What is Reiki? 

Reiki (pronounced ray-key) is a laying of hands healing technique thousands of years old. It is thought to have originated as a Tibetan Buddhist practice that was rediscovered in the late 1800’s by Dr Mikao Usui, a Japanese Buddhist. Reiki is a gentle but powerful technique that can be received by anyone.

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

Rei – Spiritual Wisdom 

Mrs Hawayo Takata, who introduced Reiki to the West, said the word Rei means Universal and this is the definition most have accepted. The word Rei as it is used in Reiki is more accurately interpreted to mean supernatural knowledge or spiritual consciousness. 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 

Ki means the same as Chi in Chinese, Prana in Sanskrit and Ti or Ki in Hawaiian. Ki is the life force. It is also called the vital life force or the universal life force. This is the nonphysical energy that animates all living things. As long as something is alove, 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 will be more vulnerable to illness. When it is high and flowing freely, you are less likely to get sick. Life force plays an important role in everything we do. It animates the body and also is the primary energy of our emotions, thoughts and spiritual life.

It is the Universal consciousness called Rei that guides the life force called Ki in the practice we call Reiki. Therefore, Reiki can be defined as spiritually guided life force energy. This is a meaningful interpretation of the word Reiki. It more closely describes the experience most people have of it. Reiki guides itself with its own wisdom and being unresponsive to the direction of the practitioner. Reiki has its own intelligence and knows exactly where to go and what to do. It is not necessary for the practitioner to direct the Reiki. In fact, Reiki has a mind of its own and cannot be directed by the practitioner. It will communicate with the clients Higher Self and use this information to decide where to go and what to do. The best results are achieved by simply remaining calm and relaxed and allowing Reiki to work.

All healers use life force or Ki, but not all use Reiki. Reiki is a special kind of life force that can only be channelled by someone that has been attuned to it.

Reiki Can Never Cause Harm 

Because Reiki is guided by the Universal consciousness, it can never do harm. It always knows what a person needs and will adjust itself to create the effect that is appropriate for them. One never needs to worry about whether to give Reiki or not. It is always helpful.

In addition, because the practitioner does not direct the healing and does not decide what to work on, or what to heal, the practitioner is not in danger of taking on the karma of the client. Because the practitioner is not doing the healing, it is also much easier for the ego to stay out of the way and allow the presence of the universe to clearly shine through.

How Does Reiki Heal? 

We are alive because life force is flowing through us. Life force flows within the physical body through pathways called Chakras, Meridians and Nadis. It also flows around us in a field of energy called the Aura. Life force nourishes the organs and cells of the body, supporting them in their vital functions. When this flow of life force is disrupted, it causes diminished function in one or more of the organs and tissues of the physical body.

The life force is responsive to thoughts and feelings. It becomes disrupted when we accept, either consciously or unconsciously, negative thoughts or feelings about ourselves. These negative thoughts and feelings attach themselves to the energy field and cause a disruption in the flow of life force. This diminishes the vital function of the organs and cells of the physical body.

Reiki heals by flowing through the affected parts of the energy field and charging them with positive energy. It raises the vibratory level of the energy field in and around the physical body where the negative thoughts and feelings are attached. This causes the negative energy to break apart and fall away. In doing so, Reiki clears, strengthens and heals the energy pathways, thus allowing the life force to flow in a healthy and natural way.

Is Reiki a Religion? 

While Reiki is spiritual in nature, it is not a religion. It has no dogma and there is nothing you must believe in order to learn and use Reiki. In fact, Reiki is not dependent on belief at all and will work whether you believe it or not. Because Reiki comes from (the highest form of love and infinite intelligence), many people find that using Reiki puts them more in touch with the experience of their religion and or beliefs.