Are you curious about what reiki is? I think that reiki seems to pop into our lives at just the right time. It calls to us. This was certainly the case for me.
In 2012 I was struggling with an eating disorder, was physically ill and wasn't happy in my job. A lady I worked with was a reiki master and we got chatting about it so I decided to go for a reiki treatment.
I loved it so much, not only did I find it very relaxing, I also found that it helped me tune into my intuition and get clarity about what I needed to do in my life at that time. It cleared the confusion and gave me much more clarity. It had such a big impact on me that I decided to train as a reiki practitioner and then reiki master/teacher.
In this blog I share a little about what reiki is as well as what reiki isn't and If you are curious about reiki, like I was, then maybe you'll start or continue your journey with reiki.
Natural Healing
Reiki (pronounced Ray-key) is a Japanese word meaning Universal Life Energy, an energy which is all around us. Reiki is the name given to a system of natural healing which evolved in Japan from the experience and dedication of Dr Mikao Usui (d. 1926). Dr Usui was inspired to develop this healing system from ancient teachings after many years of study, research and meditation. He spent the rest of his life practising and teaching Reiki.
Today Reiki continues to be taught by Reiki Masters who have trained in the tradition passed down from Master to student. Reiki is passed from teacher to student via an attunement process. There is no belief system attached to Reiki so anyone can receive or learn to give a Reiki treatment, the only prerequisite is the desire to be healed. Reiki is passed from teacher to student via an attunement process.
A Reiki Treatment
The method of receiving a Reiki treatment from a practitioner is a very simple process. The recipient simply lies on a couch and relaxes. If they are unable to lie down the treatment can be given in a sitting position, the main thing is for the recipient to be as comfortable as possible. There is no need to remove any clothing as Reiki will pass through anything. The hands are placed non-intrusively in a sequence of positions which cover the whole body. I actually prefer to hover my hand over a few inches over my clients body so that I can tell where the reiki needs to go.
Reiki is a smart energy that automatically flows where the imbalances are in your body regardless of where the hands are placed. The whole person is treated rather than specific symptoms. A full treatment usually takes 1 hour with each position held for several minutes. Most people notice a difference after the first treatment, and the benefits grow with repeated sessions. As a reiki practitioner my hands get very hot during a treatment.
What will you experience during a treatment?
This varies form person to person, some people experience tingling or see colours, some people don't feel any physical sensations at all. The most common thing that people experience is a deep state of relaxation. I often find that after a treatment I get a deep sense of clarity about what action I need to take. It's different for everyone. Because a reiki treatment is balancing at every level, it can help anyone who is curious about having a treatment.
If you are tired, maybe you'll manage to get into a deep state of relaxation so after a treatment you’ll feel refreshed. If you are anxious, it's possible you’ll feel serene. If you are distressed, you’ll feel comforted. Where you feel overwhelmed, you’ll find a renewed sense of yourself. Reiki energy goes wherever it needs to go. And these subjective changes will be accompanied by physical changes that happen due to reaching a state of deep relaxation, such as a slower heart rate and easier breathing.
What Reiki isn't.
Reiki is not religious. You can practice any religion (or none) and still use and benefit from Reiki. Reiki Founder Mikao Usui was influenced by the religions of his country, Shintoism and Buddhism. But Reiki isn't associated with any religion, and people of all faiths and beliefs are Reiki practitioners. Reiki isn't New Age either.
Reiki is not massage or reflexology. Reiki is an energy-healing system and not a 'hand on' treatment like massage. Some reiki practitioner do lay their hands on the body but not in the same way a massage or reflexology.
Reiki isn't a miracle cure for everything and is definitely not a substitute for the advice of a medical professional. My personal experience of reiki was that back in 2012 when I was struggling I knew I needed help but on a different level and I found it worked tremendously well for me.
So, there you go, a brief summary of what Reiki is and isn't. If you have any questions about reiki or would like to book onto one of my reiki training courses then click here to go to the website and see the next available training dates or feel free to email me hello@louisabapothecary.co.uk
Bye for now!
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