What Is Reiki?

What is Reiki?

Reiki is considered a form of Eastern alternative healing that was brought to the US from Japan in the early 1900’s.  The translation of Reiki is broken down as rei (universal) and ki (energy). Using this universal life force energy can promote relaxation, physical, emotional, and spiritual healing. 

The practice of Reiki uses gentle, light touch using hands on or above the body to receive the healing energy which circulates through the energy centers to create balance.

When energy centers called chakras are out of balance, there can be symptoms such as low energy and disharmony in the body. By having a Reiki session, the life force energy can get the body’s own energy in better balance and restore the body’s natural healing ability. Many times, when the body is in a more relaxed state, the body can experience less pain and a better environment for self-healing to take place as well. Reiki promotes self-healing.

The Four Levels of Reiki Training

Level I 

The fundamentals of Reiki are learned where setting intentions for harmony and the highest good are taught.  Energy and the energy centers (chakras) are discussed, and students are taught they are not doing the healing; they are merely providing a conduit  for the healing energy so the body can heal itself. Level I is for Self Reiki. An attunement, an energetic succession of symbols, is performed by the instructor to allow the student to start having access to the flow of Reiki energy which exists for the rest of the student’s life.

Level II

This level training allows further in depth knowledge to be shared where the student will be able to perform Reiki on others and animals.  Ancient symbols are taught along with certain hand positions for light hands on or above the person's body receiving the Reiki that corresponds to the chakras.

Level III  Advanced Reiki

The next advanced level incorporates crystals.

Level IV – Master Level / Teacher

This level is the highest level as master practitioner and does attunements. Choosing to teach Reiki (optional) to new students is covered at this level.

One of My Favorite Reiki Stories

As a new Reiki practitioner, I participated in a volunteer Reiki program in Boston.  We were providing 20 minute chair sessions in a calm, dimly lit conference room with nice spa music. After I finished with one person, the next person arrived.  She was feeling unsettled and hyperactive... full of energy. She said it was from too much coffee and she missed her MS medication that morning. She said she was familiar with Reiki and responded well to it; so I reassured her...please just relax and enjoy her session.

As we began with some deep breaths, I gently brushed the top of her shoulders to relax her energy and then started the Reiki session. Within minutes, her restlessness faded, and she fell asleep. I extended her Reiki session to allow her to remain in that energy a little longer, gently waking her after ten extra minutes. With my being relatively new to Reiki, this transformation was remarkable to witness—she went from anxious to peaceful in an incredibly short period of time. She even wanted to become a regular client of mine, but the distance didn’t work out. Reiki truly has the power to create miracles.