Ready Set Reiki®️
A podcast about Reiki and Energy work. From the curious beginning to the seasoned Master Teacher. Welcoming all those who work with energy.
Join Reiki Master Tracy Searight as she guides you on a journey through this landscape of energy work. Each guest offers an in-depth unique perspective sharing their journey which had 'a profound effect on their healing and development as a person. Come along on this journey and explore all the possibilities of working with energy.
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www.thefeathersister.com
Tracy Searight is an Educator, Yoga Teacher, Reiki Master, Grandmaster, Sound Practitioner, Author and Podcaster.
Find her on Feather Sister with Wellness living
offering training in 10 different systems of Reiki
Training in Chair Yoga, Yin Yoga and Restorative
Ready Set Reiki®️
Episode #104 Simon Tansley's Healing Journey: From Shyness to Reiki Mastery – Embracing Tarot Readings, Intuitive Insights, and Dedicated Apprenticeship
Simon Tansley's journey with Reiki and Tarot is nothing short of transformative. Imagine discovering a life-altering practice during a simple holiday—Simon did just that in Glastonbury back in 1989. From overcoming shyness to providing daily tarot readings on social media, Simon's story is inspirational for anyone looking to explore the realms of energy work and psychic abilities. He thoughtfully emphasizes the role of Reiki practitioners as channels, not healers, and provides invaluable advice for anyone new to Reiki and tarot on trusting their intuition and finding the right teacher.
This episode goes deeper, exploring the profound experience of becoming a Reiki master teacher through a dedicated apprenticeship. Simon shares the nuances that make student learning truly enriching, and we traverse the intriguing differences between Reiki systems like Holy Fire and Azuri Rehiho. We also highlight a whimsical yet meaningful tale from Feather Sister Wellness, where the founder attuned a teddy bear to become a Reiki master, underscoring the deep connection between Reiki and animals. Join us for a captivating conversation filled with personal anecdotes, practical insights, and an open invitation to engage with Ready Set Reiki.
Simon Tansley was attuned to usui reiki one and two on the weekend of 28th and 29th October 1989 by independent reiki master Mari Hall, who also introduced him to a deck of tarot cards, which he liked so much that he has been working with them and other decks ever since. he liked the weekend reiki course so much that he repeated it six weeks later. In 2000, after a year's apprenticeship with reiki master Farnham Haywood, he was attuned as a reiki master himself. He can be contacted on Facebook at Simon Tansley Tarot Reader, where he does a free card of the day every day.
Ready Set Reiki is a journey
From the curious beginner to the Season Master Teacher
All Energy workers of all systems and all levels.
This is Ready Set Reiki, a podcast about Reiki, the universal energy life force, from the curious beginner to the seasoned master teacher, welcoming all systems, all lineages and all levels. Reiki is a journey and not a destination, and on this Ready Set Reiki journey, we refer to ourselves as guides rather than hosts, as we too are traveling, supporting each other and learning on this Reiki journey as well. And with that said, I am your guide, tracy C Wright, and joining me on my journey today is Simon Tansley. Now.
Speaker 1:He was attuned in Azui Reiki 1 and 2 on the weekend of the 28th and 29th of October 1989, by an independent Reiki master, mari Hall, who also introduced him to a deck of tarot cards, which he likes so much that he has been working with them ever since, and other decks. He liked the weekend Reiki course so much that he repeated it six weeks later in 2000. And after a year apprenticeship with a Reiki master, he was attuned as a Reiki master himself. He can be contacted on Facebook and is a tarot reader, and he does the free card of the day every day. Welcome, simon, to Ready Set Reiki. Thank you.
Speaker 1:All right, well, let's begin our journey together, so tell me a little bit about yourself.
Speaker 3:Well, there's two ways to tell you about myself. There's a life story that's 60-odd years long, or there's the shortened version, which is I'm here, 63 years along my journey, still enjoying Reiki. Beautiful, beautiful.
Speaker 1:I love it. So, lover of Reiki, out there being of service. When did Reiki come into your life, Did you?
Speaker 3:find it or did it find you? There's no chance I found it. It found me. Yeah, Glastonbury, which I'm sure you've heard of A holiday in Glastonbury that became something more than a holiday With a girlfriend. We met up with some spiritual people, and one of those people became my Reiki master, my original Reiki master, Mari.
