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What is Reiki?

Ultimately everything in our universe is just energy. The illusion we call solid matter, when viewed closely scientists say, turns into protons, neutrons, and electrons, which when viewed even closer turn out to be nothing more than energy. What is powering your computer? Electricity. And what is electricity? Energy. Why did the apple fall on Isaac Newton's head? Gravity. And what is gravity? A force, which is a fancy way of saying energy. What do we see when the Sun shines? Sunlight. And what is sunlight? Energy.

Get the idea? We are surrounded by energy. It is a routine part of our day-to-day lives. Often these forms of energy are quite different. Electricity, gravity, and sunlight are quite different but they are all energy nonetheless.

So what is Reiki? Think hard, now. Yes, you're right. Reiki is energy, and it, too, is quite different. While Reiki can certainly be felt in the material plane (often it is experienced as a warmth from the hands), it's source is from the metaphysical plane. This makes it quite different from electricity and sunlight which are generally thought of by scientists as being from the material plane. My personal opinion is that scientists are in for a big surprise when they finally figure out energies like light and electricity also have a metaphysical dimension.

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Just what sort of energy is Reiki?

Reiki is usually described as Universal Life energy, which is at best a crude translation from the Japanese. Think of Reiki as a mixture of metaphysical energies: the Chi energy, which the Taoist tradition in China has worked with for several thousand years, and what is usually called the God energy. This combination makes Reiki a healing energy, but it goes further than that. It is an intelligent energy because of the component from Source, which of course is the ultimate intelligence. The Chi component is neutral, for Chi, loosely speaking, is that neutral energy which allows the material world to exist. It is just there, to be used for better or worse by humans. But added to energy from Source, the combined energy takes on a healing quality Chi does not posses on its own.

So Reiki is an intelligent healing energy. The way it works is that it flows from the metaphysical plane through the practitioner to the client. The practitioner's personal energy is not involved. It respects free choice in that it only flows if permission is granted. Indeed, in the Usui system of Reiki much importance is properly attached to having client permission, regardless of which degree of Reiki is being used.

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When and where was Reiki discovered?

Reiki was discovered, or rediscovered, in Japan about 100 years ago by Dr. Makio Usui, a Buddhist monk in his later years, whose life story is cluttered by far more legend than fact.

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How many different kinds of Reiki are there?

Several lineages of Reiki are now in the Western world, all of which trace their origins back to Dr. Usui. Following the death of Hawayo Takata in 1980, the unitary tradition of Reiki she espoused in North America quickly branched out, and several versions of Reiki are now found in various parts of the world. Most have taken the traditional Usui Reiki and added to or subtracted from it to come up with their variation. Imagine a tree. It has a single trunk but it has many branches. No one branch is "better" than the others. They are all part of the same wonderful tree. In addition the Reiki tradition in Japan, which also traces back to Dr. Usui, continues quite independent of all Western evolution. Having said that, the energy of Reiki itself is the same in all the traditions.

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Is Reiki just for humans?

No, Reiki works for anything in the material plane: humans, animals, birds, insects, plants, even mechanical devices. Cats, for instance, usually love Reiki. Interestingly, every Reiki master I've spoken with has a favourite personal story about a jammed lock which became unjammed following the application of Reiki. My story involves the jammed lock on my car's gas cap which Reiki got unstuck. (Good thing, too. It was a bitterly cold winter night in January and I needed to fill up with gas for a long drive home.)

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What sorts of things does Reiki heal?

Over the years just about every physical condition you could imagine. Legions of cases abound of people cured after conventional medical practitioners have given up on them. It works equally well for every-day kinds of problems like sprains, strains, and bruises.

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Can Reiki be used with other healing techniques?

YES! My own experience is that Reiki works best when used in conjunction with other appropriate healing modalities, be they alternative or mainstream modalities. My philosophy here is simple. If you've got a health problem, go after it from every angle you can. Reiki is a superb tool in this context. The treatments themselves are quite relaxing and blissful.

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Can I do Reiki for myself?

Yes. It can speed the healing of any condition you are working with. Self treatment is included in the curriculum of all introductory (first degree) courses. It is one of the major reasons why most people learn Reiki.

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How do I learn to do Reiki?

It's easy. The traditional Usui system of Reiki is usually taught in a weekend course. A separate course is required for first and second degree Reiki, and those two courses are usually a few weeks or months apart (depending on the Reiki master's preferences) so that the attunement received in the course can be processed. Some of the branches of Reiki which have added additional material onto the Usui system require a longer course of study. Cost varies enormously.

Courses are now taught by Reiki masters (instructors) throughout the western world. Most Reiki masters I've met also are involved in other areas of the alternative health field. It's useful to ask about that before you take your course so that you have an idea of the perspective you will be introduced to.

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Is Reiki only done hands-on?

First degree Reiki is traditionally done hands-on, that is the practitioner places his/her hands on specified locations of the client's body. One of the post-Takata variations on first degree Reiki is sending it long distance, although only a few Reiki masters are now teaching this. By comparison, second degree Reiki is traditionally taught to be sent long-distance, to the other side of the world if you have permission of your client. Second degree can also be done hands-on with a client as well.

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