Last year, I decided to get back to a regular meditation practice, but I wanted to experience more than traditional no-mind meditation like I had learned through Martial Arts practice.
Almost on a whim, I decided to attend a class offered by James Bene at Devotion Yoga.
That week’s topic happened to be Reiki meditation. I was a little skeptical, but I figured it was only $15 so I couldn’t really lose.
So Technically, What Is It?
Reiki (靈氣), pronounced “ray-key,” is a relaxation and stress reduction technique that promotes healing.
Direct translation is in English is something like “Higher Power Energy,” and practitioners become conduits of the universal healing energies.
As we know it, Reiki comes from Mikao Usui of Japan in the late 1800s. The story goes that Usui was a monk that practiced energy healing, though he and his brethren would become extremely drained after working with someone.
Usui thought that there must be a better way to offer healing to the people that needed it without draining the healer; so he went on a spiritual retreat for several years in the mountains. When he returned, he was enlightened with the ability to tap into ancient healing energies that came from a higher power.
In Japan, Reiki is administered very much like Western medicine, in very clinical environments. In the West, Reiki has taken on much more of a spiritual element, but has remained non-denominational.
Receiving Reiki the First Time
When I attended that first mediation class, we did a pretty standard centering and clearing meditation. Then we all laid down in quite meditation, while James went from one person to the next providing a small taste of Reiki.
That day, I happened to have had a cold; this almost always results in a sore throat for me. Throughout the class, it kept getting worse and worse, and by the time James came to me, I was barely able to minimize coughing to once a minute.
As he did his thing, I could feel something going on. Almost a clearness that I hadn’t experienced in a while.
Before he walked away, he did something around my throat, and almost instantly the pain went away. I could tell I was still sick, but I didn’t feel it in the same way.
From that point, I was sold.
Fast forward about a year, and this past weekend, I attended my Reiki 1 Class; where I was “attuned” to be able to channel the Reiki energy.
I was fortunate enough to be able to receive Reiki during the class, and it’s interesting what I felt this time around, knowing what to look for.
It was a little different, because it was an actual session as opposed to a teaser. So this time, I was on a table, while one of the other students practiced on me.
First, I could feel the energy as it settled which really surprised me. I thought that she was actually placing her hands on me, until she actually did it and I was like, “oh wait, that’s not what I felt before.”
I was very relaxed, and in a place (mentally) I didn’t really want to leave when the session was finished.
Giving Reiki
I also got to give Reiki during the class, which I really enjoy doing. It’s amazing to me, because you can actually feel the energy of the person you are working on.
You can feel where it’s strong and functioning at a high level, and you can feel where it needs a little extra TLC.
Afterword, the feedback from my “client” was that he was sent to a really good place. He felt deeply restored, and really appreciated it.
What Reiki Really Does
Having been on both sides of the equation, I think I’ve come to a pretty good understanding of what is actually happening. Or, at the very least, I have a functional understanding. J
When someone practices Reiki, they are connecting to the universal truth that so many religions try to explain. They are then using that energy to return to proper balance.
Because it is universal, that energy will work on any person, regardless of their belief system. It is truth, and it will restore the imbalances caused by the world we live in.
After receiving Reiki, the individual is re-aligned, and can start to heal. But if the person doesn’t correct any of the issues in life that caused the imbalances in the first place, they will eventually end up back where they started.
My Recommendation
If you are struggling with something in life, be it physical, mental, or spiritual, Reiki is a valid option.
Whether you believe in it or not, no harm will come to you. At the very least, you will spend an hour relaxed with a specific intention.
At the very best, it is all true and you will experience some very deep healing that you might otherwise take years to accomplish. (I choose this option because it brings me more joy!)
So I say, try it out! And if you want to be super awesome, share your experiences in the comments below!
Jes With One S 