Journey in Balance | Suzanne Steele, Intuitive Healer/Counsellor

Suzanne's creative healing space will bring out the best in you.

Key Points

The word “Reiki” is derived from two Japanese words: rei, or universal, and ki, or life energy.

People use Reiki to promote overall health and well-being. Reiki is also used by people who are seeking relief from disease-related symptoms and the side effects of conventional medical treatments.

Reiki was historically practiced as a form of self-care. Increasingly, it is provided by health care professionals in a variety of clinical settings.

History

Current Reiki practice can be traced to the spiritual teachings of Mikao Usui in Japan during the early 20th century. Usui’s teachings included meditative techniques and healing practices. One of Usui’s students, Chujiro Hayashi, further developed the healing practices, placing less emphasis on the meditative techniques. An American named Hawayo Takata learned Reiki from Hayashi in Japan and introduced it to Western cultures in the late 1930s.

The type of Reiki practiced and taught by Hayashi and Takata may be considered traditional Reiki. Numerous variations (or schools) of Reiki have since been developed and are currently practiced.

What is Reiki?

Reiki is a healing practice that originated in Japan. Reiki practitioners place their hands lightly on or just above the person receiving treatment, with the goal of facilitating the person’s own healing response.

Reiki is based on the idea that there is a universal (or source) energy that supports the body’s innate healing abilities. Practitioners seek to access this energy, allowing it to flow to the body and facilitate healing.

A Typical Reiki Session

In a Reiki session, the client lies down or sits comfortably, fully clothed. The practitioner’s hands are placed lightly on or just above the client’s body, palms down, using a series of 12 to 15 different hand positions. Each position is held for about 2 to 5 minutes, or until the practitioner feels that the flow of energy — experienced as sensations such as heat or tingling in the hands — has slowed or stopped. The number of sessions depends on the health needs of the client.

Typically, the practitioner delivers at least four sessions of 30 to 90 minutes each. Practitioners with appropriate training may perform Reiki from a distance, that is, on clients who are not physically present in the office or clinic.

Training

Reiki must be learned from an experienced teacher or a Master. The specific techniques taught can vary greatly.

Training in traditional Reiki has three degrees (levels), each focusing on a different aspect of practice. Each degree includes one or more initiations (also called attunements or empowerments). Receiving an initiation is believed to activate the ability to access Reiki energy. Training for first- and second-degree practice is typically given in 8 to 12 class hours over about 2 days. In first-degree training, students learn to perform Reiki on themselves and on others. In second-degree training, students learn to perform Reiki on others from a distance. Some students seek master-level (third-degree) training. A Reiki Master can teach and initiate students. Becoming a Master can take years.

Reiki practitioners’ training and expertise vary. Increasingly, many people who seek training are licensed health care professionals.

Source: Based on information by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine