Many of you have spoken to a friend or acquaintance who told you about this amazing thing they received called Reiki.

You probably politely smiled and nodded, but didn’t know what the heck they were talking about!

You might have asked them to explain Reiki to you, and (i) perhaps they didn’t do such a great job of it. Or maybe they went too deep too quickly, and you were put off.

A few years ago, Reiki was simply not on my radar, and if people told me that they learned Reiki or had a Reiki treatment, I didn’t feel overly inspired to dig any deeper in an inquiry.

To my surprise, Reiki came and tapped me on the shoulder this past year, and invited me to be open and explore this energy healing. I was very receptive and eagerly seeking other means of stress reduction and energy balancing, and so the timing was perfect.

I scheduled a Reiki treatment, and I can say with certainty, it was one of the most profoundly relaxing and peaceful experiences I have ever had. Afterwards, I felt a calm that continued for days.

To describe Reiki doesn’t really do it justice, it is something that needs to be experienced. What one person may experience may differ slightly from mine, but by most accounts, people who are open to receive Reiki leave feeling deeply relaxed and refreshed.

A Brief History
The word “Reiki” comes from the Japanese words “rei” (universal) and “ki” (life energy). Reiki is a type of energy healing.

The healing method that is known in the West as Reiki was developed in Japan early in the last century by Mikao Usui (1865-1926).

Usui was a seeker of knowledge and spiritual understanding. He studied disciplines such as history, religion, medicine, psychology, and metaphysics, broadened his world view through travel to Europe and China. Although he faced many challenges in life, he is said to have met them with calmness, composure, tranquillity and perseverance. Students described him as a gentle man who was always smiling.

Reiki tradition holds that Usui received the vibration of energy called Reiki in 1922 while meditating on Mt. Kurama, a mountain that is sacred to both Buddhism and Shinto. He is said to have achieved enlightenment, or “a state of no fear” at this time.

Although Usui asserted Reiki to be a spiritual method of healing, it is not dependent upon or affiliated with, any religious organization, dogma, or doctrine. Today it is practiced throughout the world by people of many faiths and cultures.

Reiki is something that came into my life at the right time, I genuinely feel this with my whole being. By appearances it is a simple process, and on the outside looking in, a Reiki treatment might appear to be merely a sequence of hand placements, but it is so much more than that!

I could honestly talk all day about Reiki, but the experience explains more than words could.

The words of Madam Hawayo Takata (who brought Reiki to the West), said it best, “I can’t tell you, but I can show you.”