So What is Reiki, Anyway?

Reiki is spiritual practice that supports life, originated by Mikao Usui at the turn of the century. It has its roots in ancient Buddhism and Usui, during his search for a personal answer to his questions around the meaning and purpose of his life, was constrained to learn Sanscrit to help him to access this wisdom.

We now know a great deal more about story of Usui's life and his discovery of Reiki. Information emerging from Japan this year has clarified and simplified the story. Usui was a well-educated and widely travelled man who spent some years in a Buddhist monastary. While there he undertook the 21-day fast on Mount Kurayama. On the morning of the 21st day he reached a moment of Sartori (enlightenment) when all he had learned and experienced until then fell into place and became the Reiki system.

He taught thousands of people how to do Reiki but appears only to have taught three to Shinpiden (Master) level, one of which was Chujiro Hayashi, who taught Mrs Hawayo Takata. She brought Reiki to the West, packaging it in a way that the people she was dealing with could understand. She dropped the Japanese names for many of the meditations and techniques but fully passed on what she learned, developing the teaching story of which there are many versions (the version I was taught is here).

Takata taught 22 Reiki Masters (teachers) during her lifetime. Shortly before her death she told her students that they, too, could and should initiate Reiki Masters. From that time onward there has been a phenomenal growth in the Reiki community worldwide.

The Reiki System

The Reiki System as I teach it comprises three Degrees- logically enough, 1st, 2nd and 3rd. I am a traditional teacher and teach only in person, hands on classes. This makes sense to me, since Reiki is a hands on system.

First Degree Reiki

First Degree Reiki is all anyone really needs. The master holds a class during which the student is initiated into the Reiki system in a short ceremony, after which the system remains always with the student, no matter whether they use it or not. During a class the student is given the opportunity to practise the basic hand positions we use in Reiki treatments, takes part in one or several Reiki circles, is given the 5 precepts which Usui taught as part of the Reiki system and is given the opportunity to ask questions and discuss the system. Students will also be introduced to the meditative aspect of Reiki and how to begin to focus. They are also given manuals, certificates and suggestions as to what they can use their new-found skills for. From the moment of attunement the First Degree Reiki Practitioner can lay their hands on themselves or other people, animals, plants, crystals, earth, rocks or anything else their imagination comes up with - and the Reiki flows. Reiki First Degree Practitioners are encouraged to self treat every day, particularly for the first 21 days, to aid any detoxification and to enable themselves to become clearer channels for the Reiki energy. Reiki is very simple - it is a method of hands on healing that anyone can learn for their own use and to help others. You do not have to believe in it for it to work - all that is necessary is that the practitioner is willing to give and the receiver is willing to receive. Then the Reiki flows.

As mentioned above, First Degree Reiki practitioners are hands on practitioners - but there is nothing to stop a level 1 practitioner from sending Reiki to situations or people at a distance. It is simply a matter of giving it a go - Reiki always helps, never harms. If the recipient is unwilling to receive then nothing happens, if they are willing, then real healing can take place.

Questions at this level include:

Q. Is there some way I should protect myself when giving Reiki to someone who is ill?

A. Nope. Reiki is a lovely system - when you give a treatment, you get one at the same time, so protecting you from picking up other people's stuff.

Q. Do animals like Reiki?

A. Most do, some don't. Most dogs like Reiki, cats tend to be less keen, although my own cat loves it, fish seem to be able to see me coming and start bumping the walls of their tanks to get closer, birds love it. Haven't tried . Horses also respond very well to Reiki. Haven't tried it on ferrets, but am sure - keeping a safe distance - that they would probably love it too

Q. Do I have to be a religious person to use Reiki?

A. Nope. Reiki is a healing system. Many Reiki practitioners are spiritual people, but this is not necessary.

Q. So can I use Reiki instead of going to the doctor?

A. Not advisable. Reiki enhances all other modalities and is at its best when used in combination with something else.

Q. I've been told that I'm a natural healer - certainly I'm doing some kind of energetic healing. Is this Reiki?

A. Nope. Reiki is a system of accessing universal life energy, not the energy itself. If you haven't been attuned to the system you're not doing Reiki - although you may well be channelling the same energy.

Q. I've been told that distance healing is only possible at level 2 - is this true?

A. There is absolutely no reason why you shouldn't do distance healing at First Degree.

Q. So why do Second Degree Reiki?

A. This leads us on rather neatly to the next section.

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