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Reiki

The Origin of Reiki

Reiki (pronounced ray-key) is a ‘hands on’ healing technique thousands of years old.  It is thought to have originated a s a Tibetan Buddhist practice that was rediscovered in the late 1800’s by Dr. Mikao Usui, a Japanese Buddhist,  It is very simple yet powerful technique that can be easily learned by anyone.

The word Reiki comes from two Japanese words ‘Rei’ and ‘Ki’.

Rei – Spiritual Wisdom
REI means ‘The higher intelligence that guides the creation and functioning of the universe’.  You may want to call it God or Goddess.
The direct translation of ‘Rei’ from a Japanese dictionary is ‘Ghost’.
Most Reiki practitioners have accepted Mrs Takata’s definition the ‘Rei’ means ’universal’.  Mrs Takata also indicated that this interpretation is a very general one.  The Kanji ideograms have several levels of meaning.  This means that while Rei can be interpreted as ‘universal’, meaning that is present everywhere, this level of interpretation really doesn’t really add to our understanding.

Research into the esoteric meaning of the Japanese Kanji character for Rei has given a much deeper understanding of this ideogram.  The work Rei as it is used in Reiki is more accurately interpreted to mean supernatural knowledge or spiritual consciousness.  This is the wisdom that comes from God or the higher self.  This is the God-Consciousness which is all knowing.  It understands each person completely.  It knows the cause of all problems and difficulties and knows what to do to heal them.

Ki - The Life Force
The direct translation of Ki form a Japanese dictionary is ‘Vapour’ or ‘Mist’.  ‘KI’ means the same as ‘Chi’ in Chinese, ‘Prana’ in Sanskrit’ and ‘Mana’ in Hawaiian.  It has also been called ‘Odic force’, ‘Orgone’ and bioplasma’.  It has been given many other names by various cultures that have been aware of it.

‘Ki’ is the life force.  It is also called the vital life force of the universal life force.  This is the non-physical energy that animates all living things.  As long as something is alive, it has life force circulating through it and surrounding it.  When it dies, the life force departs.  If your life force is low, or if there is a restriction in its flow, you are more vulnerable to illness.  Life force plays an important role in everything we do.  It animates the body and is the primary energy of our emotions, thoughts and spiritual life.

The Chinese place great importance on the life force or what they call ‘Chi’.  They have studied it for thousands of years and have discovered there are many different kinds of ‘Chi’.  The ‘Yellow Emperor’s classic of internal medicine’ which is over four thousand years old, lists 32 different kinds of Chi.  Practitioners of martial arts in their physical training and mental development use Ki.  It is used in meditative breathing exercises called Pranayama, and by the Shamans of all cultures of divination, psychic awareness, manifestation and healing.  Ki is the non-physical energy used by all healers.  Ki is present all around us and can be accumulated and guided by the mind.

Spiritually Guided Life Force Energy
It is the God-consciousness called Rei that guides the life force called Ki in the practice we call Reiki.  Reiki can there fore be defined as spiritually guided life force energy.  This is a meaningful interpretation of the work Reiki that closely describes the experience most people have.  Reiki guiding itself with its own wisdom and sometimes being unresponsive to the direction of the practitioner.

The History of Reiki

Reiki is very old and has been around for thousands of ears, some say that it can be traced back to the time of Lemuria and Atlantis, but the secret was lost many times.  In the sacred Secret Tibetan books which date back over 2500 years, there has been found a healing force resembling Reiki.  It was lost again and not rediscover until the 19th century, by Dr Mikao Usui.

Dr. Usui was born on August 15th 1865.  When he was young he heard stories about Buddha.  He was impressed with his quest for enlightenment and the desire to help others it was said that Buddha was able heal physical illness.  There were many things happening in his life at that time, but he was determined to find all that he could.  He studied many of the sacred texts that were kept in Japan and China.  He discovered much about enlightenment and he also came across a formula, but he did not know how to use the formula for healing, it was suggested that he do a 21 day retreat on Mount Kurama to fast and meditate.  This he did, and only towards the end of his retreat did he receive the knowledge of how to utilise the healing abilities of Reiki.  He first started working on himself and his family.  Then he look at those around him and saw so much suffering and pain that he started his first clinic, his fame quickly spread and soon people were travelling from far and wide to be healed and there were those who wished to learn the technique so that they could help themselves and others.  This was the start of Reiki as we know it today.

The person accredited with bring it to the west was Hawayo Takata she was of Japanese decent but lived in Kauai on Hawaii.  Since this time Reiki has travelled far and wide helping many with their pain and suffering.

The Usui System of Natural Healing
Reiki is a generic work in Japan and is used to describe any type of healing work using life force energy. This system has evolved over time, it is more organised and structured than the simple, flexible, intuitive method as practiced by Dr. Usui.

Do all healers use Reiki?
All healers us life force or Ki but not all use Reiki.  Reiki is a special kind of life force that is channelled by someone who has been attuned.  It is possible that some are born with the ability to use Reiki and others receive it in a different way.

Anyone can learn Reiki
The ability to learn Reiki is not dependent on intellect, race, creed or colour nor does one have to be able to meditate.  It does not take years of practice.  It is simply passed on from teacher to student.  As soon as this happens, one has and can do Reiki, this means it is easily learnt by anyone at any age.
Reiki is a pure form of healing not dependent on individual talent or the acquirer’s ability, so the personality of the healer is therefore less likely to cloud the significance of the experience.  The feeling of being connected directly to the Creators healing, love and protection is clearly apparent.

Giving Reiki
Reiki is an easy healing technique to use.  After receiving the attunement, all that is necessary to start Reiki flowing is to request it to do so.  Just ask or intend that it begins to flow and it will.  Simply saying the word ‘Reiki’ to your self at the beginning of a healing session can do this simply place your hands near or on someone, or the affected area.  It is always ready and it will always do so when you want it to flow for whatever reason or occasion. There is no need to meditate or go into an altered state, Reiki flows easily the less interference from the practitioner the better.

How does it heal?
Energy or life force nourishes the organs and cells of the body supporting them in their vital functions, when the flow is disrupted the body is less able to perform well and is liable to suffer this is when illness sets in. When Reiki starts flowing through the affected parts it recharges them with positive energy. Reiki works on many levels within the body,

1. Balances the energy
2. Increases awareness
3. Heals the whole person
4. Amplifies energy
5. Works on the level of disease
6. Releases stress
7. Helps in the release of emotions
8. Increases creativity

You are even able to give yourself a treatment.
The Reiki practitioner’s energy is never depleted because the healing is channelled.  In fact the consciousness of Reiki considers both client and practitioner to be in need of healing, so both get treated, leaving you surrounded by loving feeling of well being.

Can it cause harm?
Reiki is guided by the God-consciousness and therefore can never do harm.  It always knows what a person needs and will adjust itself to create the effect that is appropriate for them it is always helpful to give Reiki.  

What can be treated?
In a word anything, from situations to emotions, health and well being, plants and animals because they all contain life force.