What is Reiki?
The word `Reiki ` is made up of two Japanese words: `Rei`` which translates as `God's Wisdom or Sacred or the Higher Power` and `Ki`` which means `life force energy`. Hence Reiki has come to be known as a ` spiritually-guided, life force energy`.
In the early 1920s Mikao Usui experienced a sudden enlightenment after meditating for 21 days after which he went on to selflessly promote this energetic method of healing for the greater good of humanity.
Today Reiki has become known as an alternative healing treatment that was brought to the West in the 1970s by the tireless teachings of Mrs Hawayo Takata. Mrs Takata had been a student of Chujiro Hayashi, a naval officer and naval physican who studied under Usui. Hayashi went on to open his own clinics in order to actively spread the practice of Reiki healing throughout Japan.
Although Reiki
energy helps to heal, at the core of Mikao Usui`s teachings are what are termed
his five Precepts, collectively called the `Gokai`
`.
The Five
Reiki Principles
`The secret
method of inviting blessings, the spiritual medicine of many illnesses`
Usui suggested these precepts be
repeated as a mantra, a meditation both morning and night whilst keeping one`s
hands in the prayer, `gassho`
position, a Buddhist gesture of gratitude and blessing.
Whilst these five statements appear to be simple in
nature, when studied they contain a timeless wisdom, a pre-requisite for all
those wanting to walk the Spiritual Path.
`Do not anger` To be angry, to continue to `hang onto` a past grievance that makes you feel and experience anger, only serves to keep you and others trapped in a stuck, negative situation. This anger will continue to repeat and imprint itself on future situations while the original emotion remains within you. Using Reiki can help you heal your anger and in doing so will help others to move forward and heal too. Sometimes this precept is written as `just for today, let go of anger`.
`Do not worry ` Can be written as `do not fear` which can be another way to say one has to learn to trust, trust that what is right will happen. We all fear change at times and worry about what may happen in the future, but being anxious only creates stress which in turn will most likely result in illness. Using Reiki regularly can help you change and learn to trust that `right action` will occur.
`Be thankful` Be grateful, literally count your
blessings as doing so can be a surprisingly powerful exercise. Listing, writing
down five things that you are grateful for each day can have a surprisingly
positive effect on your life and will help to banish negative thoughts. It is a
good way of removing our `stuck` internal blockages.
`Work hard` Honesty and integrity are often
overlooked attributes in today`s society but to work towards these ideals helps
to attract positive situations and people into our lives. Sincerity will always
help to banish our egos as the ego only attracts illusion which in turn takes
us further away from our true path.
`Be kind to others` Without compassion
for our fellow man and woman - in fact for the planet itself and every living
thing upon it - we will never be able to truly heal ourselves, others or the
planet.
`Just for today` Is
probably the most important part of the Gokai. Learning to be present in the here and now and not allowing oneself to be
distracted by past or future thoughts is the key to any meditation. Only in the
Now Moment can we be At One. Only here in this moment can we access the Source
completely. Only an empty mind can be filled with the bliss that every
spiritual seeker seeks ... to sit in gassho
regularly will help to cultivate this blissful state of being ...
Usui, as a practising Tendai Buddhist will have been well aware of the fundamental values contained in these few words, similar ones are of course quoted in varying forms in many languages, dogmas and creeds. He taught that to discover one`s connection with the Source, to take responsibility for one self literally physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually, to accomplish this is perhaps the one most important thing each of us can do as to heal our self helps to heal the world
THE PRACTICAL ASPECTS OF REIKI
“ Our total being consists of two perceivable segments. The first is the familiar physical body, which all of us can perceive; the second is the luminous body, which is a cocoon that only seers can perceive, a cocoon that gives us the appearance of giant luminous eggs.” Carlos Casteneda
There is more to the human body than meets the eye. The living body emanates energies which create a luminous egg shape called an aura, according to those who `see`.
The AURA can be described as a `bio magnetic field` of energies although unproven by science most healers feel something emanating from a living body ... The recognised seven layers or subtle bodies are; etheric, emotional, mental, astral, celestial and ketheric.
