Reiki~ a beginning

Reiki..... just the sound of the word brings to mind images that I wasn't completely comfortable with, as I think of myself as grounded in logic and fact. Transcendental ideas, though appreciated, tend to elude me and the thought that warm hands placed around my body could actually heal, relieve stress, or help me to focus on achieving a goal by transferring energy seemed a little "out there" to me. But when my sister, dedicated to staying healthy while going through chemo-therapy, asked me to join her for a session, I didn't hesitate.

A blending of two Japanese words - Rei meaning "Wisdom or the Higher Power" and Ki meaning "life force energy"- Reiki actually translates to "spiritually guided life force energy". Originating in ancient Eastern cultures, this "healing of body and spirit" was rediscovered by a Japanese Buddhist monk, Mikao Usui, who developed the techniques called palm-healing or hands-on-healing that are used today. This universal energy is believed to allow self-healing and promote a state of equilibrium. To balance these energies (physical, emotional, mental and spiritual) within our bodies, the Reiki practitioner channels the needed healing energies. These Ki-energies flow from the practitioner through the palms of their hands while they are touching the recipient, allowing the recipient's energy to heal themselves. The word "healing", when used in the context of Reiki, takes on a slightly different meaning from the widely accepted one. In the practice of Reiki, "healing" is the return to greater wholeness and to our ideal form. It is believed that pain and disease enter our bodies when we deviate from this ideal form, as this ideal form is the clearest expression of who we truly are.

Not sure what to expect when we entered a very non-descript office building but we were greeted pleasantly by the soft scent of lavender or sage and soothing music coming from one of the doors open to the main hall. I was told that some Reiki practitioners prefer to be in a location that is completely silent (Though I'm not sure how they accomplish that in the busy and noisy world that we live in!), but most just strive to create a relaxing environment by using soft lights, aromatherapy, and meditative music.

The studio itself was not very large, with lots of soft, natural light coming in the windows, and I followed my sister's lead, removing my shoes and talking in a hushed tone. The Reiki Master, dressed in everyday clothing and looking a lot like one of my neighbors, met us with a warm smile and an offer of a cup of tea. So far, so normal, and I was looking forward to my first Reiki session.

Well, work always has its challenges and worrying about my sister's health struggles came to mind, so I focused on having the strength to be present for her. The Reiki Master began to lightly put her hands on me, starting with my head and shoulders, moving down to my arms and abdomen, and then moving toward my feet. At each stop she rested her hands for a few moments and I could feel the warmth from her hands slowly warming the spot where they rested. The feeling of warmth was amazingly comforting and it lingered after she had removed her hands to place them elsewhere. Throughout the session the Master spoke to me in a very soothing voice reminding me to feel the spiritual energy and light that was coming into my body. Though trying to anticipate what the Master would do next, I was very relaxed and with closed eyes lay there feeling as if I had been wrapped in a warm blanket.

I've since been told that a second session may be slightly different, as I will not be thinking about the Master and trying to anticipate what she will do, so I will be more focused on the spiritual energy being transferred.

All too soon the hour long session was over. I felt great! Invigorated and relaxed at the same time. And I had so many questions for the Reiki Master.

Some of the most frequently asked questions about Reiki:

1. How does Reiki energy flow? Reiki energy flows through the palms at different rates of speed, depending on several factors (degree of illness or blockage, recipient's readiness to accept it, etc).

2. Is Reiki a form of "faith healing"? No, Reiki's principles are spiritual and do encourage spiritual growth, but it is not a religion nor is it based on any religious doctrine.

3. What does Reiki feel like? The sensations most often felt by the recipient of Reiki are warmth, coolness, a tingling, throbbing, itchiness, and sometimes drowsiness.

4. Do I need to direct the flow of Reiki energy? No, Reiki energy will go wherever it needs to go but, if a mental intenton is used the energy will move more effectively to the part of the body where attention is directed.

5. Why is Reiki called "smart energy"? Because Reiki energy knows where the body most needs healing and will flow to the areas where there is suffering or imbalance.

I was surprise to learn that Reiki can be used for self-healing and that reportedly over four million people worldwide practice self-Reiki as a common stress-reduction tool and to clear the pathways for energy flow and to promote healing. The Master was reviewing some of these techniques and various hand placements with my sister, for her to use between sessions, and they seemed quite simple and easy to follow.

