What is Reiki?

Reiki (pronounced Ray-key) is a Japanese name consisting of 2 words Rei and Ki meaning spiritually guided life energy (commonly known as Universal Life Energy), an energy which animates us all and is found all around us.
Reiki is a form of spiritual healing using "Universal Life Energy" channeled through the practitioner to the recipient.
 

 What does Reiki do?

Reiki helps to harmonize body, mind and spirit for yourself or anyone you want to help.

Reiki - a powerful and gentle healer

• Promotes natural self-healing
• Balances the energies in the body
• Balances the organs and glands
• Strengthens the immune system
• Treats symptoms and causes of illness
• Relieves pain
• Clears toxins
• Adapts to the natural needs of the receiver
• Enhances personal awareness
• Relaxes and reduces stress
• Promotes creativity
• Releases blocked and suppressed feelings
• Aids meditation and positive thinking
• Heals holistically

  How does one learn Reiki?

Anyone can "learn" Reiki. The word learn is not quite right as most of us cannot just read about Reiki and then do it. The ability to use Reiki is normally given via an attunement or initiation. When attending a Reiki course the participant gets attuned/initiated by a Reiki master through a simple process, this opens him/her to receive and utilize more of the  Life Energy. The attunements have in themselves a very powerful balancing and healing effect. Once attuned Reiki is easy to use and your ability to use Reiki will never leave you!

Reiki attunements/initiations

When attending a Reiki course the participant gets attuned/initiated by a Reiki master through a simple process, this opens him/her to receive and utilize more of the Life Energy. The attunements have in themselves a very powerful balancing and healing effect. 

The Reiki Principles/Ideals taught by Dr Usui

These principles were introduced by Usui Sensei and taught to his students as their first spiritual teachings and were to be followed and be a guide in his/her life. By practicing these principles one would embark on the path of self healing.

"The secret of inviting happiness
The spiritual medicine for all illness
Just for today,  do not get angry
 Do not worry
Express your thanks
Be diligent in your work, and be kind to others
Do gassho and repeat them in the mind at the beginning and the end of each day.

Usui Reiki Ryho - Improve your mind and body
Founder
 Mikao Usui"

These teachings are open for anyone to learn regardless of religious beliefs, actually no belief is needed. These principles are worth a thought and certainly thay can be a guide in life.

The secret of inviting happiness  is the spiritual medicine for all illness Mental, physical and spiritual health.

The Secret is this!!!!                                                           For today only: Value today! The present is now, life is not in the future or in the past, there is only now!

Do not anger.                                                              Realize that anger and other selfish emotions like resentment, hatred, envy are harmful, avoid such emotions. 

Do not worry.                                                                    Do your best, believe and trust in the universe.

Express your thanks! Express your thanks!     

Be diligent in your work, and be kind to others.              It is not important what we do, it is important what we learn from what we do. "Be kind to others" also means take good care of yourself, there is no difference between self and others in a universal dimension.

 Is Reiki a religion or any other belief system?

No Reiki is not a religion and you do not have to believe in anything special. Reiki is suitable whatever faith or beleifs you  have.
The only thing you need to have is a sincere wish to help yourself (or others). Most healing systems are based on intent and so is Reiki.

 What is the difference between healing and curing?

If you look up the two words in a dictionary you will probably find that they mean more or less the same. In real life we seem to have given the two words slightly different interpretations. Healing is when you go to the root of the problem and restore the body's balance. Curing is what is normally considered done when you actually remove the problem (but maybe not the cause). When you have surgery you can remove the "sick" organ or tissue but this might not solve the problem as the procedure often does not solve the underlying problem. One can also be healed but not cured, i.e. your body is in balance but you still have a medical problem.

Can Reiki heal me?

No promises can be made about the outcome of the use of Reiki (or any other healing system). It all depends on you, your intent, your background and the nature of your problem. Healing is a different experience and has different effects on every individual.
A big step towards healing yourself is to actually realize your need for healing.

Here are some important questions to think about, reflect and answer them truthfully:

• Do you want to become whole or do you simply want to have your problem go away?
• Are you willing to make changes in your life that are necessary for your healing process?
• Do you recognize any patterns in your life that block the flow of energy in your body?
• Have you taken a serious look at your habits and patterns?
• What are your eating habits?
• Do you drink enough water?
• If you are physically capable of doing so, do you exercise, even if it is no more than a walk around the block?
• Do you blame others for your illness?
• Are you holding old grudges?
• Have you had this illness for a long time? Does it define who you are? Who would you be without it? Do you want to be without it?

