My journey into Reiki felt very natural to me, and it seems like it's all the rage now, and I think there are many good reasons for that. The major positive to me, is that I can practice on my own, without anyone else involved. When learning the steps of Reiki, you first have to heal yourself, and I knew I needed that piece right now in my life. I have done so much work on myself the past handful of years, I knew this couldn't do anything but help. In the search for where to be trained in this practice, I found an amazing community at Windsoul Wellness Center in Tyngsborough, MA, where I am now a member. I first received an amazing Reiki session, by their practitioner and Master, Amy Rufiange, who specializes with crystals, so I was down for that, of course. She drew a Tarot card during the session, that I am meant to be a healer, coincidentally enough. I have been learning about my true needs and wants, and this message keeps being sent over and over. I just kinda chuckled back at her, like I do :) She also taught me all the levels of a Reiki practitioner healer, there are 3 levels, with the final being Master, which I have also completed. I have been feeling stronger after every session, whether the work is on me, or on someone else, which I find magical.
I am HSP, or a Highly Sensitive Person, which has an increased sensitivity of the central nervous system and a deeper cognitive processing of physical, social and emotional stimuli. I was reading a book recently, called The Art of Psychic Reiki: Developing your Intuitive and Psychic Abilities for Energy Healing, that connects the fact that HSPs are especially good at Reiki, because of their sensitivities. We simply just sense when something is off in a chakra or aura, more than most people. Learning how to reign it in and master this gift, instead of letting it control me, has been a long road of practice. It hasn't even been discussed as something real, until the last few decades. Now my childhood of overwhelming emotions, makes A LOT more sense. And the fact that I kept to myself as much as possible, hiding myself in a good book. Finding my tribe of HSPs, has been a true gift as well. Learning how to spot them has been a fun challenge, because we like to hide!
But really, every human has the ability to learn and give Reiki healing to others. We all instinctually crave human touch. I know after a few years through the pandemic, hardly touching anyone at all, really affected my mental health. This was why I first went to Amy for a Reiki session. Now after doing some research, I am realizing how far back this practice really goes. It may have not been called Reiki, but in the Bible it is mentioned several times that Jesus used "the laying on of hands" as the most miraculous healing of all. And it has been studied that it goes as far back as Egyptian times, which makes a lot of sense to me, given how amazing their culture developed. See more about the history of the laying on of hands here.
The history I learned about Reiki, made me realize how amazing the humans were who came up with this system, to teach all of their fellow humans worldwide. The founder, Dr. Mikao Usui, sometimes called the Usui Sensei, was born to a wealthy Buddhist family in 1865. As a child, Dr. Usui studied in a Buddhist monastery where he was taught martial arts, swordsmanship, and the Japanese form of Chi Kung, known as Kiko.
Dr. Usui had an interest in medicine, psychology and theology. It was this interest that prompted him to seek a way to heal himself and others. It was his desire to find a method of healing that was unrelated to any specific religion or belief, so that his system would be accessible to everyone.
Dr. Usui traveled a great deal during his lifetime, and held different professions including reporter, secretary, missionary, public servant and guard. In the end, he became a Buddhist monk and lived in a monastery. Sometime during his years at the monastery, Dr. Usui attended his own training course in a cave on Mount Kurama. Dr. Usui fasted, meditated and prayed for 21 days. On the 21st day, he saw ancient Sanskrit symbols that helped him develop the system of healing he had been struggling to invent. Usui Reiki was born.
Mikao Usui founded the first Reiki clinic and school in Tokyo in 1922. Before he died, Dr. Usui taught several Reiki masters to ensure that Reiki would not be forgotten. Among them was Dr. Chujiro Hayashi, a former naval officer who set up another Reiki clinic in Tokyo.
Dr. Hayashi is credited with further developing Reiki by adding hand positions to cover the body. Dr. Hayashi also changed the attunement process.
Dr. Hayashi trained several more Reiki Masters, including a woman named Hawayo Takata. Mrs. Takata was a Japanese-American woman who went to Dr. Hayashi for healing. Upon learning the system herself, Mrs. Takata took Reiki to the U.S.
Hawayo Takata was in Tokyo in 1935. Mrs. Takata was very ill and in need of surgery, but she felt through instinct that she didn’t need surgery for healing. After asking her doctor about alternative treatments, she was told about the Reiki practitioner nearby. Mrs. Takata had never heard of Reiki, but she made an appointment, even though skeptical. Following her meeting with Dr. Hayashi, Mrs. Takata saw Dr. Hayashi daily. She found the sessions to be relaxing, pleasant and, ultimately, healing.
As time passed, Mrs. Takata learned Reiki I and Reiki II. When she returned to the U.S., Mrs. Takata continued to practice and eventually became a Reiki Master. Mrs. Takata wanted to spread this system of healing to all. She made changes to her Reiki practice, then began helping heal others in the U.S.
Before he died, Dr. Hayashi imparted all of Dr. Usui’s teachings onto Mrs. Takata. When she died, she had attuned 22 Reiki masters.
Today, people who practice Reiki use the methods developed by Dr. Usui, the founder. The genius of Reiki is that practitioners can utilize this method to help heal themselves and for their own wellness. In fact, working on self-healing is a prerequisite for offering Reiki to others. Modern Reiki masters can offer the Reiki energy to others through light pressure touch using the traditional Reiki hand positions and even over long distances. Reiki complements many medicinal therapies and medicine and can be used to help assist in the potential healing of people suffering from pain, illness, cancer, disease and more.
Modern Reiki is becoming more popular as time goes on, and the lineage of Reiki masters is growing every day. With the return to Usui Reiki, many people are using this traditional hands on therapy to heal themselves and others. Their are other leaders of different variants of Reiki, such as William Lee Rand, who has started 2 different Reiki practices, since he became a Reiki master in 1989. Holy Fire Reiki, and Karuna Reiki, which are being taught all over the United States. See more about William here.
I had my first potential client this week, especially after telling them the first session is free. I know this practice is very abstract for many, as I think it needs to be experienced so that people understand what it even is. For now, I really don't mind offering the first session free of charge, until I establish a regular client base. So book your session here now, to an hour of relaxation, healing, and my loving touch (or not, if you prefer!) The other wonderful perk to this, is that touch isn't necessary, based upon your needs or ailments. I always ask first, to make sure the client is comfortable. Now that this client has experienced the true relaxation, they are completely willing to pay, next session. Now, I call that a win! Sending Reiki healing to all my readers from afar, because you deserve every iota of love and happiness :)
