The Path of Reiki

Although Reiki is one of the most ancient methods of healing known to man, Reiki was only re-discovered at the end of the 19^th Century.  The man responsible was a Japanese college professor called Dr Mikao Usui.

Dedicating many years of his life to the research, travel and study, he developed the system of healing which is now known as Usui Shiki Ryoho (the Usui System of Natural Healing).  Basing his teaching on 5 Reiki principles, he died around 1930 having attuned 16 teachers up to the Reiki Master level.

Up until 1937, Reiki was only used and trained in Japan.  The person that eventually took it to the west was a woman called Mrs Hawayo Takata.

Born on the island of Kauai, Hawaii to Japanese immigrants in 1900, Mrs Takata became a widow at the young age of 34.  She was left with 2 daughters, a host of health problems and, soon after this, the grief of the death of one of her sisters. Her parents had previously moved back to Japan, so the responsibility fell on her to travel to Japan to relay the sad news.

In Japan, once she had been to see her parents, she decided to go for medical treatment for her health problems and it was prior to a scheduled operation that she decided there must be an alternative option to surgery.  At this point she was directed to Reiki – and eventually the surgery became unnecessary.  Working closely with Dr Chujiro Hayashi, Dr Usui’s successor, she was trained in Reiki and eventually initiated as a Reiki Master in 1938.  She was the 13th and final Reiki Master Dr Hayashi initiated. 

From this point on, she taught Reiki throughout America and Canada and between 1970 and her death in 1980, Mrs Takata initiated 22 Reiki Masters.  It is through these Reiki Masters that the current expansion of Reiki throughout the world has emanated.

Usui Shiki Ryoho Reiki is still only taught by Masters trained in the original traditions, sharing their experiences and passing on the story of the system’s development.  Inevitably, new systems have emerged and teaching practices are evolving so treatments can differ from one another.

Training

Having experienced a Reiki treatment, you may choose to be ‘initiated’ into Reiki yourself and learn how to treat yourself and others.  One of the greatest benefits of Reiki is the ability to heal ourselves.  Self-treatments can be very beneficial and simple - anywhere you are, Reiki will be there with you, treating you on a physical, mental, emotional and spiritual level. 

Using it on a regular basis, Reiki energy can be especially useful in helping personal growth and spiritual development.  But it can also be used whenever you feel stress or pain, or are feeling generally ’out of sorts’.

The daily use of Reiki brings about an inner balance, so that many illnesses will not be able to develop.  Your emotions will be balanced.  Your life indeed takes on a new quality and peace, so that you can attain a healthy mind, body and spirit. 

The Usui system of natural healing training was developed to be given in three distinct stages namely:  First Degree, Second Degree and Masters Degree.  The first degree is usually taken in one day or spread over a weekend during which time students are initiated into receiving Reiki and shown the hand positions for treatments.  Once you have completed this degree, you will become a certified Reiki Practitioner.

During the second degree, students are introduced to the methods of sending distance healing, as well as sending healing to events and places.  At this level, a greater amount of dedication and commitment is required since training takes you to a deeper level.

Each Degree should have a period of time before attempting to move onto the next stage in order to learn from experience and to allow the body to adjust to receiving Reiki energy. 

Once you have been initiated into Reiki, you will never lose the ability and it will be activated simply through intent.

Choosing a Master

First of all, speak with a few teachers and get a feeling for how they teach and their attitude.  Ensure that they are up to the level of Reiki Master and confirm which type of Reiki they teach.  It will be important for you to feel a rapport with the teacher, because this will help with how you learn and integrate Reiki.

This may sound time consuming but ask yourself what else you would purchase without asking some specific questions. A list of questions that could be used when looking for a Reiki Master can be found on www.reiki-questions.com.

Reiki is for everyone

The best thing about Reiki is that there is no restriction on the type of person that can learn.  People young and old, from different religious backgrounds, belief systems, and cultures – no special skill is required, everyone has the potential to do Reiki.

In the words of Mrs Takata, “All you have to do is take your hands out, apply, and you heal.  And as far as healing is concerned, you don’t worry, because you are not doing it.  The energy is doing it, Reiki is doing it.  If Reiki is doing it there is no mistake, you understand?”

About the author:

Helen Wilkins first learnt Reiki 1996 and has since become a Reiki Master/trainer and teaches Reiki courses at her home and on location.  She can be contacted at her website www.reiki-questions.com which has been specially developed to help with any Reiki questions from people new to Reiki to advanced practitioners.  She also runs a company with her husband which specialise in harnessing the power of sound waves to induce meditational states passively – a method not currently found in music shops – which can also be accessed here.