The Seven CHAKRAS from the Sanskrit word meaning
`wheel` or circle...mentioned in ancient Hindu and ancient Buddhist texts. Yoga
practices recognise the chakras as vortices, centres of energy or life force which
exists in these more subtle bodies. Each relates to various parts of the
physical body. Each is aligned to the vibration of a specific colour, harmonic
note, sound, shape and hand `mudra`,
or gesture.
The idea being that to attain perfect health all the centres need to be healthy, open and working. i.e. not blocked or shut down. Dowsing each chakra can help to discover its condition. A blocked root chakra is considered to be the most problematic as it is our most direct link to this world. Sitting in the lotus position positively connects the root chakra energies to the earth, enabling energy to rise up the spine `kundalini energy` to connect the body to spirit.
The HARA and the TANDEN
In Japanese
`hara `means belly, in Chinese and in
Chinese medicine it`s called the `tanden
` and is recognised as the most important point in the body for replenishing
one`s `chi,` `ki,` energy - ones
internal life force.
The `hara` region of the body is generally located in the abdomen
between the bottom of the ribs and the top of the pelvic crest, centred about
three finger widths below the navel. It is known by many names: `tanden` or `lower dantian` in China, the `Centre of Being`, the `Energy Centre`,
or the `Sea of Ki the `Seat of internal awareness and energy`.
In essence the `hara` is considered the
centre of a person`s connectedness; physically, emotionally, and
spiritually.
“..when we place the
right hand on the stomach under the navel and cover this with the left hand.
This is the way to energise the hara – the seat of energy – almost at once one
feels recharged... comparable to a car battery being charged...” Jan de Vries
In comparison Reiki healing is relatively straightforward,
but to have an awareness these `invisible` energy systems helps one`s
understanding, i.e. healing via a chakra vortex can feel and sometimes be more
efficient.
Charging up the `hara`, is a useful tool for oneself and for using on others.
As always practice and experience expands one`s knowledge. Inevitably there is a lot of information on all these subjects on the internet, but it is important to check the authenticity of the information.
As always practice and experience expands one`s knowledge. Inevitably there is a lot of information on all these subjects on the internet, but it is important to check the authenticity of the information.
The ability
to practice Reiki is said to be enabled after receiving specific REIKI ATTUNEMENTS
- `Reiju`, during one’s Reiki
training, and there are different attunements for each level of Reiki.
The emphasis in REIKI 1 is on self healing in preparation for taking the energies further and deeper... there is a recognised set of hand positions for this. Allow up to five minutes if you can in each position.
The emphasis in REIKI 1 is on self healing in preparation for taking the energies further and deeper... there is a recognised set of hand positions for this. Allow up to five minutes if you can in each position.
It is recommended that after the REIKI 1 attunements practise the self
healing for twenty one days if possible. This helps to boost the Reiki energy
you have just received.
You can also try out healing on friends and family, pets, plants and food too, all will benefit.
There are basic hand positions for healing
others.
There are internet links and books with more
detailed Reiki hand positions for specific injuries and illnesses. Nothing
harmful can come from practising Reiki but one`s initial experience can
sometimes create a detoxing effect, so it is recommended to drink more water
and to eat more healthily during this first three weeks.
There is another less formal technique for
healing more favoured by the Usui school of Reiki called `Byosen` which is to learn to `scan` the body `visually` to find the
area which needs healing most and then to lay on hands. Mrs Takata called it `Reiji-ho`- her more simplified version
was to allow one`s hands to intuitively `feel`
for differences over the body ... hot, cold, warm, tingly, magnetic
repelling or pulling, again this ability improves with practice.
This way of
healing is probably the easiest healing method to use and can be the quickest
if time is short. Remember too that the location of pain is not necessarily the origin of the problem.
Help
build up your sensitivity by practising `feeling` for `energy` between your
hands ...
With others try feeling for their aura by
walking slowly towards them with your hands outstretched until you feel their
aura, their energy field. Quite often it can be felt as a `springy` mass up to one
metre or more away from their body. One can also try mentally extending and
contracting one`s aura and getting the other to feel the difference in
size.
