Reiki?

Reiki is a great tool for stress reduction and relaxation. Many people use Reiki for wellness, not just to assist in healing. Reiki is not a cure for a disease or illness, but it may assist the body in creating an environment that may facilitate healing. Reiki is a great tool to use in complement to traditional medicine and is practiced in many hospitals and medical care settings. Reiki practitioners understand that an illness is an expression of some part of the body/mind that does not know how to be well.
Reiki works first on a mental and emotional level, as it works to achieve long-term improvement by helping people address, heal and release issues that lead to the problem. Depending upon the severity and duration of the problem a physical change may or may not occur. Sometimes all that can be achieved is helping a client to accept and live with a major illness – improving someone’s quality of life and comfort.

Many times a client will learn to treat themselves after having Reiki treatments by taking a Reiki I course. This can be very beneficial and can sometimes provide the number of treatments that are recommended for a serious condition when cost would prohibit it otherwise.

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The history

What is the truth about Reiki history? We have all heard and read so many stories with fairy tale characters that any average person might laugh at Reiki and the magicness of it all. Theoretically speaking, Reiki is one of the many forms of the Chinese Chigong that is being practiced all over South East Asia.

The Usui Reiki Ryoho (System) was conceived by Mikao Usui in the early part of this century. Usui Sensei, how he was called by his disciples, was neither a physician nor a Christian monk, but a traditional Japanese business man, loyal to his Emperor. Many sources claim that he taught at the Christian Doshisha University in Kyoto, but their archivist told us that Dr. Usui was neither a teacher at their institution nor a student.

The apparently Christian elements in Usui Sensei’s life and teaching were either taken out of context, or added later on by his Western followers in order to make Reiki respectable in the West. The story that he worked in the slums of Kyoto for instance, has a different background: after the devastating Kanto earthquake (1923) that killed an estimated 40.000 and wounded many more, Usui-Sensei worked with the victims. During the Meiji period a large number of hand healing techniques were taught in Japan. Most of these groups disappeared after World War Two. One of the more important groups called Taireidou, was lead by Morihei Tanaka, who was said to have been Usui Sensei’s teacher. What exactly Usui Sensei learned from Mr. Tanaka is not known. The so called Reiki principles, which were originally designed by the Meiji Emperor of Japan (1868-1912) were adopted by Usui Sensei to give his students an ethical backbone. We do know that a relation between the Kurama Dera (Kurama Temple), North of Kyoto and Reiki exists. On the inscription of Usui Sensei’s memorial* in Tokyo it is written that Usui Sensei was initiated into Reiki while doing a meditation retreat at Kurama. We were told that he experienced a satori, a temporary realization of the divine while meditating under a man made waterfall on the Kurama Temple grounds.

Before his death in 1926 Usui Sensei chose his successor. This successor was not Dr. C. Hayashi as is taught in the West, but Usui Sensei’s close friend and associate Mr. Ushida, who wrote the inscription of the Usui Memorial. As a matter of fact, Mr. Hayashi, Ms. Takata and all the others that followed her are not known by most of the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai members in Japan. Dr. Hayashi was one of a group of Reiki teachers, but he was neither made a "Grand Master" nor a "lineage bearer" nor successor to Usui Sensei. The first president of the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai, the organization that Usui Sensei started, was Usui Sensei himself. The second- his successor- was Mr. Ushida. The third was a Mr. Taketomi. The fourth was a Mr. Watanabe. The fifth was a Mr. Wanami, followed by the sixth; a Mrs. Koyama who retired in the beginning of this year. The seventh and current president, the real successor of Usui Sensei is a Mr. Kondo. Stating that Dr. Hayashi was not the successor of Usui Sensei does by no means say anything about what he taught. The Reiki System that is being taught by Western Reiki teachers is absolutely wonderful. Dr. Hayashi certainly did not have had the impertinence to claim to have been Usui’s successor. He always talked about his teacher with the greatest respect, and founded his own association after Usui's death. In Japan, Reiki has evolved over the years and there are now many different streams that flow all over the country. Some teachers say Reiki is part of the Buddhist tradition, other claim it is basically Shintoist. The fact seems to be that it is a mixture of the above. Japan is a country of synthesis: Buddhism and Shintoism are so intertwined that it is impossible to divide them again.

In the past fifty years the Western form of Reiki has evolved a great deal. This process is certainly valuable. Humankind evolves steadily and something that was "good" and "useful" a hundred years ago maybe outdated today. Bullock carts turned into cars, airplanes and space shuttles. Something that is unable to evolve and grow will die and disappear in due time. Unfortunately some Japanese Reiki aspects and techniques have not been taught in the West for whatever reason, for instance the work Usui Sensei did with crystals. He used to place programmed Crystal balls on the diseased body parts of his clients.

