The origin of Reiki
Reiki is a form of complimentary therapy that originated in Japan. The word Reiki comes from two Japanese words - "rei" which means universal and "ki" which means life energy or vital force. This energy flows through all living things and when it becomes blocked, it can lead to physical, emotional, or mental health problems.
Mikao Usui, (born in 1865- died in 1926) is the founder of Reiki Ryoho.
He was a buddhist and his ancestors were samurai. During the early 1920's Usui went on a 21 day meditational journey to Mount Kurama. It was here that he received and developed Reiki. He taught about 2000 students during his life. Hawayo Takata (1900-1980) was a Japanese
-American woman who introduced Reiki Healing to the West. She was taught by Chujiro Hayashi who was a disciple of Usui and he played a major role in bringing Reiki out of Japan. My lineage goes back to the teachings of Mikao Usui. There are many variations of Reiki out there now, since the 80's when Reiki was introduced to the Western World. Here in Australia, Reiki practitioners can register with an Association, which ensures adherence to ethical code of practice, first aid requirements, practice insurance and the accuracy of the Usui lineage.
What happens during a Reiki session?
During a Reiki Healing session, the practitioner places their hands on or near the patient's fully clothed body and channels this energy to remove any blockages and restore balance. The practitioner does not use any physical manipulation or force, but rather focuses on balancing the patient’s energy. The patient might experience tingling, heat, pulsing or nothing at all. Some of my clients have said, that they felt my hands in many locations on their body at the same time, as if I had more than two hands! No matter what you feel or don’t feel during a session, your body takes what it needs from it. When we are in a state of total relaxation, our body starts to heal. Frequent use of Reiki can help alleviate stress, pain, and other ailments and promote relaxation, healing, and overall well-being. While the exact mechanism by which Reiki works is not fully understood, many practitioners and patients report positive results. Some theories suggest that the energy transferred during a Reiki session triggers the body's natural healing processes, while others suggest that it works through the power of intention or through the placebo effect. Regardless of how it works, Reiki Healing is generally considered safe and non-invasive, and many people find it to be a helpful complement to traditional medical treatments. The National Library of Medicine in the US suggests that Reiki energy healing is effective in activating the parasympathetic nervous system. If you are interested in studies and statistics, or you like to dive a little deeper into the science of Reiki, this one might be for you: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5871310/
There is still a certain stigma attached to Reiki
When I tell people that I’m a Reiki practitioner, most of them look at me with this certain look of: “really?! You believe in this stuff? Thought you were educated? People pay for that?” All I can say is, Reiki helped me a lot with easing anxiety and I use it for its benefits of stress relief and aiding minor aches and ailments. Reiki works for me and I know it works for you too- believe me or not, all it takes is an open mind and just let go.
Reiki is a practice that can benefit anyone, regardless of their status or profession. You might even find that your favourite aunt or neighbour has regular reiki sessions and you never knew! There is still a stigma attached to Reiki and some people find it just a bit too alternative and voodoo and a waste of money- but they probably haven’t tried it for themselves just yet! After my clients had a session with me, they feel deeply relaxed. If this is all that has been achieved, then there is nothing wrong with that. However, there could be more to it, sometimes there is a shift within the body or the mind. Things might appear more clearly to the client, a certain path is suddenly right in front of them, which had been unclear to them before. Their body feels lighter and less tense, which in turn helps with the natural ability of the body to heal itself from bodily aches or medical treatments. I think, because Reiki is such a gentle modality, people aren’t sure, how it could make such changes within your body, mind and soul. A remedial massage for instance releases tension by intense massaging and there is an instant result felt. whereby with Reiki, it is more gentle and whatever happens within the body, is not visible to us. Which makes it difficult to grasp, that it can have any effect on the human body, but a calm mind helps the body to heal.
Reiki is being offered in hospitals around the world.
In Australia, we now see Reiki make an entry into hospitals, Reiki has now become a complimentary therapy that helps cancer patients in their recovery, is being used in the palliative care unit and is used during surgery, to reduce blood loss and promote faster healing without the need for pain medication. Worldwide more than 900 hospitals offer Reiki Energy Healing to their patients. Here in Australia, t’s only a handful of hospitals so far, but its a good start!
The rich and famous embracing the use of Reiki
Reiki has certainly gained popularity in recent years. Many famous people have openly embraced Reiki and have spoken about its benefits. One of the most well-known Reiki practitioners is Dr. Oz, yes that popular TV personality. He has spoken about the benefits of Reiki on his show and has even invited Reiki practitioners to perform treatments on his guests. Of course then there is Gwyneth Paltrow, actress and founder of the wellness brand Goop. She has spoken about her experience with Reiki and how it has helped her manage stress. Other celebrities who have reportedly used Reiki include Ellen DeGeneres, Angelina Jolie, and Sandra Bullock.
My personal experience with Reiki
I have tried Reiki sceptically, I must say, but with an open mind years ago. At the time, I was complaining about a sore shoulder. I never thought about trying Reiki for myself, but a good friend of mine had a voucher and she wasn’t going to use it, so I went! After my treatment, the ache had disappeared and I couldn’t make sense of it. A while after that, I went to learn and get attuned to Reiki while we lived in London for a couple of years. Of course, then there was Covid and Reiki helped me a lot through that, especially mentally. I’m originally from Germany and we had thought of our time in the UK as a time for reconnecting with my family in Germany and bringing our children closer to the culture and language. Needless to say, that didn’t happen to the extend that I was hoping for. Self Reiki calmed my anxiety and stress and since then, Reiki has played a huge role in my life.
Touch heals, no doubt about that.
I would love to hear what you think about Reiki and what experiences you had with it!
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