Reiki

“When you heal yourself and assist others with their self-healing, you heal the Earth. You do make a difference.”

Laurel Steinhice; Channeling the Earth Mother (In Diane Stein’s Dreaming the Past, Dreaming the Future: A Herstory of the Earth)

Reiki is an approach that involves touch and channeling energy to a person, animal, object, place, etc. Reiki comes from an ancient hands-on healing system that works with our subtle energies. Basically, Reiki offers a balanced and holistic approach to the mind, body, and spirit.

The energy channeled is life itself and comes in a variety of names. Do you practice yoga? Have you heard when they ask you to focus on your breath or Prana (India)? That is life force, energy. How about Chi (China)? In Japan, this life force was identified as Ki and thus Reiki was named.

Reiki can be offered through physical touch, hands hovering above or at a distance by a Reiki practitioner. The practitioner (or healer) is not the one “healing” you but instead, the healer aids the movement of healing as a channel of energy. If you consider when we are harmed or feeling low, we often seek out or welcome a soft touch from someone. This often offers us comfort and makes us feel better. Our human touch is instinctual, caring, loving and healing.

Reiki is in every single person. I am level 2 attuned – but that doesn’t mean I am unique – it just means I was given the opportunity to channel energy through my body. We are all born with this healing energy. An attunement connected me to Reiki’s limitless source and offered me a chance to be a channel. Now that I am attuned, the energy effortlessly flows through my hands. All I have to do is ask permission, place my hands and breathe.

Please note: Reiki does not replace medical care, does not diagnose and is not meant to cure. Reiki is a supplemental healing technique. Please continue your necessary medical care.

History of Reiki

The Traditional Reiki technique that I happen to be attuned starts in the 1800s with Mikao Usui. He was a principal at a University in Japan and a Christian Minister. Usui rediscovered Reiki. History says that his students wanted to be shown the method of healing that Jesus was known for. Usui took a 10-year journey to find and learn this skill through Buddhism and Christianity. Usui traveled to the US and lived for 7 years where he looked for answers. While in the US, he entered the University of Chicago Divinity School, studied comparative religions, and learned to read Sanskrit (the ancient language of India and Tibet). Usui continued to struggle with answers so he returned to Japan; living in a Zen monastery. While here, Usui found the texts describing the healing formula in Sanskrit. Even though he could read about this energy, he could not figure out how to activate it. He completed a test during a three week period which focused on meditation, fasting, and prayer on Mt. Koriyama in Japan. On the final morning of his quiet journey, he saw a bright light coming towards him. As he sat in meditation and received this spiritual message, Usui saw each of the Reiki symbols and the corresponding information about them. Thus, the first Reiki attunement and rediscovery of this ancient method.

Usui’s student Chujiro Hayashi taught Reiki to Hawayo Takata, who brought it to Hawaii – thus bringing Reiki to Western civilization. Reiki taught and practiced in Japan looks vastly different than the Reiki we know here in the West.

Reiki is at least 2500 years old and can be traced back to early Buddhism. Jesus may have healed through the use of Reiki energy. A lot of the history of Reiki shows that Reiki is hardwired into our genetics and is available to anyone who chooses to activate the energy. It is said that Reiki was part of Earth’s earliest civilization; Mu, which had been destroyed by earthquakes. It is unclear how Reiki energy remained or continued.

The history of Reiki and Usui is quite extensive and has many more details to share. If you are interested in learning more, please look into the resource Essential Reiki by Diane Stein. All information I share comes from this text.

Levels of Reiki

There are three levels of Reiki. Reiki I is usually for self-healing and treating close friends/family. Reiki I heals the physical level of the person receiving the attunement. Reiki I healing is offered to someone who is physically present or “direct healing.” The healing for the receiver of Reiki I can become a 21-day spiritual detox.

Reiki II is for healing others, professionally. Reiki II increases the amount of healing energy. The attunement process for this level focuses on emotional, mental and karmic healing of the person receiving. This can be a 6-month long process. Reiki II attunement also offers noteworthy power to direct healing sessions. Reiki II also means that the practitioner can heal from a distance.

Reiki III is separated between the Master Level and Master Teacher. This level gives the healer a magnified level of energy for healing spiritually as well as healing of others. Within this level, one can directly work with the mental and emotional aspects of a person. Master Reiki Practitioners often teach Reiki to others and offer attunements.

With each level of Reiki, there are symbols presented to work with. Reiki I, the symbols are in the aura and not visibly seen but emerge unconsciously. In Reiki II, symbols are visibly introduced and used consciously or directed specifically. Reiki III has Master symbols and gives the practitioner a chance to pass on the symbols.

What Can Reiki Do?

As I mentioned earlier, Reiki is not meant to replace medical care, cure or diagnose. However, there are medical studies showing what Reiki healing can offer you.

Some of these include:
● reduction in stress/stress reductions,
● lower blood pressure,
● lower heart and respiration rates,
● reduction in bleeding and pain,
● helps insomnia, calms anxiety,
● supports deep relaxation,
● encourages better sleep,
● helps with addictive behaviors,
● relieve pain,
● moves or removes energy blockages to help energy flow create balance,
● raise the vibrational frequency in the body,
● strengthens and supports the immune system, and many others.

Reiki can temporarily increase the intensity of the problem briefly as the energy works to move the stagnant energy.

Reiki is not religious and does not require you to have a particular belief. Reiki does not depend on your belief in any religion or spirituality. The movement of this energy will work whether you believe it or not. The only thing I need to offer this hands-on approach is permission by the receiver. This can be verbally or etherically. Etherically is a meditative state where you ask the person’s higher self. I tend to picture a rose opening or staying closed for permission. If the rose opens, the higher self is agreeing to Reiki. If the rose stays closed, then I cannot offer Reiki.

What Reiki Cannot Do

Reiki cannot diagnose or promise any outcome. When healing takes place, it is not under the healer’s control. Reiki energy flows from the practitioner to the recipient (you) in a pulled manner by the recipient, not the healer. This energy is guided by the recipient’s Higher Self (Soul) to go where it is needed most. What that means is your higher self may need the energy to focus on something physical, mental, emotional or spiritual. A healer cannot promise miracles or cures.

In my sessions

After a thorough discussion and signing of a consent form, I can offer Reiki in our sessions. Reiki can be an additional tool in our session to help alleviate anxiety, sadness, stress, etc. I would be happy to discuss Reiki and if this will be a helpful addition to your healing journey.

If you need help and support, know we are here to do just that. Cristina Panaccione and Associates Counseling has two locations in the South Hills of Pittsburgh and in Robinson Township. We are currently accepting a limited number of new patients. So check our services pages to learn more about how we can help you have the life you deserve to live.

* This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please contact a medical professional for advice.

Image Credit – Adobe Stock