What is Reiki?

As I've talked to friends and others about becoming a Reiki Master, I've found that many people do not really know what Reiki is and some have an idea of what it is, but still have questions. There are so many ways to answer this question. I'll start with the word itself and move on to the definition.

The word Reiki is made of two Japanese words - Rei which means Universal Spirit and Ki which is life force energy. So Reiki is actually universal life force energy.

Reiki is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing. Reiki energy is channeled through the reiki practitioner's hands to the receiver and is based on the idea that the unseen life force energy flows through us and is what causes us to be alive. If one's life force energy is low, then we are more likely to get sick or feel stress, and if it is high, we are more capable of being happy and healthy.

Reiki promotes balance, healing and wellness across your physical, mental and emotional states. By channeling universal life force energy through the hands the reiki practitioner can help you relieve stress, alleviate pain and enhance your bodies natural healing abilities. It is a non-invasive, safe practice that compliments traditional medical treatments.

The Reiki practitioner will either lay their hands on your body or work in your energy field. Neither is better than the other, it's just the preference of the practitioner as to which way they work with the energy better. Each practitioner has their own methods and ways to administer Reiki. If you went to one practitioner previously and the next time you go to someone new, you may have a completely different experience.

You may feel warmth from the practitioner's hands, you may feel nothing, you may feel very emotional, you may fall asleep - regardless of what you feel, the reiki energy is working. Reiki goes where it is needed and cannot harm.

From the scientific standpoint, energy moves throughout our body through the fascia. Our fascia is the layer just underneath the skin. It is a thin casing of connective tissue that surrounds and holds every organ, blood vessel, bone, nerve fiber and muscle in place. It is like a communication network sending energy to all organs. Our meridian lines correspond to the lines of fascia as well as the seven major energy centers in the body, which correlate to the seven chakras. Sometimes the energy isn't flowing freely or gets stuck in certain areas. When the reiki practitioner channels the life force energy, the energy in the body starts vibrating at the same frequency, chakras begin spinning and balancing, and meridians become unblocked.

The practitioner is able to channel and work with the Reiki energy, because they have been attuned. We all have minor chakras in our hands where the energy is channeled. The practitioner is not healing you, rather it is the Reiki that is the healer. They are simply a channel to empower your own inner healing.

I hope this helps you understand Reiki a little bit more. There are so many benefits to Reiki which I will dive in more in a later post. Until then, if you have any questions or comments feel free to reach out to me.

“The best way to understand how Reiki works is to experience it.” - Garry Malone