What is Reiki? How is it used and performed?

Reiki is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing. It is administered by "laying of hands" and is based on the idea that an unseen "life force energy" flows through us and is what causes us to be alive. If one's "life force energy" is low, then we are more likely to get sick or feel stress, and if it is high, we are more capable of being happy and healthy. Life Force Energy is often called other names also, like Chi or Prana. It is inside every living being.

The word Reiki is made of two Japanese words - Rei which means "God's Wisdom or the Higher Power" and Ki which is "life force energy". So Reiki is actually "spiritually guided life force energy."

While Reiki is spiritual in nature, it is not a religion. It has no dogma, and there is nothing you must believe in order to receive Reiki. In fact, Reiki is not dependent on belief at all and will work whether you believe in it or not. You will find that believing will help it to work faster. Being open to receiving can be done on a variety of levels, so if someone is in a coma or non-responsive, they can still be open/believe and receive.

Reiki practitioners channel energy in a particular pattern to heal and harmonize. Reiki seeks to restore order to the body, mind and spirit (holistic) through chakras and energy fields whose vital energy has become unbalanced. Quick or focused sessions may not have the full pattern but may be specific to the ailment or area required.

Here are the general techniques used:

·         Distant Reiki: This type of Reiki can be performed from anywhere, so you don't need to be near to do this. Usually a picture or item closely associated with the individual can be used instead. Some people are even able to send just with a name or a small amount of information, through thought and visualizations.

·         Beaming Reiki from across the room: Individuals that benefit from this would be children that are fearful of others, or animals that may need to be at a distance until a relationship is built. This can be done with a variety of ways, using hands or even eyes.

·         Reiki with hands hovering over the body: Some individuals prefer this type of Reiki over the hands-on Reiki method. This does not diminish the treatment, but may make people feel more comfortable as they are not physically being touched.

·         Hands-on Reiki: The standard hand positions used, depending on the situation and areas that need treatment.

·         Group Reiki: For a larger scale of assistance (whole room, country, etc) one, or a few people can perform Reiki simultaneously, sending much needed love and healing to a focused subject or group.


Who can benefit from Reiki Healing?

The healthy, ill and dying can all benefit from Reiki Treatment.

For healthy individuals, Reiki Treatments help to maintain the state of health, enhancing peace and overall well-being.

For individuals that are ill, Reiki assists healing at the deepest levels and is a safe complement to conventional medicine, Chinese medicine, homeopathy, flower essences and all other forms of healing. Reiki also helps to reduce the side effects of other treatments. It is to be noted that Reiki does not always work to heal in the way human minds always expect. It is never a guaranty that this is a quick fix/cure. Reiki and your soul work together for the best treatment. If this is a life lesson you have to go through, you may not heal the illness but will gain many other benefits (like: clarity, love, calm, acceptance, understanding).

For the dying, Reiki is a highly effective yet gentle way to provide comfort, pain relief, alleviate anxiety and fear and to ease the transition from this life. Reiki Healing can also provide support and help with grief for the individual’s loved ones.

Animals, including wild animals, intuitively recognize and appreciate Reiki's ability to heal. They often quickly learn to seek it out on their own. Animals often respond more quickly to Reiki than people do and positive results are usually seen in a relatively short period of time.

Reiki heals at all levels of an animal's being and does not cause stress discomfort or pain. Animals, as with humans, also have a life path. As we love our pets and want the best for them, Reiki will work with the animal and its soul for the highest good of the animal. It may not heal the pain, injury or illness, but it will still give them love and confidence to move to the next step in their life fearlessly.

Reiki is an effective form of complementary animal healing and using it alongside veterinary treatments can accelerate the healing process, ease pain, and improve, or help to continue, the animal's quality of life.