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Reiki is Part of All of Us
We perform acts of self-healing, similar to Reiki, every day without necessarily realising it.
When you feel pain or discomfort, perhaps in your head, leg, or shoulder, you instinctively place your hand on that spot to soothe it. Likewise, if a loved one or child has a sore area, you may automatically place your hand there to offer comfort and relief.
This instinctive action is similar to the foundation of Reiki. You are already setting an intention: that by placing your hand on that part of the body, you are offering comfort and healing.
An Overview of ReikiReiki is like a brand name of energy work. There are lots of different modalities with their own back story, methods and belief in their energy source. I found at least 80 different versions of energy work through out history with similarities to Reiki with the original being Laying on of Hands from over 3000 years ago to more niche modern versions like Celtic Reiki and Rahanna. Reiki is the use of our hands to channel energy through into our own or someone else’s body to help them self-heal. Everything in our world is made up of energy. Nothing is actually solid; all things around us, including ourselves, are vibrating on a microscopic level. Everything from a chair, water, and trees to our own bodies are made up of atoms which are constantly moving and being held together. Solid matter is really just these atoms and energy being packed together by forces so strong that they feel firm when we touch them.When we focus our hands and thoughts on the body, the energy can be directed to help the body to go into a relaxed state known as our parasympathetic nervous system mode, it’s our Rest and Digest State. This is the state we spend most of our time in when we are sleeping. This is when our body naturally heals itself, it’s relaxed enough to do the work it needs to do. It completes tissue repair, clears out any toxins or waste from the day and boosts the immune system. In our busy worlds these days we spend a lot of time in our Fight or Flight modes, highly stressed and tired. This means we aren’t giving our bodies the time it needs to self heal and it can show up as tension, fatigue, difficulty thinking clearly and illnesses. Reiki is giving your body the chance to relax and begin working on those issues.
The History of Reiki
Reiki was founded by Mikao Usui in 1922 in Japan. Following a deep personal experience on Mount Kurama, he created a structured system using specific symbols and techniques. His goal was to help individuals access their own internal capacity for healing and to provide a practical way for them to support others.
In the 1930s, Reiki was brought to the West via Hawaii by Hawayo Takata. Over the decades, the practice evolved as it moved through different cultures. Many practitioners began to integrate their own styles and tools, such as the use of sage, crystals, and the chakra system.
Originally, Reiki was utilised in Japan as a formal medical practice, but today it is recognised globally as a holistic complementary therapy. Rather than a replacement for modern medicine, it is used alongside it. This shift into mainstream healthcare is evident today, as Reiki is increasingly found in hospitals across the UK and the US, particularly in oncology units, to help promote relaxation and physical comfort.
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