WHAT IS REIKI?

The word Reiki is made up of two Japanese words:

Rei       which means ‘God's Wisdom’ or ‘the Higher Power’, and

Ki          which is ‘life force energy’

So Reiki is actually ‘spiritually guided life force energy’.

Reiki is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing. It is administered by ‘the laying on of hands’ and is based on the idea that an unseen ‘life force energy’ flows through us and is what causes us to be alive. If our ‘life force energy’ is low then we are more likely to get sick or feel stress; if it is high we are more capable of being happy and healthy.

Reiki is a simple, natural and safe method of spiritual healing which allows the body to absorb more Life Force Energy.  It treats the whole person, including body, emotions, mind and spirit, creating many beneficial effects that include relaxation and feelings of peace, security and wellbeing. 

This natural healing energy flows in a powerful and concentrated form through the hands of the giver.  The laying on of the hands directs the healing energy into the body of the receiver.  The Reiki giver is used as a channel to conduct the Universal Life Force Energy.  

Reiki has been effective in helping virtually every known illness and malady and always creates a beneficial effect. It also works in conjunction with all other medical or therapeutic techniques to relieve side effects and promote recovery.

An amazingly simple technique to learn, the ability to use Reiki is not taught in the usual sense, but is transferred to the student during a Reiki class. This ability is passed on during an ‘attunement’ given by a Reiki master and allows the student to tap into an unlimited supply of ‘life force energy’ to improve one's health and enhance the quality of life.

While Reiki is spiritual in nature, it is not a religion. It has no dogma and there is nothing you must believe in order to learn and use Reiki. In fact, Reiki is not dependent on belief at all and will work whether you believe in it or not. Because Reiki comes from God, many people find that using Reiki puts them more in touch with their religion rather than having only an intellectual concept of it.

If you have the intent to help yourself and others and are willing to let this healing power flow through you, then you can become a channel for the Reiki force.  Once you are a channel then the ability to use Reiki remains within you for the rest of your life.

While Reiki is not a religion, it is still important to live and act in a way that promotes harmony with others. Dr. Mikao Usui, the founder of the modern Reiki system of natural healing, recommended that one practice certain simple ethical ideals to promote peace and harmony, which are nearly universal across all cultures.   These are known as the ‘Reiki Principles’.

From various sources