​Reiki is a system of energy healing using methods transmitted to and received by Japanese Buddhist monk Mikao Usui, legendarily at the end of a 21 day fast and meditation on Mount Kurama in Japan. The simplest translation/definition of the word Reiki is:

• (Rei) – Universal/Spiritual
  
• (Ki) - Life Force/Energy 
  

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A common misconception of Reiki is that it is a practice of ‘doing’ healing to another, or from a receiver or student’s perspective, being ‘done to’ – especially as it’s often thought about these days. Many authors and Reiki practitioners have stated that Mikao Usui did not intend the practice to be a healing practice (to be done to others) but a practice that helps us become more aware of the Reiki (Universal Life Force) energy that already exists within us. One of the first things we learn is that when translated the Japanese word Reiki means 'universal life force' and that:
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• ‘everything in the Universe contains Reiki’ and
  
• ‘the Universe is me and I am the Universe’. 

Over time, the healing aspects of Reiki energy have become more widely acknowledged and practiced in the West. This healing practice is done by placing the hands on or near the recipient with the intention of 'allowing' Reiki energy to flow freely to assist mental, emotional spiritual and/or physical healing. The practitioner acts as a channel for the Reiki energy while placing their hands on or over a series of locations on the recipient’s body.  This energy is the life force that permeates the universe.  Practitioners can also work remotely (distance healing). Remote techniques are usually taught at the second-degree level.
  
The Usui System of natural healing was introduced to the West by Mrs Hawayo Takata, from Hawaii, who received Reiki training and attunements from Dr Hayashi. Dr Hayashi was trained and attuned by Mikao Usui. Dr Hayashi had a Reiki clinic in Tokyo. Mrs Takata was visiting relatives in Japan and had successful treatments for a chronic illness at Dr Hayashi’s Clinic. Medically trained, Dr Hayashi is credited with formalizing the system of hand positions and levels for use in a more clinical health-oriented practice.

Reiki has elements based on the traditions of Asian medicine and martial arts which have given rise to acupuncture, chi gong, tai chi and similar practices, as well as various holistic medicine and healing modes. Therefore, Reiki is somewhat of a fusion of spiritual healing and some traditional Asian medical, spiritual and health practices. The hand placements correspond to some of those points used in Acupuncture and other practices, but no needles, pressure or massage are used.
 
The Usui system of natural healing has undergone many changes since being introduced to the West, and these days there are many different ‘forms’ of Reiki. The ability to heal physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual imbalances with energy channelled through the hands has historically been viewed as a rare and mystical gift requiring great spiritual achievement. However, this simply is not true. The Usui Reiki system is a simple and powerful system of energy work that anyone can learn to use for developing physical, emotional, mental and spiritual harmony and wholeness in themselves firstly, and for assisting others.

There are usually 3 levels of Reiki teachings. The first, Reiki I, introduces students to working with the energy for self healing. This includes specific meditation practices that help deepen awareness of the energy, hand positions for healing self and others, as well as the five Reiki Precepts that guide our practice.

​I wanted to share a few thoughts that will hopefully be meaningful and helpful to you in your Reiki practice if you're a student, or perhaps inspire you to learn more about Reiki. 

A common misconception of Reiki is that it is a practice of ‘doing’ healing to another, or from a receiver or student’s perspective, being ‘done to’ – especially as it’s often thought about these days. Many authors and Reiki practitioners have stated that Mikao Usui did not intend the practice to be a healing practice (to be done to others) but a practice that helps us connect with the Reiki energy that already exists within us. One of the first things we learn is that when translated the Japanese word Reiki means 'universal life force' and that:

‘everything in the Universe contains Reiki’ and

‘the Universe is me and I am the Universe’. 

Despite appearing to be so incredibly simple there are lots of layers for us to discover and understand in Mikao’s teachings and we can be easily overwhelmed with all of those layers – we are all forever students. When we become overwhelmed it's good to come back to basics and remember that some of the most important Reiki teachings are the meditation practices which help us connect with our own spiritual presence and inner essence, and to discover that it has always been there. This is often described as ‘forgetting the self’ – the thoughts, beliefs, confusions, expectations, feelings, and 'noise' that can get in the way of being ‘in’ this moment and/or 'doing Reiki'.

The meditations, including each Reiki attunement/initiation or the Teacher/Master, do not ‘give’ us anything but rather help us to forget the ‘self’ and remember that we are Reiki now, in this moment. When we ‘forget the self’ and connect with our own inner Reiki we then 'become' Reiki. Our presence simply is Reiki and that can be a conduit for others to connect with their own inner Reiki. No hand waving, hand positions, chanting, symbols, crystals, angels, guides or other noise/additions (although these can become helpful tools in a student’s practice they are not Reiki). There is nowhere else to be and nothing else to do or achieve - not becoming 'spiritual'  or a 'spiritual master', no bliss, awakening, ascension. Just You. Forgetting the self and connecting with your own inner Reiki is what creates the healing space.

Reiki then is a practice of ‘forgetting the self’ (dropping it all) - first and foremost. It takes lots of practice, commitment, self reflection and honesty.

If with all the noise in the world out there recently you've forgotten about your Self and the meditations perhaps it's a good time for a little refresher/re-read of your manual and taking some time to sit with Reiki will help.  

When life and times are confusing or we feel stuck we Reiki students have the gift of Reiki practices and meditation to help us ‘forget the self’ (the fears, confusions, judgements, difficult feelings) and simply become Reiki.

