Health and massage: what is reiki?

The practice of Reiki is a widely known form of energy healing. Reiki is a therapy technique that transfers energy from the Universal source to a patient through a practitioner. Hands are areas of the body with great sensitivity and the ability to sense energy flows within the body. The word Reiki is Japanese in origin with Rei meaning spiritually guided and Ki referring to the life force.

A man named Mr. Mikao Usui of Kyoto, Japan brought it back into practice after a twenty-one meditation. One of Usui students was Dr. Chujiro Hayashi. He opened the first Reiki clinic and created a staff of trained practitioners. As others were receiving the training, they were also taught the Reiki Ideals. "Just for today, do not worry. Just for today, do not anger. Honor your teachers, your parents, your neighbors, your friends. Give thanks for all living things. Earn your living honestly." Reiki was brought to America by Mrs. Hawayo Takata, who was born in Hawaii. Dr Hayashi at first did not want to instruct Mrs. Takata because she was a foreigner, but eventually relented.

Reiki is not taught like other methods. Almost anyone can learn Reiki if they are willing. The student must first have his energy 'tuned in' by the master in order to channel it. These steps are called attunements. Symbols are sealed into your energy field and several chakras are opened to the energies. The numbers of attunements vary depending on the style of Reiki being taught. Different teachers have their own method of instruction and timelines for the attunements. Find a teacher that draws you and remember you may have several teachers as you development.

A typical Reiki treatment takes around one hour. It is also referred to as a 'laying on of the hands'. You leave your clothes on, as they are not a barrier to the treatment. The practitioner places his hands in various positions on the body. Most areas used for general treatment are the head, shoulders, stomach and feet. Each placement of hands is held for two - five minutes. Additional placements may be used if treating a particular illness or injury.

Reiki energy is felt differently by individual people. Some refer to it as warmth where others describe it as a tingling sensation. Almost everyone will experience a calmness and mental or emotional changes. The effectiveness of the treatment is also influenced by the patient. If the person is open to the experience, they will feel the treatment. Other people who may have doubts about the validity of it may not feel anything. The person needs to be willing to accept the changes and the healing.

Reiki can be used by healthy people as preventative medicine. It is a great way to reduce stress, which improves the body's health. Many people have used it to break bad or negative habits. Over the years, Reiki has been used to treat almost every known ailment and many injury types. Some Reiki practitioners have even found that plants and animals respond to the treatments. As a person achieves mastery of Reiki, they are able to send energy treatments over long distance with the physical touch.