The term Reiki is the combination of two kanji (characters) Rei and Ki. On its own Rei can mean spirit, ghost, divine or sacred. Ki on its own can mean air, breath, flow, energy or the feeling, quality and essence of something.

 

Together they are often translated as Universal Life Force Energy, Spiritual Energy, Divinely Guided Energy or Energy of the Universe. Reiki is the breath of the universe. It is the energy of everything we can see & can't see, flowing & working in union to promote change for the highest good of all.

 

You and me are included in this. We are of Reiki & Reiki is of us.

​

More simply, Reiki is life expressing itself through life.

 

I observe this flow & expression all around me. I see it in the seasons changing, moon phases, the tides, nature, the cycle of life. I feel it in meaningful conversations & relationships. I hear it in poetry & music. I see it in dance, brush strokes on a painting & even in the arc of a story.

​

None of these thing can happen independently. They are only possible through the collaboration of countless interdependent and interconnected things. It is through seeing & experiencing ourselves in connection to everything that we begin to live in a more balanced way.

​

Reiki is also the name of a Japanese healing art. Reiki, as it is practiced today dates back to the teachings of Mikao Usui, who founded a system of self improvement in Japan in the 1920's. The system of Reiki is rooted in the belief that Reiki (energy) flows through every living being and that emotional and physical imbalances often occur due to a restriction of energy flow. This restriction is caused by a feeling of separation from life -- your body, your sense of self, other people, nature, your purpose and passions.

​

The system of Reiki helps reconnect us to life by softening the barriers within ourselves that are preventing life from living through us.

​

We all naturally have energy (Reiki) in the body but often times it's restricted. The system of Reiki stimulates energy (Reiki) to move in the body. Think of yourself as a river with boulders and debris blocking the flow of water. Think of Reiki as a nourishing influx of water that reunites, collaborates and moves with you to loosen those blocks so that the you can flow freely.

​

During a Reiki session, through meditative attention, the practitioner intentionally reconnects to Reiki & holds a space of openness conducive for healing. In this space, the practitioner and recipient’s connection to Reiki strengthens. An influx of Reiki simultaneously flows from, through & with the recipient and practitioner and helps gently guide them back to a state of balance.

​

I often hear people and even Reiki teachers say things like "I'm going to give you Reiki", "Give me some Reiki" or "I'm doing Reiki". Reiki is not something that can be given to you. It is not a power that a teacher bestows upon you. It is not something you do. Reiki is something you already are.

 

 A Reiki practitioner and teacher simply help you rediscover it within yourself.