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What Is Reiki?
What Is Reiki?Reiki is on of the most ancient healing methods to mankind. Originating in Tibet, this 19th century Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation promotes healing, can be learned by anyone, and is very powerful. Reiki is not a religion, and you do not have to have a certain belief system in order for it to work. Christians, agnostics, Hindus, Buddhists, Jews, and pagans may freely adopt Reiki as a means to heal and bring harmony into their lives. For those who wish to learn more about Christian views of Reiki, please view this site: http://www.christianreiki.org/.
Reiki, in it's purest form, is an uncomplicated system of healing. You do not have to be a believer of Reiki for it to work. Acceptance is not a matter of faith or belief. Acceptance suggests that there is a willingness to move from a painful experience into a less painful experience. Believing in Reiki and being receptive to Reiki are two very different things.
It can be difficult to explain Reiki to someone who has not yet experienced it. Much like trying to explain that "wind" exists. We can not actually see the wind, yet when we feel the gentle breeze against our skin, we do not doubt that it exists. Reiki can conceivably be compared to "wind internalized". Reiki's life force may fluctuate within our bodies, much like how the wind fluctuates outside our bodies.
As an example, this is a piece from The Everything Reiki Book (by Phylameana lila Desy) that helped me more clearly understand this concept. " A woman was walking along the business district on her way to meet a friend for lunch at a local restaurant. Earlier, she had taken a wrong turn and had lost her way. After she got her bearings and was once again on a familiar street, she wondered how much time she had lost and if she would be late for her luncheon. She remembered there was an old antique clock shop on the next block, so she decided she would go in and find out what time it was. When she stepped inside, she saw hundreds of clocks displaying different times. Sitting in the corner at a desk was an older gentleman, a clock maker, hunched over some parts he was toiling with. He looked up and asked the woman if he could help her. She answered, "Oh yes please, I'd like to know about the time." Thinking that someone was interested in the work he had spent his whole life laboring on, he enthusiastically began to show her all the minute parts and inner workings of a wristwatch he was in the process of assembling. He explained in great detail how everything works to make a timepiece. The woman tried her best to show interest in the information that the man was sharing because she did not want to dampen his enthusiasm. But she really only wanted to know the time; it mattered little to her how a clock works."
This story demonstrates how we depend on clocks and watches to tell us the time. Seldom are we concerned with the inner workings of each gadget that guides us through the hours and minutes of each day. Much like Reiki, once you have experienced the positive results from it, the need to know how or why is of little importance. This is not to say that further study of Reiki is not important. It's just that once you experience it and know that it does work, knowing how it works will be less important.
The word REIKI is comprised of two syllables - "Rei" and "Ki". REI means spiritual wisdom; Universal life force; or higher knowledge. KI is your life energy. This is the same as "chi" in Chinese, "prana" in Sanskrit, "ti" or "ki" in Hawaiian, or "light" in Christians. This is the non-physical energy that animates all living things. Life energy circulates through us and around us. You are more vulnerable to illness if your life energy is low or restricted. On the other hand, one is less likely to get sick if your life force is high. "Ki" is used by martial arts instructors to develop physically and mentally. Additional arts that make use of studying life force are yoga, tai chi, qi gong, quantum touch, and meditation.
This life force is given to us at birth, and we dispense energy in our daily lives doing ordinary tasks. We then have to recreate an ongoing supply of new energy. When we are unable to replace what is lacking, we become sick, or physically or emotionally ill. If our life force is low or depleted, we may suffer from exhaustion, depression, fear, bad temperament, or physical maladies.