| Over the past ten years, the world of Western Reiki | | | | much more intuitive as a result, since the emphasis |
| has undergone rapid change. In fact, not since Iris | | | | on the meditative element makes them less 'heady' |
| Ishikuro disobeyed Mrs Takata by making the Master | | | | than their Western equivalent. |
| Level commonly available has anything of the like | | | | As a rule, there are no set positions, with a |
| happened (Mrs Takata had decreed US $10,000 to | | | | practitioner moving intuitively from one place to the |
| be the going rate for the course, thus putting it out | | | | next (unlike the method Mrs Takata taught which |
| of most people's reach). | | | | involves students using a set of fixed hand positions). |
| While there are several plausible reasons for this | | | | Mantras and Symbols |
| change - the advent of the Web, a growing number | | | | In Western Reiki, the mantras and symbols are |
| of teachers etc. - the principal cause is almost | | | | primarily used to strengthen healing. If the practitioner |
| certainly the rediscovery of Reiki's Japanese heritage. | | | | feels that more energy is needed on a certain part |
| This has led many practitioners to question much that | | | | of a patient's body, for instance, the Power Symbol |
| was previously taken as 'gospel', and delve more | | | | can be drawn to intensify the Reiki energy. The |
| deeply into a practice they soon learnt was not just | | | | mantras and symbols are generally used together - |
| a healing system, but also a way of life. | | | | the mantras being repeated after the symbols are |
| The Problem with Western Reiki | | | | drawn. |
| The Reiki almost everyone practices in the West | | | | In Japanese Reiki the symbols have a role of lesser |
| was passed on - in one way or another - from Mrs | | | | importance. Indeed, the best way to describe them - |
| Takata (a student of Dr Hayashi who, in turn, was a | | | | according to Frans Stiene - would be something like |
| student of Mikao Usui, the founder of Reiki). Her | | | | 'training wheels'. While a beginner practitioner has a |
| style of Reiki has proven a great success and helped | | | | less reliable (or weaker) connection to the Reiki |
| millions of people around the world. This is | | | | energy they will be used; but as soon as the |
| indisputable. | | | | practitioner has learnt to embody the energy of the |
| But is it true to Usui's original system of Reiki? And, | | | | symbols they will be let go of. |
| more importantly, is it as effective as what Usui | | | | Furthermore, the symbols are used more for the |
| originally taught? | | | | practitioner's sake than the client's. They are not |
| The answer, I believe, is 'no', and the reason is that | | | | drawn on the client so that he or she can receive |
| Mrs Takata focused too much on the healing | | | | 'more energy'. Rather, they are drawn by the |
| component of Reiki. For her Reiki was - at least | | | | practitioner so that she, herself, can better embody |
| primarily - a hands-on healing technique; while for | | | | their energy. |
| Mikao Usui it was something much grander: a path to | | | | Another key difference between the two Reiki |
| Enlightenment. | | | | systems is that in Japanese Reiki the mantras are |
| Before I elaborate on this point, it should be noted | | | | often used on their own. They are generally chanted |
| that the difference in emphasis is not surprising given | | | | with the aim of strengthening certain energy centres |
| the way Mrs Takata and Mikao Usui found Reiki. | | | | (for instance the CKR mantra - that is pronounced |
| Mikao Usui arrived at Reiki after a life of meditation, | | | | slightly differently to normal - bolsters the hara, or |
| martial arts and (Tendai) Buddhism; Mrs Takata found | | | | second chakra). |
| it after she sought a solution to several life | | | | Students will spend months - maybe even years - |
| threatening health problems. | | | | chanting these mantras, working their way from one |
| As a result, Usui saw Reiki in the context of | | | | to the next only when their teacher deems them |
| Buddhism (and hence, Enlightenment); and Mrs Takata | | | | ready for the next one. |
| saw Reiki in the context of healing. It is therefore | | | | Traditional Meditation Techniques |
| only to be expected that the way they taught Reiki | | | | As a rule, traditional Western Reiki neglects |
| differed substantially. | | | | meditation practice. Sometimes meditation techniques |
| The Five Building Blocks of Reiki | | | | involving the visualization of the Reiki symbols are |