OK now you have taken a first step, the next step could be to receive Reiki or even better do a Reiki course so you can help yourself.

 Can Reiki be used on any illness?

Yes, Reiki can be used on any illness but this does not mean everyone will be healed using Reiki. Reiki will help restore the balance in the body and can relieve or even remove symptoms. Reiki has successfully been used on conditions such as reducing stress, relieving pain, headaches, stomach upsets, back problems, asthma - respiratory problems, PMT, menstrual problems, sinus, anxiety and many many more. Remember that you as an individual have to have the firm intention of getting well before any real healing can take place.

(Please observe that Reiki should never be used instead of medical treatment, it should be used as a compliment and a way to become and remain healthy.)

Reiki as a preventive and curative medicine

Eastern medical philosophy has always emphasized the superiority of maintaining good health over curing illness. Reiki is a preventive medicine par excellence. But it is even more: When practising Reiki on yourself or others, you  experience both its preventive and its curative functions at the same time. If you have a disease, Reiki will cure it, if not, Reiki will promote your health and longevity. This preventive cum curative quality of Reiki makes it a unique healing system. 

It is natural to be healthy
It is only when certain parts of our bodies fail to function naturally that sickness occurs. The causes may be from bacteria and viruses, organic (toxins) or psychosomatic.

• Bacteria and viruses are always present in our bodies, but they are kept in check (sometimes even exploited to do useful work for us) as long as our bodies function naturally.
• Toxins are continually clogging our organs, but as long as we function naturally, these toxins will be neutralized by the chemicals produced by our body.
• Our brain is continually stressed, but again, if nature runs its course we will be adequately relieved after sleep and rest.

The Eastern concept of health is also wider than that of the West. To be healthy is not just to be free from disease. A person cannot be called healthy if he/she is often restless, irritable or extremely forgetful, cannot concentrate or sleep soundly, and has no zest for work or play. 

How does Reiki promote health?

First, it frees us from disease; it prevents as well as cures illness. Then it helps us to grow emotionally, mentally and spiritually, giving us the wonderful benefits of health in its wider sense. The preventive and curative qualities of Reiki can be reduced to two simple principles: the cleansing of meridians and balancing of the chakras to achieve a harmonious energy flow. 

How does Reiki prevent or cure contagious diseases?
When disease-causing micro-organisms attack certain parts of the body, reserve energy is channelled to meet these attacks. But if the meridians are blocked, then the flow of reserve energy is hindered, and illness results. When using Reiki you cleanse the meridians, harmonizing energy levels and promote a smooth flow of reserve energy to the areas under attack, thus restoring the balance. Practising Reiki increases our reserves of energy, thus preventing any possible future outbreak of illness. 

 What does a Reiki treatment consist of ?

You relax, fully dressed, on a couch or seated while the healer holds his hands on or above you. A treatment can last an hour or longer depending on the treatment required. In the western world many practitioners use the standard hand positions and commonly a full treatment is given covering all the important organs of the body.
There is no pressure on the body making it ideal for treating all ages and conditions, sometimes hands are even held away from the body.

 What will I feel or experience during a treatment?

Once again I will have to say that it differs from person to person and possibly also between different sessions.
The energy flows wherever it is required (spiritually guided) and can normally be felt as a warm sensation or tingling in the body. Receiving Reiki is a very relaxing and soothing experience!
Usually when receiving Reiki you will feel very relaxed and you may have a "floating" feeling. You may feel heat, a tingling or cold under the practitioners hands. These and other feelings come from what the Reiki energy is actually doing in and around your body i.e. adding energy, removing excess energy, balancing, removing blockages etc. It is also possible that you experience different emotions or thoughts you had forgotten might pop up. If they do you are probably supposed to learn something and release them. Some people receive insights on how to solve problems.

Remember that all healing starts a process of release, this could be emotions or even toxins in your body that you need to get rid of. You might initially even feel worse than before but this is soon passing. You can help your body by drinking lots of water.

 How many treatments should I have?

There is not really a set number. Every person and his/her problem is different. Some people only require one or two sessions while others need several. If you are just interested in seeing what Reiki can do for you then just take one or two sessions. If you have a chronic problem you want to work with then make a plan. Suggestion: Start with one session per day for 4 days and then follow up with one session per week.

2009 www.reiki.nu All rights reserved.

http://www.reiki.nu/faq/question/question10/question10