Just for today ❤️

Adele ❤️

My own Reiki journey spans almost 30 years. I often describe myself as a ‘boots on the ground’ practitioner. In my early years with Reiki, I struggled to get to grips with the angels, guides and spirits that other Reiki practitioners around me talked about. Born and brought up in one of the more ‘earthy’ areas of Glasgow let’s just say that life was more ‘grounded’ and angels, guides and spirits were not an obvious part of day-to-day life.

Prior to becoming a Reiki practitioner, I was already a qualified aromatherapist, masseuse and reflexology practitioner. However, when working with clients during massage/reflexology I began experiencing something different from my usual experiences (especially in my hands….) and my clients/patients commented on this too. They experienced a feeling of deep relaxation, ‘almost floating’, peace, relaxation when my hands were on their bodies. For me I sometimes experienced my hands as warm, but often nothing at all. As someone who likes to know how things work and have a practical explanation of what’s going on I was puzzled by what my clients and I were experiencing. I could offer no explanation. I simply asked if what they felt was comfortable. It was – always. Me? I was curious to say the least.

Around that time, I started to hear about something called Reiki – and it sounded very similar to what I had been experiencing. It’s often said that ‘Reiki finds you’. One day you have no awareness of it and the next it’s everywhere! Just like when you’re buying a car, eh? It’s up to you whether you ‘answer the call’.  So, as my natural curiosity/nosey-ness does…. I answered the call and down the proverbial rabbit hole I went.

Four years later I received my Reiki Master Teacher attunement. (The attunement is what differentiates Reiki from other hands-on healing modalities. It doesn’t give anything to the student but opens and aligns what’s already there.) Despite me apparently ‘being a natural’ it was like learning to drive – they say you only start your learning once you’ve passed your test (cars seem to be a theme today…).

So, what is Reiki? Well, Reiki is simply a Japanese word that means universal life force. This universal life force has been called many names by different cultures – ki, chi, mana, prana. It’s often defined as energy, vital essence, life force; all living things contain and radiate chi. When this chi leaves the living organism, life ceases to exist.  
Although rooted in Eastern philosophy Reiki is not a religion or affiliated with any religion. The history of Reiki as a practice in the West traces back to Mikao Usui a Japanese Buddhist monk. In the centuries prior to Usui, people working with this chi/energy were referred to as healers, holy men/women, ascended holy masters, and the skills and knowledge required to work with the energy were sacred and secret. Usui’s belief, however, was that everyone could work with the energy (often referred to as ‘channelling’) if sincerely drawn to do so and so he taught others to work with it. To this end Mikao Usui created a framework to guide others how to work with this universal life force and taught ‘Reiki’ in three levels:

1 – for self-healing, family & friends
2 – for healing others (practitioner level)
3 – teaching others to work with Reiki (Master/Teacher)

By teaching/attuning others to channel Reiki energy to heal self and others, the aim wasn’t for practitioners or clients/patients to become enlightened (although that may occur) or to ascend but to bring the healing energy down to Earth (usually via the hands but not always) and make it available to all who wish to be ‘healed’ – with Love, Respect and Kindness. Traditionally it would take a student several years to reach level 3.

In reality working with Reiki energy can seem so incredibly complicated in the beginning but my experience over the years has taught me that having a spiritual belief, connecting with angels, guides, spirits isn’t essential, especially if that’s not your thing. That can be a big ask for beginners and in my experience has put lots of beginners off right at the start. I’m more interested in sharing this Reiki energy with everyone and anyone. My view is that I was sensing, working and getting great results with this energy and didn’t even know it let alone call it Reiki and if I can do it then anyone can if they want to.  

In my therapeutic and clinical practice, I’ve learned to work with this universal life force energy in lots of different ways that aren’t called Reiki – sound therapy, kinesiology, acupressure, emotional freedom techniques. Reiki is one of the simplest and easiest ways to work with the energy.

So, the first thing I teach my students is to feel/experience the energy flowing. I then teach them to ‘listen’ for any ‘feedback’ their hands may receive (warmth, tingling, coolness, pushing/pulling feelings) and allow the energy to guide them to where to place their hands. Sensing and feeling the energy isn’t about becoming psychic – we’re just getting quiet enough to tune into and listen to our senses – trusting what we’re experiencing. We (respectfully) get curious and play with the energy. Here and now.  It is that simple.

The more experienced you become playing with the energy your ‘listening’ will have more depth and quality to it, and you do learn to trust what you’re being shown by your hands. The best part is that channelling/working with Reiki is very safe, does no harm and clients always enjoy the experience.

My takeaway from this is essentially that everyone can use this energy to heal themselves and others. You don’t have to have spiritual beliefs – it’s up to you what kind of energy worker you’d like to be and how you choose to share the energy. You don’t have to aim for enlightenment or ascend to higher realms – I’m still not entirely sure what that means. You don’t even have to call it Reiki. The lesson is simply to have the intention to use your hands with Love, Respect and Kindness. Couldn’t we all do with more of that now?

What about being enlightened/ascended? Has Reiki given me some sort of heavenly bliss and an ability to communicate with higher spirits/realms? Almost 30 years later, I can say there’s definitely something in this Reiki energy ‘stuff’ – my clients/patients can vouch for that too. I have found and become friends with that place inside me that can be still and simply allow the energy to flow. On a day-to-day, both feet on the ground basis, I’m still learning, curious/nosey, asking soooo many questions, still living a grounded/earthy dare I say normal life with all its ups and downs – there are plenty of those, and still curious about those angels, guides and spirits… I’m thankful for it all and take nothing for granted.
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