Hold your palms one up one down over someone
else`s palms also held similarly, palms facing. What can you feel? What do they
feel? If there are several of you` send` the energy around the room in this
way, first in one direction then the other. All sit in a circle facing each
others` backs and place hands on the person`s shoulders in front of you. Send
energy around between all of you.
A useful exercise for ending a healing
session or just cleaning yours or another`s aura, energy field is the practise
of `dry bathing` called `Kenyoku `. Brush lightly with the opposite hand
starting on your shoulder, down the arm and across your torso to the other hip,
or towards the knee, and repeat a few times on both sides.
You can do a similar exercise on the
person you have just healed but take the brushing downwards and into the ground
to `earth` their energies after their treatment.
At the end of a healing session,
rub your hands together to break the connection, alternatively rinse your hands
briefly in cold water.
Although Reiki and other
alternative practices are considered a pseudoscience by many, there are
countless cases that tell of, if not miraculous healings, cases where the Reiki
energy has helped to speed up healing or just helped to increase the feeling of
a person`s wellbeing...
Other alternative practices that
work well with Reiki and can be incorporated with Reiki are crystal healing,
colour and sound healing.
Colours and types of crystals are known
to have an effect on our more subtle bodies as are the vibrations and
frequencies of tones and sounds as well as colours. Having an
awareness of these can only add to the experience of creating a positive
healing space and force. When you are to use the Reiki energy try and be aware
of sound and colour in the healing environment. For instance it`s best not to
wear black or other dull colours as they do not help to enhance the healing
energies. The colours associated with the chakras can be a useful guide ...
Fragrances, essential oils, also have particular properties that
help with healing. There are many alternative methods to help create well being
which can be confusing and overwhelming at first. Trusting one`s instinct and
intuition is often the best way to find which is right for you.
THE HISTORY OF REIKI
The following is an updated
history of Reiki based on accurate, verifiable information.
(Some of this
information is taken from a lengthy inscription on a memorial stone that was
erected for Mikao Usui Sensei in Saihoji temple in the Suginami district of Tokyo, in 1927.)
He had an avid
interest in learning and worked hard at his studies. As he grew older, he travelled to Europe and China
to further his education. His curriculum included medicine, psychology and
religion as well as the art of divination, which Asians have long considered to
be a worthy skill. Usui Sensei also became a member of the Rei Jyutu Ka, a
metaphysical group dedicated to developing psychic abilities.
He had
many jobs including civil servant, company employee and journalist, and he helped
rehabilitate prisoners. Eventually he became the secretary to Shinpei Goto,
head of the department of health and welfare who later became the mayor of
Tokyo. The connections Usui Sensei made at this job helped him to also become a
successful businessman.
The depth and
breadth of his experiences inspired him to direct his attention toward
discovering the purpose of life. In his search he came across the description
of a special state of consciousness that once achieved would not only provide
an understanding of one`s life purpose, but would also guide one to achieve it.
This special state is called An-shin Ritus-mei (pronounced on sheen dit sue
may). In this special state, one is always at peace regardless of what is
taking place in the outer world. And it is from this place of peace that one
completes one`s life purpose. One of the special features of this state is that
it maintains itself without any effort on the part of the individual; the
experience of peace simply wells up spontaneously from within and is a type of
enlightenment.
Usui Sensei
understood this concept on an intellectual level and dedicated his life to
achieving it; this is considered to be an important step on his spiritual path.
He discovered that one path to An-shin Ritsu-mei is through the practice of
Zazen meditation. So he found a Zen teacher who accepted him as a student.
After three years practice, he had not been successful and sought further
guidance. His teacher suggested a more severe practice in which the student
must be willing to die in order to achieve An-shin Ritsu-meiwhich.
So with this in
mind he prepared for death and in February, 1922, he went to Mt.
