Reiki

[moraldilemma]

What is up everyone. I wonder if anyone has done reiki or any type of similar spiritual healing arts. I think I like reiki but I don't like the organizations that teach it. It's a natural gift that everyone has and I don't feel it's right to charge money for it. (Donations are fine but $60 for a reiki session is pretty scammy.) Moreover Usui didn't charge money for it but accepted donations. His memorial shrine even says "everyone can access reiki because it comes from yourself." Toshihiro Eguchi, one of the members of his school, agreed with this philosophy. http://www.ihreiki.com/blog/article/eguchi_toshihiro_and_palm_healing 

 

Randolf Shipon wrote a book called Reiki Psychology in which he shows how to teach yourself how to use your own healing ability. It's widely available and cheap online. But the essential part is in this video: 

This isn't the "traditional" method but it works. I think the main problem with reiki is that groups of people want to brand it as this super secret art that only their lineage is doing correctly. I don't think it was intended to be that way and people take it as superstitious mumbo jumbo (and expensive at that).

 

The other thing I question is the positivity. It seems like reiki focuses only on the positive which doesn't seem as balanced as something like Taoist qigong. Images of zoned out hippies droning about all loving everyone comes to mind (nothing against love or hippies). There's just something that kind of irks me about focusing only on positivity and love. It feels a little fake. I told my therapist about it and she said it's not out of balance because there will always be darkness in the world. Take the good with the bad.

 

Like everything else, I'm probably overthinking this. Thoughts?

[sustainablefarm86]

I don't know shit but I think there's nothing specific about it besides the brand and the sigil? Were the symbols a later addition?

If you don't want to be part of them, learn the rest, don't use their sigil and their brand

[GreytoWhite]

I just completed Reiki levels 1 and 2. I think you may have some misconceptions. It is something that anyone can do if they have extensive work in Japanese esoteric Buddhism, Shinto, and martial arts at a very high level of achievement and then complete a 21 day fast along with very specific meditations. Sure, anyone CAN do that - however, one must typically be attuned to the energy of the system by a master otherwise you are using the energy of your self and not channeling the reiki energy which is different. Without attunement many are doing a form of "reverse vampirism" and pushing their personal energy on someone else - how pure that is is entirely dependent on the person and their intent. There are a number of mudras and mantras to practice along with this. It's a very high vibration level and most people will not achieve this without assistance.

 

The rules are that there must be an exchange whether that's money or a meal it entirely depends on the situation and the people. As to whether it's expensive - that depends on your viewpoint. I've paid over $250 for a single myofascial release massage session for assistance with regaining mobility. Someone in true need will find a way to get treatment and usually if they're sufficiently social they should be able to find a benevolent healer who may be willing to trade for labor or whatever - talk to people. A lot of it is just taking the small steps to pursue what you need and then more and more of this will come into your life if you are truly ready for it. Reiki is basically becoming a medium for medicine Buddhas to assist you and keys to the energy of your reiki lineage.

 

It's really easy and intuitive but there's psychic, energetic, and physical blowback on the person doing the healing. Someone has to pay for their training, maintain a daily practice, spend an hour previous to treatment in meditation and preparation, then however long treatment takes, and then dealing with whatever baggage may be left from the patient. Do you think the person helping should not be compensated? It's honestly not that expensive - most people I've come across will do attunements anywhere between $100 - $200 for level 1, $100 - $300 for level 2, and most people don't go on to level 3 but really $1,000 or less for a new skill and an energy healing system for yourself in the future is not expensive at all IMO.

[GreytoWhite]

As far as positivity goes - it's definitely not always a pleasant experience for those providing assistance. I recently received reiki treatment from multiple people at once in class. Almost two years ago my pancreas nearly failed and those treating me experienced a reduced empathic pain. It's only able to be used for healing but if you're a well rounded person you probably have a martial art you can use to kick ass with - just don't turn your reiki on when you fight as it won't work and if you try to force it there's blowback.

