This last weekend I had the privilege of sitting in on my mentor's Reiki I & II class to learn how to teach reiki and pass attunements to students online. I was so happy to be there as I felt it was necessary for my own growth to be able to make reiki accessible to future students of mine. I love reiki, and I am forever grateful to everything that reiki has done and provided for me. I hope to introduce similar experiences and opportunities for my students.
I remember reiki (what we call it today, a term Dr. Mikao Usui used) very fondly in a previous life of mine. I was a student of Dr. Mikao Usui, except he wasn't called by that name yet. This was thousands of years ago, in a monastery in what we call India today. We were Buddhist monks, he was my teacher, and we followed the Buddhist teachings. However, I specifically remember a very similar form of energy work to reiki being taught to us since before Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama) existed. At the time it was sacred, and was only taught to those that dedicated their lives to the teachings. The training process at that time was very grueling - though it didn't have to be. Ultimately, it was up to us (the students) on how hard the training was going to be, and what was holding us back. In a way, the process isn't much different today - you must detox and get rid of that what does not serve you or you struggle. The path to enlightenment was very simple. We followed a few practices every day, to help heal ourselves from our past, and to take things as they come. I don't recall exactly what the teachings were, but I do remember living simply, earning my way of life, and being honest with others and myself. The energy work practiced at that time was mostly for self-healing and meditation, and certain teachers were able to do healings on others, but it was reserved only for those who couldn't do it for themselves.
Once it was deemed that they could go without, they were given a choice to follow the teachings and learn the practice, or leave the monastery. They did not discriminate. Dr. Usui, by a different name, was one of those teachers.
Dr. Usui (using this name) rediscovered reiki around 1922 with meditation and taught it (again) to many students in much the same way as he did in the monastery. He developed the 5 Reiki Principles, much like the Buddhists had their teachings. I was yet again another student of his at that time, though I never made it to the Master/Teacher level. This particular lifetime was fleeting, but very valuable to me.
The 5 Reiki Principles
Just for today, I will not worry
Just for today, I will not be angry
Just for today, I will do my work honestly
Just for today, I will give thanks for my many blessings
Just for today, I will be kind to my neighbor and every living thing
Reiki is defined as "Rei" - 'universal,' "Ki" - 'life force' in Kanji (a written Japanese language, old style and new style shown below). Reiki is a personal experience, as it is universal energy that flows through you. So how it interacts with you is different than how it interacts with me. Experiences with reiki will be as different as the experiences you've had growing up. It all depends on the person, and what they need the energy for.
When I received my reiki level III/Master/Teacher attunements in my current lifetime, Dr. Usui was there with me (in spirit, of course), congratulating me on finally becoming the teacher I spent many lifetimes trying to attain. It wasn't like it was hard to get the attunement, it was more like something kept holding me back in all the lifetimes I incarnated to attempt to master the skill to channel the universal life force energy. The only thing holding me back was myself. Even after successfully getting the attunement to teach reiki, I still held myself back despite already having practiced giving attunements in the level III/Master/Teacher class. I finally stepped out of my comfort zone last weekend and successfully attuned multiple students to the first and second degree Usui Reiki. I now have plans to host my own classes this fall.
There are many factors regarding why I held myself back. Belief in my own self worth is one of them. In all my lifetimes of learning this amazing healing modality, a pattern comes up. I am always the student, and never the master. I took this lesson quite literally and never actually became the master, until now. I have a bit more awareness in this lifetime, and while I am still a student of many things and in many ways, I can also be a master and a teacher.
On top of this recent accomplishment, a new door opened for me as I read an excerpt from Diane Stein's book, "Reiki Essentials." She fought the "lineage" system and challenged the teachers of reiki (around the 1980's) to make it more public, for everyone to learn and use reiki. Once she was attuned to each symbol, she gave out attunements like it was candy. I am truly inspired by this. Diane Stein is my hero.
