Reiki is a type of hands-on healing developed by a Japanese Buddhist, Dr. Mikao Usui, in 1922. Reiki treatment centers around the belief that we all have a life force energy flowing through us, which is why we are alive. If this energy becomes low, it is more likely for the person to become stressed or ill. High life force energy promotes health and happiness. Put simply, the healing effect is achieved by the Reiki charging the affected parts of the energy field with positive energy. It heals the energy pathways and dispels negative energy thus allowing the life force to flow in a healthy way.
Dr. Usui trained over two thousand people in his lifetime including Chujiro Hayashi who opened his own clinic where a Mrs. Hawayo Takata was one of his patients. She later received training from Hayashi and herself became a Reiki master. It was she who brought Reiki to the west from Japan in 1937. She traveled the U.S practicing and training people with the basics of the first two levels of Reiki, but it was not until 1970 that she trained people to be Reiki Masters. By the time Mrs. Takata died in December 1980, she had trained twenty-two Reiki Masters. It is largely due to her that Reiki is taught outside of Japan.
Reiki is a combination of two Japanese words Rei, which is the Higher Power or God’s Wisdom, and Ki, which means life force energy. Reiki healing is very safe, simple and gentle but also powerful. It can be used by anybody and is beneficial for treating almost every known illness. It can safely be used alongside traditional medical treatments and can help relieve any side effects of these. Reiki is not used by all healers although all healers use a life force of some kind in their therapeutic touch. Healers who have later been trained in Reiki experience a great increase in their strength of healing energy after training. It can be learned by almost anyone and because it it does not require spiritual development or great intelligence, people of all ages and situations have been successfully trained.
Although Reiki is gentle, it is also a very potent treatment. It can help heal many illnesses and injuries. Reiki benefits even serious conditions such as multiple sclerosis, asthma, cancer and heart conditions. Patients with broken bones and cuts and bruises benefit from Reiki sessions and experience a quicker healing time. Those who are stressed or in pain acquire relief and feel more optimistic. Reiki is not tiring to the practitioner because the healing is channeled through him, not from him, so while healing the patient, the Reiki Master is also benefiting from the holistic therapy. It is usual for the person giving the treatment to feel increased energy afterward.
Although this is a spiritual treatment, it is not a religion and it is not necessary to believe in anything for it to work, or to learn it. It will work even if you don’t believe in it. However, those who are religious often find that using Reiki gives them a greater experience of their religion instead of just an intellectual belief.
Reiki healing treats the whole body and mind and creates feelings of relaxation,security, peace, and well being. Everyone can benefit from this remarkable holistic therapy.