[johndoe2012]

This book contains a transmission of a reiki crystal you can use to channel reiki

 

https://www.amazon.com/New-Reiki-Software-Divine-Living-ebook/dp/B00D3IP4EI/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1543130150&sr=8-5&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=Reiki+Brett+bevell&dpPl=1&dpID=51KVU9hFzTL&ref=plSrch

 

There is a newer book called Psychic Reiki, but I don't know that one. 

[tampasteve]

I just started a Reiki course, so far I find it very interesting. I understand that one is using the energy flowing from without and through, but can Reiki be used to increase one's Qi as well? I'm still very much a novice in Reiki use....

[moraldilemma]

On 11/24/2018 at 11:53 PM, GreytoWhite said:

I just completed Reiki levels 1 and 2. I think you may have some misconceptions. It is something that anyone can do if they have extensive work in Japanese esoteric Buddhism, Shinto, and martial arts at a very high level of achievement and then complete a 21 day fast along with very specific meditations. Sure, anyone CAN do that - however, one must typically be attuned to the energy of the system by a master otherwise you are using the energy of your self and not channeling the reiki energy which is different. Without attunement many are doing a form of "reverse vampirism" and pushing their personal energy on someone else - how pure that is is entirely dependent on the person and their intent. There are a number of mudras and mantras to practice along with this. It's a very high vibration level and most people will not achieve this without assistance.

 

The rules are that there must be an exchange whether that's money or a meal it entirely depends on the situation and the people. As to whether it's expensive - that depends on your viewpoint. 

On 11/24/2018 at 11:53 PM, GreytoWhite said:

I ju

 

I'm on mobile and I can't figure out how to fix the formatting. Oh my.

 

Before i go into my tirade, let me reinforce my position that healing life energy is beyond ownership of any person or organization. Reiki seminars are okay. But I firmly believe it is a human gift that anyone can do with practice (which every reiki teacher I've met has told me). It doesn't need to be complicated and it doesn't need to cost much. If that means I'm not doing authentic reiki, fine.

 

I've taken two level 1 courses from two different "traditional Japanese" reiki schools and read a few books and numerous articles on reiki history. I don't have citations on hand but here's what I remember: Usui was not a martial artist in any sense (nor was he a Christian minister or a medical doctor or a  college professor in America, three other widely spread rumors). Charging fees was added by Hayashi who taught Takata. She was a huge scammer who charged ten thousand dollars for teacher level. I believe she was the one who started the "charge money to complete energy reciprocation" thing. Takata is the main source for most American reiki knowledge. 

 

Did you know the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai is still around? They're a closed society and they assert that reiki does not exist anywhere outside of Japan. If Usui was teaching that then I would doubt his spiritual integrity. But it seems that started after he died and Japan lost WW2. "One of the conditions the U.S. required is that all those practicing any kind of healing be required to have a license. Some of the healing groups did get licensed, but the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai decided that they did not want to be controlled by a licensing board and instead chose to go underground. They decided that the members were not to talk to anyone outside their group about Reiki and that they would only practice Reiki with each other." https://www.reiki.org/faq/historyofreiki.html

 

My point is that all of this is too complicated. And may I remind everyone that it's all made up. Every word and symbol is a human concept that came from an idea in somebody's mind. The Dao that can be described is not the eternal Dao.

 

P.S: "reverse energy vampirism" or "empathically taking on someone's pain" comes from trying to control energy. It's pretty easy to not do that. It comes with meditation and accepting the process. Also, meditating for a whole hour before you treat a single person is unnecessary according to both of my teachers. 5-10 minutes is sufficient.

 

Edited November 29, 2018 by moraldilemma

[tampasteve]

1 hour ago, moraldilemma said:

 

I'm on mobile and I can't figure out how to fix the formatting. Oh my.

 

Before i go into my tirade, let me reinforce my position that healing life energy is beyond ownership of any person or organization. Reiki seminars are okay. But I firmly believe it is a human gift that anyone can do with practice (which every reiki teacher I've met has told me). It doesn't need to be complicated and it doesn't need to cost much. If that means I'm not doing authentic reiki, fine.