Speaker 1:Mari beautiful, and that was in October of 1989, right.
Speaker 3:Yeah, that's about it.
Speaker 1:Beautiful, beautiful. So, as you have been out navigating through this wonderful landscape of Reiki, what has been some of the biggest challenges or struggles you have faced in this journey?
Speaker 3:Just the usual obstacles of life itself learning how to deal with my own issues and learning to have confidence to interact with other people. I think yeah, right, right. When I first got into this sort of stuff, I couldn't say hello to people, I couldn't speak my name to people. I was that shy and along the line. I've worked as a life model, which isn't a shy job, so I've come some way along the way.
Speaker 1:Right, right, and on Facebook as well, right, doing your card of the day. So going from not saying hello to sharing your wonderful gift with the world.
Speaker 3:Thank you, yeah, yeah, wonderful.
Speaker 1:So since 1989, you have been out here on this journey. What is a common misconception about reiki?
Speaker 3:that it can heal anybody, is it? I'm not a healer, I'm a channel. Yeah, and so for me the hardest bit is to try not to explain it too much and just let people experience it. And just get my head out of the way.
Speaker 1:Right, right, beautiful. So, as you are out on your own healing journey, what is something you wish your younger self knew about? Reiki.
Speaker 3:That it was there knew about Reiki, that it was there. It would have been wonderful if this sort of thing, the psychic stuff, all this sort of spiritual stuff, it would have been great if we could have been tortured at school or shamed at school.
Speaker 1:Right right.
Speaker 3:I had some sort of psychic gift, but as far as I'm concerned it just meant I was bonkers rod and I had something that nobody else had got.
Speaker 1:Yeah, right, right, yeah. Especially when you're a little like that and you have these abilities and see things and know things, it's often difficult for other children to understand that. Don't have that particular gift and adults as well. They always try to you know. No, that's just your imagination and kind of quiet that.
Speaker 3:People who don't know me accusing me of being a con artist.
Speaker 1:Right, right, right, yeah, absolutely. So when it's time for you to get an energetic tune up, or maybe when you, you know, seek out that Reiki teacher, what are some qualities you look for in a Reiki practitioner or Reiki teacher?
Speaker 3:Someone I feel comfortable with. It's just that I mean, there's so many people out there that you just have to feel right with someone and for it to work as well, because I've met teachers where we've talked about maybe getting attuned or whatever and circumstances actually no, getting away, and it hasn't happened at the time, but I got here eventually right.
Speaker 1:It's amazing how the energy comes into play if it's not meant to be. Those little obstacles come in the way that you just think are just little new nuances, but they're actually the energy guiding you in a different direction. So yeah, yeah very good. So what advice would you give someone who's just entering this profession of Reiki and, even with you, know your psychic ability card reading as well? You can offer some advice for those of our listeners that are into tarot.
Speaker 3:You just have to trust yourself. Basically, one of the best things I discovered and I think it came with my first tarot deck the little book that came with it said read the book. If you don't agree with the book, throw the book away.
Speaker 1:I love that sometimes you get caught up in the training. I was trained in tarot and it was a certain way to do it. And one of my friends, we got together and she's like I'm going to do a reading and it wasn't like any other spread I had ever seen. I'm like what are you doing? And she's like I'm going to do a reading and it wasn't like any other spread I had ever seen. I'm like what are you doing? And she said my spirit guides told me to set the cards out like this.
Speaker 1:Well, it was a reflection of my mind. Where it's the multiple tabs open, right. So there were cards everywhere which made sense. And then it was in that moment that I needed to reshift and rechange and like, well, maybe I shouldn't go by this and go and try more intuitively with it. And so I don't even look at the book anymore. It just goes with what the energy is. And so I always tell people you need to cultivate that relationship with the energy and get to know the language of the cards, how they speak to you.
Speaker 3:Yeah, definitely. I play these cards every day. If there's someone here, that that's great, is an exchange. I just call it practice, but actually I'm just tapping into that energy because I love the feel of it wonderful so you can't see me, but my hands are actually. I'm sitting here with my hands and my heart oh, as as I always am, because Reiki's always there.
Speaker 1:Always there, beautiful.
