Have you ever wondered what Reiki actually is and how does it work?
I am a trained Reiki Master/Teacher and perform Reiki healing treatments at my Holistic Practice in Harlow, Essex. Below is a beginner’s guide for people who have an interest in Reiki/energy healing.
What is Reiki?
Every single living thing on Earth has a universal life force energy running through it. Human beings, animals, plants, trees, flowers, everything that “lives” has an aura around it. An aura is an energy field that is an extension of that living being and spreads out all around it, like a giant bubble.
The aura is invisible to most people however psychics, highly intuitive, Reiki practitioners and mediums can normally see the aura, some even detecting the different colors. There are seven main energy centre’s located in the auric field that hold vast amounts of energy from the human body. These energy centre’s are called “Chakra Points” and run from the crown (head) down to the base (feet).
During our lifetime, as we experience different situations, emotions, relationships, health issues etc, these chakra points can become blocked or damaged. This in turn can affect our entire wellbeing, where emotional issues can bring on the onset of physical ailments and potentially our auric field and chakra points can be completely out of balance.
Reiki is a universal energy; it’s a healing energy that comes from the source of all goodness and unconditional love. That source of good is so pure and healing that it can only derive from every single living things highest good.
The word Reiki is composed of two Japanese words – Rei and Ki.
Rei: universal
Ki: life force energy
Where did it come from?
The traditional system of Reiki was created by Dr Mikao Usui.
Dr Usui was born in Japan in 1865 during difficult times; he studied hard as a child and pushed himself to achieve the most of his abilities. After growing up he travelled to China, Europe and America and tried to lead a successful life; however there were often many challenges faced and he tackled these with great strength.
On several occasions Dr Usui took a form of meditation lasting twenty-one days. During one such meditation, on Mount Kurama, Dr Usui received a spiritual awakening, his Devine inspiration for his system of healing – Reiki. Once he left the mountain he started to practice the healing technique on himself and his family and noticed instantly that it was working, that physical ailments were healing and emotional wellbeing was being restored. The doctor soon realized that this power should be used widely to help people in the local community, country, even the world. So then began the Dr Usui Institute that started in Tokyo, 1922. People travelled great distances to meet the doctor and experience the healing benefits of Reiki for themselves.
The training centre began to grow rapidly and Dr Usui then began to train others in the Reiki healing art. Reiki moved to the Western world around the 1970’s and is practiced around the globe today.
Can anyone practice Reiki?
A person must be “attuned” to the healing energies of Reiki by a Reiki Master/Teacher. The attunement process is a sacred, spiritual process that opens up the individuals chakra points to allow the Reiki energy to run through them. There are three levels of Reiki training/attunement:
Level 1 (First Degree): To practice on oneself and friends and family
Level 2 (Second Degree): To qualify as a Reiki Practitioner
Level 3 (Third Degree): To qualify as Master/Teacher and be able to attune others to the Reiki energy
A person who has been attuned to Reiki lives by the following five principles:
Just for today I will not anger;
Just for today I will not worry;
Just for today I will be grateful for all my blessings;
Just for today I will work with honesty and integrity;
Just for today I will be kind to all living things.
The benefits of Reiki
I could certainly write a whole article on the benefits that Reiki gives to us. Here are the ones that I have seen since practicing this amazing healing:
Mental
Reduction of stress, anxiety & depression, help with clarity regarding difficult decisions, clear thinking for exam success, help with creative processes. Aids a good nights sleep.
Physical
Reduction of aches and pains, helps to heal broken bones, provides a calming affect for individuals with chronic pain or illness.
Spiritual
Allows one to have a direct link with one’s higher self, to aid direction and guidance in terms of the life journey. To facilitate spiritual awakenings, to help reconnect the individual to their own life force healing energy.
Emotional
Promotes positivity, motivation and enthusiasm, helps to heal outdated negative emotional patterns. Gives a complete sense of calm and wellbeing to the client.
In my next article I will explain what happens during a Reiki healing treatment.