 

I've taken two level 1 courses from two different "traditional Japanese" reiki schools and read a few books and numerous articles on reiki history. I don't have citations on hand but here's what I remember: Usui was not a martial artist in any sense (nor was he a Christian minister or a medical doctor or a  college professor in America, three other widely spread rumors). Charging fees was added by Hayashi who taught Takata. She was a huge scammer who charged ten thousand dollars for teacher level. I believe she was the one who started the "charge money to complete energy reciprocation" thing. Takata is the main source for most American reiki knowledge. 

 

Did you know the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai is still around? They're a closed society and they assert that reiki does not exist anywhere outside of Japan. If Usui was teaching that then I would doubt his spiritual integrity. But it seems that started after he died and Japan lost WW2. "One of the conditions the U.S. required is that all those practicing any kind of healing be required to have a license. Some of the healing groups did get licensed, but the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai decided that they did not want to be controlled by a licensing board and instead chose to go underground. They decided that the members were not to talk to anyone outside their group about Reiki and that they would only practice Reiki with each other." https://www.reiki.org/faq/historyofreiki.html

 

My point is that all of this is too complicated. And may I remind everyone that it's all made up. Every word and symbol is a human concept that came from an idea in somebody's mind. The Dao that can be described is not the eternal Dao.

 

P.S: "reverse energy vampirism" or "empathically taking on someone's pain" comes from trying to control energy. It's pretty easy to not do that. It comes with meditation and accepting the process. Also, meditating for a whole hour before you treat a single person is unnecessary according to both of my teachers. 5-10 minutes is sufficient.

 

 

Thanks for taking the time to write this. This is essentially why my teacher says as well. She only charges $10, which basically covers some of her time to teach and the materials. 

[GreytoWhite]

Thanks for taking time to reply - we were all beginners so no surprise some were trying to control the experience for their 3rd or 4th clinical. I've since learned more than what was printed out for my class. I met a Jikiden Reiki Master recently and at her recommendation I read Frank Arjava Petter's This Is Reiki which gave me a much fuller understanding of the history and just how different what I was taught vs. what is done in Japan may be. I learned 1+2 from a Karuna teacher but he taught us Usui Tenchi Shiki Reiki Ryoho like Chris Matsuo taught level 1+2 to him. Having looked at the book - it's all Takata lineage teachers. I look forward to learning from multiple reiki instructors in the future.

[Fa Xin]

What’s the different styles of Reiki have in common? What’s their differences?

 

if your a student of multiple lineages, is it possible to blend them all to make your own technique, or should they remain separate?

 

Not too familiar with reiki. Thanks 

[GreytoWhite]

Most of the Reiki styles have Hayashi in common. Some do not descend from him but the Western schools do for the most part. They all connect to a spiritual energy in a "heaven battery/library/medium" that can heal people. Some schools use different symbols than others dependent on influences from esoteric Buddhism or other sources. Some even go so far as to commune with Christian Angels. I've seen some shamanic reiki practitioners that spirit travel via trance and then do reiki. They may or may not have their own symbols. It's possible to make almost any symbol work for you so long as you cultivate correct intent to the shape of its energy.

 

From my experience with multiple lineages of any energy system it's best to practice as you were taught until you can teach the style yourself. Best not to practice hodge podge pieces from different systems and keep them coherent and practiced at separate times. It's like trying to tune into multiple radio stations at once. At best you'll get multiple voices talking over each other and normally all you'll get is a bunch of static. From there you can develop your own style but ask permission - some schools will even show you how to form your own egregore so you can attune others later. Some schools will teach certain things at certain times. I know of a local jujutsu school that requires all their black belts to be reiki 1+2 at least.

[GreytoWhite]

I was skeptical at first as I am about almost anything. So I gave them a try have really gained some benefit from these manuals and attunements from Love Inspiration.

https://www.loveinspiration.org.nz/usui-reiki.html

[lifeforce]

18 hours ago, GreytoWhite said:

I was skeptical at first as I am about almost anything. So I gave them a try have really gained some benefit from these manuals and attunements from Love Inspiration.

https://www.loveinspiration.org.nz/usui-reiki.html

 

Thank you for sharing. These are excellent resources.

As someone who has had a reiki healing session, I can attest to it's validity. For me, I believe it opened up powerful psychic channels.

