Reiki, the Universe Healing Energy

Reiki (pronounced Ray-key) is a Japanese name consisting of two words Rei and Ki meaning spiritually guided life energy (commonly known as Universal Life Energy), an energy which animates us all and is found all around us. Reiki has its roots in a variety of Japanese spirit oriented philosophies, such as Buddhism, Shinto and Shugendo.

  In the Tendai Buddhism, there is a tradition of secret teaching called Mikkyô based on lineage system where the master will initiate the students in the Mikkyô practice. 

Shinto, the way of the gods, is the native religion of Japan and has similarities with other indigenous cultures such as Aboriginal and Native American. 

Shugendô, mountain Buddhism, was a method of developing spiritual powers that combined elements from Shinto, shamanism and Buddhism. Although is not practised anymore, there are still present remnants in Tendai Buddhism and Japanese culture, especially in regards to reverence for sacred places such as mountains. It was an ascetic practice where the followers were spending years isolated in the mountains developing spiritual powers to heal. They would do long fasts, physical trials such as standing under freezing waterfalls, memorize sutras and repeat mantras. The main textbook was Lotus Sutra (The Reiki Bible by Eleanor McKenzie, The origins of Reiki, page 16-21).

 His family was part of Hatamoto Samurai which is a high rank within the Samurai system. As a child, he studied martial arts in a Tendai temple and afterwards he developed interests of all kinds, from history, psychology, esoteric arts of divination and incarnation. 

Mr Mikao Usui wanted to develop a system to help the individual to reconnect with their innate spirituality. The healing with the hands was only one aspect of his original ideas, which were influenced by the traditional belief and philosophies. After fasting and meditating for 21 days on the mount Koriyama, Kurama Yama inspired by the Buddha’s Lotus Dharma, he began hallucinating and hearing voices giving him “the keys to healing”, a divine attunement. Then he founded the society "The Usui Reiki Ryôhô Gakkai, The Usui Energy Healing method" in 1922 where he would teach the students first the five spiritual principles, then meditation and mantras. Only later on, in 1926 he introduced the hands-on healing in the practice. His society still exists today in Japan, although in much smaller number due to World War II (The Reiki Bible by Eleanor McKenzie, page 22-33).

Chakras, vibrations and colour codes

 The Three procedures

Gassho

Meaning Two hands coming together is the mindfulness meditation which Dr Usui was practising at his workshops, can be done for 20/30 minutes before and after sleeping. Interesting fact that in India this state is called Namaste I greet the divine in you.

Reiji-ho

Meaning Method of indicating the Reiki power consisting of three rituals to be performed. First, one should fold their hands together as in Gassho and ask for the Reiki power. Second, pray for the health and wellbeing of the recipient. Third, with the hands folded together in front of the third eye chakra ask guidance for your hands where healing is needed. The Reiji-ho must be performed in the absence of the ego.

Chiryo

The treatment itself is done by the practitioner with their hands on the crown chakra of the recipient until the impulse or the call of energy is moving the hands where is needed.

You can find a Quantitative Case Study "Reiki Is Better Than Placebo and Has Broad Potential as a Complementary Health Therapy" by David E. McManus, PhD, Australasian Usui Reiki Association, PO Box 123, Oakleigh, Victoria 3166, Australia