The word Reiki is comprised of two Kanji characters, Rei & Ki. Translated into English, Reiki means Universal Life Force Energy.
Universal Life force permeates every object within the universe. “…each and every thing that exists in the universe possesses universal life force… the essence of all that is…” Mikao Usui, founder of Reiki.
Universal life force within the Human body is called “life energy”. It is this energy within our bodies that gives us the ability to live our lives with strength, purpose, and the natural ability to heal.
You may recognize “life energy” as called, prana, chi, vitality, aura, magnetism… Each name represents the same energy and in our case we call it Reiki as to define both life energy within the human body and Universal energy permeating all things.
Back in the 1900’s, a Japanese Monk & Educator named Mikao Usui (1865-1926) developed a system in which to use Reiki, to make Reiki a practical tool in which to harness this energy and focus its power.
Usui Sensei called this system Usui Reiki Ryoho and it spread very quickly throughout Japan as an effective “Hands on Healing” technique.
Thus, today the term Reiki refers to both the Universal Life Force Energy and the Usui system to make active use of that energy.
Usui Reiki
Usui Reiki is Energy and Wisdom Combined.
It connects us, stimulates our growth, balances and heals our physical, emotional and spiritual states so that we
may fulfill our greatest potential and heal our deepest wounds.
Naturally balancing the body's homeostatic mechanisms, Reiki supports optimal development and health.
Further, Usui Reiki is a vehicle to inner truth leading the individual to true and unwavering happiness. This is often healing.
Usui Reiki is a Japanese practice based on the premise that one's health is directly related to the balance of one's energy. Through the use of this natural healing system, Reiki energy flows freely and powerfully facilitating healing abilities thus combating disease. Use it wisely and you will recognize your truths. You will heal and promote the healing of others.
A tool & practice accessible to all this old Eastern tradition is a safe and gentle hands-on system delivering the Universal Life Force to the body. Reiki does not employ massage. Rather, the Reiki Master/ Practitioner transfers energy through the safe laying of the hands. The chakras are balanced and opened stimulating growth while completely relaxing one's body and mind.
Energetic vibrations increase and blockages clear. Awareness and intuition heighten.
A natural healing system and spiritual system, Reiki is very simple to practice. With clear intent and strong pathways, the practitioner becomes the vessel through which Reiki is focused and distributed. Described as feeling warm, soothing and "tingly", a recipient of Reiki will feel measurable heat emanating from the practitioner's hands. This is normal and most often invited.
History of Reiki
There are many stories detailing the history of Reiki. The following represents the history as taught by Hiroshi Doi, the only Western Reiki Master also schooled with the original teachings of Reiki Ryoho in Japan. All other stories regarding the history are embellished, and often false.
Born August 15, 1865, Mikao Usui Sensei studied the arts and sciences throughout China, Europe and America. Dissatisfied with Japanese teachings and rule, he often broadened his awareness in other countries. Additionally, he worked a variety of jobs- public servant, office worker, industrialist, reporter, politician’s secretary, missionary and supervisor. Mikao Usui was searching and gained the reputation as a “person of free will”.
Through his searching and studies, Mikao Usui was looking for the ultimate purpose of life. Every action and experience he had intended to help him find that answer.
It is on this path that Mikao Usui had what is considered his first spiritual awakening. “Accept your fate and live in peace. Though it is necessary to try as you are, leave the rest in the hands of Providence and obtain the peace of mind”. Fate was considered destiny you cannot control. Thus Mikao Usui believed peace of mind came from stopping the vain attempt to control and change that which cannot be controlled or changed.
Mikao Usui recognized that his first spiritual awakening was that of an intellectual awakening but not a true awakening. In other words, we first find awareness with our heads, our consciousness. True awakening comes from our heart. True awakening is felt throughout the body, within the very pores of our soul.
Realizing this, Mikao Usui went into Zen Buddhist practice for three years searching for the way “to reach the state of mind accepting our fate and living in peace.” After three years, Mikao Usui failed to reach true awakening. So he asked his Zen master to teach him how to achieve spiritual awakening and was told, “Die one time”.
It was then in March 1921 that Mikao Usui hiked up Mt. Kurama in Japan and started fasting. 21 days later Mikao Usui felt a great strike between his brows, as if struck by lightening, which left him unconscious. Yet when he awoke the next morning he felt perfectly refreshed and held a deep peace within. As if he were one with the Universe, in perfect harmony. Mikao Usui believed Reiki had entered his body, resonating with his own reiki and giving him new life. He began his descent from the mountain.
Upon his descent, he tore a toenail against a rock. Instinctively touching it, his touch healed the nail immediately and the pain went away. This began a yearlong exploration into his hands on healing and the development of reiki. Usui became so popular throughout Japan that he established the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai, April 1921, in order to heal and teach others.
