Spotlight on Reiki
In recent years, I have been talking about what Reiki is and what it isn’t. The biggest revelation for most people is the concept that it is a self-development meditation practice. The practice of giving Reiki to another person is secondary.
What is Reiki?
Reiki is a mindful practice from Japan to encourage personal integrity as well as openness to another’s experience.
Mikao Usui first taught Reiki as an oral tradition; a lineage developed and its story and narrative evolved. Some Reiki schools include additional non-Reiki esoteric practices which work for some and not for others. In recent years, individuals have researched the original teachings of Usui and revealed that he taught Reiki in order for students to be the best version of themselves. He was raised in a Tendai Buddhist family and at some point became a lay priest. At the core of his teachings are five precepts and the Buddhist principles of mindful practice and oneness are apparent.
The precepts are a call to live mindfully and be present. If a person is drawn to study Reiki, the starting place is to meditate on the precepts and to understand themselves within this framework, with the support of a teacher. The student commits to regular meditative practices and to do their best to bring the Reiki precepts into their life.
Sometimes the student takes the next step to share their meditative practice with others in the form of a mindful healing practice. The person receiving Reiki will sit or lie down quietly and the practitioner creates a space for the person to rest and receive Reiki through appropriate hand placement on and around the head and body.
For me, the practice of giving Reiki is similar to guiding the receiver through a silent meditation in sacred space, holding the person safely while they receive what they need in that moment. The experience is individual and not all healing spaces offer a sense of calm; there may be deep relaxation and insight but for some there is restlessness and irritation. When we stop and are quiet, we can be aware of how busy and agitated we are. Over time, most clients come to a new understanding and quiet reflective space.
People are drawn to Reiki for different reasons. Maybe some of them will resonate for you:
- To find reconnection and deep relaxation; the whole person benefits
- To practice self-care with the support of a teacher and community
- To support meditation practice
- To offer relaxation and support to friends and family
- To develop a professional therapy practice
