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| The word Reiki combines two Japanese words: Rei, meaning higher intelligence, and ki, the universal energy that flows through all living things. |
Reprinted with permission from Natural Awakenings Magazine - Rockland & Orange Edition
healingways
Ancient Reiki
Complements Modern Wellness Programs
by Linda Sechrist Reiki was developed in Japan during the mid-19th century by Dr. Mikao Usui, who received the ability of “healing without energy depletion” following three weeks of fasting and meditating on Mount Kuarma, near Kyoto. Hawayo Takata then introduced Reiki into the United States early in the 20th century. The word Reiki combines two Japanese words: Rei, meaning higher intelligence, and ki, the universal energy that flows through all living things.
Present-day styles of Reiki vary, though all have their foundation in Usui Shiki Ryoho Reiki, the traditional form largely taught by independent teachers and Reiki Masters, who often form their own schools to instruct students in Reiki levels I, II and III. True Reiki practice channels universal energy, rather than the energy of one’s own localized field.
According to Julie Connor, a Reiki master and founder of The Light Within Us in Blauvelt, New York, Level I focuses on practicing Reiki on oneself. Having demonstrated the benefits of practicing self-Reiki, such as an increased sense of well being, the maturing practitioner then becomes more adept at offering it to others. Lynne Newman, founder of Spirit Heart Healing Center in Middletown, New York, notes that, “In the first level, students are taught the history of Reiki, attunement skills that allow them to align with Reiki energies, and the basic Reiki hand positions for working with clients. They also learn a meditation to connect with Reiki masters.” In Level II, students receive three symbols, for empowerment, mental/emotional health and distant treatment. These symbols are traced onto the palms of the practitioner’s hands before giving treatments. For Level III, Newman explains that, “Students are given the master symbol for healing, which intensifies the healing energy flow. There is much hands-on healing time, and many instructors teach how to create an energy grid to enhance healing. Students also learn about distance Reiki healing and the power of intention.” The International Association of Reiki Professionals (IARP), a global professional association founded in 1997, joins the voices of thousands of members in more than 50 countries. Its free locator service helps the public find registered practitioners and teachers who meet association requirements and abide by its professional code of ethics. IARP founder Linda M. LaFlamme has taught Reiki globally for decades. She notes how, “This gentle, non-invasive healing technique, which strengthens energy pathways, clears blockages and brings more energy into the body’s systems, is used just as much as a proactive wellness tool as a healing assistance tool.” It can make a gentle, beneficial contribution to a personal wellness program “by bringing the body’s energy system into a healing balance,” she says. Connor further notes that Reiki can be used to give comfort to cancer patients or to reduce everyday stress, because there are no factors or risks involved. Effects can be powerful and healing, though beneficial results are different for everyone. Many individuals receive Reiki for physical ailments; others choose to receive it for emotional difficulties. Individuals most in touch with and aware of their own energy flow will be more open to the healing. Connect with Lynne Newman at Spirit Heart, Center for Counseling, Healing & Heart, located at 45 Dolson Ave., Ste. 2, in Middletown, NY; call 845-342-2356. For information on the International Center for Reiki Training at 21421 Hilltop #28 in Southfield, MI, call William Rand at 800-332-8112 or visit Reiki.org. To learn more about the International Association of Reiki Professionals, visit IARP.org. September 9, 2008
Source: Lynne Newman, Spirit Heart Healing Center, Middletown, NY. Julie Connor Lynne Newman
According to ReikiInHospitals.org, more than a million U.S. adults have received at least one Reiki session in their life. That number is growing, thanks to wider adoption of this method of stress reduction and healing, including in such traditional medical settings as hospitals, medical clinics and hospice programs.
Connect with Julie Connor at The Light Within Us, located at 64 Roosevelt Dr. in Blauvelt, NY. Call 845-222-6923, email TheLightWithinUs@yahoo.com or visit TheLightWithinUs.com.
How Reiki Works
Reiki uses the laying on of hands to open any blockages in the body’s energy system, so that the Universal Life Force can flow freely. This universal energy flows through the hands of the practitioner, who places them on or above any of the body’s energy centers, allowing the fl ow to balance both sides of the body and to clear the physical, emotional and spiritual centers.
When ki energy (also known as chi) is low, a person can feel ill or tired. Blocked energy flow opens the door to dis-ease. When ki energy is high, a person is better able to be creative, active and enjoy life. Source: Lynne Newman, Spirit Heart Healing Center, Middletown, NY.
Julie Connor, The Light Within Us, Blauvelt, NY
A Loving Touch
Many Reiki masters come into the practice based on a personal healing experience through the laying on of hands. In 2002, after being diagnosed with thyroid cancer and undergoing two surgeries, Julie Connor still had a lump on her neck that was only getting larger. A friend believed that her 5 year-old son, Ryan, could help Connor if he laid his hands on her.
Ryan stated, “I can make that lump go away with my love.” He explained that he would need to do so for 45 seconds, four times. A few days later, as Connor prepared for her next surgery, the doctor conducting one last check was amazed to find that her tumor was gone. The doctor said that he certainly could use Reiki with some of his other patients. Connor now practices Reiki professionally at The Light Within Us in Blauvelt, NY.