What is Reiki ?
History
Reiki is a reletively new term having only been coined in the twentieth century. The Mind-Body healing system from which Reiki comes may have been practiced hundreds or even thousands of years ago. Over the centuries this healing energy form had been forgotten, recorded only as a few esoteric symbols in mystic texts.
It is said that the rediscovery of the Mind-Body healing system now known as Reiki was made by Mikao Usui at the turn of the 20th Century. Usui studied the various esoteric symbols of ancient sanskrit texts and meditated upon their meaning and translation. Over many years Usui rediscovered the practical use of the symbols through meditation and careful application of his theories, and realised that this 'laying on of hands' was a most potent and effective form of holistic healing.
Over the last century Reiki has developed into many forms, it has both borrowed from and influenced many other healing systems. Essentially all the different forms of Reiki lead in the same direction, and no form of Reiki is inferior or superior in any way.
How can it Help?
Research has shown that living creatures do respond to Reiki on both a physical and emotional level. Research into the effect and effectiveness of Reiki has shown;
- Reduction in pain (eg surgical pain, labour pain, headaches, Abdominal, Arthralgia (joint pain), Headache, Neuropathy (pain in the limbs and extremeties) and Myalgia (muscle pain) ) [i]
- Reduction in Depression [ii]
- Reduction in Anxiety [iii]
- Reduction in Blood Pressure
- Increased immune system effectiveness (research has shown Reiki to significantly increase the production of salivary Immunoglobulin‑A) [iv]
- Reduction in fatigue
- Reduction in insomnia
- Reduction in HIV pain and anxiety [v]
How Reiki Works...
Reiki is a natural an holistic healing system practiced throughout the world to promote health and well being. This rediscovered technique of holistic healing is entirely natural and many research trials have shown Reiki to improve the health of people and animals suffering a whole variety of conditions.
Reiki primarily focuses on the rebalancing of the Energy Centres (Chakras) to help restore the metastasis of innate Ki within the body. Special focus may be given to a particular area of the body which is in need of extra energy. The 'topping up' of this internal Ki is fundamental in the way Reiki aids recovery as it acts to boost the imune sytem.
Reiki may be performed for oneself, or for another person. Reiki also has beneficial effects on animals, indeed often more noticable results are seen in animals as they are not pre-conditioned and take naturally to this form of healing.
It would not be true to say that a Reiki practitioner is a healer as it is not they who are healing, it is the Ki (life energy, cosmic force, universal love, oneness) that does the healing, the Reiki practitioner is merely a conduit which channels and directs the Ki to where it is needed.
Reiki practitioners should have all been 'attuned', this means that a Reiki 'Master' has rebalanced their Chakras to minimise resistance to the flow of Ki through them.
Reiki Forms
There are many schools of Reiki though all are essentially developed from the original teachings of Mikao Usui. Traditional Reiki has three levels of Attunement ; Self Healer (Level One), Practitioner (Level Two), and Master (Level Three). Some Western Reiki schools have divided the traditional Level Three Master Level into two parts thus creating a Level Four; the Master Teacher. This is not someone who teaches Reiki Masters but a Reiki Master who teaches.
It would be fair to say that no one system of Reiki is 'better' than any other as they are all of the same stock following the same principles. The application of Reiki is intimately personal to the practitioner and Reiki will never be the same with any two practitioners even if they have studied the same forms and systems.
Reiki Principles
The Reiki Principles are almost uniformly agreed accross the many Reiki forms. These Principles set forward a general attitude for healther more positive thinking and interaction with others. The Principles are integrated into the A Touch of Reiki logo at the top of these Web pages (black kanji in the white circle), and are roughly translated below;
- Today I shall employ gratitude,
- Today I shall not worry,
- Today I shall not anger,
- Today I shall maintain honesty,
- Today I shall respect all creatures.
This of course is a Westernised contraction and by no means embodies the whole ethos of Reiki. The Principles are guides not laws, much like the Buddhist oaths. We are not infallible and may not always be able to apply these 'simple' principles, the point is that we try and are sincere with our thoughts and actions.
i Jeri Mills, M.D., Reiki in Hospitals, How I introduced Reiki Treatments into my Obstetrics and Gynecology Practice, Reiki News Magazine, 2003
ii Linda J. Dressen & Sangeeta Singg, Ph.D., ISSSEEM Journal Vol. 9 No.1, Effects of Reiki on Pain and Selected Affective and Personality Variables of Chronically Ill Patients
iii Linda J. Dressen & Sangeeta Singg, Ph.D., ISSSEEM Journal Vol. 9 No.1, Effects of Reiki on Pain and Selected Affective and Personality Variables of Chronically Ill Patients
iv Wardell DW, Engebretson J., Biological correlates of Reiki Touch (sm) Healing. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 2001
v P.Miles, Preliminary Report on the use of Reiki for HIV-related pain and Anxiety, Alternative Therapies, Mar/APR 2003, Vol 9, No2, pp 36,
