Reiki

What is Reiki?

Reiki is a Japanese energetic practice and spiritual way of life that enhances physical wellbeing, harmonizes emotions, and empowers change on multiple dimensions. Its spiritual energy opens the soul, heart and mind – Kokoro – to the greater Universe in a gentle, peaceful way. Your life expands outwards in new ways as your connection with your authentic self deepens. The Great Mystery of Reiki brings heightened awareness. It has to be experienced to be known.

“Reiki is an initiation into an amazing energy source that lets flow to you harmony and joy. It is a practical way to learn self-healing that also helps others, is easy to acquire and lasts a lifetime. Its spiritually guided energy works together with your existing beliefs and values….it is not a religion and does not try to tell you what to do or that it is “the way.”

It just simply and safely offers you a method of being in the world that reduces stress and overcomes painful physical, mental, emotional and existential issues that keep you from being fully present. But more than this, Reiki is a way of being that directly connects you with your Higher Self, and this allows you to express your authentic nature. It is a voyage of discovery that guides you along your path in ways that you can only believe once you have experienced it” (Settin, 2003).

Reiki is Harmony. “We are multidimensional beings — not separate physical, emotional and spiritual parts — we are greater than the sum of our parts, an amazing energetic vibrational network. There is no linear time or space. So the whole deal is about balance (not about polarity, about equilibrium) so that there is not too much energy (Qi or Chi) or too little, for optimization of your unique energy system. In Eastern medicine, it would means the free flow of energy in the meridians, the yin-yang of living energy, the harmony or resonance among many disparate parts that exist in any well-functioning system” (On Healing, 2008)

 Being in the Flow - Monhegan Island, Maine. ©2007 Gianna Settin

Reiki supports self-healing and allows space for discovery. ‘Having experienced many other forms of spiritual, hands-on, and distant healing from the time of a teenager, I have to say that Reiki is the most gentle, reliable and transformational kind of healing I have ever known. I feel gently supported by Reiki. Whether giving or receiving a treatment or training, I am also having my energy harmonized and invigorated at the same time. Clarity of understanding and awareness occur during and after treatments that do not require mental activity or “meditation.” Intractable emotional issues start to resolve without “working” on them. Sometimes the effect is immediate, sometimes a subtle change over a few days or weeks. Sometimes the change is difficult – yet it always brings about necessary outcomes. The point is: something always happens after a Reiki treatment or attunement! It offers a positive way to deal with life on life’s terms” (Settin 2004).

Reiki is grounding. “Perhaps the most important thing that Reiki has done for me is to have brought a solid, irrefutable sense of grounding into my existence, no matter what is happening. It has consolidated all of my experiences into a frame of reference that has given me the ability to manifest what is right for me in this lifetime. There are other grounding influences in my life as well that help me on my path (such as gardening, walking the dog, washing the dishes, my family) – Reiki is not the only one. But it focuses me in a way that transforms me where ever I go. In my personal life, I have more energy every day for the things all of us engage in to live: survival (“career/work”, food, shelter); relationships; creativity. Without this kind of grounding, I do not think I would have the joyful renewal of energy (healing) that I experience every time I give or receive love” (Settin, 2009).

Reiki facilitates connection to the Higher Self. “Since Reiki I have developed a level of trust in my Higher Self that surpasses anything I previously knew in this lifetime. My background in Catholicism and Tibetan Buddhism combines easily with Reiki to the point where I do not now identify myself with any one belief system. Reiki is a unique waveform of Universal energy and a powerful spiritual catalyst that seamlessly interfaces with one’s Higher Self. For me, Reiki is different from some other forms of healing because it works along with and draws inspiration from (not trying to change or alter) my beliefs and values. No matter who you are: young, old, atheist, agnostic, believer in God as your understanding guides you, believer in science or mind or nothing at all – it works for everyone. I have seen this proven over and over in the responses of my students and clients. We have in common one thing: we are fellow seekers” (Settin, 2005).