I've wanted to learn it for myself for years, but just never got around to it. 

[GreytoWhite]

I think these guys are the bee's knee's on distance attunements. Great stuff. I've done a few other YouTube video attunements since and Love Inspiration still feels like the best resonance. I had to find more traditional versions of the characters though - my reiki guides were quite upset by the approximation of the kanji. I'm thankful I had more traditional version of Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen already. I'm working on the symbols for Usui 3 now.

[Dynasty]

There's a place near me that does free Reiki every Tuesday night.   Free as in they don't charge. I'm not quite sure what the catch is. It's at a church, so perhaps they are just volunteering for good karma.

 

I went there tonight, and the reiki woman was fairly strong.  Interestingly,  noticed my breathing rate dramatically dropped. I was counting up to 25 seconds between breaths. 

 

All in all, my mood took a massive turn for the better. 

 

[moraldilemma]

I'm sorry to bump this old thread but it might be helpful. Been doing Metta (Loving-Kindness) meditation recently and I realized that the energy I felt from that is the same energy I feel while doing Reiki. It may not be the same species, but it's definitely in the same genus. Looked for some evidence as to it's effectiveness and, lo and behold, it has pretty much the same benefits as Reiki:

 

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/feeling-it/201409/18-science-backed-reasons-try-loving-kindness-meditation

 

Yeah, this is free and anyone can do it! After spending hundreds of dollars and hours on reiki classes and books it seems like the right thing to do to tell people about this. Just saying, you may be saving a lot of dough by practicing metta instead

 

[freeform]

52 minutes ago, moraldilemma said:

Just saying, you may be saving a lot of dough by practicing metta instead

 

And avoid the xie qi (pathogenic Qi) that always gets transmitted between reiki healers and their clients (in both directions).

[johndoe2012]

19 hours ago, freeform said:

 

And avoid the xie qi (pathogenic Qi) that always gets transmitted between reiki healers and their clients (in both directions).

 

Is that your perception? 

 

It depends on the method of energy exchange. 

 

I wouldn't be worried about this issue as clearing your field is so easy. 

[johndoe2012]

20 hours ago, moraldilemma said:

I'm sorry to bump this old thread but it might be helpful. Been doing Metta (Loving-Kindness) meditation recently and I realized that the energy I felt from that is the same energy I feel while doing Reiki. It may not be the same species, but it's definitely in the same genus. Looked for some evidence as to it's effectiveness and, lo and behold, it has pretty much the same benefits as Reiki:

 

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/feeling-it/201409/18-science-backed-reasons-try-loving-kindness-meditation

 

Yeah, this is free and anyone can do it! After spending hundreds of dollars and hours on reiki classes and books it seems like the right thing to do to tell people about this. Just saying, you may be saving a lot of dough by practicing metta instead

 

 

Same and sameness is not the same. 

 

Manifested energy can have different properties. Meaning different lineages transmit different energies. Like a dog is not a cat. 

 

Though in the end it is from the Self to the Self. 

[GreytoWhite]

Reiki does not have xie qi so long as one is properly channeling and staying open to the medicine buddha's guidance throughout your session and not interjecting your own intent upon the session. Stay within what the client asked for, stay empty, and let the guides do the work. Speaking of metta - I recently did a Celestine Reiki session with Emperor Rohan, Empressa Majelda Lei, and the Chancellor guiding me through the various levels of the system until I was doing metta along with Celestine healing for the whole planet. It was an amazing experience to feel compassion spread from continent to continent and from ocean to ocean. I'm almost done with the first Love Inspiration volume.

[Earl Grey]

Oh boy, self-initiation with Reiki.

 

Reiki is itself already a very loaded practice to me due to the politics of Reiki schools that show the ugly nature of capitalism with spiritual practice and healing.

 

On the one hand, I love Reiki and am thankful for my teacher whom I met in Cambodia, who had dedicated his life to teaching it. 

 

On the other hand, I do not like what Reiki has become in many places with a few examples of what I disdain from the practice and many of its practitioners. 

 

I'll share some stories that color some of my criticism. 

