Relax, Release, De-Stress: Reiki's Healing Touch

Laying on of hands. Sounds biblical, doesn't it?

Many people believe that only great spiritual masters can heal with a touch of the hand. But proponents of Reiki - a Japanese mode of energy therapy that's gaining popularity in the U.S. - believe all of us may have the capacity to channel hands-on healing.

Reiki is a Japanese word merging two characters. Rei means higher intelligence, or guiding wisdom. Ki is life energy. Reiki is based on the idea that humans contain life energy, and we get sick, tired, or crabby when our energy is blocked or depleted. In a Reiki treatment, vital energy flows through a practitioner and into a client, promoting relaxation and reducing stress.

Dr. Mikao Usui, founder of the Usui System of Reiki, was a Christian theology professor in Kyoto in the 1800s. Mystified by the power that enabled Jesus to heal others, he left his university job to seek answers. He learned Sanskrit, earned a doctorate in scripture, studied ancient texts with Buddhist monks, and finally entered a deep 21-day meditation on Mt. Kurama.

Dr. Usui - perhaps in a flash of illumination on the mountain, perhaps from scriptures - learned a series of power symbols that enabled him to heal illnesses and wounds. His memorial reads: "He first used Reiki on himself, then tried it on his family. Since it worked well for various ailments, he decided to share this knowledge with the public at large." In later years Dr. Usui passed the symbols to several hundred students using "attunements," or direct transmissions.

Reiki is still taught via transmission from teacher to student. In four levels - Reiki I, II, Advanced, and Master - students who receive the symbols are able to use Reiki on themselves, then on others, and then to teach the system. Bona fide Reiki Masters can trace their lineage directly back to Dr. Usui.

During a session, the client remains clothed, and may be seated or lie down. The Reiki practitioner may place her hands directly on the client's body (usually on the head, ears, shoulders, abdomen, back, and feet), or may give Reiki by "beaming" the client from a distance - whether inches or miles away.

When receiving this gentle therapy, you might feel sensations of coolness, heat, or tingling. You may have memories or visions. Or you might feel nothing special, and simply relax and fall asleep.

Reiki is not part of any religion, and people of many religions practice it. Practitioners are encouraged to follow Dr. Usui's principles: "Just for today, do not anger. Do not worry. Be filled with gratitude. Devote yourself to your work. Be kind to people. Every morning and evening, join your hands in prayer."

Although anecdotal evidence credits Reiki with healing a wide range of disorders, the most it can promise is relaxation and a decrease in stress. But that's a promise that most of us would like to hear.

To find out more about what Reiki can do for you, visit ReliefBeyondBelief.net!

To learn more about Reiki and stress management, visit the EnvyMyHealth.com Stress Management Channel!

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