What is Reiki?
Usui Shiki Ryoho (translated – Usui System of Natural Healing) is a Japanese healing technique for the self and others. The system of Reiki is unique, which explains why it has become the model for many contemporary energetic forms of healing. You can either experience a Reiki treatment or undertake a Reiki course. A course will teach you a spiritual practice and how to perform Reiki treatments. Comprising a simple structure of three levels for those wishing to learn it, after training at the first level it is possible to offer treatments to friends and family and begin your spiritual journey. Once the second level is completed, and the practitioner has gained treatment experience, it is possible to begin treating clients professionally. The second course also takes you deeper into your personal spiritual journey. At the third level, students begin to train as teachers of the system while continuing to deepen their practice.
Reiki is the energy that moves through your body, in fact Reiki practitioners understand that Reiki is the
energy that moves through everything and is technically translated from the Japanese to mean ‘Spiritual Energy’. This energy is what is utilised within the system of Reiki teachings.
Origins – The founder of the system of Reiki was a Japanese man called Mikao Usui (1865-1926). The influences upon his teachings included his Japanese martial arts practice, Shintoism (the traditional Japanese folk religion), Japanese Buddhism (namely Tendai) and Shugendo (a spiritual mountain practice). Naturally, the Japanese culture and philosophy that was apparent during Mikao Usui’s lifetime was also a great influence upon what has developed as the system of Reiki.
Reiki Treatments
A Reiki treatment is approximately one-hour long and is useful for specific healing or general relaxation. The client remains fully clothed at all times as the Reiki practitioner goes through a set healing process placing hands on, or just off, the body as agreed with the client prior to the treatment. Sex, age and
condition are of no concern as the client’s own body controls this energetic process. During the treatment the body
will only take the amount of energy that it requires. A treatment is not intrusive and clients do not remove clothing
and no private parts of the body are touched.
Reiki Courses
There are three levels of training within the system of Reiki.
Reiki Level I – Shoden – the awakening.
A minimum of 10 hours in-person Reiki training plus receiving ongoing support including
■ Reiki meditations and techniques to strengthen and clear your energy are taught for personal benefit
■ Learning about the Japanese energetic system (the three diamonds)
■ Gaining a clearer understanding of the working of energy in your life and its benefits
■ Finding a spiritual connection to life helping you to feel happier and healthier
■ A method of healing the self and others using hand positions on or near the body
Reiki Level II – Okuden – The hidden or inner teachings.
A minimum of 10 hours in-person Reiki training plus extra training in professional Reiki treatments and receiving
ongoing support including
■ Studying further Reiki meditations and techniques for moving deeper into your personal spiritual practice
■ Learn the three Reiki mantras and symbols and their relationships to the Japanese energetic system
■ How to treat others using a variety of Reiki methods
Reiki Level III – Shinpiden – The mystery teachings.
A minimum of 12 hours in-person Reiki training plus receiving ongoing support and the option of ongoing
training as a professional Reiki teacher including
■ Further Reiki meditations and techniques for moving deeper into your personal spiritual practice
■ The fourth Reiki mantra and symbol and its relationship to Japanese cosmology
©SIRA You will find a complete list of Shibumi Registered Practitioners and Teachers at www.shibumireiki.org
Scientific research findings may help us to understand how reiki works
There is much to learn and more research is necessary before a definitive explanation can be given, but research is producing very interesting results:-
• When giving reiki, practitioners have been shown to emit electro-magnetic or bio-magnetic energy from their hands. The frequencies of the energy emitted vary from one moment to the next; but many appear to correspond to those that medical researchers have identified as being the optimum frequencies for stimulating the healing process in tissues, bones and other body parts so far investigated.
• The bio-magnetic energy (or field) flowing from a practitioner’s hands has been shown to induce current flows in the tissues and cells of individuals who are in close proximity but this pulsing energy is not produced by non-practitioners of energy healing techniques.
Two ways in which these pulsing magnetic fields may stimulate repair of bone and other tissues include:-
• A cascade of reactions takes place from the cell surface to the cytoplasm and on to the nucleus and genes, where selective effects on the DNA have been documented.
• A phenomenon called amplification, in which a single hormone molecule, neurotransmitter or photon of electromagnetic energy has been shown to trigger a cellular response; and in fact very tiny fields have been shown to produce the best effects, suggesting that living tissues are much more sensitive to external fields than previously considered possible.
NB: A bio-magnetic field can also be created by passing electric currents though living tissue as has been used for medical diagnoses and treatments for almost a century for example in ECG & MRI scanning.
Reiki is often referred to as an intelligent form of healing. It is suggested that this and similar energy therapies may be valuable in the prevention and remission of some serious diseases that are so costly in terms of human suffering and likely to be more expensive to health care in the future.
One theory is that energy healing works by opening up the communication channels that enable cells in the body to talk to each other, and opening up the terrain through which cells are able to migrate to places where they are needed to initiate repair or to fight diseases. Another is that these methods help to calm the person so their immune functions can operate smoothly.
Reiki is activated by intention and requires practitioners to calm their minds and thus open up their communication channels to understand where healing is most required on the body and for how long to caringly help the person or animal concerned.
Visualisation techniques can also be embodied as an element of reiki treatments at a professional practising level, which also creates measurable electrical and magnetic fields and so can enhance its effectiveness.
Click here for a scientific study if you would like more information.
Reiki works well alongside conventional therapies people use Reiki to assist with depression, stress, anxiety, chronic pain, arthritis, fatigue, sleeping problems, the side effects of conventional medicine, fatigue and some digestive disorders.
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