Here are some ways reiki has helped (and is helping) me:
Reiki, by many names, has found me time and time again through many lifetimes. I am still learning what it means to be a conduit for reiki energy, and every lifetime is a new experience. I've yet to fully comprehend everything I have learned with reiki energy, but I know that I must use it for the betterment of me, and those around me.
The existence of reiki allows me to trust in the universe, and that everything is going to be okay. The simple laws of physics that energy is in a constant state of motion proves that "this, too, shall pass..." (a modified old Persian adage).
Finding reiki has helped me realize my dreams to integrate western medicine with energy work. I am actively seeking out opportunities to offer reiki in a clinical setting or a hospital, and trying to find ways to provide reiki to everyone regardless of their financial circumstances. Walk-in reiki clinics would be an amazing addition to our current healthcare systems. I am now an official member of the International Association of Reiki Practitioners (IARP).
Reiki assists me in my own healing journey by helping to break down blockages, clear my chakras so my own life force energy can operate and function how it is meant to, and helps to manifest my desires.
Sending reiki energy into my home helps make the energy in my home clean, relaxed, and protected from negative influences. I also cleanse my crystals regularly with reiki energy and it also charges the crystals for when I need it most.
Giving reiki to my husband every night for a few weeks helped to clear gallstones and ease gallbladder attacks as well as prevent potential hospitalization.
Giving reiki to my daughter, who as a newborn was very colicky, allowed her to rest and get the sleep she needed to grow and learn. She now gets on-demand treatments to help with teething pain and other aches.
Learning reiki has opened up new opportunities to me and was my gateway into spiritual practice and awakening. It will continue to provide me with further opportunities the more I explore everything it has to offer.
The more I expand my knowledge and appreciation of reiki to others, the more it will give back to me and create abundance in my life.
All of this is on top of the other advantages of reiki:
Reiki brings about deep relaxation;
Is a holistic practice, meaning it focuses on the mind, body, and soul;
Eases stress and fear;
Energizes you (calmly);
Relieves pain;
Accelerates and stimulates the body's own natural ability to heal;
Improves overall health;
Can gradually clear or reduce symptoms of chronic illnesses;
Can prevent disease by boosting the body's immune system;
Dissolves energy blockages;
Releases stored emotions;
Stimulates the mind and body to detoxify;
Increases your vibrational frequency of your body and energy field;
Opens your mind to release old habits, negative conditioning, and behavior that doesn't serve you.
Is universal, meaning it is not bound by any particular religion or faith, and works regardless of belief. (However, permission is still required because of free will!)
Reiki energy does not come from the practitioner, but rather, source (AKA the universe, God, etc.). Therefore, there is no practitioner that is better than the other - the only difference being how much energy is being channeled in that moment. With practice and healing, you can gradually expand your energy channels to output more energy, and increase your own body's awareness of the energy flow. You can also get attunements over again to help refine the healing energy and supercharge your own healing to be able to expand those channels, but it is not necessary. A 'powerful' healer is one that has optimized the energy flow for the client. That being said, just because someone is 'new' to reiki does not mean they are not powerful. Every practitioner is different, but they all work with the same universal energy!
As you can see, reiki energy is a wonderful tool to use for your healing, both as a client and practitioner. After your first degree attunement, you can practice self-reiki at any time, anywhere, and you can even give reiki to everything and everyone around you to help expand your energy channels and enhance your reiki energy flow.
"A little reiki is better than no reiki at all."
- Unknown, excerpt from my 1st degree reiki manual
Reiki helps me become an overall better person than the person I was yesterday. Every day is a new day to see what the universe has in store for me, and I learn more ways how I can respond with love & light.
About Cathy Rose: Cathy is a spiritual blogger who shares her personal experiences, knowledge and training to help others navigate, understand and heal throughout their own spiritual journey.
You can contact Cathy by email at cathyrosehealing@gmail.com or visit her Facebook page www.facebook.com/cathyrosehealing or her website www.cathyrosehealing.wixsite.com/home
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Sources:
pxfuel.com | wikipedia.org | iarp.org | reikirays.com