Reiki

Reiki is a technique of alternative medicine, developed (or rediscovered) during the latter half of the 19th century by Mikao Usui in Japan.

Table of contents

1 Definition
2 How does it work?
3 History
4 Courses
5 Reiki community
6 Controversies

Definition

The word rei-ki is Japanese and the literal meaning of this word is cosmos (rei) and energy (ki or chi or qi). Another common definition is "universal life force energy." From this, a verb is derived.

Practitioners believe that they are able to direct Reiki energy at will through the palms of their hands, into specific parts of their own or others' bodies, in order to cause healing. Many scientists dispute the effectiveness of Reiki, claiming that Reiki energy cannot be measured by any known observational technique. There is no conclusive scientific evidence of positive results from this form of therapy.

How does it work?

Reiki energy is believed to enter the initiate through his 7th (crown) chakra, fill his aura and flow through his hands into the body of the recipient. The recipient�s body will take the Reiki energy and use it to heal itself, if needed. If the body does not feel that the energy is needed, it will not absorb the energy.

The treatment is done mainly through laying on hands. The patient is asked to lie down and relax. Then therapist opens his Reiki channel and applies his hands to various parts of patient's body. Patients report feeling various sensations: heat, cold, pressure and the like. This is attributed to be the effect of Reiki energy filling the body and aura of recipient and acting: filling up the energy deficiences, repairing and opening the energy channels (meridians) and dissolving the blocks of stale energy.

Reiki is an Eastern form of medicine that defines full health as total harmony of body, mind and spirit, so it is said that Reiki heals all mentioned parts of a human being. Proponents of Reiki claim that it can cure any affliction. In practice however, afflictions that are hard for conventional medicine are as hard for Reiki. Also, academic medicine is clearly more suitable at emergencies as Reiki works rather subtly and so – slowly. However, the merit of Reiki is using only energy – no medicaments with side effect are used. Moreover it should be noted that Reiki is especially good at restoring vitality and reducing stress.

History

Reiki was claimed to be rediscovered by a Japanese man named Mikao Usui. After long meditations and prayers he claimed that he gained consecration how to awaken and apply the Reiki energy for healing. Believers in Reiki claim that access to this energy is limited for the majority of people. Mikao Usui claimed that he could enable his students to enlarge their access to the energy through certain initiations. The 'flow' of the energy after enlarging of the access becomes a healing quality. It improves the function of chakras by supplying them with energy.

It is said that Mikao Usui was actively pursuing the art of healing and before he developed Reiki method he studied Chinese medicine, Ayurveda, some internal martial arts like Qigong and even Yoga of Healing. However, he reported that the awakening of Reiki and developing the set of accompanying techniques is something entirely different.

After developing Reiki method, Usui went to slums of Tokio to heal the beggars. However after several years he learned that it is their mindset that keeps them ill time after time of healing. So he engaged it philosophical studies that bore fruit in uncovering some texts of Yellow Emperor. He then summarized it in five ethical principles:

Just for today, do not worry.
Just for today, do not anger.
Honor your parents, teachers, and elders.
Earn your living honestly.
Show gratitude to everything.

(See Traditional Chinese Medicine for explanation of origin of disease)

Mikao Usui had rather mystical disposition towards Reiki and trained several disciples in this spirit. However, one of his disciples was military doctor Mr. Chujiro Hayashi that represented more rational approach. He simply stressed physical health and some codified behavior like a system of laying on hands in fixed positions. Also, Usui preferred more mystical means of diagnosing the patient's problem.

This wouldn't bore any severe consequences if he hadn't initiated and trained to mastery Mrs. Havayo Takata that brought Reiki to USA. The States proved to be very fertile ground as Mrs. Takata applied American spirit of enterprise to Japanese tradition. Now Reiki is nearly extinct in Japan and flourishing in USA. New paths were developed out of Reiki core that fused it with Christianity, shamanism, channeling and so forth. Also new symbols were added. However, some people argue that it wasn't for good because Reiki is complete system and in particular some symbols are completely alien to Reiki tradition and possibly even harmful.

Courses

The method developed by Mikao Usui spread over the world and now it is almost everywhere possible to attend a Reiki course. To achieve a complete education in Reiki Usui Shiki Ryoho (the Takata's line), 3 courses are necessary: 1st degree course, 2nd degree course and master course.

In the 1st degree Reiki course, it is taught how to work with Reiki energy. The 'channel' through which Reiki energy passes to the 7th chakra has to be widened through an initiation by the teacher, to let the Reiki energy be strong enough to heal. Students learn the manner how to place their hands on the body of the recipient to be most successful by the healing process.

In the 2nd degree Reiki course, techniques of mental healing are taught, enabling healers treat even deeply ingrained problems like fears, depression, addictions and the like. It is also taught how to direct the energy to a certain point of time, to specific person or place or specific issue. The 'issue' can be something like particular health problem of individual or more abstract and/or general issue like world peace. This is made possible through three symbols taught at second initiation. The 'channel' will be opened even more.

In the master course, students learn how to teach Reiki courses and they become masters of Reiki through the 3rd initiation that broadens the channel with master symbol.

It is up to students how many courses they want to attend. The courses are structured hierarchically, so it is not possible to attend e.g. the master course after finishing only the 1st course.

Reiki community

While there are no chain of command, no vows of obedience and practitioners practice as they desire, there is notion to form a Reiki communities that sometimes extend to other healers. It started probably as masters started to organize Reiki circles for joint healing and honing the skills. However a real upsurge of Reiki communities enjoyed with advent of Internet and discussion forums. There has been global initiatives introduced (like healing the planet or global peace fostering) and great deal of online services (like training and healing) commenced.

Controversies

Some scientists hold that, because researchers have been unable to demonstrate the existence of Reiki energy with any certainty, it cannot be described as an effective or worthwhile medical practice. Proponents of Reiki claim that they can detect and manipulate this energy, but some scientists claim that if a physical or medical phenomenon has any reliable real-world effects, it should be measurable and able to be observed in rigorously structured studies. Since few scientists feel that Reiki's effects have been demonstrated to any significant degree, most argue that the sensations practitioners of Reiki claim to feel are psychological or the results of practicioners deceiving themselves with magical thinking.

There are also some circles that actively oppose Reiki - generally for the same reasons that any alternative medicine is regularly opposed. For example, many mainstream doctors, academics, and consumer advocates find it disturbing and potentially dangerous that patients with serious diseases like cancer are choosing reiki 'shamans' over trained doctors. While it is understandable for patients to seek non-mainstream remedies when conventional options seem ineffective or untrustworthy, many doctors say that Reiki, like much other alternative medicine, is simply exploiting the fear and hope of people with serious illnesses while offering no real help. Reiki practitioners argue that Reiki is a reliable and effective treatment which is being unfairly dismissed by conservative Western scientific researchers, presenting a few cases of actual disease remission as a proof.

There are various religious groups opposing Reiki. They condemn Reiki as promoting satanic or pagan practices. Once such group is the Unification Church, which cautions its adherents to avoid Reiki on the grounds that Reiki involves channeling the energy of evil spirits. The Roman Catholic Church generally refrains from accusations of Satanism in recent times, but it is common for Catholic thinkers to find Reiki suspicious at best, and some individuals and groups (like Dominicans) actively advise believers against it. Some even go as far as to call Reiki a sect, which is unfair as there is no real structure, guru or chain of command in Reiki community.