Kurama to fast and meditate until he passed to the next world. In addition, we
know there is a small waterfall on Mt. Kurama where even today people go to
meditate. This meditation involves standing under the waterfall and allowing
the water to strike and flow over the top of the head, a practice that is said
to activate the crown chakra. Japanese
Reiki Masters
think that Usui may have used this
meditation as part of his practice. In any case as time passed he became weaker
and weaker. It was now March, 1922 and at midnight of the twenty-first day, a
powerful light suddenly entered his mind through the top of his head and he felt
as if he had been struck by lightning; this caused him to fall unconscious.
As the sun rose, he awoke and realised
that whereas before he had felt very weak and near death, he was now filled
with an extremely enjoyable state of vitality that he had never experienced
before; a miraculous type of high frequency spiritual energy had displaced his
normal consciousness and replaced it with an amazingly new level of awareness.
He experienced himself as being the energy and consciousness of the Universe
and that the special state of enlightenment he had sought had been given to him
as a gift. He was overjoyed by this realisation.
When this happened, he was filled with
excitement and went running down the mountain. On his way down he stubbed his
toe on a rock and fell down. And in the same way anyone would do, he placed his
hands over the toe, which was in pain. As he did this, healing energy began
flowing from his hands all by itself. The pain in his toe went away and the toe
was healed. Usui Sensei was amazed by this. He realized that in addition to the
illuminating experience he had received, he had also received the gift of
healing.
Usui Sensei
practiced this new ability with his family and developed his
healing system through experimentation and by using skills and information
based on his previous study of religious practices, philosophy and spiritual disciplines. He called his system of
healing Shin-Shin Kai-Zen Usui Reiki Ryo-Ho (Usui Reiki Healing Method for
Improvement of Body and Mind) or in its simplified form Usui Reiki Ryoho (Usui
Reiki Healing Method). It is important
to know that Usui Sensei didn`t create Reiki as there were other methods of
Reiki healing in Japan prior to Usui Sensei creating his method and in fact one
was called Reiki Ryoho.
In April 1922, he
moved to Tokyo and started a healing society that he named Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai
(Usui Reiki Healing Method Society). He also opened a Reiki clinic in Harajuku,
Aoyama,Tokyo. There he taught classes and gave treatments.
In 1923, the great
Kanto earthquake devastated Tokyo. More than 140,000 people died and over half of the
houses and buildings were shaken down or burned. An overwhelming number of
people were left homeless, injured, sick and grieving. Usui Sensei felt great compassion
for the people and began treating as many as he could with Reiki. This was a
tremendous amount of work, and it was at this time that he began training other
Shihan (teachers) so that they could help him more quickly train others to be
Reiki practitioners and help the sick and injured. Demand for Reiki became so
great that he outgrew his clinic, so in 1925 he built a bigger one in Nakano,
Tokyo. Because of this, Usui Sensei`s reputation as a healer spread all over
Japan. He began to travel so he could teach and treat more people. During his
travels across Japan he directly taught more than 2,000 students and initiated
twenty Shihan each being given the same understanding of Reiki and approved to
teach and give Reiju in the same way he did.
The Japanese
government issued
him a Kun San To award for doing honourable work to help
others. While travelling to Fukuyama to teach, he suffered a stroke and died
March 9, 1926. His grave is at Saihoji Temple, in Suginami, Tokyo, although
some claim that his ashes are located elsewhere.
Chujiro Hayashi Before his passing, Usui Sensei
had asked Hayashi Sensei to open his own Reiki clinic and to expand and develop
Reiki Ryoho based on his previous experience as a medical doctor in the Navy.
Motivated by this request, Hayashi Sensei started a school and clinic
called Hayashi Reiki Kenkyukai (Institute). After Usui
Sensei`s passing he left the Gakkai.
At his clinic he kept careful records of all the illnesses and
conditions patients who came to see him had. He also kept records of which
Reiki hand positions worked best to treat each patient. Based on these records
he created the Reiki Ryoho Shinshin (Guidelines for Reiki Healing
Method). This healing guide was part of a class manual he gave to his students.
Many of his students received their Reiki training in return for working in his
clinic.
