reiki

I will probably mention reiki a lot, so I thought I'd take the time to explain it.

Reiki is a Japanese method of energetic healing. The word reiki is made up of two Japanese words: the first referring to a Higher Power and the second referring to life force energy (also known as chi or prana). In other words, it is energy that is guided by a Higher Power. Reiki treats the whole person - body, mind, spirit, emotions - and can be administered either by the laying on of hands or sent from a distance. It works by flowing through the energy field and healing any disruptions in the life force energy.

I know .. you may be skeptical. I was initially. So I tried it - just to see if I felt anything.

I still remember that session. I laid on the massage table, not feeling anything, thinking "Well .. at least I can say that I tried it. I didn't really expect anything to happen anyway." All of a sudden, I realized that I could no longer feel my hands and fingers. They weren't numb; it was like they weren't there. I'd pick up a finger, just to confirm that I still had fingers, but then it would be gone again.

I started feeling waves of energy move up through my arms. It felt like I was standing on top of a mountain. I could feel the cold air, see the mountain peaks, and see the clouds below me. There were a few scattered Japanese bonsai trees. It was lovely.

Then the practitioner put her hands on my shoulders. After a second, she asked, "Has someone broken your heart recently?" I said no - I couldn't think of anything - and then I felt a huge weight on my chest and tears began rolling down my cheeks. The pressure was intense, and yet I had no idea why I was crying. Finally the tears stopped and the pressure faded - and I felt so light and free.

A day or two later, I remembered an event that had occurred the previous winter. I remembered how I felt when it happened, and it was exactly the same as I felt during the reiki session - the same huge weight on my heart and the same hot gulping tears. Apparently I had not released it at the time and was carrying it around with me.

Anyway, that experience convinced me that there was something to reiki after all. In October, I signed up for a reiki class, and have been practicing daily ever since. It has truly been a blessing.

Comments

[Toni]

I'm curious (okay, and a bit skeptical), how do you send it from a distance? I had a massage once (I know, not the same), but the feeling was similar. I started crying for some unknown reason and she told me that happens a lot. It was such a release.

[Elizabeth]

in reiki II, you learn a symbol that allows you to send the energy. I believe it means something like "we are all one" so essentially time and distance become irrelevant. I've also heard an explanation from a quantum physics standpoint that might make more sense .. will see if I can explain it this evening.

Emotions can be stored in the body, so I can totally see how a massage would allow for release as well! I have not had that experience yet .. just blissful relaxation (or pain, LOL).

[Elizabeth]

I can't remember where I found it .. however, I don't know if anyone really knows how it works completely. I used to wonder, but then I decided that it didn't matter to me. I have seen that it works .. and that is enough.

If you're curious, and want to try it, let me know and I can send along! :)

[Toni]

Okay, so how do we do this?? :)

[Julie M]

That's so neat. I've had weird energy experiences in person with people- I worked with a kinesiologist/reiki person who would tell me she was going to ground me because my head was in the clouds (and it was). She would do things with wood and light and her energy stuff and suddenly my feet would feel like lead and I would get reallly giddy. She would laugh and say that I was just finally feeling them on the ground! It was very bizarre and cool.

[Elizabeth]

That would be a neat feeling! During that same session, she said that there was too much junk swirling around in my head and did something (not reiki, some other kind of energy). After that session, my head was as clear as it gets after a long trail run. It was very cool.