The Usui Natural Healing System, named after its founder Dr. Mikao Usui, a Japanese Christian educator in Kyoto, Japan, is the traditional system used to 'channel' the energy known as Reiki energy. Two versions of the origin of the Reiki are known: One is that

After 21 years of searching-through various religious and esoteric manuscripts in several countries-for the ability to heal like Jesus, Usui ... was struck in his third eye by a strong light-which came out of the darkness after a 21-day fasting meditation on Mount Kurama-imbuing him with the ability to heal.

The other version goes like this...

After facing certain business failure ... Usui went to Mount Kurama and experienced a satori-or sudden understanding-about healing, whilst meditating under a waterfall, and as a consequence founded the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkei.

Reiki is a hands-on therapy, but it is very gentle and the body is not touched in any way. A Reiki practitioner provides the treatment sometimes on a massage table or mini-treatments that can be given with the client seated in a chair. The practitioner acts as a channel for the life energy and channels it into the recipient's energy field and physical body by moving the hand for the top of the head downward. There are specific hand positions depending on the main energy points (known as "charkas") of the body. Starting at the crown of the head, his/her hands will move down the body via the shoulders, the stomach, back, legs and feet. It does not involve any massaging. The energy goes to the deeper levels of a person's being, the origin of many diseases. The whole body is attuned to, and resonates with, this incredible energy.

The unique feature of Reiki therapy is that the universal energy reaches the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual levels of the body and heals. It removes any blocks to the energy flow and relaxes the body. It cleanses the body of toxins and creates a state of balance. As Reiki energy encourages one to release tension, anxieties, and fears, a peaceful state of mind and feelings of happiness are usually experienced for some time after the treatment (usually for 3 days).

Reiki training is provided at many centers and institutes and the training takes months to a few years depending on the level of Reiki you want to master. Interestingly, books like Radical Reiki-Radical Life by Chris and Judith Conroy and The Essence of Reiki by Adele and Garry Malone provide instructions on becoming Reiki Masters by self-attunement within 48 hours!

Four sacred Reiki symbols are used for attuning other initiates into the Reiki lineage. The Reiki symbols are Sanskrit-derived Japanese forms. These are handed down from Master to Master and are used during the attunement as a means to focus attention in order to connect with "specific" healing frequencies. The different symbols boost up the Reiki energy.

Reiki can be used on people, animals, and plants. For the terminally ill, Reiki brings in a feeling of peace, comfort and inner strength. However, Reiki does not prolong the time of life allotted for a person on Earth!!