| Reiki, as taught by Usui, consisted of five principal | | | | taught, and students are usually encouraged to be in |
| parts: | | | | a meditative state when practising Reiki; but |
| - Attunements | | | | systematic meditation is seldom part of Western |
| - Healing | | | | Reiki. |
| - Mantras and Symbols | | | | For Usui, on the contrary, meditation was a genuine |
| - Traditional meditation techniques | | | | cornerstone upon which Reiki developed. Using |
| - Reiki precepts | | | | particular meditation techniques - in particular |
| All five parts are seen to work symbiotically together: | | | | breathing into the hara - students learnt to focus |
| one part strengthening the other in a bid - ultimately - | | | | their mind, strengthen their energy and merge with |
| to find Enlightenment. | | | | the true Self. |
| In Western Reiki (as taught by Mrs Takata) many of | | | | Since Reiki - as we have said - was for Usui a path |
| the five components are either lost or greatly | | | | to Enlightenment, then moving more deeply within |
| weakened. They all exist, sure, but the emphasis - as | | | | oneself was the most important thing one could do. |
| we have explained - is on the healing. Everything else | | | | As such, it is hardly surprising that Usui taught |
| is useful only insomuch as it helps this. | | | | meditation for many years before teaching the |
| The Quest for Enlightenment | | | | healing component of Reiki. |
| Since Reiki, for Usui, was not principally about healing | | | | Healing the body is great, for sure; but healing the |
| (in fact, he only bothered teaching hands on healing in | | | | mind (through meditation) is more important still. |
| the last few years of his life!), then it is worth | | | | Reiki Precepts |
| examining how it fits in with the goal of | | | | The Reiki precepts are taught in both Western and |
| Enlightenment . In particular, it is useful to re-examine | | | | Japanese Reiki and, to some extent, are important to |
| the five building blocks of Reiki to see how traditional | | | | both. The main difference between the two systems |
| Usui Reiki differs in emphasis from that handed down | | | | is how they are used. |
| by Mrs Takata. | | | | While in Western Reiki the precepts are often |
| The Attunements | | | | understood on an intellectual level, Japanese Reiki |
| The attunements are for the most part used in a | | | | aims to understand them in a more intuitive, |
| similar way in both Western and Japanese Reiki. Their | | | | non-rational way. Practitioners meditate on them, |
| purpose is to connect the aspiring practitioner to Reiki | | | | trying to understand with the 'gut', not the head. In |
| energy. The principal difference is that in Japanese | | | | this way, it is hoped, they can more fully embody |
| Reiki the attunements (reiju) are not a one off thing. | | | | the principles (in both actions and spirit). |
| Rather, they are performed over and over again to | | | | When the principles are understood with the head |
| help maintain one's connection to the Reiki energy. | | | | alone, students will generally find that they do not |
| In fact, in Usui's time, it was even common practice | | | | greatly influence their actions. |
| to perform reijus each time Reiki practitioners met as | | | | Conclusion |
| a group. | | | | Due to the multiple developmental influences on |
| Healing | | | | Western Reiki - for instance, Indian, Tibetan and |
| As we have already said, healing for Usui was not so | | | | Egyptian to name just a few - it is impossible to |
| much an end in itself as a path to Enlightenment. | | | | make any statements that are valid for all of its |
| Through healing you entered into a deep meditative | | | | forms. |
| state that led to a closer connection with the true | | | | That said, it is nevertheless true that on the whole, |
| Self. | | | | Japanese Reiki is principally a path to Enlightenment, |
| That is not to say that the healing component wasn't | | | | while Western Reiki is a path to healing. This, it could |
| valued. After all, Usui himself spent much time healing | | | | be argued, is the main difference between the two |
| people (sometimes even doing so for days on end - | | | | systems. |
| for instance after the 1923 Tokyo earthquake). The | | | | (Note: This discussion should be seen as a general |
| point is simply that healing was of secondary | | | | one. In other words, as accurate as it will often |
| importance. It was the spiritual state of an individual | | | | prove to be, many Reiki practitioners and systems |
| that truly mattered. | | | | will not conform to the 'norm'. |
| Not surprisingly, Japanese healing sessions tend to be | | | | |