WHAT IS REIKI?

What happens when you scrape your knee? The very first thing you do is immediately touch the area that is hurting. It is an instinctual response for human beings to heal with our hands, even though Westerners are taught otherwise. REIKI simply takes the healing process a step ...What happens when you scrape your knee? The very first thing you do is immediately touch the area that is hurting. It is an instinctual response for human beings to heal with our hands, even though Westerners are taught otherwise. REIKI simply takes the healing process a step further.

Pronounced ray-key, REIKI is a Japanese form of relaxation and stress reduction which utilizes non-invasive energy known as the Universal Life Force. Essentially, it is hands-on healing. "Rei" translates as "Spiritual" or "Higher Power" and "Ki" is from the Chinese word for "Chi" or "Energy". While REIKI is a spiritual practice, it is NOT associated with any religious organizations. Also, one does not necessarily have to be a spiritually oriented person to give or to receive REIKI. You simply have to be open to it.

Basically, REIKI practitioners go through a series of attunements and then act as a conduit transferring the flow of this Universal Life Force from themselves to their client. Therefore, it is this Universal Life Force that is doing all the work, not the practitioner. The REIKI energy flows into the practitioner’s crown, down through the arms and finally through the hands to the client. By placing the palms of your hands on various "safe" places on the recipient's body or in their auric field (a few inches above the body), the REIKI energy will be ‘turned on’ which allows it to flow through the practitioner to the client. As an intuitive energy, REIKI will then direct itself to the area that most needs healing; working with the mind, body and spiritual planes. REIKI helps to clear and release old negative patterns, from this life and previous lives, creating harmony and balance with the Universe.

REIKI is practiced while the recipient is lying fully clothed on a yoga mat or on a massage table. If you don’t have a table or mat, use a couch, bed or chair. REIKI works anywhere.

The REIKI experience is different for everyone. Often clients sense the practitioner's hands as being hot and they feel the energy moving through their body, promoting deep relaxation. Don’t be surprised if the recipient of this energy falls asleep. It's that relaxing! REIKI energy is always safe and can ABSOLUTELY NEVER be used in a negative or harmful way. REIKI energy will actually be shut off if the practitioner doesn’t have the highest intention for the recipient. It can only be used for the highest good for both recipient and practitioner.

Some wonder if their moods affect their REIKI practice. Since a practitioner is only a conduit and the Universal Life Force is the actual healer, one's bad moods can not affect the client. In fact, the REIKI energy that is running through the practitioner helps to heal them and their moods, as well.

The story behind REIKI is legendary, almost mythical. There are many tales and half-truths behind the history and the reality is no one knows for sure what really happened. However, there are some common themes in the various books you might peruse.

Somewhere in the late 19th or early 20th century (reports vary depending on what book you read) a Japanese man by the name of Mikao Usui, was studying in a Buddhist monastery. It is said that he went on a journey to Mount Koriyama (or Kurama) to practice meditation and fast for a 21-day period. Some sources report that while seated under a tree during one of his meditations, a bright light poured into his crown (or his third eye). During this process, he began to see all the REIKI symbols. Usui had become self-attuned and set out on a quest of utilizing this healing art that had been lost so long ago.

Diane Stein states in her book 'Essential Reiki' that while “walking down the mountain he experienced what is traditionally known as the four miracles. First, he stubbed his toe walking and instinctively sat and put his hands on it. His hands became hot and the torn toe was healed. Next, he reached a house that served pilgrims at the bottom of the mountain. He asked for a full meal, not wise after twenty-one days fasting on water, but ate it without discomfort. Third, the woman serving the meal was afflicted with a toothache and placing his hands on the sides of her face, he healed her pain. When he returned to his monastery and was told that the director was in bed with an arthritis attack, he also healed the monk.” He was a healer.

Usui called this healing energy REIKI, meaning Universal Life Force. He began his healing work in the slums of Kyoto. For seven years, he worked with beggars at no charge. After a time, he realized that the people kept going back to their old ways without permanently being healed. He decided that there needed to be some sort of accountability and ownership in each individual’s healing. An energy exchange was needed so that each client would take ownership of their healing. He left Kyoto and began charging for his services. Clients now owned their healing experience and this was when he found great success. Don’t get me wrong, an energy exchange does not necessarily have to be money, It certainly can be some sort of trade. In fact, trade is a higher form of energetic exchange than money, but money is what Usui accepted as his exchange.

During this time, Usui also began training others to act as healers. Chujiro Hayashi was the second generation Grand Master. He was Usui’s protégé and was attuned with his master level in 1925. He took over the practice after Usui’s death and was instrumental in spreading the healing art in Japan.

In 1935, a Japanese-American woman from Hawaii named Hawayo Takata went to Japan to receive treatment for what was thought to be cancer. She was literally on the table to have surgery, when she received a ‘message’ from her inner voice, “The operation is not necessary.” She asked the doctor if there was another way. This is when he told her about Hayashi’s REIKI clinic. She got up and sought out this energy form of healing.