Hayashi Sensei also changed the way Reiki sessions are
given. Rather than have the client seated in a chair and treated by one
practitioner as Usui Sensei had done, Hayashi Sensei had the client lie on a
treatment table and receive treatment from several practitioners at a time. He
also created a new more effective system for giving Reiju (attunements). In addition, he developed a new method of teaching
Reiki that he used when he travelled. In this method, he taught both Shoden and Okuden (Reiki I&II) together
in one five-day seminar. Each day included two to three hours of instruction
and one Reiju.
Because of his trip to Hawaii in 1937–38
prior to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour, he was asked by the Japanese
military to provide information about the location of warehouses and other
military targets in Honolulu. He refused to do so and was declared a traitor.
This caused him to `lose face` which meant he and his family would be disgraced
and would be ostracised from Japanese society. The only solution was seppuku
(ritual suicide), which he carried out. He died honourably on May 11, 1940.
In 1935 her health
deteriorated and she decided to return to her family in Tokyo. She was
diagnosed as having a tumour, gallstones and other physical problems. While she
was lying on the operating table a voice came into her head, telling her that
the operation was not necessary. She consulted with the surgeon and asked if
there was another way she could be treated. Enquiries were made and she was
directed to Chujiro Hayashi's clinic. She stayed at the clinic for six months and was successfully treated. During this
time she enquired about enrolling as a student. Dr Hayashi did not teach foreigners, but he eventually relented
and taught Hawayo Takata as an honorary member.
In 1936
she volunteered
to work at the clinic and lived at the Hayashi family home. She practised and
studied for a year and progressed to Okudan - the second level of Reiki
training. Hawayo Takata finished her training in 1937 and returned to Hawaii.
Chujiro Hayashi and his daughter followed her and stayed for six months,
helping her set up a Reiki practice in Honolulu. Before leaving he announced
that Hawayo Takata had become a Master of the Usui System of Natural Healing.
In 1938 she took classes in anatomy and other therapies before continuing her
practice.
In 1939
she set
up
a successful practice in Hilo. Her treatments would take as long as two hours
and continue for one or two days, or up to a year. She was a renowned
practitioner of great experience. Takata never called herself a Grand Master.
Her fees were flexible according to clients' means.
On 1 January 1940 she
had a dream about Chujiro Hayashi. She settled her affairs and went to Japan.
There she discovered that Dr Hayashi had decided to end his life. He did not wish
to take the lives of others in the coming war against America. On 10 May 1940
he passed away from a self-induced stroke, with his friends and family around
him. Hawayo Takata had been left the Hayashi practice and home in Tokyo. She
returned to America, leaving it in the hands of Hayashi's widow, Chie Hayashi.
Returning to Japan 14 years later she officially handed the house and clinic
back to Chie Hayashi.
For thirty years
Hawayo Takata worked in Honolulu, travelling regularly around the islands
teaching. In 1973 she began teaching on the mainland of America and Canada. She
taught level one and two until l976, when, at the age of seventy six, she
taught her first Reiki Master student.
In 1975 she suffered
a heart attack and made preparations for her retirement. This was not to be, for
she went on to teach twenty two Reiki Masters. Students did not have a waiting
period between levels, so each level could be reached fairly quickly. She
taught in what is known as the oral tradition. From knowledge gathered from her
students, it seems her teachings were often at variance with one another. She
taught what she felt was appropriate for each class and no two teachings were
identical. Symbols and mantras passed on to students were not always the same.
The Five Principles were taught to all her students and 12 hand positions known
as the Foundation Treatment.
Hawayo Takata gave
four attunements for Level One, two or three for Level Two and one for Level
Three. She did not teach the chakra system, but worked from the Hara. She gave
her own version of the history of Reiki, some people believe, to make it more
acceptable to the Western mind. Hawayo Takata died of a heart attack on 11
December 1980. She did not officially name her successor. After her death a
group called the Reiki Alliance was formed. Her granddaughter, Phyllis Lei
Furumoto, was elected as the lineage bearer of the system of Reiki called Usui
Shiki Ryoho. It was the first time this term had ever been used in Reiki.
~ Grateful thanks for the various illustrations I have used from the `net` to accompany my text ~
USEFUL REIKI RELATED LINKS