Queer Reiki:
Reiki Level 1 Training
for our New Mexico LGBTQ+ Communities
Saturday, May 17, 2025
9:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Learn the simple and powerful practice of Reiki and how it can support us as individuals, families, and as a community.
In this time of ongoing assaults and backlash on our civil rights and our communities nationwide, it’s important for us to have tools for resilience, healing, and support–for each of us as individuals, and for our families and communities.
Reiki is a practice and a tool that can help to support our mental and physical health, offer support for others, and provide a source of resilience, inner strength, and connection that is so important for us as we affirm our dignity, our humanity, and our rights to live free from discrimination and violence.
I am offering this 1-day workshop for members of our New Mexico LGBTQ+ communities.
This workshop is inclusive of all in our community, and is offered in partnership with
Heal Plus NM, Health Equity Alliance for LGBTQ+ New Mexicans
HEAL Plus NM is a grassroots organization that uses community art to co-create communities where all people can thrive and queer and trans people are cherished.
This workshop is offered on a free or donation basis, and is open to any person who identifies as LGBTQIA+ and who is interested and wishes to have this training, as an offering to my community at this time. Donations are gratefully accepted, but are not expected or required.
The workshop is in downtown Albuquerque; address, directions, and other workshop details will be provided after registration.
We will have ASL interpreters.
Reiki is a simple, powerful spiritual and energy healing practice.
What is Reiki?
Reiki (pronounced ray-key) is the universal life force energy that flows through all living beings.
The teachings and traditions of Reiki are simple and powerful spiritual and energy healing practices.
Reiki is simple, natural, and safe, and can be learned and used by anyone.
Reiki may be shared by and with all species.
Reiki is balancing and nourishing, and can promote stress reduction, relaxation, physical, mental, and spiritual healing,
Reiki can support any other medical, veterinary, or therapeutic modalities or treatments.
Reiki has been successfully taught to thousands of people of all ages and backgrounds all over the world.
In Reiki Level 1, You’ll Learn:
- What Reiki is
- The history of Reiki
- How Reiki heals and how it can be used
- The different levels of Reiki and how the attunement process works
- The Reiki Precepts (Ideals) and how they can help us in our daily lives
- Level 1 Reiki attunement
- Self-treatment with Reiki
- How to share Reiki with other people
- Reiki hand positions (when and when not to use them)
- How to feel and work with Reiki intuitively
- Practice guidelines for giving and receiving Reiki
- Techniques for using Reiki for self-care and support
What is Queer Reiki?
“Queer Reiki” refers to Reiki practices that specifically acknowledge and affirm the diversity of LGBTQ+ identities and create safe and supportive environments for LGBTQ+ individuals.
As Reiki practitioners and teachers, we understand the unique needs and experiences of LGBTQ+ people and utilizing our skills to address the potential impacts of societal stigma, homophobia, transphobia, and discrimination on our emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual well-being.
Benefits of Queer Reiki for LGBTQ+ People:
- Reduced Stress and Anxiety: Reiki can help calm the nervous system and reduce stress and anxiety, which are common experiences for LGBTQ+ individuals due to societal pressures, discrimination, and threats.
- Emotional Healing: Reiki can facilitate emotional healing and help individuals process past traumas and experiences related to our identity and experiences.
- Improved Self-Esteem and Acceptance: Reiki can empower individuals to embrace our authentic selves and cultivate self-acceptance and self-love.
- Increased Connection to Self and Others: Reiki can help us to connect with our inner wisdom and cultivate stronger relationships with ourselves and others.
- Increased Connection to Universal Life Force Energy: Reiki is a practice that connects us with the universal life force energy that is known by many names: Chi, Qi, Spirit, Universe, the Divine.
This workshop is offered on a free or donation basis, and is open to any person who identifies as LGBTQIA+ and who is interested and wishes to have this training, as an offering to my community at this time. Donations are gratefully accepted, but are not expected or required.
The workshop is in downtown Albuquerque; address, directions, and other workshop details will be provided after registration.
We will have ASL interpreters.
About Nancy Windheart, Reiki Master-Teacher
Reiki is one of the most powerful tools that I use in my daily personal life, as well as in my interspecies communication and teaching practice. As a Reiki Master-Teacher (I am a Professional Member of the International Association of Reiki Professionals), I use Reiki daily for myself, my animal family, and with my human and animal clients.
My journey with Reiki started after I began my professional practice as an animal communicator. I was interested in Reiki because I wanted additional tools that I could offer to my clients and their animals, particularly those who were healing from trauma, or had emotional, behavioral, or physical issues that could benefit from the supportive holistic healing energy that Reiki provides.
I was initially drawn to Reiki as a supportive service that I could offer to my clients and their animal friends. What I didn’t expect, really, was how much Reiki would change MY life.
As a Reiki Master-Teacher, my mission is to share the gift of Reiki and to train people who wish to become Reiki Practitioners. Because of my work as an animal communicator, Reiki for animals is a large part of my professional and teaching practice. Reiki has also become an intimate part of my personal spiritual practice, connecting me more deeply to source energy and the divine love that is available to all beings.
I invite you to join me in discovering the benefits and blessings of Reiki!
Former Students Say…
I learned so much about the history and theories behind this remarkable practice and even more importantly, I FELT the power of Reiki in my body and witnessed its deep effects on the people and animals in my life who agreed to share in this with me.
My expectations were exceeded. There was enough background information to help me understand the development of Reiki, and practice exercises to help me become more comfortable with the technique, how the energy works through me, etc. I’ve taken Nancy Windheart’s animal communication classes and feel she is a talented and intuitive teacher, healer and animal communicator — so I was confident that this would be another excellent course.
In addition to learning about Reiki, I participated in practicing it. I felt the energy flow. I realized that this is really something that I can give to myself – and others. It really is possible! I am thrilled and looking forward to continuing to expand my world. Nancy’s support has been instrumental, as well as the unexpected and delightful support of the other participants.
I feel that Reiki has helped me to become more emotionally centered and more aware of my intentions as I proceed through each day. It has helped me to become more compassionate in my dealings with clients in my volunteer work. My cat and I seem so much more closely connected as she joins me when I practice Reiki for myself or include her in a session.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can learn Reiki?
Although many health care practitioners, veterinarians, veterinary technicians, nurses, doctors and therapists use Reiki in their profession, most people who are trained in Reiki begin by using it for their families and friends.
Is Reiki a religion?
What is the difference between Reiki and other forms of energy healing?
The tradition of Reiki practice includes specific tools, practices, and techniques that are a simple and powerful way of working with this universal energy in ways that benefit ourselves and those with whom we share the practice. There are other practices, traditions, and systems which also work with this energy and have their own traditions, tools, and techniques.
Reiki practices and traditions have their own unique energy, vibration, and approach. Reiki is not practiced in a directive, protocol-based way in the way that some healing modalities are structured. Rather, it is a meditation and mindfulness-based practice that can also be used as an energetic healing practice.
I've had Reiki before. Can I still take this class?
Yes, absolutely! Each Reiki attunement and training strengthens and deepens our relationship with Reiki. Reiki practitioners from any and all Reiki traditions are welcome in this class.
Are animals and Animal Reiki included in this class?
This Reiki 1 class is specifically focused on humans, and we won’t have animals with us. However, we may have time to discuss some best practices for sharing Reiki with our animal companions.