Breathing exercises, scanning and other rather Eastern methods were also deleted. The Reiki symbols that originate in Mikkyo Buddhism (a Japanese form of Tibetan Buddhism) and ancient Shintoism did survive the trip across the ocean un-altered. We have not been able to find additional Reiki symbols in Japan. It is clear now that there is no "original" Reiki teaching to be found anywhere, except in the handbook that was given to his students by Dr. Usui himself. We received a copy of this manual in the summer of 1997 and you will find a translation of the first part it in my latest book "Reiki, the legacy of Dr.Usui". The second part will be published this fall. In the text Dr. Usui answers questions as to what Reiki is, and how it is used. It opens a totally new dimension, a new understanding of Reiki as such.

We are told what many of us have intuitively felt for a long time: Reiki energy is always present, always real, pure and always perfect the way it is. Impurity only enters the world of Reiki when we try to use the energy for own petty, egoistic ends. Reiki is and will always be part of the collective heritage of the human race that can not be owned by an individual or a certain group. It remains what it is a wonderful gift that is given to us by existence, life or god- whatever you may be inclined to call it. Let’s come together and honour it in this spirit.


a translation of the memorial inscription is featured in "Reiki Fire".

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For who?

Reiki is for everyone, for people who want to relax and relax and regain energy. For people to enjoy and to promote the cicatrisation process.People who are tired and could use emotional support. For people with an illness - a short or long-term sickness. For children, pregnant women, young fathers and other healthy people too. For people who want grow, to develop mentally and spiritually. Reiki works also on animals. If you are interested in finding out what it can do for your animal call me.

The beauty of Reiki is that it is fairly easy to become a Reiki practitioner yourself so that you can treat yourself. It is not necessary to have a special pre-education or be gifted in some sort of way. The only thing required is an open mind and heart and honestly towards yourself.

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Reiki levels

Reiki consists of three levels.

Reiki 1 the basis:

Reiki restores the balance between the physical, emotional, spiritual and mental levels of all living beings. It can also affect reconnection between spiritual beings (animals included) and the universe around us. Reiki training offers important benefits for both self-healing and treatment of others.
Level I Reiki training incorporates a series of attunements and hands-on training. The attunements open energy channels enabling the student to connect with the Reiki healing energy. This is an important aspect of Reiki—energy comes through the person, not from them—making this form of healing a safe one. Training encompasses the history of Reiki, spiritual aspects, and practice in traditional and non-traditional Reiki treatments for humans and animals. Through a series of exercises students develop their abilities to perform a complete Reiki treatment through sensing and working with the energy fields of humans, animals and plants.

Reiki is easy to learn, and one can enjoy a lifetime of benefits from the training. Classes are small (maximum 4 students), so that students receive more individual attention, and are offered on a basis that fits anyone’s schedule. Students receive written materials and support for questions at any time after class is completed.


Reiki 2 is the advanced course:

Reiki Level II encompasses: distance healing (being able to send energy for the highest healing good) to a person, animal, place, or situation (think of the possibilities!); the ability to cleanse a space or your own personal energy field; an increase in the ability to facilitate emotional/spiritual healing as well as a widening and deepening of your energy channels; and as always, an opportunity to increase the benefit of your own personal healing, to name just a few possible applications.

Classes are small (max 4 people), so that students receive more individual attention, and are offered on a basis that fits anyone’s schedule. Students receive written materials, Reiki Level II Certificate suitable for framing, and support for questions at any time after class is completed.

Reiki 3 is the master degree:

As with the other levels there is another step up in the energy, both for personal healing as well as healing for others. Reiki III will deepen your experience with the Reiki energy and your connection to it while facilitating deep personal healing.
It is not necessary to take Reiki Level III in order to take Master training. Also taking Reiki Level III does not mean that you cannot take Master training down the line if you feel that is what you want to do.

The difference between Reiki III and Master training is one of time and intent. In both trainings you receive the Master attunement, Master symbol and training in its’ uses.

In Reiki Master Teacher training you receive one additional symbol that is only used in the attunement process. Learning how to give an attunement is part of Master training because that is where you learn how to teach Reiki to others and obviously giving an attunement is part of that. Usually you would take Reiki Master training if you felt called to teach Reiki although I have taught students who did not intend to teach classes, they learned the attunement process to be able to offer attunements to animals within a healing practice. Reiki Master training is more like an apprenticeship and takes place over a period of time. Reiki Master Teacher training is by application only, you must write a brief description of why you want to take the training, what your intention is, and I go off and meditate to see if I am the right teacher at this time.

Reiki Level III is for everyone who feels called to take it, you only need say you want to be in the class and sign up. You will receive an attunement, training in the Master symbol, some time for practice and any additional training that the class feels they want whether practice on each other or on animals. If you have a special focus ahead of time let me know. Please note that Reiki Level III is definitely a jump up in the energy, and can facilitate powerful change in your life as well as healing for others. Traing for Reiki III will be done one on one.

Should you have questions please contact me.

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