Just as Reiki can be used to promote healing for all ages and conditions, it can be taught to anyone interested in getting in touch wth their spiritual energy to promote wellness. There is a treatment protocol traditionally taught to Reiki practitioners that involves a series of twelve hand positions. These positions are well placed along the recipient's body, giving full body coverage and, though the Reiki energy goes where it is needed, it is felt most strongly where the practitioner has placed their hands. Seasoned practitioners sometimes use their intuition to determine hand placement and can "sweep" their hands through the recipient's energy field seeking "hot spots" indicating the places needing healing energy. Some teachings stress the importance of the practitioner's intention in the healing process, others claim that the energy is drawn by the recipient toward an injury to activate or enhance the healing process.

Over a warm cup of peppermint tea our Reiki Master was happy to share information about Reiki, her practice, and give examples of the healing that she has experienced. She explained that there are two main branches of Reiki, the Traditional Japanese Reiki and Western Reiki, the primary difference between them being that the Western forms tend to use the systemized hand-placements rather than relying on intuition, a practice common in Japanese Reiki.

Both branches have three tiers of degrees, First (Shoden), Second (Okuden), and Third or Master/Teacher level (Shinpiden) and though there is variation in training methods and speed of completion, each degree is associated with different skills and techniques. To become a Reiki Master, a person must first gain access to the healing energy of Reiki through a number of attunements, a process carried out by a Reiki Master, and then progress through the Inner Teachings and Mystery Teachings degrees through study with others, meditation and practice. Having reached the Master/Teacher degree a Reiki Master can then attune others to Reiki and teach the three degrees.

I found our Master's description of her training and practice really interesting and was fascinated by her assertion that Reiki has a wide following as a healing technique for animals. The Master shared her personal story about the success that she had in treating her own dog when, after having been attacked by coyotes, he was given a very poor prognosis by the veterinarian who initially treated him. After reporting that the dog would not fully recover and would never have use of one leg, the same veterinarian acknowledged that the Reiki healing techniques were the only explanation for the dog's full recovery!

Years after developing Reiki, Mikao Usui, who was an admirer of the literary works of Emperor Meiji of Japan, decided to summarized the Emperor's works into a set of ethical principles, resulting in the addition of the Reiki Ideals, also known as the Five Principles, to the practice of Reiki. Developed to add spiritual balance to the practice, many Reiki practitioners abide by these principles and include them in the process. Believing that, for the healing energies to have lasting results, a Reiki recipient must consciously decide to accept responsibility for her or his healing and take an active part in it, the practitioner may recite the Ideal during a Reiki session.The Reiki Ideals, in serving as both guidelines for living a gracious life and for identifying the virtues worthy of practice, foster simple ethical ideals and promote peace and harmony across all cultures.

The Five Principles

Kanji

招福の秘法,
萬病の霊薬.

今日丈けは:

怒るな,心配すな,感謝して,業をはけめ,人に親切に.

朝夕合掌して心に念じ,
口に唱へよ.

心身改善.
臼井霊氣療法.

肇祖,
臼井甕男.

Though there is controversy about the effectiveness of Reiki and it has not been proven scientifically, I've already scheduled my next Reiki session.

Scientific research regarding the physiology of mind-body interactions and the measurable relationship between stressful life events and illness has been well documented. Details regarding the effects of stress on the human body and on a person's ability to heal, as well as reports identifying stress as a contributing factor in the likelihood of becoming ill in the first place, are easy to obtain. Additionally, the concept of stress, from a medical perspective, is integrally connected to the concept of homeostasis, a condition marked by an "equilibrium of forces" inside the body, and to the concept of restoration, the body's "natural drive" to reassert its physical integrity against assault or breakdown. Traditional medicine also recognizes that the proper functioning of the human body requires a "vital balance" of all systems and that the body "naturally" tries to "right itself, resist illness, and overcome disease when it takes hold". And, though "spiritual energy, transmitted and shared during a Reiki session, may not be "measurable" with traditional scientific tools, who's to say that the body's tendency to restore its vital balance isn't aided by Reiki?

We know the positive effects that a general feeling of well-being has on the human spirit and I'm good with that! I'm looking forward to sharing my sister's journey to maintain and restore her good health and to continuing my own quest for "spiritual purpose to further explore the possibilities for deep healing and inner discovery".