Considered by some to be
a hands on healing therapy and by others as a
profound practice of spiritual development with the
potential to lead the adherent or practitioner to
the realization of enlightenment. Reiki is in fact
both of these things.
The system as we know it today was first developed
in Japan in the early part of the 20th Century by a
lay practitioner of Tendai Buddhism; Mikao Usui.
Usui’s focus in developing his system was to create
a set of tools for practitioners to engage in the
process of self-healing and thus to ultimately
achieve enlightenment. Usui’s original system was
very much embedded within the discipline of
meditation. The word Reiki is made up of two
Japanese kanji ‘Rei’ and ‘Ki’ which when combined
roughly translates as ‘spiritually guided life force
energy’.
In developing his system, Usui incorporated profound
metaphysical symbols that he personally utilized in
a meditation on the holy mountain of Kurama, not far
from his home town of Kyoto. This widely reported 21
day meditation retreat in which Usui utilized an
ancient meditation practice called ‘Buddho’ (first
passed on from the historical Buddha to his student
Avalokiteshvara – the Boddhisattva of Compassion)
lead to him achieving the state of ‘satori’ in which
he gained a glimpse of enlightenment.
It was one of Usui’s last students, the naval
captain Chujiro Hayashi that took Usui’s system of
spiritual development and stripped it down and
transformed it into the popular and hugely
successful hands on healing therapy that we know
today.
As a healing therapy, Reiki involves the transfer of
energy from the Universal Energy Field, channeled
via the practitioner, to the recipient. In this way
the energy enhances and boosts the natural healing
capacity of the recipient and brings their being on
all levels (mind, body, spirit) to a much more
healthy state of balance. Reiki will help to remove
blockages that are inhibiting the state of health.
Reiki is wisdom and compassion and knows exactly
what is needed on a healing level at all times. The
practitioner acts merely as a channel for this
healing energy but in the process of giving a
treatment, also receives a treatment themselves.
On a more profound level, the system of Reiki can be
used as a guiding set of tools and techniques for
the practitioner to engage with on their own
personal journey of self discovery. Within one
tradition of Reiki, that of Reiki Jin Kei Do, there
is a philosophic orientation towards the development
of compassion and wisdom with Reiki so that in
developing oneself spiritually, the practitioner has
so much more to give in a healing context. If one
wants to heal the world, then it is important to
heal oneself first. This approach to Reiki involves
a great deal of meditation including an engagement
with Usui’s own practice of the Buddho at higher
levels within the system.
Whatever way one approaches the system it is true to
say that Reiki is making a profound impact not only
on the metaphysical community, but on the world at
large. It is the fastest growing therapeutic system
in the world today and shows no signs of slowing up.
Reiki works well with all other forms of therapeutic
intervention, whether that is
alternative/complementary or traditional Western
medical approaches. It will help to shorten the time
it takes to heal and boosts the recipient’s immune
system.
Reiki is a discreet practice that has no connection
to other New Age and metaphysical systems. Although
it has been modified in recent times by many
practitioners and teachers in the West, in its pure
form it does not contain any elements of other
healing systems or involve itself with connecting to
or invoking angels, spirit guides or other higher
beings. Reiki is a very simple method that has never
needed any of this extraneous input, but does work
well regardless of the additions made to it by its
many adherents.
INTRODUCTION TO REIKI HEALING
Iyashi-no Gendai-Ki Reiki-ho
Iyashi-no Gendai-Ki Reiki-ho (commonly
referred to as Gendai-Ki Reiki), or Modern Reiki
Energy Healing Method, has its roots based in
the teachings of Mikao Usui-sensei, the
Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai, (Society of Usui
Spiritual Energy Healing Method), as well as several
Western-based Reiki concepts that Hiroshi
Doi-sensei, Founder of Iyashi-no Gendai
Reiki-ho (commonly referred to as Gendai Reiki),
or Modern Reiki Healing Method, discovered on
his journey of exploration into Reiki. One of the
most interesting facets of Gendai-Ki Reiki is the
incorporation of Rei-ju into the system.
Literally translated, Rei-ju means, an "Offering
of spiritual energy." Rei-ju was an integral
component of Mikao Usui-sensei's practice, and
continues on in Gendai-Ki Reiki. It is said that
Rei-ju helps to strengthen one's connection to the
spiritual energy of the universe, and increases
one's personal energy/vibration. Rei-ju was known to
be given by Usui-sensei to his students whenever
they met. When Reiki was introduced into the West,
Rei-ju was adapted into what is now commonly known
as an attunement; they are not identical in
form, nor in the way they are given. Another
significant difference between Gendai-Ki Reiki and
Western Reiki is that Gendai-Ki Reiki is also a
guide to enlightenment through soul and
spirituality growth, which is accomplished by
self-cleansing and meditating with the Reiki
Vibration. Richard Robert Rivard-sensei of
Vancouver, B.C., Canada, is a direct lineage student
of Doi-sensei, and the one who developed Gendai-Ki
Reiki from Gendai Reiki. Gendai Reiki and Gendai-Ki
Reiki are identical except for the addition of
distance work, which is not a part of Gendai Reiki.
Iyashi-no
Gendai Reiki-ho Lineage
Mikao
Usui
Rear Admiral Kan’ichi Taketomi
Kimiko Koyama
Hiroshi Doi
Richard Robert Rivard, BSci.
Roger Allen Baut, MA
GendaiKiReiki.com
Reiki: beyond the gate is a path to personal development and well-being through
affordable Gendai-Ki Reiki local and distance training, healing sessions,
custom Aromatherapy, Numerological training and analysis and much more,
in the Greater Royal Oak area of Southeast, Michigan.
