What is Reiki and How Does it Work

Every living being radiates warmth and energy- this energy is the life force itself and has as many names as there are human civilizations. In Japan it is called Ki and is the root word for Reiki. It is called Chi in China, Barraka in Islamic countries, Ruach in Hebrew, the Polynesian Hunas call it Mana , in India it is called Prana (also a Yoga term), and the Iroquois people refer to it as Orenda . The word Reiki derives from two Japanese words that mean literally: God-like energy. This is universal life energy.

The source of all universal life energy is the source of all life and is older than all creation. Just as there are many names for Ki, there are just as many names for this source: Creator, God, the Universe, the First Source, Goddess, the Higher Self, Great Mystery, Higher Power, etc. The attunements for Reiki I allows the receiver to become a channel or conduit for universal life force energy through an intensified connection to this limitless Source. In that end, Reiki is a highly spiritual healing art.

Beginning with that first attunement, the receiver is able to connect with healing Ki simply by placing their hands on themselves or someone else. The life force energy automatically flows through the practitioner, first healing her or him and then healing the other. One of the first things people notice about this healing energy is an intensified heat radiating from the person’s hands. Those who have experienced a Reiki healing often comment that “her hands were so hot!” This is the life force energy flowing through them, and it is powerful!

When my sister and I received our Reiki attunements, it was at a wonderful little place called Hidden Ponds. We became very close to our teachers there, and enjoyed every moment of learning, teaching and spiritual growth. The experience is different for everyone, but I was able to see the Reiki symbols in my mind, bright flashes of light, colors, and images from my past. I didn’t know they were Reiki symbols until later when relating the experience with our teachers; it wasn’t until the attunement for Reiki II that I learned how to use those symbols for distance healing. Both my sister and I decided to stop after the second level- Reiki three is for those who want to be a Reiki Master/Teacher, and they are the only ones who can provide Reiki attunements to others.

Reiki belongs to everyone and everyone has the seed of Reiki within them. I believe it is part of our human genetic heritage. As Diane Stein writes in her book Essential Reiki :

“Reiki was once universal and was never meant to be lost. Children of early Earth, in the civilization we call Mu today, received Reiki I training at the beginning of grade school. They received Reiki II at what we would define as junior high school age. Reiki III, the Teacher/Master’s training was required for educators and was available to any who wanted it.”

What I really like about Reiki is that you do not need to believe that it works for it to work. It is not a religion or a religious belief, although its principles can be found in Christianity, Buddhism, various tribal teachings, and spanning both Eastern and Western philosophies. It is easy to recognize these teachings and principles within all faiths and belief systems.

There are five Reiki Principles that every Reiki practitioner should try to live by. Of all the variations I have seen, none violate any religion or religious ethic. My favorite version is as follows:

THE FIVE REIKI PRINCIPLES

Just for today, I will count my many blessings.

Just for today, I will not dwell on worries and fears.

Just for today, I will let go of my anger.

Just for today, I will do my work honestly.

Just for today, I will honor my teachers, parents, Elders and all of Life.

Becoming a Reiki practitioner is the process of opening and aligning what is already within you. You can experience this by receiving an attunement from a Reiki Master- one who has received all of the attunements through Reiki III. During the adjustment phase immediately following the Reiki I attunements, a new healer may experience: feeling light-headed, have vivid dreams including past life dreams, and sometimes detoxification symptoms. This is because more Ki energy than ever before is entering the body and increasing your capacity to channel it, opening your chakras and rebalancing your bodily systems.

When doing a healing, the Reiki practitioner can either place two hands on a pain area, or use the Reiki full body hand positions. It is not necessary for the healer to know what needs healing; the Ki energy goes where it needs to. Although the energy is flowing through the healer’s hands, this energy is not drawn from the healer but from the Source of life energy. My own personal inspiration comes from the stories of Jesus healing others by putting His hands on them. When I do a healing on someone, I always imagine a shock of light coming from the heavens, through the healing hands of Jesus and entering into the top of my head. The light or healing energy, then travels through me and out through my hands into the other person. That’s when my hands start to get really hot, and I become a conduit for the healing energy. The heat really intensifies if my hands go over a problem area for that person. When that happens, I will leave my hands on that area longer so the Ki can enter directly and immediately.

The healing does not always heal what ails someone; sometimes there are many deep blockages within their chakras and various levels of their physical, emotional, mental and spiritual being. It may take many healings to overcome some disease. As the Ki energy goes where it needs to, it is not up to me to decide WHAT to heal. I also know that at the very least, a Reiki healing can provide some degree of comfort and ease a few of the symptoms of dis-ease. If someone is dying, Reiki cannot stop or hold them back from passing. But it can ease the process for one who is terminal. If there is fear of dying, Reiki can ease those fears.

Dis-ease is the process of not being at ease in the non-physical levels- that’s why I often use the hyphen in the word disease. Most physical pain has at its root mental, emotional or spiritual despair. If you are not at ease with any of these non-physical levels, it is likely that it will manifest itself as a physical dis-ease. Reiki heals at all of these levels, and as such is a holistic healing art.

One of the things I have discovered since learning about Reiki, is that when grieving we are all—everyone—gifted with an incredible healing power. The process of grief requires much healing energy…remember the last time you grieved and it felt like you were dying? You needed healing, and it was given automatically so that you could heal from your grief. If we have even a small capacity to focus some of that healing power outside of ourselves, imagine the good works you could do!

One of the other things I have discovered is that animals have instant access to Reiki healing. They are using Reiki on us every time we sit down to pet our beloved cats or dogs. There are other logical arguments as to why pets are good for our health…but I believe this one is just as logical. Of course, these are my own beliefs and not everyone sees things the way I do.