The Healing Power of Reiki

[part 1]

Reiki is not a religion. There is no creed, or ‘mantra’, or set of beliefs that one must adhere to. Nor do you have to change your own beliefs or faith in order to practice it. Neither is it a diagnostic art. Reiki is a complementary, rather than an alternative medicine. I recommend if you are unwell consult your GP and take whatever medication is prescribed. And then investigate whatever healing modality you are drawn to.

A very welcome advancement in recent times is the growing number of hospitals and nursing homes that allow Reiki to be practiced. This is a very positive sign. However, you don’t have to be sick to experience Reiki. It is a marvellous way to experience deep relaxation.

What does Reiki feel like?

This is a question a lot of people ask. And the best way to find out is to try it for yourself. Some people experience sensations of heat coming from the practitioner’s hands, some coolness, others a tingling. More again feel a sense of detachment from their body. Others say it’s like soaking in a hot bath. Some people even fall asleep during a session. That’s not a problem, by the way, if you do. The part of you that knows where this energy is meant to go will continue to work. In short, there is no definitive answer as to how Reiki feels, everybody will experience it in their own unique way. It is not uncommon for people to complain of tiredness or headaches after a Reiki session. This is nothing to be alarmed at, it is usually old stuck patterns leaving the body.

There are two ways you can experience Reiki. The first is to go to a practitioner.

At a typically session you will sit comfortably or lie down on a plinth, fully clothed, and the practitioner will place his/her hands on your head and body. As with any energy work it is good to maintain an upright back, as this facilitates the flow of energy up the spine. Therefore, I really recommend receiving Reiki in a sitting position. But this is not the common practice, and most people prefer to lie down. It’s probably more relaxing. Just go with whatever feels most comfortable for you. You will gain benefits either way. Because, as I said above, energy is not dependent on positions or time, but moves where it needs to go, and to where the healing is needed most. Reiki is very good at shifting emotional stuff, and can help with physical ailments too.

The role of the practitioner during a healing session is to channel this chi or energy. The energy does not come from the practitioner themselves, rather from the Universe, and the person giving the healing is but a conduit of it. Reiki is purely and simply this universal loving energy, a ‘hands on’ healing art.

The second way to experience Reiki is to learn it for yourself. This is probably the best way all round, as apart from the obvious benefits of being able to give it to yourself, the study of Reiki as a discipline is excellent for personal development. Something everyone seems to want these days.

How Reiki is passed down

Reiki is taught in three stages, known as levels 1, 2 and 3. At the first level the teacher will explain its history and origin, then introduce the hand positions, and finally perform what is known as an ‘attunement’. An attunement simply means that you are now aligned with universal energy. The hand positions that are taught at this level are meant as guidelines only and do not constitute any ‘correct’ way to do it. In any case, you’ll be glad to hear, there is no wrong way to do Reiki!

At the second level the student is given the Reiki symbols. One works with them by holding them in the mind, rather than the way you would work with a mandala. Originally, it wasn't permitted to reveal the symbols and the student had to draw them from memory! However, this is no longer the case and the Reiki symbols are now widely available.

At this level the concept of Distant Healing is introduced. Here the student begins to deepen her awareness of herself and healing.

Finally, then, at the third, or Master level the student advances to become a Reiki practitioner. Sometimes at this level one learns how to pass on the attunements to others. All three levels are taught in workshops, often in one day, but usually over a weekend. It is recommended there is a suitable time lapse between each workshop just to allow the student to integrate the material (more at an energetic level). What is ‘suitable’ can vary, very much from student to student, there are no hard and fast rules. As regards the teacher training, I personally feel this requires a longer period, say four to six months, as at this stage the student is moving to a much higher level, and will be responsible for passing on the material to others. And there is so much information to be absorbed at this level. I did it in a weekend and it was just too much information to take in.

History of Reiki

The most popular form of Reiki is Usui Reiki, named after its founder, Dr. Usui, who is generally considered to have discovered the art. There are a lot of apocryphal stories about his life and awakening. It’s not certain if Dr. Usui channelled the symbols, certainly not them all, as some of them are very ancient Sanskrit glyphs, like the Om. His original training system was passed down in six levels, now modified to three, outlined above. Another form is Tera Maia Reiki. In Tera Maia they concentrate more on the auric or etheric body, and often there is little or no physical touch. They also use the symbols more. I experienced it once and I have to say it’s very powerful (but I’m a touchy-feely person (!) so I prefer Usui.)

The word Reiki was current in Japan before Usui developed his particular system, and it’s probably a very ancient hands-on healing art. Dr. Usui called his system Usui Reiki Ryoho, and founded the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkei (the Usui Reiki Healing Method Society) and was its first president. He died in 1926. The society still exists in Japan today.

The second major name in Reiki is a lady called Madam Takata. It is she who is primarily responsible for introducing it to the west. Madam Takata was an American lady, and it was on a visit to Japan that she met Dr. Hayashi, a disciple of Dr. Usui’s, who initiated her into the Reiki arts. At the time Reiki was seen as something arcane and for the elite, as I said its symbols fiercely guarded. A bit like the ancient mystery school at Elysium. Those were very different times. I’m afraid Madam Takata would not have approved of me writing this article and giving away all the secrets! That would not be good at all! Perhaps they thought if too many people could use Reiki they would start adding their own stuff to it. Interesting, because that’s kind of what happened! However, I think we are more democratic today.

In her entire life it is said that Madam Takata only initiated 22 teachers. After her death in 1980 the school split and her granddaughter headed up a group called the Reiki Alliance, and a student, Barbara Ray, established Radiance Technique. Today there are thousands of Reiki teachers and practitioners throughout the world. Personally I think this is a good thing. Hiding something as good as Reiki and making it elitist and special benefits no one. I believe the more people who know about healing and work with it the better.

Part 2 concludes with

my personal journey in Reiki

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