Speaker 3:One of the things that surprises me when I go and see people that are attuned to Reiki and I said when did you last use Reiki? And they say well, I haven't, since I was attuned. And you think, your hands are there what are you doing?
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah. I think that people and that could be another misconception they think once they're attuned, that's it, they don't have to do anything else, they don't have to do the work, they don't have to practice. And I tell it like you're courting the energy, you're dating it right, so you want to get to know it and do yourself reiki, and that's how other things begin to grow, other abilities. Maybe it'll open that third eye, right?
Speaker 1:or uh you know, maybe have more vivid dreams on it. But it's just a matter of just working with it and uh, beyond, you know a teacher touching you or giving you that placement. So you have to do the work.
Speaker 3:Yes, definitely, it opens up the conversation as well. Very good when people see, I'm sitting on the bus or whatever. I'm sitting there with my hand on my heart and people go are you okay? Are you okay, do you need anything? I go yeah, I'm buzzing, I'm fine, this is what's going on and it just starts, spreads it about wonderful, so what books do you recommend?
Speaker 3:what books do I recommend? I used to read a lot of spiritual books, but I read other sorts of books. Now I've I've. So I know, I know there's a lot I haven't read and a lot I haven't learned, but I just felt like I wanted to just experience it rather than read it. And when I go and hear people talk about Reiki, talking about Reiki is not Reiki, experiencing Reiki is Reiki. Yeah, I was going to say something else there and it's gone.
Speaker 1:Well, it might come back towards the end, so we'll have a chance for you to share.
Speaker 3:Oh, yes, it comes back. There's only one book that I've come across that I would recommend. That's Reiki. I'm sure there's others, but the one that I really enjoyed was Essential Reiki by Diane Stein.
Speaker 1:Very good, very good. That's a very good book.
Speaker 3:She's a maverick Reiki person herself, so it's probably why I like her.
Speaker 1:Yes, very good. So what other services do you offer? Do you offer classes, events, trainings?
Speaker 3:Occasionally I'll run a Reiki class. So occasionally, if enough people, I can get enough people together. But I don't push it. I'm not a persuader. If the space becomes available and the people are interested, then that happens. And it's the same with the tarot. If people want to learn, I can't teach them, but I'll point them to certain decks or whatever and I'll point them to my facebook page so they can see what the sort of thing that I do. And the one other thing that I've been sort of let's use the word pushed, but I don't mean in a negative way, but I've been pushed into doing what I call psychic feng shui.
Speaker 1:Oh, that's interesting yeah.
Speaker 3:Which is basically going around balancing out and the energies in people's houses, getting people in tune with their own energies. That sort of thing it's not. You know, I've read a lot of feng shui and I know quite a bit about it, but I wouldn't you know? I wouldn't call myself anything to do with the feng shui in terms of all that technical stuff. I just do the psychic side.
Speaker 1:Right, how wonderful. What a wonderful service to offer for people in their home, because they don't think of that the blockages as Reiki masters or practitioners. You think of the blockages in the body, but what about the home? Right, yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, very good. So where can we find you? Are you available online in person? How does someone get in contact with you if they would like a session or service from you?
Speaker 3:The best way is through the Facebook page, which is Simon Tansley Tarot Reader. I presume it's got one of those code things to go with it, but I can never remember.
Speaker 1:Well, I'm sure I found you, so they can find you right.
Speaker 3:I'm the bullheaded guy with the big beard.
Speaker 1:And I'll surely put the link in the show notes too, so they'll have an opportunity to click on that as well. All right, all right, simon. This ends the first part of our journey together, and I'm going to continue being your guide through the next questions here. These are social media questions that are sent in by listeners or Reiki students, so here we go. Number one do you think a year of apprenticeship with a Reiki master assisted you in becoming a better Reiki master teacher?
Speaker 3:For me personally? Yes, because it gave me the confidence observing how somebody else did it, being able to be involved without having to wear the badge I'm the Reiki teacher, I'm the Reiki master, whatever that means. Sometimes I call myself a Reiki mattress. I just have to relax and let the Reiki do it. To me it's always about getting my head out of the way.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, I think that would make a great book title. Actually, I love that. I love that my lineage. I had Azuri Rehiho as my first step in the direction of Reiki and in that lineage you had level one, you had level two, then you had the master, but it didn't make you a teacher, it only made you a master practitioner. And then I spent an entire almost a year in an apprenticeship almost a year in an apprenticeship. So in a weird way I don't want to call it a Reiki four, but it was that extra time that we logged practice hours. I had to put together a presentation for a talk.
