So, What Exactly IS Reiki? I'm Glad You Asked!
I know that Reiki (and Reiki Healing) is a term/practice that is becoming more and more common but many people I talk to don't actually know what the heck it is! So, ahead of my upcoming Reiki healing circle, I wanted to explain!
What is Reiki?
Reiki is a form of complementary, or alternative, medicine that works alongside traditional medicine to enhance the body's ability to heal itself. Other examples of complementary medicine are acupuncture and chiropractic medicine. In my opinion, these are never to be used instead of traditional medicine but as a supplement for your healing process (especially when you feel you've hit an emotional or spiritual wall that western science just can't cover).
This History of Reiki
The practice of Reiki healing is believed to have been around for thousands of years, with some saying it's been used since the beginning of time. That said, our modern practices of Reiki can be traced to Japan in the early 1900s. There were several documented Reiki masters with their own traditions and lineages, but because of the conditions in Japan after World War II, Usui Reiki became the most common type practiced (including by me!).
Japanese Monk Dr. Mikao Usui, the founder of Usui Reiki, was said to be on a life long path to discover the purpose of life and specifically a special state of consciousness that would help you achieve that purpose. He was a dedicated meditation practitioner and in 1922, while on a 21-day fast and meditation journey in a cave on Mount Kurama, "discovered" an energy healing method that could not only ease pain but also increase vitality and life force in the body. After this experience, he moved to Tokyo to begin healing and teaching others how to heal with the Usui Reiki Healing Method.
While many other lineages of Reiki healing fell into obscurity after WW2 (History fact: the U.S. placed restrictions/limitations on healers in Japan after their surrender), Usui Reiki was already being practiced in Hawaii thanks to Hawayo Takata. Takata Sensei, as she was called, eventually spread the teachings to the mainland, which is ultimately how many many years later I found myself able to study and train to be a Reiki Master in California!
How Does it Work?
So how does it work? Well, let's look at the word itself. Reiki is a Japanese word (no surprise). “Rei” means Higher or Universal Power” and “Ki” means Life Force energy (Pronounced Ray-Key). So Reiki is actually “Universal Life Force Energy”, and it's an energy that exists inside of all of us. We are alive because this life force energy flows through us in pathways through the body called chakras and meridians and around us in a field of energy called an aura. This energy nourishes the organs and cells in our body, supporting them in their vital functioning.
Unfortunately, stress, trauma, illness, and even negative thinking about ourselves can restrict the natural flow of "Ki". These "blocks" can then have a very real effect on our physical bodies.
“Scientifically, Reiki is the bio-photon (light) emission conducted from one organic species to another. Reiki is from the light of lights and light is science. Reiki balances the recipient’s disturbances in their body’s bio-energy field. As Albert Einstein told us back in the 1920s through his equation, everything, including our bodies, is composed of energy.” -Patti Penn
In a Reiki session, the practitioner (like me 🙋🏻♀️) works to channel this life force energy through their hands (and through time and space in a virtual session) into the body of the client. This positive flow of energy works to break up the blocks and disruptions in and around the client's body. So basically the Reiki energy clears and heals the energy pathways in the client's body, allowing the life force to flow freely and rejuvenating the body’s ability to relax, de-stress, and heal itself.
Reiki can:
Relieve pain, anxiety, and fatigue
Accelerate healing
Promote deep relaxation and better sleep
Assist the body in cleansing toxins and supporting the immune system
Balance the flow of subtle energy by releasing blockages
Help the client contact the 'healer within.'
Boost mood and improve the overall quality of life
One important thing I was taught, and have experienced in my work, with Reiki is that it is always working for the highest good of the person receiving it. While things will shift and release in sessions, and emotions may come up, you can trust that it will only be what you can handle and it will be for your highest good.
I have fallen in love with this gentle and yet deeply effective energy healing modality. Its power surprises me all the time, which is a beautiful experience. I love offering it to my clients and watching the shifts and breakthroughs happen.
Do you have any questions about Reiki, how it works, or what a session is like? Please reach out!
‘Goodbye 2020’ Reiki Healing Circle
Let’s join together as we clear out the (garbage) energy that this year has brought into our bodies! Click for more info!