Reiki

Reiki in kanji letters

Rei = spirit / soul     Qi = (universal) life energy

In Western publications the term Reiki is generally translated as “universal life energy”. For some Reiki is simply a wonderful deep relaxation method like a massage. For others is a way of helping the body to heal itself and for others even a spiritual life path. The best thing is: The choice is yours.

Where does Reiki come from?

Reiki was rediscovered in the beginning of the last century by the Japanese monk, Dr. Mikao Usui, and since then has spread all over the world. In the early 1980s, it came to the West and since then until today many thousands of people have practised Reiki as a vital part of their lives.

The “legend” says that in 1922 Dr.Usui went to a top of a mountain for fasting and meditation. In deep meditation he developed the Reiki. A story says that his feet began to bleed when he hit them at a stone. When Usui put his hands on the wound, the bleeding stopped. The same day Usui successfully treated the toothache of a woman. Usui began to observe the phenomenon of Reiki and to teach what he had learned. Since then the knowledge of Reiki has been given forward from teacher to student by so-called initiations.

It is largely unkown to which religious or philosophical influences Usui’s system can be directly attributed. There are few documents about the original versions of Reiki. There are superficial similarities to Chinese Daoism and to Buddhist philosophy in the form and name of the Reiki symbols. But in the end the Reiki does not include any central Buddhist teachings.

What happens in a Reiki treatment?

A Reiki treatment increases the general well-being, the preservation of health and improves the self-healing abilities of body and soul. Reiki has is a deeply relaxing effect like a good massage, autogenic training or other relaxation techniques. In a Reiki session universal life energy (Qi) flows from the Reiki practicioner to the customer by laying his hands on or close above the body.The recipient does not need to believe in Reiki but there should be at least a”neutral” openness for Reiki. Everyone can be become a Reiki practicioner by a so-called initiation by a Reiki master.

Reiki activates the self-healing powers of the recipient and support his personal development. Reiki affects both the physical body and our mental, emotional and spiritual layers. Once learned, it becomes easier and easier for the practitioner to let the energy flow through his hands in order to support himself and others. Every person, provided internal readiness can learn Reiki. Reiki is not a religion and not a placebo, Reiki is personal experience and to take life in our own hands. Working with Reiki requires no effort of will or concentration. Rather, it is a creative and relaxed let go and let happen.

What does the Reiki practitioner  do during the treatment?

Reiki is given by placing the hands on or just over the body through which Qi flows to the recipient. Unlike other forms of energy work Reiki practitioners do not work with their own energy but with universal, non polar life energy. With the initiation by a Reiki master the practitioner becomes a channel for this energy. Since he is not working with his own energy and since the Qi is present always and everywhere it is possible for Reiki practitioners to treat themselves and also others over a distance.

Qi is a “pure” energy which is non-polar. It is everywhere and in everything and the more freely this  energy can flow in us, the better we feel. Because Qi is a non-polar energy is it also called a “wise energy” and it doesn’t  harm us as we only take as much Reiki as it is good for us. Although there are different hand positions, Reiki always flows to where it is needed and only as much as is needed.

We absorb Qi with our energy centers and from there it is distributed in our body by energy channels. A Reiki treatment cleans both the chakras and the energy channels. After that more energy can be absorbed and it also can flow more freely.

The chakras stand for different body parts and emotional areas of our being: work with Reiki is energy work but energy blocks also have an effect on the physical body. If e.g. the energy in the heart chakra can not flow freely we might struggle to love ourselves or other people and a long-lasting block in the heart chakra could lead to physical problems in the breast area and also in the heart itself. Consequently Reiki is working on both the energetic and physical level.

In a full body treatment the hands are layed on all important parts of the body for a few minutes. In total a full body treatment lasts about an hour  so the recipient has the opportunity to experience a deep relaxation. A short form of treatment can be performed while seated in 20 minutes and is also very pleasant and relaxing.

What is distance Reiki?

Distance Reiki can be offered as a treatment to people who are not physically present. soulrefresher Reiki practitioners have a skype or email consultation with the client to gain some essential information such as name/address/date of birth. The practitioner then agrees on a set time and date for the session and the client makes space in their life for the healing e.g. sets aside an hour in the evening in the comfort of their own home where they will not be disturbed. This can be done anywhere – hotel room when traveling for work, a weekend away etc. Please contact us for more information so that we can design a solution for you.