 

In one example, a friend of mine in Nevada told me how it was part of a yoga package where they'd offer her extra Reiki attunement for their special skill called "Reiki for prosperity and yogic blessings" to the tune of $8,000 (eight thousand) US Dollars. This alone should already raise some eyebrows, but people did sign up for this. 

 

Another example was someone who did Reiki levels 1 and 2 simultaneously on the same day over Skype because he liked the energy of level 1 [note: I was taught that it's best to let six months pass between the first two levels and ideally 2 years or more from level 2 before going to level 3]. 

 

And then there's someone who became a Reiki "master" (level 3) after a month of starting her Reiki practice. 

 

Or, someone who started making up their own symbols and combining it with chaos magick. 

 

I disdain the idea of attuning yourself via a video, a DVD, or a book. I also disdain the idea of people promoting prestige that they do not have, and thus encourage my own students to discern the possibilities of teachers whom they can learn from.

 

Oh yes, I do teach and attune too, but I don't do it via distance and I don't make anyone beholden to me. I also give them a thick manual for a couple weeks of training that drills in ethics and how to avoid the McDonaldsization of energetic healing systems.

 

I've only attuned one or two people though and don't really care to do it unless someone is already a student of mine in internal arts and really wants to do it. A classmate of mine after Level 3 started calling herself a master and had no prior teaching experience before attuning people to level 1, but in this part of town where I'm from, she's going against the formal group guidelines of what is required to teach (at least a year of apprenticeship overseeing another qualified teacher attune others and healing a certain number of people as well and that can take up to a year). 

 

What I will say is that I appreciate the sincerity to heal others even if the manner in how people seek to become qualified and trained to heal is something I don't totally agree with, such as by a YouTube video or self-initiation. 

 

Depth of understanding and guiding plus lineage transmission--all very important, plus a good teacher to guide your own development are hammered into me, even if we are trying to "democratize" the playing field. 

[johndoe2012]

Earl Grey

 

I can understand what you are saying but bad and good is coupled together so nothing is 100% bad. Also everything is an appearance so it is basically Divinity disguised as bad.

 

The book I have shared a link to in this thread is actually the opposite of McDonaldsization as the Reiki crystal that is imparted is handed down directly from the founder, Mikao Usui and is a way around the traditional Reiki schools.

 

I am part of another lineage where the founder decided not to do only distance transmission due to wanting to build a community around the lineage. The community members can then help each other in both sharing stories and healing each other. I think this is a good approach.

 

[Earl Grey]

3 hours ago, johndoe2012 said:

bad and good is coupled together so nothing is 100% bad

 

Strictly speaking from a perspective of duality rather than polarity, this is still not related to the actual opinion I have criticizing this, which is that simply put, we don't do multi-level attunement back-to-back or by distance. In my Reiki lineage, this is true, and in my martial lineage, I still need to travel in person across the ocean to get that from Flying Phoenix or my Taijiquan and Xin Yi Liuhebafa teachers.

 

You can learn some things and some can be transmitted, but in person is often the limitation unless someone is high level enough to do so (often through dreams like Nan Yun or some Tibetans written about by Alexandra David-Neel), and those are rare individuals in rare conditions required of both the student and the teacher. 

 

3 hours ago, johndoe2012 said:

the Reiki crystal that is imparted is handed down directly from the founder, Mikao Usui and is a way around the traditional Reiki schools.

 

Never heard of it and I've heard many people claiming to come from prestigious lineage--one person PM'ed me and said he was attuned from the True Source of Reiki (his emphasis on capitalization, not mine). I do come from Usui lineage too and William Lee Rand was my teacher's sensei, but I couldn't care less about Rand the businessman---I stick to the foundation I was taught distance is not permitted or possible. 

 

Here's the link: https://www.reikiwebstore.com/ProductPage.cfm?ProductID=296&CategoryID=2

 

Quote

We do not recommend the use of distant attunements, attunements from a DVD or over the Internet as our experience indicates they lack effectiveness.  We strongly recommend that you receive your attunements in person from a reputable Reiki instructor, and preferably as part of a Reiki class.

 

3 hours ago, johndoe2012 said:

I am part of another lineage where the founder decided not to do only distance transmission due to wanting to build a community around the lineage. The community members can then help each other in both sharing stories and healing each other. I think this is a good approach.

 

Sounds like you respect your teachers and their lineage. Fair enough. I don't agree with some things you do, but at least you're out to heal, and the world could always use more healers. 

Edited August 14, 2019 by Earl Grey

[Desmonddf]

I'm a Reiki Master in a few Reiki Systems.  I'm also an acupuncturist and have had some experience with non-reiki forms of healing through the hands.

 

So, here are the problems :

 

1- No, Reiki isn't something everyone has. Reiki is like a direct connection to a certain kind of energy we call "Rei (heavenly) Ki (energy)". It is the Heavenly Energy connected to organization, cleaness and vigour.

To achieve THIS energy you'll first need to know what to look for. Saying "anyone can use Reiki" without attunement is like saying "anyone can find gold in Alasca".

 

Anyone can channel Reiki as long as they are properly attuned... but that isn't correct in all of its entirety as well. One needs to clean themselves first. Time will bring skill on this, but both the amount and the effectiveness of the Reiki you channel are heavily dependent on your own energy-manipulation and self-cleansing skills.

 

If you have no talent for this, it can take you years to get there.

 

 

 

 

2 - Most people who are "Reiki Givers" can't do shit.

 

I've grown tired of people saying they are able to use Reiki and being unable to heal a single broken nail. The most I've managed until today was to heal hot oil and coffe burns, but I've nonetheless managed to do it. The burn was there, I applied Reiki on it, oppened the smaller side-meridians related to the region, and the burn simply went away.

 

Most especifically, I was deep-frying some dough and one of them exploded a few drops fell on my face. It hurt like hell, but I tried using Reiki and managed to see, with my own eyes, the red burn marks fading away in seconds.

 

I treated one of the burn marks and left the other untreated. The treated one went away and the untreated one created a bubble.

 

If you're going to "Healing Reiki" sessions and can't find yourself improving except by the relaxation of staying one and a half hours laying in a bed with soft background music.... it's just that most people cannot channel Reiki effectively.

 

They might be channeling an insuficient amount of Reiki, or plainly not channeling any at all.

 

The Reiki Therapeuts I've found which did had results had to follow quite a hectic life. No drinking, no smoking, most of the times no meat, no sex... yeah, it isn't that easy.

 

 

 

 

3 - If you're taking your time to heal someone, you're at least in the right to demand payment.

 

Ok, Reiki is an universal energy which "belongs to everyone" (I strongly disagree, it belongs to the Heavens, not to People). But what about the hour and a half the therapist will spend treating you?

What about all of the effort and study they put to reach the stage of being able to treat you?

 

What about the consequences they will have to face after treating someone, usually involving having to deal with all the energetic shit people expell during sessions, and which cling to you like old sewage?

 

What about karmic ties which form during some sessions, and worst, when the therapist is a newbie or have found something beyond their skill, and takes part of your karma from you by mystake?

 

What about the help the therapist will have to give YOU after the sessions? Who will have to deal with the unbalances on your life once things like carthasys and expontaneous regressions happen and you need someone to talk to at 5 a.m. ? (true story).

 

All of that either should  grant you the position of a disciple in front of a master you'll obey and live for during your life, or payment - depending on if you want a more spiritual connection or a commercial one.

 

Giving Reiki for free is just arrogance and irresponsability.

 

That said, the story I was told was that Usui indeed charged for Reiki - seen as most people gave it no value and didn't treat it seriously without money involved. Something is happening again with people going to parties and then saying "oh, you have a headache? I'm a Reiki Giver, I can help you!" and then putting they hands on someone's head after having drank, eaten processed foods and a lot of other crap.

 

Indeed, I still hung my head low when I see people being initiated in Reiki 2 or even 4 (!!!) which aren't able even to feel the energy on their hands or do an energetic scan (byosen) on the patients. It makes me want to bury my certificate.

 

 

And so on.

 

Edited August 26, 2019 by Desmonddf

[johndoe2012]

It is always very interesting to see people demanding your time is worth zero ie your sessions should be free while they are fine earning money on a regular job. 

 

Double standard, anyone?