Reiki being my main practice, it's only right that I write an article on the subject so that you understand what it really means.
If I had to define Reiki, I'd start by saying that it's both an energy healing modality and a philosophy of life.
What the Japanese symbol says
Here is the reiki symbol in ancient Japanese. It is made up of two parts: the upper section rei means "universal", the lower one ki means "vital energy". It is the same ki found in other Japanese practices (e.g. aikido), but also under the name chi or qi in China (Tai Chi, Qi Gong, etc.), the equivalent of the prana (breath/vital principle) in Sanskrit, which is found in Hindu and Yogic philosophies. This concept of ki, of vital energy, is therefore found in many traditions all over the world: subtle energy, invisible fluidic presence, source of life.
Reiki translates as universal life energy.
But also
By definition, this energy is:
- neutral (i.e. neither feminine nor masculine)
- non-polar (neither positive nor negative)
If one were to take the representation of the yin and yang symbol, we could place the energy of Reiki in the middle, right in between the two polarities. What is too much on one side, yin or yang, will always be brought into balance thanks to Reiki energy. This way, it removes excesses and makes up for deficits.
It is said that reiki supports and boosts the living process.In other words, the body's natural self-healing capacities will be strengthened. thanks to it.
Similarities with fasting
In fact, when I started my very first reiki course, I was quite surprised to learn that the symptoms of what we call the "healing crisis" are very similar to the symptoms of the body's detoxification that we observe when we do a fast. As someone who had quite a lot of experience with water fasting before discovering reiki, I was able to see that these two actions (fasting or receiving reiki) are very similar in their results. I found this fantastic and it reinforced my realisation that reiki was the right method for me, as I was already an enthusiast of fasting and impressed by the technology of the human body and its self-healing capacities, but couldn't help finding this method restrictive. Indeed, abstaining from food for a few days is not very fun, although I personally think it's an interesting experience to do once in a lifetime, especially when it comes to better understand one's own relationship with food and to take a step back from it.
The practitioner is a channel
The Reiki practitioner is said to be a channel for this universal vital energy, i.e. it flows through him/her (from the top of the skull, down to the heart and out through the hands along the arms). Take the analogy of a garden hose: the practitioner is the hose, and the energy is the water. When you turn on the tap, the water flows through the hose. There's always a bit of water left in the hose after you close it: in this way, the practitioner retains a small percentage of the energy that was circulating inside of him, feeding him too. This is why Reiki practitioners don't run out of energy as they give treatments.
The reiki practitioner channels the universal life energy.
When channelling this energy, the practitioner can make it available to the person receiving the treatment, at the level of their physical body, subtle bodies or energy centres (main or secondary chakras), in order to rebalance whatever needs rebalancing.
Reiki as a way of life
More than just a practice, Reiki is first and foremost a path, a philosophy of life. Being a reiki practitioner means subscribing to a certain ethic of life. These ethics can be summed up as 5 principes written on the tombstone of Mikao Usui (the founder of Usui reiki), that the practitioner assimilates and puts into practice on a daily basis.
It is a non-religious, non-dogmatic philosophy, even if Reiki is tainted with Buddhist influences due to its cultural origins.
The philosophy of reiki considers human beings in their holistic dimension, a vision that takes into account the different dimensions of the human being: physical, psychic (emotional and mental), spiritual and its environment. Reiki energy therefore works on all these levels.
Please note: Energy treatments do not replace medical advice or current medical treatments, but they are an excellent addition to them and help to reduce treatments' side-effects. The practitioner does not provide any diagnosis, and it is therefore important to consult a doctor for this purpose.
