What is Reiki?

Reiki stands for spiritual wisdom and life force energy. It is an energy work practice used for healing and was discovered in the early 1900s in Japan by Dr. Mikao Usui. Shortly after that, he started teaching and practicing Reiki and guiding others on how to use this type of energy work.

A closer look into Reiki 

In Kanji, the ‘Rei’ in Reiki represents spiritual wisdom and is broken up into three parts: the higher consciousness, the earth, and the human body. ‘Ki’, on the other hand, is our life force; our energy field.

The word ‘ki’ is used in other cultures as well. You'll hear chi from China and from over 4000 years of Chinese practitioners and healers; Prana is the word used in Sanskrit; Ti or Qi is also the same word in Hawaiian for life force energy; and finally, in the realm of science, it is known as biofield energy. 

Energy and how reiki works

Lifeforce energy is present in all matter known to the universe; we all have it and we all have the potential to sense it. Reiki is simply being able to use that life force energy that we have for spiritual healing. It can help protect us from giving away our own energy and picking up energy from other people.

Reiki energy works through healing your energy systems. It works through healing your auras which are different layers of energy fields that radiate off of our bodies. It works through healing your chakras which are cycles of life force that are within us.

What’s good about Reiki energy is that you can't mess it up—there’s no way to do it wrong. It's something that we all intuitively have and can learn. It also won't deplete your energy system. To become a Reiki practitioner, you become attuned by a Reiki Master. During the attunement process, a Reiki Master will attune the student and attune their chakras so that they can open up their energy systems which allow them to channel Reiki energy.

Reiki is an alternative form of healing

Reiki is a great addition to any healing that you may need; whether it's mental, spiritual, even physical. Obviously, if you need stitches, go get stitches! But Reiki can help speed up the process of healing.

If you do get Reiki treatment by a practitioner, keep in mind that everyone has different experiences. While in treatment, you may see visions, images, colors, etc. You may feel tingling in certain areas—and that's just the energy flowing through you and clearing out any blockages.