After residing in Hayashi’s clinic, she was healed in a matter of months. After her healing was complete, she began training with the Grand Master. She was the first non-Japanese citizen to do so and in 1936 received her REIKI 1 attunements.

In 1940 she had a dream that Hayashi would announce that she was to take over the reigns as Grand Master when he died. The following year, in 1941, Takata was summoned back to Japan from Hawaii. Hayashi was being called up to serve in the imminent war and as a Buddhist and a pacifist he would not do so. He did indeed announce that Takata would take over the reigns as Grand Master and he then in the presence of other REIKI masters including his own wife, he psychically stopped his heart and died.

Takata brought back the knowledge of REIKI to the U.S. She began telling Americans that Usui was a Christian minister who studied in Chicago and the legend of Usui and his 21 day meditative journey began. It was later discovered that Usui never came to the U.S. and was a Buddhist, not a Christian. Before placing judgment on Takata, however, it must be remembered that this was taking place during World War II where Japanese-Americans were being put in internment camps. She probably assumed that this esoteric Japanese form of healing would be shunned and she made up a few tales about it to make it easier for the Western mind to handle.

Takata also charged an exorbitant rate to her clients, charging upwards of $10,000 to her master level students. While I believe it is important to have an energetic exchange between client and practitioner, I think that charging such rates is limiting for it segregates the wealthy from the poor. Perfectly qualified practitioners are not wealthy.

Even with her flaws, it was because of Takata that not only the United States, but the rest of the world outside of Japan has access to this practice. We all owe her our gratitude.

While there are many schools of thought on REIKI, generally speaking there are three levels attainable in this healing modality. Traditionally in Japan, the Shinpiden level is broken up into REIKI 3a and REIKI 3b.

Shoden Level, or REIKI 1, teaches the fundamentals of hands-on-body REIKI healing. It primarily works with healing of your personal self, clearing out issues that lie on the surface.

Practicing on your own body daily is a wonderful way to expose you to REIKI and you get some healing and relaxation to boot! This is especially important for the first 21 days after your attunement. Even if only practiced for 5 minutes, it is better than nothing; but of course giving yourself a full REIKI treatment is ideal.

Many teachers claim a practitioner must be in a meditative state to give REIKI. It is indeed best to be ‘present’ in your own body while practicing REIKI on yourself or a client. However, it is not absolutely necessary. REIKI works once contact is made with the hands of a practitioner. The simple act of touching activates the REIKI energy. It is as easy as that. You can do it while watching TV or while sitting at your desk. Once you are given your final attunement for REIKI 1, you will forever more be a REIKI practitioner, whether you practice or not; however, the more you use it the better you will be at it…in this case, practice definitely makes perfect!

Traditionally, there is a set of REIKI 1 hand positions. However, I encourage students to use the modern approach and place your hands where you are intuitively called to. Whether working on yourself or practicing on others, you might start hearing a little voice in your head, or see a place in your mind’s eye where your hand should go, or you may simply just have an inner sense of knowing. Your instincts are always right. Typically, you hold your hands in one place for 3-5 minutes, but again use your instinct as it knows what to do. Your hands might change the way they feel and then it’s time to move on to the next position.

In Okuden Level, or REIKI 2, you learn to control the REIKI with more ease. Among other things, you are given the first three symbols that help send healing across time and space. Sending healing to someone in India while you are in San Francisco is not a problem or sending REIKI to someone, including yourself, in the past (or the future for that matter) can now be accomplished…and often times the recipient will actually feel it as it’s happening! It is thought that the energy at this level doubles from REIKI 1.

In the Shinpiden Level 3a or REIKI 3, There is a deepening connection with the REIKI energy. The fourth symbol is learned. Abilities increase up to ten times the level of REIKI 2.

In the final level one becomes a Shinpiden Master or REIKI Master Teacher. As a master one is not necessarily an enlightened master of the REIKI arts. It does mean that the practitioner is dedicated to teaching others to become REIKI practitioners. Thereby, a master does have a hand in raising the vibrational level of the Universe.

With each level of attunement an opening of consciousness occurs, creating more clarity, more intuitive abilities and simply another step towards spiritual maturation.

REIKI is a wonderful form of healing on all levels of our Being and in addition offers deep relaxation. If you are curious about REIKI, please feel free to contact me or a REIKI Master in your area. Quite often masters offer reiki shares (or circles) at low cost to introduce REIKI to people as well as hold space for the REIKI community. Everyone receives a mini-session and it is an excellent way to try it.

As the walls are coming down and Westerners are becoming more open to their intuitive sides, REIKI is becoming not only accepted, but part of our cultural norm. I highly recommend it to anyone exploring their own personal healing. Whether you are working on healing your physical, mental, emotional or spiritual aspects, REIKI can unlock the door to scrape away the old belief systems that no longer suit you, allowing for healing at the karmic level. It rocks my world…perhaps it will rock yours too!

To read this and other articles such as this one, please visit www.lisatunney.com and click on the blog link.

Thank you for reading and Namaste! (The Light in me recognizes the Light in you!)