Reiki is an enlightenment system and a healing art. Some focus more on one aspect than the other. That is, some teach Reiki only as a healing system while others may teach it only as a spiritual system. Either is Reiki. Reiki is primarily used in the West as a healing system.

The system of Reiki was invented and developed by a man named Mikao Usui (pronounced Me-­‐ka-­‐oh OOh-­‐su-­‐ee) in the early 1900’s. Reiki is often translated to mean “Universal Life Energy”, but can also mean enlightenment or the coming of together of the Universal Spirit of Creation with our own.

Mikao Usui trained a number of teachers of this system. Many of those teachers taught students of their own. There are many lines of Reiki practiced in Japan from these teachers. Usui founded a school there that is said to maintain his original teachings. This school is called the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai. They generally are a closed club and do not share information with outsiders.

Reiki as practiced in the west comes from the teachings of Mrs. Hawayo Takata. Mrs. Takata was a student of Chujiro Hayash, a retired Naval Officer and student of Mikao Usui. Most western Reiki practices come from the teachings of Mrs. Takata.

At its most basic level, Reiki is a set of five principles for living, a set of hand positions for treating self and others, and the receiving of an attunement to connect to the Reiki energy. An attunement (or empowerment) is a simple ceremony that helps you to reconnect to the energy that is Reiki performed by a Reiki teacher or “master”.

There are three learning levels in Reiki. In level one, you learn the Reiki principles, the hand positions and then receive an attunement. In level two, you learn the three Reiki symbols, distance healing and receive another attunement. In level three, you learn the Reiki master symbol, the attunement process, how to teach, and receive the master attunement.  Reiki works by simple laying of hands and intent. It helps brings us back into harmony with the Universal life energy. This is often healing.

In Reiki you do not use your own energy but let this loving Universal life energy flow through you to others. People who do Reiki are often called “Reiki channels” or that one “channels” Reiki. This word “channel” has several meaning in the new age communities and in common use might mean, “channel” as in spirits. It needs to be clearly stated here that Reiki is not about channeling spirits. The word “channel” here in relation to Reiki simply means that we are in tune with this Universal life energy and let it flow.

Many have added in much material in the west since 1980. Some have added in “Reiki guides”, crystals, pendulums, Reiki “rays”, psychic surgeries, and many other practices that often taught along with Reiki but are not part of Reiki.

The ability to do Reiki cannot be learned in books. To do Reiki you need to receive an attunement from a Reiki teacher. This can be done in person, or via distance.

Adapted from Vincent Amador