What is Reiki Healing?

Imagine this scene – It is a blissfully warm summer evening in the Banks Peninsula area.

By Carylinn Edmonds

Imagine this scene – It is a blissfully warm summer evening in the Banks Peninsula area. The time is around 8.15pm, in February 2006. It is Daylight Saving Time so the sun is still shining brightly. A haunting but beautiful song of a Bell Bird sitting alone on a wooden fence interrupts the evening stillness. The mostly blue sky looks as though it has painted over with three beautiful rainbows, each at different angles across the sky.

Unbelievable but true this beautiful scene was unfolding at exactly the same time that three groups of Reiki healers positioned in different parts of the world were directing Reiki healing to assist a patient recover from surgery for a terminal illness.

Reiki is a system of energy healing.

It evolved from teachings, introduced into Japan in the 19th century by the Sensei Mikao Usui. There are many stories about who he was including the possibility of him being a Buddhist monk. His words as quoted from his original Handbook, state; “My Usui Reiki Ryoho is an original system of healing; there is nothing like it this in the world. It is an original method based on Intuitive power in the universe. It always seems to go where needed or flow in response to the need or demand of the recipient. By this power, the body gets healthy and enhances happiness of life and peaceful mind.”


Reiki – 2 [peaceful mind]

The word Reiki is Japanese term that translates as meaning ‘Universal Life Force Energy’, often referred to as the Universal light power source of the highest energy or supreme consciousness of that to which we are all inter-connected. Few people have an understanding as to how or why this unseen energy causes us to be alive. Reiki I believe is the first step towards this understanding.

To practise Reiki, is not merely the laying on of hands, it is also the practise of mindfulness or being in a state of awareness of the here and now. Your focus determines your reality. Where your awareness is, there you are. Try spending a day tracking your own awareness, and notice how many times your focus changes. Then you will begin to understand how this practise takes time to learn.

Some practitioners use a clinical approach while others are working on this deeper level. Both are worthwhile, and there are often many discussions about this, but I feel that this is mainly because no one person has a clear understanding of what might have been the original techniques. Trying to understand this is like trying to grasp a handful of water, the tighter you grip the more it slips through your fingers.

Scientific research and investigation have found it difficult to establish how Reiki works and proof of success has little clinical or rational charts with which to measure Reiki therapy. A brief rational explanation states Reiki as being a non-polarized subatomic energy released as a harmonic into energy blueprints, e.g. the body, that are in a state of disharmony.

Reiki -3 [of disharmony]

Reiki is neither a religion nor a new – age practise so cannot qualify as such. Practitioners of the spiritual faiths that use hands – on healing find that Reiki complements this very well. The difference between this and other types of healing in comparison with Reiki treatment is that they deplete the energy of the practitioner where Reiki has the complete opposite effect.

Some reports have suggested that healing occurs as the result of ‘placebo’. However, I have to ask, “How is it then that I have observed with heartfelt joy the recovery of animals and plants when treated with Reiki, also how can placebo be administered to these species?” Interestingly though, the clinical term placebo used as a non-validation of a successful treatment, in reality validates just how capable we humans are in creating our own reality. What we express in thought, feeling and action is what the ‘mirror of life’ will reflect back to us.

My research studies and personal experience of this therapy have shown that the giving and receiving of Reiki to be a joyful experience. Reiki is a non-invasive therapy that will energize and heal on all emotional, physical and spiritual levels. When dealing with terminal or serious illness, Reiki has proven to assist with recovery. It can also be useful to facilitate and support both the patient and family in finding acceptance and peace through a difficult period.

Reiki complements all other medical and healthcare treatments. It is of growing interest to many chiropractors, doctors, psychologists and others. It is already being used in hospitals in America, United Kingdom and Australia. Reiki is known to speed up the healing process and can minimize the side effects of conventional medical treatment.


Reiki – 4 [medical treatment]

A Reiki treatment feels like a ray of warm and gentle sunshine flowing through and around you, bringing comfort to your ‘whole self.’ It will treat the body emotions, mind and spirit as a whole regardless of species. Reiki is powerful, yet wonderfully gentle and nurturing. During a treatment, the recipient remains fully clothed. Reiki is especially helpful when dealing with all stress related disorders. There is nothing that Divine Love cannot heal, and Reiki is a form of Divine Love that can be learned by anyone and used to help themselves, others and the planet.

Reiki was brought to the West in 1980 by a Mrs. Hawayo Takata. Mrs. Takata was a Japanese American woman who for various reasons withheld much factual information about Mikao Usui and his discovery and teachings of the Reiki system. Since then many variations and names have appeared of what is claimed to be Reiki healing. On closer investigation though, you will become aware of the different methods used.

Since 1998 many western Reiki masters have made contacts in Japan and learned a more thorough history about Dr Mikao Usui and his Reiki teachings from the Japanese. Missing were techniques such as the Shoden and Okuden teachings which were a type of spiritual practice that Mikao Usui had taught to his students. These techniques included the use of breath-work, mantra, sound, meditation and chant.


Reiki – 5 [and chant]

Also, of great importance were the five Reiki life principles which are an ethical guidance to life. These principles form the basis of all Reiki teachings although sadly the deep spiritual wisdom and meaning, has been lost or overlooked by many Reiki teachers and practitioners. The principles are believed to have been developed from Waka, a special form of poetry used by the Meiji Emperor who ruled Japan at the turn of the 19th century.

It is not possible to learn how to practise Reiki from a book or from the internet. Reiki teaching and empowerment must be done by a certificated Master who has proof of Lineage. If you were keen to learn Reiki yourself, it would be wise to ask a prospective teacher for verification of such. Distant learning and empowerment is possible. Let me assure you to receive empowerment to the Usui Reiki energy healing system by a true Master will usually begin you on a journey of transformation.

Anyone can learn to tap into an unlimited supply of 'life force energy' to improve health and enhance their quality of life by learning Reiki, and or by receiving treatments from a qualified Reiki Practitioner or Master.

I have written this article from my personal viewpoint as a practising Reiki Master. Please feel free to accept from it that which resonates as a truth for you. In addition, I would like to encourage the research and use of Reiki treatment along side of or as an alternative type of treatment to any health related problems that you are currently experiencing. Reiki treatment works extremely well alongside of conventional medicine.