What is Reiki?
Dr. Mikao Usui discovered Reiki, a Japanese system of healing, on the sacred mountain of Kurama, Japan in 1922. Reiki is the combination of two Japanese words, ‘REI’ – signifies ‘wisdom of God’ & ‘KI’, signifies ‘Life Force Energy’.
Reiki is a technique of directing the spiritually guided life force energy into oneself and to others by utilizing the hands and the energy centers, as instruments to channelise the energy. Inspired by the benefits of Reiki, Medical practitioners worldwide are recommending Reiki as a parallel system of treatment.
Reiki and Healing
Healing is defined as a process, which contributes to a sense of wholeness and inner peace. Reiki is a method of spiritual healing and self-improvement. Reiki assists in clearing our subtle energy system to release denser energies.
Reiki strengthens the chakras, qualifying them to receive and transmit high frequency healing light.
Reiki and Life Force Energy
Life force energy is an unseen energy that flows through all living beings. This energy plays an important role in the functioning of the immune system and the healing process. The life force energy flows through the subtle energy system and the chakras, filling the entire physical body. Conflicting thoughts and feelings about the presence of stress, produces toxins in the body. Stress and toxins disrupt and weaken the flow of life force energy, rendering the body susceptible to illness.
Reiki is a technique that creates deep relaxation, inturn helping the body eliminate the physical and emotional effects of unrelieved stress. Thereby, the energy in the body is balanced, making the person feel relaxed and at peace.
The Principles of Reiki are:
- Just for today, do not worry.
- Just for today, do not anger.
- Just for today, I will count my many blessings.
- Just for today, I will do my work honestly.
- Just for today, I will be kind to every living creature.
History of Reiki
Reiki is a Japanese system of alternative healing, rediscovered by Dr. Usui Sensei on Mt. Kurama in Japan.
About Mt. Kurama
Mt. Kurama is a holy mountain, near Kyoto in Japan. Known widely as the spiritual heart of Japan, it is a place with a thousand temples representing a range of deities. Mt. Kurama, covered with giant cedar trees, is a powerful place with sacred vibrations permeating the air. Hence the energy that flows has an uplifting and calming effect.
There is a small waterfall on this mountain, which is a haven for meditation. Typical meditation on this mountain involves standing under the waterfall, witnessing the waters cascade and strike the top of the head - believed to activate the crown chakra. The potent fall of the water on the head is indeed a gateway to a mystical experience. Dr.Usui Sensei absorbed the reiki energy while meditating on this holy mountain.
Dr. Mikao Usui
He is the founder of the Usui system of Reiki. Dr. Mikao Usui, also known by the name, Usui Sensei, received his Reiki initiation during the period from mid to late 1800s.
Usui Sensei was a voracious reader, who sought knowledge by studying several subjects much before he rediscovered Reiki. Reiki takes its roots from Tendai Buddhism and Shintoism.
Tendai Buddhism is a form of mystical Buddhism that deals with the dissemination of knowledge about spiritualism. Shintoism is practical, endowed with strategies to control the flow of energy and keep them balanced at all times. Usui studied Buddhism and Shintoism extensively, and discovered that ancient sounds and symbols linked to the human body could activate the universal life energy, that promotes healing.
Usui Sensei was eager to know the spiritual answers to the ultimate purpose of life, which in essence is - “Achieving a state of mind that is totally at peace.” In his quest to achieve this state of enlightenment, he turned to Mt. Kurama for spiritual transformation and healing.
While at Mt. Kurama, he carried out a 21-day meditation. He performed a type of meditation called, “The Lotus Repentance”, which comes from Tendai Buddhism. When he opened up to the higher power, Usui Sensei, experienced enlightenment. This led to the rediscovery of Reiki, a system that was rooted in many existing traditions. Thus, he was healed and bestowed with the powers to heal others.
Mikao Usui opened his first “seat of learning” in Harajuku, Tokyo in April 1922. He used a small manual which contained precepts, meditation and the Waka poetry. Usui Sensei not only imparted his spiritual teachings but also gave healing. He died from a stroke in 1926 in Hiroshima.
