About Reiki Healing
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WHAT IS REIKI?
"Reiki" (pronounced ray-kee) is a Japanese word meaning "universal life force energy".
Sometime in the late 19th century, a Japanese man by the name of Mikao Usui formulated a natural healing system using this life force energy, Reiki. He called this system "Usui Shiki Ryoho," or "The Usui Method of Healing," and here, in the West, we call it Reiki.
So, Reiki means both universal life force energy (the vital energy of life) and also Usui's method of natural energy healing.
Energy is everywhere! Everything is made up of it: the air we breathe, the food we eat, the Earth, our bodies, our words, our feelings! Energy is the building block of life, and we can see it shaped around us in a myriad ways. Reiki is a safe and gentle healing technique whereby this spiritual energy is channeled by a practitioner, with healing intent, through the hands, with light, steady touch or hovering the hands above the body.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Reiki flows through a practitioner's body and is usually channeled through the hands into the receiver. Anyone can receive, including animals and plants; we're all made up of energy. Receiving Reiki does not hinge upon believing in it. One can give Reiki to one's self, also.
WHAT REIKI IS NOT
Reiki is not a religion, a substitute for traditional western medicine, an organization or a cult.
FOR THE GREATEST GOOD
Reiki works with and benefits the whole person; it helps heal the body, mind, emotions and spirit.
It taps into the person's potential to heal him/herself and helps bring this potential to fruition, for the greatest good. Reiki can also be used to harness a specific intention, and it always works for the greatest good.
Generally, the benefits of a Reiki session include:
- Relaxation and stress relief
- Pain management
- Illness/surgery recovery
- Speeding the healing process
- Easing the side-effects of medical treatment
- Relief from anxiety
- Helps work through difficult times in life
- Feeling centered
- Clearing negativity
- Increasing creativity
- Increasing energy
- A general sense of well-being.
There are no known side-effects to Reiki. It is a subtle energy and sometimes results are not straight-forward. After a session, pay close attention to yourself and your life, and you will notice changes.
WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE?
Ways of perceiving energy differ from person to person, and sometimes the same person can feel it in more than one way. Some experience it as heat, some as vibration, others feel tingles, see colors and so on.
There can be emotional or physical releases such as laughter or crying -- this is okay. A Reiki session is a healing and supportive environment.
WHO CAN LEARN REIKI?
Anyone can learn Reiki. Everyone has the ability to heal and can learn to tap into this inexhaustible inner resource. Reiki is a natural, universal gift and is available to all; we just have to learn to use it.
HOW IS REIKI TAUGHT?
Reiki is taught by Reiki Masters, or Reiki Sensei (in Japanese, "teachers"). A Reiki Master is not the be-all, end-all of Reiki; he/she is simply someone with extensive knowledge, trust in, and dedication to Reiki and the Reiki system of natural healing.
Although you may have already been using energy in different ways throughout life, the ability to work with this particular model of healing is keyed in by attunements passed on by a Reiki teacher. The attunement is a way to tune your "inner radio" to a healing frequency, through which healing energy can flow.
There are three levels of instruction in traditional Western-style Reiki training, though sometimes a teacher may choose to teach the third level (or “Master” level) in two separate parts, separating the Master Practitioner part from the more in-depth Master Teacher part.