|
Reiki is a system of healing originating in Japan. The word
‘reiki’ means ‘universal life energy’, the vital energy around and
within all living things. Reiki is a spiritual practice developed
in 1922 by Mikao Usui. After three weeks of fasting and meditating
on Mount Kurama, in Japan, Usui claimed to receive the ability of
"healing without energy depletion". A portion of the practice,
tenohira or palm healing, is used as a form of complementary and
alternative medicine. Tenohira is a technique whereby
practitioners believe they are moving "healing energy" through the
palms. How does it work?
Japanese reiki is a form of touch therapy in which the
therapist uses a both the laying on of hands and distant healing
techniques. The therapists treats those parts of the body he or
she senses are emitting weak energy, by laying his or her hands
close to the site of the problem, this enables energy to start to
flow through the therapist’s hands to the patient. |
 |
History of Reiki
Reiki first started at the turn of the century by Dr. Mikao
Usui, a Japanese doctor. Dr Usui developed his healing system from
Buddhist teachings and as a result of extensive travels, research
and meditation. This system of healing is also based on Sanskrit
teachings.After Usui's death, Chujiro Hayashi, a former student
of Usui, left the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai and formed his own
association. Hayashi simplified the Reiki teachings, stressing
physical healing and using a more codified and simpler set of
Reiki techniques.
Hayashi initiated and trained Hawayo Takata, who travelled widely
in the USA, practising Reiki and teaching the first two levels to
others.
|
|
Principles of Reiki
- Just for today. Do not worry
- Just for today Do not anger
- Honour your parents, teachers and elders
- Earn your living honestly
- Show gratitude to every living thing
Reiki
treatments
Whole body treatment
In a typical whole-body Reiki treatment, the practitioner asks
the recipient to lie down, usually on a massage table, and relax.
Loose, comfortable clothing is usually worn during the treatment.
The
|
 |
|
practitioner might take a few moments to enter a calm or
meditative state of mind and mentally prepare for the treatment,
that is usually carried out without any unnecessary talking. The treatment proceeds with the practitioner placing his hands
on the recipient in various positions. However, practitioners may
use a non-touching technique, where the hands are held a few
centimeters away from the recipient's body, for some or all of the
positions. The hands are usually kept still for 3 to 5 minutes
before moving to the next position. Overall, the hand positions
usually give a general coverage of the head, the front and
back of the torso, the knees and feet. Between 12 and 20 positions
are used, with the whole treatment lasting 45 to 90 minutes. Some practitioners use a fixed set of hand positions. Others
use their intuition to guide them as to where treatment is needed,
sometimes starting the treatment with a "scan" of the recipient to
find such areas. The intuitive approach might also lead to
individual positions being treated for much shorter or longer
periods of time.
It is reported that the recipient often feels warmth or
tingling in the area being treated, even when a non-touching
approach is being used. A state of deep relaxation, combined with
a general feeling of well-being, is usually the most noticeable
immediate effect of the treatment, although emotional releases can
also occur. As the Reiki treatment is said to be stimulating
natural healing processes, instantaneous "cures" of specific
health problems are not usually observed. A series of three or
more treatments, typically at intervals of 1 to 7 days, is usually
recommended if a chronic condition is being addressed. Regular
treatments, on an on-going basis, can be used with the aim of
maintaining well-being. The interval between such treatments is
typically in the range of 1 to 4 weeks, except in the case of
self-treatment when a daily practice is common.
Localized treatment
Localized Reiki treatments involve the practitioner's hands
being held on or near a specific part of the body. Recent injuries
are usually treated in this way, with the site of injury being
targeted. There is great variation in the duration of such
treatments, though 20 minutes might be typical.
Some practitioners use localized
treatments for certain ailments, and some publications have
tabulated appropriate hand positions. However, other practitioners
prefer to use the whole body treatment for all chronic conditions,
on the grounds that it has a more holistic effect. Another
approach is to give a whole body treatment first, followed by a
localized treatment. What's
Reiki treats?
Reiki can be used to treat acute problems, such as accidental
injuries as well as chronic problems, such as asthma, eczema and
headaches. |
