The History of REIKI healing: by Clare burrows
We have to remember that energy based healing techniques and medicines, have been used in Eastern cultures for thousands of years.
However REIKI was foundered by a man named Dr Mikao Usui. He was born in Japan on August 15th 1865.
As a child, Dr Mikao Usui attended the Tendai Buddhist Monastery School, and went on to become a Tendai Buddhist Monk/Priest.
He was also a student of various martial arts and had a vast knowledge in medicine, psychology and the theology of religions throughout the world.
Usui Sensei (sensei meaning teacher) travelled to western countries and China several times, and this was encouraged during the MEJJI era, and to study the western ways.
He often took a form of meditating, lasting 21 days at a time, it is said that he did this on MOUNT KURAMA (Horse Saddle Mountain) and this meditation, is the one that had given his inspiration for the system of REIKI in 1922.
So what is REIKI?
Rei – meaning ‘Higher power’
Ki – meaning ‘Life force energy’
Reiki is a Japanese healing technique used for all kinds of ailments both mental and physical.
Reiki is administered by a Reiki attuned therapist, by 90% non contact, allowing energy to flow from their hands into the patient.
Most often the therapist will start at the head, placing their hands on the patients head, and then hover their hands over the different Chakra’s (energy centres) around the body.
A session usually lasts between 45-90 minutes depending on how much balancing and healing is needed.
The therapist would normally summarise with the patient after the treatment, of their findings, as usually they wouldn’t be told the issues to begin with.
Often crystals are used to promote healing, and often a pendulum used to balance the energy.
Symbols of Reiki are also used, but that can only be shared amongst qualified Reiki therapists.
Distant Reiki can also be performed if someone is in need whom cannot get to an appointment. (live away etc)
What does Reiki feel like? , How much am I expected to pay? How do I find a qualified therapist?
Reiki differs from person to person, it is an individual experience, however, generally the patient will feel very relaxed, and may have tingling sensations and waves of heat pass through them.
Some have claimed that they can feel energies around their feet when the therapist is around the head or upper body.
Some patients can drift off to sleep in deep relaxation during a treatment.
At the end of a treatment, most people feel a sense of balance and positivity, and also a sense of being refreshed.
Others may feel emotional and allow it to flow out naturally, which gets ‘rid’ of any lingering negativity.
A Reiki session usually lasts between 45-90 minutes
depending on each patient, and would generally cost between £15-£25 per hour..
There are some Therapists that also work on a donation only basis.
Going to your nearest Spiritualist church is also an option as some hold healing sessions on certain evenings, where you can receive Reiki healing for free.
It is important that you go to a Reiki Therapist trained to at least a level 2, and there is also information over the internet, to search for a therapist on the UK REIKI FEDERATION Website.
How to learn REIKI therapy?
This technique is available for anyone to learn, and it is not
taught in the usual sense, but rather it is Transferred through an attunement, given by a level 3 Reiki Master. This allows the student to tap in to an unlimited supply of ‘LIFE FORCE ENERGY’ to help enhance a patients quality of life and improve the persons health.
This information is also available on the UK REIKI FEDERATION Website to find a reputable REIKI MASTER/TEACHER to study with.
So is REIKI successful?
Reiki is not a religion, it is however, a spiritual based belief system, that this universal life force energy, can heal and help many people in crisis.
There are success stories from all over the globe, and a rise of many other holistic and natural based therapies and medicines.
However, there will always be the controversial element within spiritual practises and holistic therapies.
Many Governments will simply not fund much needed money into scientifically proving Reiki works.
It has a stigma attached to it by many people, as to how hovering your hands above a person can heal their pain? It could be described as magic, an illusion, that the patient just believes they are getting better, and that the therapists are actually just conning them into believing that?
It will always have this stigma, and there will always be positive and negative opinions on the practice.
As humans in the modern world, we are simply ‘taught’ that holistic practises do not have a place in modern medicine and science.
There are however, some hospitals now that have Reiki therapists there, and many Hospice’s, and usually the therapist is there as a volunteer.
THE TOUCHSTONE PROCESS foundered by Mr William Lee Rand in the United States has developed a system which is considered to be the most comprehensive compilation of hospitals offering Reiki treatment throughout the world.
In this process, there has never been so many worthy studies collected, analysed and evaluated, and from the most recent Data collected (during 2008-2009) showed very strong evidence, that, REIKI had a very positive Biological response in both humans and animals.
My conclusion….
As I myself have studied and researched for years, and are fully qualified in holistic therapies such as, Reiki, Seichem, Clinical Hypnotherapy, Past life regression, Sports Massage, Counselling, Psychology and Advanced Transpersonal Studies, I am going to naturally have a more Biased opinion towards this.
However, I can only actually go on my own personal experiences of it.
I was severely ill, 3 years ago, and having spent 3 months in hospital and two years of tests, medication changes and constant illness, I had, had enough.
After being entered in to the medicinal world, where every sense I had was dampened, my thought process was negative, my pain was persistent and no ability to control it, I decided to go down the holistic route.
It took a lot of personal effort, but I did get myself into regular Reiki sessions, and started to use natural medicines, as I had studied and performed in previous years for others.
The Reiki therapy gave me the foundations and belief system to start to lead a ‘normal life’ again with the minimal medicines, to control my pain and start to get better and a lot more positive.
It was also interesting that the therapist, knew nothing of my ailments at the start, and where she picked up the most affected part and issue, was later clarified by my consultant.
Some of the most spiritual experiences of my life have come from administering this therapy to others also, and I, as a therapist, work with the method of closing my eyes to heighten my senses elsewhere, and not having the information of their ailments to start with.
In my experience I have dealt with a lot of arthritic individuals, people who suffer from MS and people whom suffer gastro intestinal diseases.
I am not a doctor, nor offering a cure, simply a treatment that may have very positive results.
Reiki is a universal life force, everything is energy, anything can receive this, from animals to plants to humans.
I am a strong believer in energy, although I am not a Religious person at all.
I even use these methods with my ghost hunting group, to sense different energies at locations, whatever they may be, or not be? But that’s a different article…..
Now here is the question I ask, I cannot 100 % state that it is a divine energy, or, if it actually is the brains ability to ‘heal the body’ when triggered into that belief system and positive thought process, and this is something I will continue to study and research for my own personal goal.
On a whole I believe that Reiki can form a balance, can help to heal some ailments, and be beneficial in some forms of pain control.
A cure for things???? who knows, but if this therapy has an ability to make peoples lives better, and for some poor souls, a way of dealing with their ailments, to deal with pain control and be used as a coping mechanism for some,
I can only see REIKI healing as a positive, and encourage any person, whatever their ailments, To try it.
Article by: Clare burrows
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