“Tell her about the door. Tell her about the door.”

The soft command woke me hours before my alarm and days before teaching my upcoming Reiki One class.

I knew exactly who the command was in reference to but couldn’t understand why I would be telling this person about the door.

The door. It was a secondary exit in the basement office I occupied. A typical 9-panel pane glass door, it sat unobtrusively in the back corner of the office dressed in a cream colored sheer cascading to the floor at its threshold.

Most people never noticed it. Or if they did they certainly never mentioned it. It was simply a door.

Or was it more?

Upon arrival class day I headed straight for – the door. Staring for a puzzled moment, I moved the wicker shelf in front of it, tested the door knob and then went outside the building to check the door from its outer side. Still uncertain as to the reason for the “tell her about the door” dream command but feeling that the door was secure, I went about readying for class.

I’d been affiliated with this office since 2008 and not once was this door of any concern or command.

“Good morning” I exploded as Karen and Doris arrived.

“I forgot to mention to you when you were here for your Reiki session weeks ago, but there is a second exit from the office.” I pointed to the door still babbling, “I checked it, moved the curtain, went outside to double check things from there and just want you to know of the door’s existence.”

I was speaking so fast it was as if someone else were talking. When I finished, the silent stares confirmed that we were all puzzled. Like, who said that and why.

Doris was visibly troubled about something and proceeded to share that she wasn’t sure she could spend two full days studying Reiki at this office. She had issues with “confinement” and the basement office was having an adverse effect on her.

She went on to explain that they randomly stopped en route to class at a yard sale and shared with the yard sale host that she was on her way to a Reiki One class nearby. The yard sale host said that she knew the Reiki teacher (me) and assured Doris that her experience would be wonderful.

Doris continued that she really felt that coming upon this other practitioner was Divine guidance and was apologetic that although she was very much looking forward to the weekend Reiki One class, she simply did not feel she could participate in the basement.

Doris’ anxiety was palpable. I assured her there were no hard feelings and that she should feel very comfortable where class is held and the teacher. I asked her who the yard sale host/practitioner was and she handed me the woman’s brochure and business card.

I shivered.

Looking up from the brochure I said, “Doris, this practitioner works out of this office.”

Silence fell upon the spiritual moment.

I explained my “dream command” to Doris and my feeling that her stumbling upon the other practitioner was, indeed, Divinely guided but that because the practitioner also practiced out of the same office that the guidance seemed more of assurance not escape.

Doris completely understood my spiritual theory. But when a person is suffering from anxiety and panic, spiritual theory is not quite the antidote they’re looking for.

“Take breaks as frequently as you wish. Go outside, get water, lay down if you feel overwhelmed and do not feel badly about any of it”, I suggested.

The final decision would be hers, I assured, as to whether she felt she could study Reiki at this office but that my feeling was she should begin her Reiki studies by embracing and trusting that spiritual energy (Reiki) had been at work on her probably since her Reiki session with me weeks ago.

Class began.

“In light of all that has transpired”, I began, “I doubt very much that you need an explanation as to what spiritual energy (Reiki) is and how it works.”

Doris had a wonderful first day of class and a jolting Reiki experience. She arrived the second day excited and refreshed. She was a completely different person at class end than at class beginning. She realized exactly what Reiki is and that it is and has been working with her for a very long time.

Doris took her understanding of Reiki with her and continued to grow spiritually.