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by Autumn Ayla Craig84

Reiki is a channeled form of energy healing that originated in Japan. The word comes from Japanese picture writing, known as kanji, in which Rei means “spiritually guided” and ki refers to life-force energy. Reiki was rediscovered by Mr. Mikao Usui of Kyoto, Japan, toward the end of the nineteenth century. He believed it to be the ancient healing method of all the world’s great healers, including Jesus and Buddha. He was a monk and after years of study, research, and travel, his discovery came as part of a vision following twenty-one days of fasting and meditation at the top of a sacred mountain in Japan. After his vision he decided to use Reiki to heal beggars and help them to establish a better way of life. However, he found after years of this service that he had not taught them gratitude, and unfortunately many didn’t appreciate the gift of healing. Wanting to pass his knowledge on, he decided to go out to find some true seekers, and subsequently developed a large following of students, including Dr. Chujiro Hayashi, a reserve naval officer. After Mikao Usui’s death, Dr. Hayashi opened a Reiki clinic and trained a staff of practitioners. Most of his clients were titled or wealthy individuals. It was believed that only if one paid a great deal could they appreciate the gift of healing, and that giving it away for free did not establish it as being something of value.

Along with the training, Dr. Usui passed on the Reiki Ideals, which are just as valid today as they were then. “Just for today, do not worry. Just for today, do not anger. Honor your teachers, your parents, your neighbors, your friends. Give thanks for all living things. Earn your living honestly.”

Hawayo Takata was of Japanese descent but born in Hawaii. She traveled to Japan to visit her family and became very ill while she was there. When she asked if there were alternative treatments for her condition, her doctor referred her to the Reiki clinic. After regaining her health, she was determined to keep it, but to do so she would need to learn Reiki herself. After making many requests, her doctor appealed to Dr. Hayashi, and she was admitted into the vigorous training and required service in the clinic, eventually returning to her home in Kauai in 1937. During her lifetime she trained twenty-two Reiki masters.

Each Reiki practitioner or master maintains their Reiki lineage, and all of us who practice Reiki today can trace our lineage back through our instructor through to one of these twenty-two masters, to Mrs. Takata, Dr. Hayashi, and finally to Dr. Usui, in an unbroken line.

Reiki is not learned like other methods of healing. In order to perform Reiki on yourself and others, you need to have your energy “tuned in” to channel it. This energy transference that occurs between the master and the student is called an attunement. During the attunement, sacred symbols are sealed into your energy field and your crown, heart and palm chakras are opened to accept the energy. Once you have your attunement, you are able to do Reiki immediately, and it will be there for your entire life whether you choose to use it or not.

The practitioner draws upon the unlimited supply of universal life energy and pulls it in through the crown chakra and out through the hands. The energy is then transmitted to the receiver by placing the hands on the individual or in their energy field (aura). This is done through a series of standard hand positions, which cover all the vital areas in the body. Unlike other forms of energy healing, Reiki never uses the practitioner’s personal life force energy. As they channel the energy through themselves, they are also getting the benefit of the energy, and treatments can be done on yourself as well as other people, animals, or plants. After additional training, Reiki can be sent to distant places to heal at a distance, or even along with past or present situations in your life. It is a very useful tool and can be though of as carrying your own personal first aid kit inside you at all times.