In Kyoto at the turn of the 20th century? Around 100 years ago a Japanese martial arts practitioner developed a spiritual system based on working with energy. His name was Usui Mikao and he believed that by clearing the body energetically it was possible to feel more connected to life, more relaxed, less unbalanced emotionally and physically healthier.
The techniques he developed to do this included meditation and actual hands-on-healing and became known as the system of Reiki. Though this began as a personal self-development tool it has evolved into a method that can help others too.
This article will look at what constitutes the system of Reiki, how energy works in the body and what the resulting benefits are.
The system of Reiki uses energy to promote healing in the body on a physical, mental, emotional and spiritual level. The energy used can be translated from the Japanese word ?Reiki? to mean ?Spiritual Energy? or in the West it is more commonly called ?Universal Energy? - the energy of everything.
It is a unique system as it makes good health and balance possible for both the self and others. Therefore not only treatments but also courses are available for those interested in the system.
During a Reiki treatment the client remains fully clothed at all times. No private parts of the body are touched and hands are placed on or just off the body. Sex, age and condition are of no concern, as the client's own body controls the process. During the treatment the client's body draws the amount of energy it requires at either a physical, mental, emotional or spiritual level.
Traditionally, there are 3 levels of study within the system of Reiki and they are all independent of each other.
The first level will teach you how to use Reiki on yourself and others. The second will give you tools to work with in the system and looks at becoming a professional practitioner. The third, and last, will teach you how to become a teacher or simply how to further your own interest in Reiki and is often called the Reiki Master level or Shinpiden ?(inner teachings? in Japanese). Since the system came to the West many individuals have added New Age beliefs and techniques - altering the system. In recent years there has been a backlash and the more traditional Japanese methods have resurfaced with the discovery of traditional teachers still practising in Japan.
To learn the system of Reiki five essential elements are taught throughout the 3 levels. These are: ? Physical hands-on practice on the self and/or others for the purpose of healing ? Spiritual and Mental development using 5 Precepts ? Techniques/Meditations for building inner energy in the practitioner ? Four Mantras and four Symbols ? Attunements or Reiju (blessing performed by the teacher)
Practitioners are taught to draw on the energy from around them as well as to cultivate their own inner energy. They can then enjoy a stronger natural connection to the universal flow of energy. Hands'on healing is also taught for the self and others as energy is channeled through the practitioner's body allowing it to be drawn on.
To understand the role that energy plays in this form of healing it must be understood that everything has energy or ki in it - even a piece of paper or a plant, every item in the room, the building itself, the city, the country, the world, the universe and on and on. Gradually, comprehension dawns that there is an unlimited amount of energy. This energy may seem invisible, or elusive but it is, instead, all encompassing. It is this energy that makes, not just humans, but worlds function. It is the fuel that drives humans and gives ultimate structure and purpose in life. This is Reiki, spiritual energy.
Occasionally, humans get a bit of dirt in the fuel line or a better way to explain it is perhaps by envisioning a free flowing river. This beautiful river is like energy flowing easily down through the body. Occasionally a pebble, or even a rock, will fall into that river making the flow of the water a little more difficult. These pebbles are human worries, fear, anger, and each pebble builds on top of the other. Soon there is only a trickle of water running in that once beautiful free-flowing river. And so it is with energy in the human body. At this point physical pain may also be experienced. By practising Reiki more energy is offered to the body with the body naturally drawing on this resource and taking it to where it is needed. This extra energy is like a flood that washes down through our energetic rivers removing and dissolving obstacles in its way.
One of the most wonderful aspects of working with Reiki is that it is safe. It cannot harm and has no dogma attached to it. This is the energy of everything and everything has its own natural flow. Practising Reiki helps remind us of our natural connection and gives us the faith to let go and to reap the benefits of being in the natural flow of life.
The tangible benefits of Reiki are that it not only speeds up the physical healing process but it is also energy for the spirit. When the spirit is energised the body responds positively in all other areas (emotional, mental and physical). Reiki allows the body to clear itself leaving you feeling lighter, healthier and happier.
If you would like to feel more balanced in life and are interested in a course why not first try a treatment. Professional Reiki schools offer student clinics where you can try a treatment before booking a course.
Your body is self-healing. Consider a broken bone. If you break a bone, a doctor doesn't heal it, he will set it then put a cast on it. You are then given medicine to ward off infection and to kill pain. But your body heals the bone by mending it. You must supply the nutrition that it uses to do this.
You body can heal a scratch, a cut, a burn and even a cold or flu. Medications taken for these problems are used to help kill bacteria and to make you more comfortable.
Our lymphatic system is filled with t-cells, macrophages and many white blood cells to help kill bacteria, viruses and neutralize toxins. This is our own personal immune system and is evidence that the body is self-healing.
Problems arise when our immune system becomes either weak or attacks itself. Constant inflammation from chemicals, drugs and other environmental toxins over-burden and overwhelm our systems. This in turn can lead to chronic disease.
When we eat junk food or over eat foods such as meat and breads, it doesn't get digested and removed efficiently. It becomes toxic so our body's response is to defend itself by excreting extra mucus in the small intestine. When this happens repeatedly, the mucus builds up with the partially digested food and now we have a buildup of waste or a plaque lining.
This is why colon cleansing and detoxing are so important. As we take responsibility for our health and ease the burden to the body, our immune system becomes free to work as it should.
Some doctors will tell you that while the body is self-healing, it is also meant to detox or cleanse itself ? and it is. However, your organs of elimination cannot work properly if they are over-loaded. As the buildup makes the body sluggish, the liver and gall bladder cannot dump the bile and waste because is has nowhere to send it to.
Normally, much of this toxic bile and waste would be sent to the small intestine, the colon then out. But if the small intestine is partially blocked while at the same time being bombarded on a regular basis with over-eating, junk food or more chemicals, it slows down. There is simply no place to "dump" the waste. As this waste accumulates, your body must now focus all attention on keeping you alive. If it must do this in a state of sickness, it will.
It's much like this; if you set your hand on a table and pour a little dirt on it, you will pick up your hand and shake it off. But if you put 10 pounds of dirt on your hand, you need help removing it. There is nothing wrong with your hand, but you need to get the weight off if you want full use of it.
Our organs and immune system are very strong when we are young. But as the years go on toxins do accumulate. If you want full use of your body and its healing abilities, you must help it clear the old waste and build-up. When you accomplish this, you will find that the body is self-healing and you are stronger than you may have previously thought.
Both Bronwen & Alien are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Bronwen has sinced written about articles on various topics from Reiki Therapy. Reiki Master/Teachers Frans and Bronwen Stiene (pronounced stee-nuh) are authors of the critically acclaimed The Reiki Sourcebook, The Japanese Art of Reiki, Reiki Technqiues Card Deck, and the A-Z of Reiki.They are also the founders of the International. Bronwen's top article generates over 480 views. to your Favourites.