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Special Healing Topics
Energy Healing
Spiritual Healing
Human Energy Field
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Reiki
Reiki is perhaps the most
popular and commonly recognized system of energy healing. Reiki is a
Japanese word meaning "universal life energy". Reiki healing is a simple, hands-on
energy healing technique which works primarily with the transfer of universal
energy to the recipient. It relies on the intelligence of the energy itself to go
where it is needed. It also employs the use of symbols to activate the
energy for particular purposes. The heart of Reiki consists of
"attunements" which the teacher uses to increase the student's ability to be a
conduit for the universal life energy.
History
The founder of Reiki, Dr. Mikao Usui,
was a Japanese Zen Buddhist, businessman and scholar born the mid-nineteenth
century Japan. He developed a desire to learn how to perform healings.
A long search eventually led him to undertake a religious spiritual fast on
Mt. Kurama. During this self-imposed retreat, Usui had a revelation
which led the development of a system of healing.
Usui's original teachings
have gone through many transformations as they have been passed from teacher
to student over the years. When the term "Usui method" is used, it
indicates that the teacher feels that they are following the procedures of
Dr. Usui, as opposed to teachers who have created or learned variations on
the original method. Some teachers claim that their particular
teaching is more authentic than others as far as adhering to Usui's
original teaching. There is much controversy, however, about exactly
what Usui did teach and whether anyone can really lay claim to teaching the
"authentic" method.
How Reiki is taught -- all courses are not alike!
Reiki was traditionally taught in
several stages with an apprenticeship with a Reiki master, but there are now
teachers who offer the entire training in one weekend. Those
interested in learning Reiki or receiving Reiki need to be aware that all
Reiki practitioners and teachers are not alike. Even in energy healing
programs with a very standardized curriculum, there will be great variation
among practitioners in terms of how they use and express the system.
This may be particularly true with Reiki due to the variations in training.
(It's important to note that the term "master" comes from the Japanese use
of that word to mean "teacher". It does not imply mastery of an art.
A Reiki master has completed their training and has the ability to teach
Reiki to another person.)
Discussion
Many people start their energy
healing careers with Reiki and it becomes a central part of their work.
For some it is an ongoing spiritual and healing path, and they go very deep
with it. For those who have already done hands-on energy healing,
reports are mixed. Some feel it enhances the ability to conduct
healing energy, and some feel it doesn't add much to their practice.
It is certainly not necessary to have attunements in order to be a conduit
for healing energies, although in some cases attunement may be useful.
Each individual needs to honor what intuitively "draws" them. There is
no program of training which is best or right for everyone!
Although Reiki is not a religion and people
of many different religious backgrounds practice and receive Reiki, it does
have a spiritual foundation which includes the "Reiki precepts" (guidelines
for living). The vision in which Dr. Usui received the inspiration for
this healing system is often seen as something which was divinely inspired.
As a result, certain elements sometimes creep into the teaching and practice
of Reiki which are often found in association with religions. Most
notably, there are a number of controversies associated with the teaching
and practice of Reiki, with various parties feeling that they have the
"right" understanding. Most feel that the Reiki symbols should not be
revealed to the non-initiated, and many have become quite upset at
practitioners who have put the symbols into print. These
controversies, however, do not change the fact that more people have started
to use their healing abilities through Reiki than through any other system
to date. Whatever the nature of Dr. Usui's inspiration for the
development of this program, it has proven to be a useful and beneficial
system for many people.
references
Highly Recommended Books
The Everything Reiki Book,
by
Phylameana lila Désy, About.com's Holistic Healing Guide.
An excellent introduction and overview, as well as a perfect "handbook" for
students and practitioners.
Read book review below.
Reiki:
Healing Yourself & Others by Marsha Burack -- an especially
beautiful and profound book by a healer and artist who has immersed herself
deeply in Reiki.
Reiki: Universal Life Energy by Bodo J. Baginski and Shalila
Sharamon -- an informative, inspiring and insightful book about Reiki.
Websites
www.reikimind.com -- This website is an especially beautiful,
heartfelt and simple one of a Reiki Master on the East Coast of the US.
It embodies the energy and spirit of Reiki.
Many different offshoots
and forms of Reiki have evolved. Since so many energy workers first
learned Reiki, when new energies and techniques were discovered in their work,
they continued to call it Reiki, adding another term to distinguish the new
form.
All Energy-Therapies Web
is a website with an exhaustive list of the various forms of Reiki.
Review of The Everything Reiki Book,
Phylameana lila Désy, Adams Media, Avon, MA, 2004.
The Everything Reiki Book serves
not only as a perfect introduction to Reiki for those who are new to the
subject, but a comprehensive handbook for students and practitioners alike.
The book is clear, simple and straight-forward, yet contains a depth of
understanding and wisdom. It really does cover everything to do
with Reiki - just reading through the table of contents reveals the
complexity of topics which have become associated with what started out as a
very simple teaching. Desy has managed to give a birds-eye view of the
whole subject, as well as practical details and down-to-earth advice on every
topic covered. She states that Reiki is all about balance, and she
demonstrates this perfectly as she deals with various issues in the Reiki
community, including controversial ones, with a balanced perspective.
Desy makes it clear what is unique to
Reiki as opposed to other energy healing systems. While her deep
appreciation and enthusiasm for Reiki are clear, she acknowledges that being
able to use universal life energy for healing is not exclusive to Reiki.
She even includes a chapter on other energy-based modalities. One can
substitute the term "energy healing" for "Reiki" in many places throughout this
book and find that the same principles hold true. Thus the book is
valuable for students of any energy healing modality.
-- Mary Maddux, May 11, 2004
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