Reiki

Reiki is perhaps the most popular and commonly recognized system of energy healing. Reiki is a Japanese word meaning “universal life energy”.

Reiki healing is a simple, hands-on energy healing technique which works primarily with the transfer of universal energy to the recipient. It relies on the intelligence of the energy itself to go where it is needed. It also employs the use of symbols to activate the energy for particular purposes. The heart of Reiki consists of “attunements” which the teacher uses to increase the student’s ability to be a conduit for the universal life energy.

History

The founder of Reiki, Dr. Mikao Usui, was a Japanese Zen Buddhist, businessman and scholar born the mid-nineteenth century Japan. He developed a desire to learn how to perform healings. A long search eventually led him to undertake a religious spiritual fast on Mt. Kurama. During this self-imposed retreat, Usui had a revelation which led the development of a system of healing.

Usui’s original teachings have gone through many transformations as they have been passed from teacher to student over the years. When the term “Usui method” is used, it indicates that the teacher feels that they are following the procedures of Dr. Usui, as opposed to teachers who have created or learned variations on the original method. Some teachers claim that their particular teaching is more authentic than others as far as adhering to Usui’s original teaching. There is much controversy, however, about exactly what Usui did teach and whether anyone can really lay claim to teaching the “authentic” method

How Reiki is taught — all courses are not alike!

Reiki was traditionally taught in several stages with an apprenticeship with a Reiki master, but there are now teachers who offer the entire training in one weekend. Those interested in learning Reiki or receiving Reiki need to be aware that all Reiki practitioners and teachers are not alike. Even in energy healing programs with a very standardized curriculum, there will be great variation among practitioners in terms of how they use and express the system. This may be particularly true with Reiki due to the variations in training. (It’s important to note that the term “master” comes from the Japanese use of that word to mean “teacher”. It does not imply mastery of an art. A Reiki master has completed their training and has the ability to teach Reiki to another person.)

Discussion

Are attunements necessary?  Many people start their energy healing careers with Reiki and it becomes a central part of their work. For some it is an ongoing spiritual and healing path, and they go very deep with it. For those who have already done hands-on energy healing, reports are mixed. Some feel it enhances the ability to conduct healing energy, and some feel it doesn’t add much to their practice. It is certainly not necessary to have attunements in order to be a conduit for healing energies, although in some cases attunement may be useful. Each individual needs to honor what intuitively “draws” them. There is no program of training which is best or right for everyone!

Is Reiki a Religion?  Although Reiki is not a religion and people of many different religious backgrounds practice and receive Reiki, it does have a spiritual foundation which includes the “Reiki precepts” (guidelines for living). The vision in which Dr. Usui received the inspiration for this healing system is often seen as something which was divinely inspired. As a result, certain elements sometimes creep into the teaching and practice of Reiki which are often found in association with religions. Most notably, there are a number of controversies associated with the teaching and practice of Reiki, with various parties feeling that they have the “right” understanding. Most feel that the Reiki symbols should not be revealed to the non-initiated, and many have become quite upset at practitioners who have put the symbols into print. These controversies, however, do not change the fact that more people have started to use their healing abilities through Reiki than through any other system to date. Whatever the nature of Dr. Usui’s inspiration for the development of this program, it has proven to be a useful and beneficial system for many people.

Highly Recommended Books

The Everything Reiki Book, by Phylameana lila Désy, About.com’s Holistic Healing Guide. An excellent introduction and overview, as well as a perfect “handbook” for students and practitioners. Read book review below.
Reiki: Healing Yourself & Others by Marsha Burack — an especially beautiful and profound book by a healer and artist who has immersed herself deeply in Reiki.
Reiki: Universal Life Energy by Bodo J. Baginski and Shalila Sharamon — an informative, inspiring and insightful book about Reiki.

Website

Many different offshoots and forms of Reiki have evolved. Since so many energy workers first learned Reiki, when new energies and techniques were discovered in their work, they continued to call it Reiki, adding another term to distinguish the new form. All Energy-Therapies Web is a website with an exhaustive list of the various forms of Reiki.

Book Review – The Everything Reiki Book, Phylameana lila Désy, Adams Media, Avon, MA, 2004.
The Everything Reiki Book serves not only as a perfect introduction to Reiki for those who are new to the subject, but a comprehensive handbook for students and practitioners alike. The book is clear, simple and straight-forward, yet contains a depth of understanding and wisdom. It really does cover everything to do with Reiki - just reading through the table of contents reveals the complexity of topics which have become associated with what started out as a very simple teaching. Desy has managed to give a birds-eye view of the whole subject, as well as practical details and down-to-earth advice on every topic covered. She states that Reiki is all about balance, and she demonstrates this perfectly as she deals with various issues in the Reiki community, including controversial ones, with a balanced perspective.

Desy makes it clear what is unique to Reiki as opposed to other energy healing systems. While her deep appreciation and enthusiasm for Reiki are clear, she acknowledges that being able to use universal life energy for healing is not exclusive to Reiki. She even includes a chapter on other energy-based modalities. One can substitute the term “energy healing” for “Reiki” in many places throughout this book and find that the same principles hold true. Thus the book is valuable for students of any energy healing modality. — Mary Maddux, May 11, 2004

 

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