worked with me before or are discovering Reiki for the first time, this transition matters because it shapes the space I hold for you.
My sessions may feel quieter, deeper, more reflective. My classes are now built around personal practice, not performance. The Reiki I offer now is not about fixing—it’s about finding yourself.
For My Past Students
If you trained with me in Holy Fire®, you’re still part of this journey.I will be offering a transition class for students who want to explore this deeper path—a way to gently shift your practice from external tools to internal embodiment.
This is not about unlearning—it’s about remembering and listening.
Final Thoughts: Coming Home to Reiki
In Japanese, the word “Reiki” is written as 霜気—spiritual energy. Not something to summon, send, or channel. But something to rediscover within.
And if it calls to you, I would be honored to walk beside you.
With warmth and love,
Mandy Carter
Reiki Master Teacher and so much more
Healing Homes & Hearts
Springfield, Ohio
Want to Learn More? Reach out to Mandy to book a free consult: https://www.healinghomes444.com/service-page/initial-consultation-qhht-class
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