So, What Exactly Is Reiki?

By Ana Maria Sanchez

Reiki is a Japanese word to describe a system of en-lightenment. It's an alternative hands on healing technique. The word reiki itself can be broken down into 2 parts. Rei refers to universal life force energy. It's that higher mind, that higher consciousness that's filled with unconditional love, compassion, peace and wisdom. Some call it God others just Creator Source or Cosmic Energy. Ki is the actual transmission of that life energy into the recipient's body. So reiki involves the exchange of energy between practitioner and patient to restore mental, physical, emotional and spiritual health.

There are 6 sacred symbols that are given upon each level of initiation for attunement. I use these for my own healing and when administering reiki to others. Level 1 there is none given. We just learn about the history of reiki. Level 2 you receive 2 symbols. The Power Symbol, "Choku Rei" which is employed as a seal of protection and The Mental-Emotional Symbol, "Sei He Ki" which is employed to deal with mental emotional issues such as anxiety, depression, fear, stress, past trauma and addictions. Level 3 is Mastership and you receive 2 further ones. The Distance Symbol, "Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen" which is used to send reiki to people, places, animals, situations, events and even the past, present and future and the Master Symbol, "Dai Ko Myo" traditionally only used to attune someone in becoming a Master but I have been guided to also use this when giving treatments.

The 5th and 6th symbols are given when one is to become not only the Master but the Teacher, as well. Aum for Peace and Raku for Grounding. In due time, the drawing of the symbols over a patient's body no longer needs to take place. The energies become so much a part of you that all one has to do is think about them and they are there. They take on a life of their own. At some point, you just mesh as one with them. You start to see them at all times with your 3rd eye vision.

There are prescribed areas of the body where the hands are laid upon for up to 3-5minutes. The crown chakra, the 3rd eye chakra, the ears, the throat chakra, the heart chakra, the solar plexus, the root chakra, the knees and the feet, as well as the backside of the body. A chakra is a spinning vortex of vibration, light and energy. They are force centers within and around our bodies that receive energy from the cosmos which transmit, generate and store within our body and back out. We are basically a powerhouse of energy that's constantly whirling around. It's when things start to spin out of control, quite literally, that people come in for rebalancing.

Reiki healers balance out the human energy field when it gets taxed. Through the use of a magnetogram, which in its most basic definition is simply an image taken by an instrument to detect the strength and location of a magnetic field. It has been proven that every cell, tissue, organ has its own pulsating electromagnetic field. When they are healthy they pulsate at a certain range of frequency. For example nerve tissues when healthy pulsate at 2hz, bones 7hz, ligaments 10hz and the heart a whopping 15ft out! Every aspect of the human body, mind and emotions is connected to and affects each other. If someone is too stressed it may show up in the body as perhaps heart disease or kidney stones. If they are feeling a sense of humiliation, depression perhaps as thyroid dysfunction.

The hands of healers have been found to produce strong pulsating electromagnetic fields whereas the hands of non-healers do not pulsate. When a healer begins to treat someone we get into a state of intention, commitment and focus. It is our intention to help restore you back to health. We are basically setting your body back to its correct frequency returning you to homeostasis, to balance, so you can vibe right.

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