Dr. Chujiro Hayashi – Usui while giving healings at a Naval base, met a group of imperial officers who became his students. One among them was Chujiro Hayashi, who was a naval doctor. Hayashi was 47 years old when he underwent his training with Usui Sensei. Dr. Hayashi was a Christian. Usui modified his teachings according to the students’ need and introduced symbols in the system. Hayashi set up a ‘memorial society’ after Usui’s death.
Hawayo Takata – Hayashi taught Reiki to Hawayo Takata, a Japanese woman from Hawaii. She came to Dr. Hayashi’s clinic while suffering, from a number of serious medical conditions. She was probably the last Reiki master that Dr. Hayashi initiated. Mrs. Takata initiated Reiki to 22 masters in the United States and Canada. Since then Reiki has spread throughout the world.
Chakras for Reiki
The word ‘chakra’ means ‘wheel’ in Sanskrit. There are seven main chakras located from the base of the spine to the top of the head in the ethereal body. Chakras connect us with the unlimited world of subtle energies. All the chakras in the body correlate to organs in the body.
The chakras receive prana or life force and helps in the physical functioning of our bodies. Reiki is the life force that flows within the physical body through the chakras.
The chakras have a direct connection to our physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. They can be over active, under active and in balance. The chakras should be harmonized to increase the energy flow from the physical body to the ethereal body. We can influence our chakras by using methods of healing like Reiki.
Reiki is a healing technique, used to open the chakras and clear the blockages. This restores the harmonious flow of life force energy.
When one or more of the chakras become blocked, we feel out of balance and ill. One method of clearing the chakras is to visualize a clearing light coursing through them or seek help from alternative methods of healing like Reiki.
Reiki and Aura
What is Aura?
Aura is the energy field emanating from the surface of a person or object. This energy field is made up of electromagnetic energies that not only goes around the physical body of a living person, but also moves within the body. Auras keep changing according to a person’s mood and environment.
Human aura is a multilayered energy field that is generated by chakra energy centers. Meditation enhances the electromagnetic energy of an individual.
Auras extend upto four feet from the body. There are seven auras in the body. Each of the auric layers correspond to the seven main chakra energy centers.
1. Base Chakra - Etheric Aura
2. Chakra - Emotional Aura
3. Heart Chakra - Mental Aura
4. Throat Chakra - Etheric Template Aura
5. Brow Chakra - Celestial Aura
6. Crown Chakra - Ketheric Aura
Aura Bodies
1. Etheric Aura
This extends to about two inches out from the physical body and is usually blue in colour. This aura is associated to health and physical condition of the body.
2. Emotional Aura
This extends to about 2-4 inches from the physical body. Aura appears as rainbow coloured clouds. It is associated with feeling. Positive feelings emanate bright colours while negative feelings give out dark colours.
3. Mental Aura
This extends to about 4-8 inches from the physical body. It is yellow in colour. It is associated with our thoughts and mental processes. Our mental aura appears bright if the thinking is active.
4. Astral Aura
This extends to about 8-12 inches from the physical body. This also appears as rainbow coloured clouds. It acts as a bridge between the physical world and the spiritual realm.
5. Etheric Template Aura
This extends to about 12-24 inches from the physical body and appears as a blue print form. It holds the etheric aura in place.
6. Celestial Aura
It extends to about 24 inches from the physical body and appears as a shimmering light of light colours.
7. Ketheric Template Aura
It extends to about 36-48 inches from the physical body and appears as an extremely bright golden light. It protects everything within its boundaries.
Reiki influences the aura bodies. Attunement is a sacred process of initiation to reiki. Attunement strengthens aura and enables the practitioner to have control over his life. This means it enables the practitioner to easily access the reiki energy (universal life force) for the purpose of healing a person or a situation. Only a reiki master can impart Reiki attunement, which is a powerful healing in itself.
Reiki Symbols
Reiki is a system of healing that employs the powers of meditation to transmit healing energy of ‘Ki’ or life force to the sick person, using ‘hands’ as instruments to pass on the energy.
Symbols in reiki are sacred and enhance the flow of life energy. They are derived from Sanskrit but drawn in Japanese script, ‘Kanji’.
