What is Reiki?

The word Reiki comes from two Japanese words, Rei and Ki.
Rei may be interpreted as supernatural knowledge or spiritual consciousness. This is the Wisdom that comes from God or the Higher Self. This Wisdom knows the cause of all problems and how to heal them.
Ki is the life force, the non-physical energy that animates all living things. Reiki may, therefore, be defined as spiritually guided life force energy.
A Reiki healer acts as a channel between the Wisdom and the patient. The healer has no influence on the degree of healing but simply facilitates the flow of energy to where it is best needed.
This is something similar to the healer being a telephone line between the patient and the patient’s higher self.

Below are some condensed notes from William Rand in his book “The Healing Touch.”

The Attunement.
Reiki healing is transferred to the student by a Reiki Master where the student is connected to the Reiki source.

Giving Reiki.
After attunement all that is necessary is that the healer places her hands on the patient with the intention of healing.

No Harm.
Reiki can do no harm because the patient’s higher self is directing the energy flow. The healer is not doing the actual healing and cannot take on the patient’s problems.

Energy is not depleted.
Because the healer is only channelling there is no adverse effect and the healer will benefit from the process.

Anyone can learn Reiki.
Reiki is passed to the student after attunement and there is no need for years of study and meditation.

How does Reiki Heal?
There is a life force that flows through us and sustains the body by nourishing the cells and organs. When the life force is disrupted it affects their functioning and causes dis ease. Reiki heals by restoring the balance of the energy flow.

What can be treated?
Reiki has assisted in healing almost all known diseases.

Is Reiki a religion?
Reiki is not a religion. It can be defined as a spiritual path.

History of Reiki

A Brief History of Reiki.
The history of Reiki, like all other histories, is tainted with different views of the one event. Rather than give one version and its variations here are a few relevant facts that appear to be common to any of the versions I’ve read.
I have done no original research.

Reiki is an ancient form of healing that was lost and then rediscovered, during a mystical experience, by Dr. Mikao Usui who was a Japanese psychic.

In 1922 Dr. Usui started a healing society in Japan. He created three degrees (or levels) for Reiki healing and initiated a small number of followers. One of his followers, Dr. Hayashi, a retired naval officer, was charged with preserving Reiki. He did this and further developed the Usui system. He gave the knowledge to his wife and to Mrs. Hawayo Takata.

Mrs. Takata practiced Reiki healing and initiated twenty-two people into Reiki mastership.

Today, Reiki is known and practiced in many parts of the world and is increasing in popularity and acceptance.

One problem a student might have in learning Reiki is the existence of different Reiki schools, giving different attitudes and different symbols by different teachers.
My analogy for this is the “Holy Spirit”
The Holy Spirit has moved people of all denominations and schisms. The Spirit is more concerned with intention than convention.

What is the best path to take?
It doesn’t really matter which path is taken as there are as many paths as there are individuals. Whatever you feel comfortable with will be OK. If you don’t feel comfortable then make a change.

Your instincts are greater than you might give them credit for. All that is required is a genuine desire for spiritual growth and an open mind.

Whether you work as an individual or as a member of a particular school Reiki will work through you.

Dr. Usui developed a set of ideals or principles to accompany the healing process and if these are followed there is little else to do. Different groups have modified these ideals slightly but the essence remains the same.

Principles of Reiki as presented by Mrs. Takata

Just for today, I will let go of anger.
Just for today, I will let go of worry.
Just for today, I will give thanks for my many blessings.
Just for today, I will do my work honestly.
Just for today, I will be kind to my neighbour and every living thing.

According to Frank Petter Dr.Usui spoke respectfully of the Meiji Emperor.
The Five Principles were followed by the Emperor and adopted by Dr. Usui.

Anger and worry are two of the most corrosive qualities we might harbour. Many illnesses are rooted and grow in the culture of these attributes.
I have found that in studying Reiki that I have automatically become aware of anger and worry before they take a hold of my actual being.
This helps in dealing with them as they occur.

To give thanks for our many blessings is one way of getting out of the dumps when we are hit with some bad news. There is always someone in a worse plight than us and if we accept that there is a message somewhere for us when things seem bad, it helps to detract from the problem.

Doing work honestly is an awkward one. Are we honest in case we might get caught? Or are we honest as a general aspiration? The problem for honesty is that little acts of dishonesty lead to bigger ones. Bigger acts lead to an anaesthetization of our moral fibre. We are all fine persons at heart but dishonesty disguises this. Trying to be honest is a great help to clarity of ideas and to getting to know ourselves.

Frank Petter understands that work in this sense refers to meditation.

Being kind to a neighbour is easy when they are nice back.
It’s more difficult when they are not. Try though.
A good morning, a smile or a friendly wave do help.
If we really knew why our neighbour was unfriendly we would accept them more readily.
The jazz man says, fake it ‘til you make it. It works.
Ask an actor to make three gestures of a loving nature and he will feel loving.

Degrees of Reiki

A Reiki Master passes each degree to the student during an initiation ceremony or attunement.
The degrees are taken in order and it is best to allow a period of time and practice between each degree.
Some schools give more than one at a time. This does not rest comfortable with me and I think it best to get used to each degree and explore it fully before advancing. However, there are many roads………..

Reiki One.
After initiation (or attunement) the students have the ability to give a Reiki healing to themselves or others.
Reiki Two
After this initiation the students have their Reiki abilities strengthened. The concept of distant healing is introduced.
Reiki Three
Students are now considered to be at master level and have the authority to teach and initiate other students. The actual initiation by the Reiki Master does not take very long to conduct. Following the initiation the student’s body goes through a cyclical cleansing process that lasts for 21 days. During this period of time and starting at the base chakra or energy centre the cleansing cycle starts. The process continues daily changing chakra positions until the seven major charkas are cleansed and returns to the base chakra and completes two more cycles of seven days. On attaining the 3rd degree or becoming a Reiki master the teacher will present the student with a record of lineage back to the original Reiki teacher.

My own lineage is:

Dr. Mikao Usui

Dr. Chujiro Hayashi

Hawayo Takata

Iris Ishikuro

Arthur Robertson

Rick & Emma Ferguson

Margarette L. Shelton

Kathleen Ann Milner

Nora O’Neill

Teresa Maher

Michael Martin