Speaker 1:I audited all of my master teacher's classes from in-person and online and really got to see how a class was structured, some questions that students would ask what the students really liked. If they liked, like even small things, like wow, they liked having an offering of a bottle of water, right, some things. You wouldn't even think about pillows or something to make that one student comfortable wouldn't even think about pillows or something to make that one student comfortable. So it was an interesting journey to show a different way versus some of the other systems out there. I love Holy Fire, but in Holy Fire. You know three days. That third day you know you're a master teacher and I didn't have that. Now the ICRT does offer now that extra if you choose to do it. There's different programs that you can go through and learn the business aspect or take your time in a little three-year-old program. But it's interesting that many practitioners and masters have different ways to get where they are in the journey.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, it was my choice. My master was quite happy to just attune me ah okay, I said no, I want to. I want to make a commitment sure, sure yeah, it really depends on the other person.
Speaker 1:Like I was like on like a fiery comet that I just and could you know, just couldn't. I took up everything like a sponge. But then you have some that need to take their time. They want to take a year, years, and that's fine. Everyone's on their different path, their different journey. Some walk fast through it and some want to just savor every moment of it. So, yeah, that's another option for for students.
Speaker 3:Yeah, there's so many different forms of reiki out there, but as far as I was concerned, I'm happy with what I've got beautiful and that suits me.
Speaker 3:in fact, someone, someone I met allegedly didn't like the symbols I'd been given and changed them. She just she told me after it had happened that I didn't like the symbols I'd been given and changed them. She just she told me after it had happened that I didn't like the symbols. I didn't, I didn't relate to him, so I changed them and I just thought wrong and I just consciously changed them back again.
Speaker 1:Well, here's the interesting thing, One of the you know, besides the intention of what you put out, there's consent. She didn't have your consent, so they wouldn't stick anyway and say, let's go down the road of, if she asked your higher self, your higher self would know you weren't ready for that, so they wouldn't stick to you anyway. Yeah, so it's kind of like you need to ask for permission before you just kind of come into someone's energy and decide you know a tool, because those symbols are tools, those are in your energetic toolbox. It's like coming in and going through my toolbox and saying, well, I don't like this craftsman's screwdriver of yours, and they toss it away.
Speaker 1:Meanwhile it has sentimental value to it. One because it was my grandfather's right and I've had it for how many decades? Yeah, who is that? To come in and say that without saying, hey, this looks a little beat up. Do you want to get rid of it? No, actually it's very sentimental to me. It means a lot to me. Same way, if you were asked from the beginning no, I'm good. Or yeah, okay, I'm up that. But that's what's interesting with that, you just give that situation Reiki, I guess.
Speaker 3:When I was first attuned to Reiki with Mari, we weren't allowed to walk away with those symbols. They're on a piece of paper. We had to learn them memorize them and hand that paper back. And I'm not saying it's wrong, it is available everywhere. Symbols on everything. I think that's great. I'm just intrigued in how these things are evolving Sure, sure, sure.
Speaker 1:I mean, I've had guests on the show that they're very seasoned Reiki master teachers and the symbols are there. They may not use them as much. There may be a particular symbol that resonates with them. I've had guests that have come on that have channeled the symbols and used their own as that master, which you can. So it's just intriguing to hear different stories. The ICRT, the Holy Fire, you know you take a test, the second level, you, you know, memorize your symbols. You go off at lunch, you practice, you draw and you have that quiz. And to show your master teacher here and you know that helps deepen the relationship with it. But then also to can it stress somebody out that's like, oh my goodness, I can't remember this, I can't, I can't get every detail of honcho se shonen right, perfect, and that just comes with practice and time, as well so yeah, and then you have others teachers that like nope, go work with it, go out and you know practice and cultivate that well.