Dr. Usui first saw these symbols, in the form of light. These symbols have metaphysical energy and it is sent to the body, mind, soul, and the whole universe for healing. Symbols are used in reiki to activate the reiki energy flow. Study of these symbols opens the gates to spiritual power and awakening.
1. Chou Ku Rei- It is the power symbol, which directs energy to the physical body. It is used to purify the recipient from negative influences, while offering protection from envy and manipulation.
2. Sei He Ki- It is the mental symbol, which directs energy to the emotional body or subconscious mind. It is used to treat the cause of disease within the emotional and mental bodies. This symbol helps to balance the left and right sides of the brain. This symbol also helps calm emotions and gives clarity of thought. It protects the practitioner from bad vibrations.
3. Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen- This is the third symbol known as the distance symbol. It is used to send reiki to the past, present or future. It directs energy to the mental body, or conscious mind and assists in changing thought patterns. It is a symbol for karmic healing as it helps to heal karma.
Master Symbol
Dai Ko Myo- It is the master symbol, which means great shining light. It is considered to be the light of the Buddha, used to heal the soul. Only reiki Dumo masters can use this symbol, which assists in alleviating pain or disease.
Reiki Attunements
Attunement is a special and a sacred process of meditation, which only a reiki master can impart. The entire process of attunement is an initiation to the recipient to become a reiki practitioner. Significantly, attunement to reiki energy benefits a person with complete healing.
Levels in Reiki
Reiki level 1: This is called Shoden (Attunements and first teachings). In the first level, the students experience the reiki energy directly. Once this empowerment process is complete, then the students are qualified to study the written matter. During these sessions, students receive reiki attunements. Essentially, students are taught to take charge of their life and find inner peace.
Reiki level 2: The second level is called the “mind level” or “creativity level” Okuden (Inner teachings). In this level, the student learns to meditate on the reiki symbols to be endowed with the energy required for attunement and transformation.
Reiki level 3: Also known as Shinpiden (Mystery teachings), the third level, is all about mastering the art of long distance healing, scanning techniques, higher meditation teaching and also imparting reiki to others. It is also called the master level. Initiation to the master symbol Dai-Ko-Myo happens in this level. Third level opens the mind to a greater level of consciousness by bringing a dynamic balance of relaxation and concentration.
The energy of reiki helps the practitioner to empty their minds of worry, need, desire and other negativities and enjoy the stillness within.
Types of Reiki
There are about 25 different types of reiki, which are off shoots from the original reiki imparted by Dr.Usui.
The most important among them are:
Usui Reiki:
Mikao Usui was the founder of reiki, which is practiced all over the world. Hawayo Takata, a Japanese woman, spread the teachings of Reiki, to the West.
Tibetan Reiki:
This form of reiki is a powerful Tibetan method of attunement and combines certain techniques from the original Usui reiki.
Karuna Reiki:
Karuna means a profound feeling to alleviate suffering, with abiding compassion towards all beings. Karuna Reiki employs sounds, endowed with the power to heal. These sounds are sacred and powerful. They can be transmitted silently through intention or chanting, to bring about deeper levels of healing. The power of Karuna Reiki is used to heal addictions.
Gendai Reiki:
Gendai means modern. Mr. Hiroshi Doi is the founder of this reiki. He brings a strong Buddhist perspective to the original reiki teachings.
Rainbow Reiki:
Walter Lubeck, a reiki master began this form of reiki. In this system, working with the seven main chakras in the body brings about healing. These chakras organize a body of light. This spiritual energy is used to heal and understand our true nature.
Five Element Seichem:
Alex Baisley in Canada founded this system. This helps us to consciously use the five elements of the universal life force or prana to promote healing.
Shamballa Reiki:
This system helps to cleanse, repair and balance the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual levels of a person. It uses reiki energy along with many vibratory symbols and healing rays to achieve the purpose.
Kundalini Reiki:
In this system, reiki energy is channeled through the lower base chakra rather than crown chakra. This kindles spirituality and even helps the practitioner get over shyness, or recover from trauma and other negative emotions.
Imara Reiki:
The reiki energy is used to work on past life, repressed issues and helps in long distance healing. The practitioner is connected to ascended masters and angels.
