the emanations of life-force energy from the recipient. Certain Reiki techniques utilize the ability to sense energy. (See Chapter 11.) But don’t worry; you can still practice Reiki with the standard hand positions even if you don’t sense anything.
Understanding how Reiki works
As an energy-healing system, Reiki works to heal you at the level of your energy to the root of any disease, imbalance, or disharmony. Reiki works at the level of the whole person, including mind, body, emotions, and spirit.
As a healing energy, Reiki is considered to be positive (no harm can come from it) and intelligent (the energy heals what is needed even if you don’t consciously know what you need). The recipient draws the right amount of energy to just where it’s needed. Frequently a practitioner feels their hands “drawn” like a magnet to a certain place. In this way, the practitioner is the conduit of the universal life-force energy.
Distinguishing Reiki from other forms of energy healing
Energy healing is part of many different cultures. Whether it’s acupuncture or the laying on of hands, the use of energy to treat illness is part of human history. (See the nearby sidebar “Universal Reiki — with humor and humanity.”)
Reiki offers a way to achieve spiritual and personal growth and to heal others. But Reiki isn’t the only system with these goals. Two systems with similarities to Reiki are
Johrei: The founder of Johrei, Mokichi Okada, was a contemporary of Mikao Usui (a founder of Reiki) in Japan. The Johrei spiritual movement encompasses more than hands-on spiritual healing and advocates individual spiritual development so that everyone can reach “paradise on earth.” Visit www.johrei.com for more information.
Therapeutic touch: In 1972, Dr. Dolores Krieger, RN, and Dora Kunz developed the healing system called therapeutic touch. This energy-healing system involves similar features to Reiki and is taught as a 12-hour workshop. Therapeutic touch requires compassion and a desire to develop experience through practice and focus. Therapeutic touch is commonly practiced within the nursing profession. See https://therapeutictouch.org for more information.
Here are other types of energy healing:
Acupuncture
Polarity therapy
Pranic healing
Prayer
Qigong
Reiki is distinct from these other practices through its use of symbols (see Chapter 8) and the attunement process (see Chapter 7).
UNIVERSAL REIKI — WITH HUMOR AND HUMANITY
One of my Reiki teachers wanted me to emphasize here that Reiki is practiced all the world over and that he thought there should be more humor with Reiki. On that note, he provided the following story:
“My Italian barber wanted me to give him Reiki for his sore shoulder, which fortunately hadn’t led to lopsided haircuts but, on the other hand, wasn’t helping his singing any. Appreciative of Reiki help, he nevertheless wondered why we didn’t do it like his grandmother (a contemporary of Mikao Usui; see Chapter 3), who had learned it from her grandmother. On invited demonstration, he moved his hands faster than most Reiki practitioners usually do, but the same good feeling was there, with a flavor of Italian sunshine.”
And here’s another one:
“Charlie, a Native American Reiki student, gently advised me one day that in his tribe what we called Reiki was a way of life and part of the culture he grew up with — no special training or certificates needed. Soon after, sorrowfully, we gave Charlie a farewell Reiki session, his courageous fight against terminal illness having run its course. Yet he appeared two weeks later at the Reiki circle, barely standing, and without prearrangement. We all bowed to him as he entered, much as we would have done to Mikao Usui. Charlie then showed us one final, powerful ‘Reiki’ treatment, Native American–style, hands moving above the body, accompanied by a high-voiced Indian chanting that made my hair stand on end and my heart leap. Charlie died two weeks later, but his special message will not be forgotten. With Reiki, we are all connected; the world is one.”
Exploring the History of Reiki
When Mikao Usui developed his system for spiritual healing, he called it Usui Reiki Ryoho, which means the Usui method for spiritual healing. As this system was passed on and taught in the West, the name of the system was called simply Reiki. Reiki has evolved into different branches, with variations on Usui’s original system.
Chapter 3 covers the background of Reiki in Japan and the evolution into Western forms. It also describes different Reiki branches (Western and Japanese) and the concept of lineage in Reiki. When you study Reiki, you can trace your lineage back to Mikao Usui through the listing of teachers.
Getting Connected with Reiki
Reiki allows you to feel deeply relaxed, calm, and peaceful. The gentle touch of the practitioner’s hands serves to transmit the higher-level healing energy to you. Anyone of any age, religion, or health status can benefit from Reiki.
You can experience Reiki from the perspective of a recipient or receiver of Reiki by booking Reiki sessions with a qualified practitioner. Or you can decide to become initiated into Reiki and begin your Reiki studies. The following sections briefly discuss both experiences.
Trying a Reiki session
Experiencing a first Reiki session is the point of entry for most folks to either decide to use Reiki regularly or go further and find out how to give a Reiki session.