It is said that through his school and healing, Reiki saved more than several hundred thousand people. Some say he saved over one million. Yet Usui Sensei did not teach Reiki as simply a healing system. It is a spiritual system used to find and maintain happiness, prosperity and peace.
Usui Reiki Ryoho was taught in three levels. Sho-den, the entrance Level I, Oku-den, deep inside Level II, and Shinpi-den, the mystery Level III and master’s degree. Each level required extreme discipline and study. Very few people were taught to the Shinpi-den level. At present only three people are known Shinpi-den Masters. They are, Juzaburo Ushida, Kan’ichi Taketomi, and Chujiro Hayashi.
Mr. Chujiro Hayashi (1879- 1940) is said to have received the last secret of Reiki Ryoho as he became a master in 1925 one year before Usui’s death. Mr. Hayashi opened a Reiki clinic himself healing and teaching Reiki Ryoho. The clinic had eighteen treatment beds and sixteen Reiki Ryoho healers. Two healers treated each patient.
One such patient was named Hawayo Takata (1900-1980). She was of Japanese descent and born in Hawaii. In 1935 she returned to Japan as she was diagnosed with an incurable disease and had heard of Hayashi’s clinic. She hoped there to find some refuge. A widow with two small daughters, Hawaya Takata sought out this Eastern medicine.
Mrs. Takata completely recovered after eight months. She decided she wanted to learn Reiki and continued to stay and study under Mr. Hayashi for one year. Upon returning to Hawaii, Mrs. Takata opened her own Reiki clinic. It is here that Hayashi Sensei taught her Shinpi-den in 1938. Mrs. Takata concentrated on providing treatments of Reiki and did not begin giving attunements (see page 8) until she was almost 80 years old. She trained 22 teachers but did not allow them to take notes. These 22 Reiki Master/ Teachers spread reiki throughout the world and leave us today with over 3 million people who have received reiki attunements.
One year after Takata Sensei’s death, the 22 Masters re met in Hawaii. One such master is Phyllis Furmoto, Takata’s granddaughter. She established The Reiki Alliance to succeed Mrs. Takata. Another master, Barbara Ray, established a very different school of thought; The American International Reiki Association that was later renamed The Radiance Technique. Thus, Takata Sensei’s teachings split into two major schools of thought. Today the number of schools is countless.
The different schools of thought can be attributed to the fact that Mrs. Takata taught Reiki to the Master level over one weekend and the students were not given nor could take any notes. It is for this reason, I teach neither school but rather have researched Reiki Ryoho from Japan and develop a Reiki teaching including both thoughts from the West and the East without prejudice.
For today only, do not anger, do not worry,
be grateful, endeavor in your work, be kind to all people.
These Reiki Principles are the latest, direct interpretation from Mikao Usui’s manual, Usui Reiki Hikkei.
For today only, do not anger, do not worry refers to letting go of expectations. Whether those expectations regard those of other people or situations, it doesn’t matter. We get angry when our expectations are not met. We worry for the same. Let go of the expectation, just for today and see each person and situation as it is right now.
Be grateful refers to All in life.
Endeavor your work refers to one’s spiritual work. To awaken and find your Soul’s life purpose.
Be kind to all people refers to All people
The Principles were designed to connect and synchronize the practitioner with the Universal Life Force Energy. They are said at specific times and learned more extensively in Reiki Training.
What is an Attunement?
The first step in learning Reiki, in recognizing the energy in your own life, is to receive an attunement. An attunement is a formal event wherein a Reiki Master increases the frequency of the recipient’s energy. Reiki attunements open a pathway within the recipient allowing for a flow of Reiki energy. Likened to the tuning of a radio, the receiver becomes in tune with energy on a higher dimension.
The first step in learning Reiki, in recognizing the energy in your own life, is to receive an attunement. An attunement is a formal event wherein a Reiki Master increases the frequency of the recipient’s energy. Reiki attunements open a pathway within the recipient allowing for a flow of Reiki energy. Likened to the tuning of a radio, the receiver becomes in tune with energy on a higher dimension.
The Reiki Master will raise your awareness, energetic vibrations, and connect you to the Universal Life Force. Your life will change instantly.
To receive an attunement is best described as, “…making a statement to our subconscious minds that we are ready to take control of our lives, our health, our spiritual well-being and we are going to do it with our own two hands”. Alli Dahlhaus, RM.
Receiving an attunement is easy. You simply lie down on your back or sit in a chair depending. You close your eyes and relax. You will feel like you just received a massage, even though you didn't.
Reiki attunements can be done distantly. Reiki is not limited by time or space. Thus distant attunements are just as effective and successful as they are "in person." It doesn't matter where you are when you choose to become attuned to the energy. You only need to be comfortable.
After receiving an attunement the recipient is able to use reiki immediately. The exploration begins and never ends.
Sources: reikiliving.com
