| Reiki is a Japanese technique for stress | | | | placed on specific parts of the body, |
| reduction and relaxation that also promotes | | | | starting with the head. Some reiki |
| healing. Reiki is | | | | practitioners do not touch the physical body |
| the Japanese word for "universal life energy" | | | | but transmit healing into the surrounding |
| and pronounced "ray-kee." It is a form of | | | | aura. Reiki can be used to heal the self or |
| healing based on tapping into the unseen flow | | | | someone else, and reiki energy can be |
| of energy that permeates all living things.It | | | | projected into the future or directed to a |
| is believed that reiki originally evolved as | | | | distant place. It can also be used on pets or |
| a branch of Tibetan Buddhism and that | | | | plants.Anyone can learn reiki because it is |
| knowledge of its power and how to use it was | | | | not taught in the strict sense of the word, |
| transmitted from master to disciple. At some | | | | but transferred from teacher to pupil. This |
| point in the intervening centuries, the | | | | transferral is made though a series of |
| secrets of reiki were lost. They were | | | | "degrees." The first degree usually takes a |
| rediscovered in the late 19th century by a | | | | weekend and four initiations by a reiki |
| Japanese minister, Dr. Mikao Usui. He spent | | | | master. It does not involve changing |
| 14 years seeking the ability to heal, which | | | | religious beliefs. These initiations impart |
| he believed could be discovered thiough | | | | the ability to transmit healing energy to |
| studying Buddhism, learning Chinese and | | | | oneself and others. The second degree deepens |
| Sanskrit to help his research. It is claimed | | | | participants' experience and enables them to |
| that he eventually found the knowledge he | | | | give distant healing. The third degree is |
| sought in an Indian sutra, or sacred text. | | | | taken by those wishing to become reiki |
| Then, after a three-week meditation on a | | | | masters, able to teach others.The results of |
| mountain top, he had a vision of four symbols | | | | treatment can be dramatic, or more gradual, |
| that could be used to enable healing energy | | | | showing themselves in general improvements in |
| to be passed to others. The ability to | | | | health and well-being. Reiki healing energies |
| channel the healing power was achieved by | | | | can have lasting results only if the |
| attunement to each of these symbols. Before | | | | recipient accepts his or her responsibility |
| he died in the 1930s, Dr. Usui initiated 16 | | | | in the healing process and takes part in it. |
| others into the secret of reiki, teaching | | | | Daily self-treatment is regarded as |
| them the master attunement.One of these reiki | | | | preventive, supporting emotional and |
| masters was Dr. Chujiro Hayashi, who | | | | spiritual growth.There are more than 200,000 |
| undertook to preserve reiki and pass it on. | | | | reiki practitioners and centers in North and |
| He brought scientific training to bear on the | | | | South America, Europe, and Australasia. The |
| method, noting down the results of healing | | | | word "reiki" is a generic term in Japanese |
| sessions, codifying the sequence of hand | | | | and is not exclusive to Dr. Usui's healing |
| movements in a reiki session, and | | | | method; this is more formally known as Usui |
| establishing a reiki clinic in | | | | Shiki Ryoho or the Usui system of natural |
| Tokyo.Treatment by a reiki practitioner is | | | | healing, and is preserved by the |
| intended to promote physical, emotional, and | | | | international Reiki Alliance, which has |
| spiritual well-being. Clients lie fully | | | | agreed professional standards and a code of |
| clothed while the practitioner's hands are | | | | ethics. |