The WI

Just over a year ago I was invited to give a talk on Reiki at a local Women’s Institute meeting.  I accepted, although at that time I had never really spoken in public.  I figured that it was over a year away, a lot could happen in a year and anyway, I could always cancel nearer the time.  I put it out of my mind.

A week ago the lady who made the booking phoned to make sure everything was ok!!  Oh yes, everything’s fine, I told her and then went into panic.

I put together a presentation, wrote some prompt cards and gathered my equipment together.  By yesterday afternoon I had everything I needed to do the talk.

The talk was last night.  I still hadn’t given a public presentation as such although I had said a few words at the opening of our Como Centre for Enlightenment.  I set off for the venue and I will admit to butterflies floating around in a haphazard fashion.  By the time I was introduced I was feeling quite sick and wondering why on earth had I agreed to do this.

I asked my “people” to help, made it through the first few slides and prompt cards and then I found myself digressing – oh, still about Reiki but making it a little more personal and adding my own little stories.  My audience were beginning to get quite involved, they ooed and arred and they laughed.

And then I had finished!  Phew, I’d got through it and then I spent a further 15-minutes answering questions.  We finally stopped because time was running out but as I packed away, the ladies started to come up one by one, with even more questions.

I’m sure I floated back home last night, I was on such a high.  Not only had I pushed myself a little more out of my comfort zone, but I had given loads of information on Reiki to an audience who were really interested, who had been made aware of something they previously knew nothing about and who realised that Reiki was so completely user-friendly that they could do it if they wished.

Many said they would contact me, time will tell whether or not they will, but it doesn’t matter.  I had made a group of ladies aware of Reiki and all its benefits.  I had achieved what I set out to.