What is Reiki?

What Does the Word Reiki Mean?

What is Reiki used for?

Does the Reiki Practitioner Touch Me?

Is Reiki a Religion?

How Does Reiki Heal?

How Does Reiki Work?

How Many Reiki Treatments Will I Need?

Can I Heal Myself With Reiki?

Are All Healers Reiki practitioners?

Can Reiki Cause Harm?

What is Reiki?
Reiki is universal, spiritually guided life force energy - It is the God-consciousness called Rei that guides the life force called Ki in the practice we call Reiki. Therefore, Reiki can be defined as spiritually guided life force energy. Reiki guides itself with its own wisdom,  unresponsive to the direction of the practitioner.

What Does the Word Reiki Mean?

Rei - Spiritual Wisdom
Mrs. Hawayo Takata, who introduced Reiki to the western world, said the word Rei means universal and this is the definition most have accepted. However, Mrs. Takata also indicated that this interpretation is a very general one. The kanji ideograms have many levels of meaning varying from the mundane to the highly esoteric. 

Research into the esoteric meaning of the Japanese kanji character for Rei has brought forth a much deeper understanding of it. The word Rei as it is used in Reiki is more accurately interpreted to mean "supernatural knowledge" or "spiritual consciousness". The  wisdom that comes from God or the Higher Self. God-Consciousness is all knowing, it understands each person completely. It knows the cause of all the problems and and knows how to heal them.

Ki - The Life Force
Ki means the same as Chi in Chinese, Prana in Sanskrit and Ti or Ki in Hawaiian. It has also been referred to as odic force, orgone, and bioplasma. It has been given many other names by the various cultures that have been aware of it.

Ki is the life force, vital life force, or the universal life force. This is the nonphysical energy that animates all living things. As long as something is alive, it has life force circulating through it and surrounding it; when it dies, the life force departs. When your life force is low, or if there is a restriction in its flow, you're more vulnerable to illness. When it is high, and flowing freely, you are less likely to get sick. Life force animates the body, it is the primary energy of our emotions, thoughts and spirituality.

Ki is used by martial artists in their physical training and mental development. It is used in meditative breathing exercises called Pranayama, and by the shamans of all cultures for divination, psychic awareness, manifestation and healing. Ki is the nonphysical energy used by all healers. Ki is present all around us and can be accumulated and guided by the mind.

What is Reiki used for?
In a word:  Everything!  Reiki is a healing art with an incredibly expansive range. During a Reiki treatment, the energy may be correcting pain but it also seeks the original source of the illness; therefore, it heals more than just the physical body.

Reiki uses universal life force energy, the essence that creates and binds all forms of life, as its healing force, it is both effective and harmless when applied to any situation. Instead of creating a specific predetermined effect, like a medicine or massage technique might, Reiki changes whatever is necessary to restore the unbalanced life force energy of the receiver. If changes need to occur both physically and emotionally, then the receiver will change and benefit in both areas. Healing can take place on all levels.

Universal life force energy and Reiki are non-invasive. without ever physically entering or manipulating the patient's body. So, Reiki can be safely added to any medical regimen without changing the course of treatment. There are no drug interactions or negative side effects.

Reiki is perfect for stress management because it is so soothing it encourages the relaxation response. A relaxed body heals faster. 

Does the Reiki Practitioner Touch Me?
A Reiki practitioner can direct the energy by using either "hands on" contact or by placing the hands slightly above the body. The hands can be still or they can move freely in any direction.  In truth, touching is not necessary. We can direct healing energy from across the room, or across the earth with focused intention. 

Reiki can be used in any situation, in any manner. All things, animate and inanimate, are made of universal life energy. An unbalanced flow of life energy creates illness; balancing and restoring the flow of life energy creates healing. Channeling universal life force energy (using Reiki) will balance and restore the flow of life energy. It follows that Reiki restores and heals everything, safely and easily. What more could be asked of a natural healing technique?

Is Reiki a Religion?
Reiki is not a religion, but it is spiritual in nature.  Reiki is not dependent on any particular belief. Yes, because Reiki is in the divine scheme of the universe, many people find that it puts them more in touch with the experience of their religion. 

Reiki is not a religion, but in light of the fact that every human being is a mind-body-spirit unity, we thrive and heal when we live and act in a way that promotes harmony with others. Dr.  Usui, the founder of the Reiki system of natural healing, recommended that one practice certain simple ethical ideals to promote peace and harmony, which are universal throughout all cultures.

How Does Reiki Heal?
We are alive because life force is flowing through us. Life force flows within the physical body though pathways called chakras and meridians. It also flows around us in a field of energy called the aura. Life force nourishes the organs and cells of the body, supporting them in their vital functions. When this flow of life force is disrupted, it causes diminished function in one or more of the organs and tissues of the physical body.

The life force is responsive to thoughts and feelings. It becomes disrupted when we accept, either consciously or unconsciously, negative thoughts or feelings about ourselves. These negative thoughts and feelings attach themselves to the energy field and cause a disruption in the flow of life force. This diminishes the vital function of the organs and cells of the physical body.

Reiki heals by flowing through the affected parts of the energy field and charging them with positive energy. It raises the vibratory level of the energy field in and around the physical body where the negative thoughts and feelings are attached. This causes the negative energy to fall away. In so doing, Reiki clears and heals the energy pathways, thus allowing the life force to flow in a healthy and natural way.

How Does Reiki Work?
Begin by simply experiencing Reiki. Ask questions, but the focus is on actually experiencing the energy.  You must decide for yourself about how Reiki works for you. You cannot decide that based on your research; you must experience it.

How Many Reiki Treatments Will I Need?
Reiki�s effects are cumulative. It often takes multiple sessions and the body must have time between sessions to process the healing at each level.

The number of sessions necessary is often related to the length of time you have had the  condition brought you to Reiki. A condition that you've had for a year or more could take three to six months of weekly or bi-monthly Reiki sessions. Sometimes a condition that has been with you for a month or two could take two, three or four sessions during a 21 to 45 day period. Each individual is unique and must be treated accordingly.

To accelerate the healing cycle of the energy system, it is often recommended that you experience a cluster of sessions at significant points during the healing process. 

It's common to space three sessions over a very short period of time, every (one to three days) in cases of greater need. The two most common times to undergo a cluster of sessions are at the beginning of the healing work or during a critical point in the healing process, often referred to as healing crisis.

Can I Heal Myself With Reiki?
Yes, Reiki�s first priority is self-healing, and practitioners are encouraged to use Reiki on themselves daily.

By doing the work on yourself daily, you take an active role in your own healing. And that is a crucial step in healing.  Becoming responsible for your own healing produces optimum results.

Are All Healers Reiki practitioners?
All healers use life force or Ki, but not all use Reiki. Reiki can only be channeled by someone that has been attuned to it. 

Can Reiki Cause Harm?
Because Reiki is guided by the God-consciousness, it can do no harm. It always adjusts itself to needs of the receiver.  One never need worry about whether to give Reiki or not. It is always right.  Because the practitioner does not direct the healing, or what to heal, there's no danger of taking on any negative energy of the client.