Speaker 1:So yeah, and then you have others teachers that like nope, go work with it, go out and you know practice and cultivate that relationship. So you know, there's many, many different ways to do it and it's just a matter of the intention and consent. So our second one can you describe any daily spiritual practices that you incorporate into your daily life?
Speaker 3:Well, it's hard to separate my daily life from my spiritual practice because it's my job basically. So I'm working with people. If I can, I try and get to listen to some music and have an hour's Reiki first thing, just to get me into a positive place and then just see what the day brings after that. But most of what I'm doing is spiritual journey anyway, if whatever that means right beautiful journey our last question this is our question is what is your favorite deck?
Speaker 3:I've been reflecting on this and the fact is it's impossible. I've had so many decks pass through my hands and so many decks that haven't passed through my hands that I want it's hard to put a finger on it. I did pick a couple of decks to show, but we haven't got the camera, so I've got three decks in front of me that are significant. First one is the Elemental deck, which is my first deck, although it's my second copy of my first deck, because I wore out the first deck, couldn't read it anymore, it worn it out so much. There's a deck called the Cosmic Tarot, which and I can't remember who it's by because I I think it really gets to the meat of the readings, as it were. And I also like the osho zen tarot or the zen osho tarot, because it opens up that other way of thinking about things, which is a bit like the voyage of tarot as well, which I love because there's so much in it. I can spend days just looking at a card with a wonderful.
Speaker 1:Thank you for sharing that. Uh, what a wonderful resource uh to have for the cards. Not only one deck, but three right. I usually have like one that's my favorite right and then a backup, but three.
Speaker 3:I've got about 120 decks at the moment.
Speaker 1:Oh my goodness, that's, fabulous.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Right, right. Are you ever inspired to create your own deck?
Speaker 3:I have once or twice, but it's never really gelled. I'm halfway through a book, right Writing a book, but it's been over 10 years now and I'm halfway through it, so I'm not sure I'm ever going to finish that you never know, we'll see. Yeah, I've been given plenty of time to do it. I just don't get around to do it.
Speaker 1:Sure, sure. So that was our last question and, as we were talking, is there anything else that you would like to share? Or maybe you forgot?
Speaker 3:that you would like our listeners to know. No, the only thing I'd like to say is I love your background. I love those feathers Fantastic.
Speaker 1:They really go well with what you're doing there.
Speaker 1:Thank you. And they go all the way up beyond our little square that you see here and you can feel the texture of them. And I don't think I've ever told the story on the podcast, but the feathers here. I had moved from Pennsylvania to El Paso and my husband had been here for a few years before and this was prior to COVID. Then COVID happened and I just couldn't get out here.
Speaker 1:So when I finally came out, here there's a thrift shop and I was donating some things and also looking around because I had a whole house to decorate. And I walked in and I saw these two paintings and I was like. I was like open the door, one, two, three, four, turn. There they were and I'm like, oh, my goodness, and they're so large. And I said out loud this is for my studio. I didn't have a studio yet and I don't know where that came from. And I picked them up and they were so big.
Speaker 1:This place used to be a former grocery store so I had the grocery cart. Now I'm from Pittsburgh. We call grocery carts buggies, but we had them in the grocery cart. It was so big I had to check out right there and take them out to my car to go back in to shop, and so I put them on the wall here and so I do yoga and I do the podcast. So that's the story of how I got these feathers and my name of the business. My business is Feather Sister, so that worked out perfect, fantastic.
Speaker 3:Thank you, perfect, thank you. The other thing I wanted to show you but obviously I can't is I've got a big furry polar bear, teddy bear. Oh, and when I was attuning, learning how to attune, I tuned him to be a reiki master oh beautiful. He's my reiki master now reiki master now.
Speaker 1:Wonderful, I love it. I love it. Always good to have the spirit of the animals with us as uh for Reiki. Very good, all right, well, simon. This ends our journey together and I just want to say thank you for joining me and taking time out of your busy day to be on Ready Set Reiki well, thank you, it's been a pleasure all right, all All right, my wonderful listeners.
Speaker 1:If you'd like your question featured on Ready Set Reiki, reach out to wwwreadysetreikicom or check us out on social media. Also check out Feather Sister Wellness that offers yoga, yoga trainings and a variety of Reiki and Reiki trainings. I'm Tracy Seawright and this has been Ready Set Reiki you.