Reiki
History of Reiki
Reiki has different translations such as "mysterious atmosphere" (kanji characters) or "method of complementary medicine" (katakana syllabary) but is best translated as "Spiritually guided life energy". It is believed that Reiki originated in ancient Tibet thousands of years ago but Dr. Mikao Usui is credited with re-discovering and creating modern Reiki in 1922 when, after twenty-one days of meditating and fasting on Mount Kurama (Japan), Dr. Usui gained the knowledge and spiritual power to apply and attune others to Reiki.
Dr. Mikao Usui’s Affirmations
Dr. Usui worked out a set of affirmations to which Reiki practitioners abide by and which translate loosely to:
Just for today:
I will not worry,
I will not be angry,
I will do my work honestly,
I will give thanks for my many blessings,
I will be kind to my neighbour and all living things.
How Reiki travelled around the world
Dr. Mikao Usui worked in clinics, traveled to give lectures and taught over 2000 students before he died in 1926. The [Usui-Do] Reiki tradition was then passed on from one Master to the next such as Dr. Chuujirou Hayashi, Hawayo Takata, and Phyllis Lei Furumoto. Hawayo Takata brought Reiki out of Japan to the West and was the only Reiki Master teaching in the West between 1938 and 1973. Reiki has spread around the world successfully and from Dr. Usui’s established sequences of Reiki positions and techniques there have been several different other forms of Reiki developed which are being practised. Reiki is still being passed on to the student from the Reiki Master through mentorship, education and sacred attunements.
The Experience
A traditional whole-body session can be done by comfortably lying down or sitting in a chair while fully clothed. The practitioner first scans the client’s body for blockages and then either places her hands in the traditional positions lightly on or just above the body (never touching any private or injured areas). Reiki energy is thereby channeled to the client which activates the body’s own healing systems. Each point is held for approximately 3-5 minutes and the practitioner continues on to the next position. Some points may be held longer depending on practitioner’s intuition of client’s needs. During the whole-body session there are usually close to 20 positions used which take approximately 60 minutes.
How it works
Reiki goes directly to the source of a problem and can never do harm to any being. It works at a level that the client is open to receive. Regular Reiki sessions are a wonderful tool for stress and chronic pain management and generally help the body heal more quickly. Reiki balances the body and subtle shifts occur on all levels, with most clients experiencing a feeling of warmth or tingling in the areas being worked on. Some clients may yawn and fall into a state of deep relaxation and peace combined with a strong feeling of well-being, joy and love directly after the session and/or during the following days. Even if a client doesn’t notice tingling or warmth, Reiki’s positive energy works on all levels - breaking though blockages, balancing chakras and stimulating the body’s own natural healing systems. Reiki sessions occasionally bring up “forgotten” emotional issues which in some clients may cause a temporary and short-lived intensification of the issues while the body works on the release and detoxification.
Reiki for Animals
Reiki works wonderfully on animals too; however it is up to each individual animal to accept Reiki or not and no two animal sessions are alike. I have had sessions with dogs where they were clearly eagerly anticipating another session and on other days they were not interested at all. Animals understand Reiki’s innate benefits and generally seek the positive life energy. I have even had dogs come up to me and wiggle their body to exactly the spot under my hands where they would like to feel Reiki the most. Reiki sessions for pets will usually be done at the pet’s home where she/he is most comfortable.
A complete session takes approximately 60 minutes - $75 (Seniors and Students - $65).