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What is Reiki?
Reiki is an ancient form of hands-on energy
healing that comes to us from Japan. As practiced today, Reiki is based
on ancient, sacred techniques re-discovered by Dr. Mikao Usui in the early
1900’s. Usui was a healer looking for a method that did not require
him to use his own energy reserves while doing healing work. As part of
his desire for an answer, Usui went on a vision quest, where he received
the complete understanding of Reiki in a vision.
Other hands-on healing methods in use at
the time required the practitioners to use their own energy which can
quickly be depleted. Reiki, as discovered by Usui, channels spiritually
guided life-force energy without draining energy from the practitioner.
Usui returned from his quest to found a school, and eventually, his techniques
received widespread acceptance both at home and abroad. In Recent years,
there has been a growing movement to place Reiki practitioners in hospitals,
and doctors and nurses receive training in the technique every day. There
are now 200,000 Reiki practitioners in the United States alone.
So what, exactly, is Reiki? Two Japanese
words: Rei = God consciousness; Ki = the life force that animates all
things, are combined to form Reiki = spiritually guided life force energy.
You may be familiar with the concept of chi (China), prana (India); both
concepts of the life energy that flows through the body. Like acupuncture,
Reiki works by removing blockages of energy and stimulating its flow.
Instead of manipulating the body’s energy, Reiki taps into a higher
level of energy and channels it through the practitioner’s hands
into the receiver, to aid in healing. When you receive Reiki, it is as
if the universe is giving you a jump-start.
Receiving Reiki
Reiki is safe, gentle, and when combined with other forms of treatment, works as a catalyst. Reiki treatments are deeply relaxing and are highly effective as treatment for stress and anxiety. Reiki treatments have been shown to enhance recovery from medical procedures. Since Reiki is the act of channeling spiritually guided life force energy, it can never be harmful. Receiving Reiki is a relaxing experience, like a massage. During a Reiki session you may feel a pleasant tingling sensation, experience radiant warmth, and you may drift off to sleep.
Channeling Reiki
As human beings, we are hard-wired for Reiki. The practice itself is so simple that it can easily be integrated into the human experience, whatever your own particular path or lifestyle. Reiki is a gift, not a skill. The ability to channel Reiki energy is passed on from master to student through a process known as attunement. During the attunement initiation, the master reconnects the student to the innate ability to channel healing energy. Think of it as the tuning of a musical instrument—but in this case, the instrument is you. Once you have received a Reiki attunement, it is yours for life, to be used to heal yourself and others. It cannot be erased or forgotten. All you need to do to activate it is have the intention to give Reiki.
