Reiki - What It All Be Like

Just because Reiki is not a religion and has no religious affiliations does not mean Reiki cannot be used (and quite effectively) in religion. Care must be taken, of course, so that people don’t get the wrong impression, as some people are instantly wary of anything connected to religion or spirituality.

In Japan, when I introduce Japanese people to Reiki (most have never heard of it) I make sure to keep the kanji from them until they have some idea as to what its all about. Only then will I reveal the kanji, which can be related to graveyards and ghostly energy, and were that their initial introduction, well, you know what they say about first impressions…

When performing a serious healing I am of the opinion that you need all the help you can get, so when you are performing Reiki on someone you should always feel free to add a touch of prayer to the mix if you think it will help (and vice versa).

How to Pray

In these pages we’ve been covering the Reiki side of the equation, but what about the prayer side? Basically, how you pray depends on who or what you are praying to. Some prayers are recitals of static verse, while others are more like conversations where you ask questions, seek assistance, give thanks, etc. These are all based on whatever belief system or religion you adhere to. Some belief systems require folded hands, others closed eyes, others ask you to pray at given times and others that you face a particular direction, again, all based on your religion and your relationship with whoever or whatever you are praying to. You should feel free to use any system that brings the desired results.. whether that be a closer relationship with whoever or whatever you are praying to or another outcome.

Reiki Prayer

Reiki Praying is a special form of and extension of prayer and a special form and extension of Reiki at the same time. As was true in discussions of Reiki & Aromatherapy, Reiki & Reflexology, Reiki & Acupuncture (as well as the other modalities discussed in these pages) it is a blend with far reaching implications. For most, Reiki is much more scientific than religion. A superficial understanding of the Quantum Nature of Reiki Energy should be enough to show that Reiki can be purely based on science and has no belief system associated with it (which is the basis for religion) so the two can work nicely together without fear of stepping on the other’s toes… so to speak.

The long and short of it is that you should not fear (if you’ve a hankering to) using the power of prayer in your Reiki Practice. It can be a strong catalyst and if the person you are treating has a strong religious belief you should, by all means, use that to your advantage.

For further explanation or discussion, your thoughts are most welcome and highly encouraged, please feel free to comment below!!!

With the amount of problems popping up in the world on a seemingly endless basis its quite nice to know there is something that we, as Reiki Practitioners, can do to help. And since every little bit helps, anything we do is for the good. Here are a few suggestions for taking advantage of Reiki’s distance healing capabilities. There are many different ways to perform distance healing, so its up to each individual Reiki Practitioner to decide which is right for them.

Photo Technique

The Photo Technique is my personal preference for doing distance Reiki healing, although I do use others on occasion. To do it, hold a photograph of the person you want to send Reiki to in one hand. Draw the Reiki distance symbol (and any others you wish to use) over the picture, and send Reiki. In my post on Masculine vs. Feminine Energies in Reiki I discussed how the use of the right hand or the left hand in sending Reiki can produce different results. The only way to determine the extent to which this is true is to test it. See how the quality of Reiki energy differs from hand to hand as well as the best applications for that particular quality change.

Some teachers teach that writing the person’s name and location on the back of the photo are helpful, again, try it and see what works best for you. I find this technique also quite useful for sending Reiki back in time to myself at different ages. Seems to me that I used to think of my childhood as, in the words of Winston Churchill, “one damn thing after another”, but recently when I reflect on it, it really doesn’t seem as bad as I once thought it was. Either my memory is choosing to be more selective… or this technique is finally taking root.

Surrogate Technique

Using the Surrogate Technique for sending distance Reiki healing was the most fun for me in the early days. I used one of my daughter’s teddy bears and it came to be known as my Reiki bear. It’s still around, a little worn out, but I still use it from time to time. To do it, sit the surrogate (teddy bears, teddy rabbits (?), or other stuffed animals are all great substitutes, but you can also use other people quite effectively as well). Quite often, when I am performing a hands-on Reiki healing I will simultaneously send Reiki to someone else using the person I am performing Reiki on as a surrogate. This way two people (three… if you count yourself) are getting Reiki at the same time. Pretty neat, hunh?

To do so, just connect to the Reiki energies, draw the distance symbol in the air with your finger and set the intent to send the Reiki energy to whoever (or whatever) you like. I find the power symbol (or master symbol) to help in boosting the energy to make sure they are both getting treated. Setting your intent to send the Reiki healing to both of them is important, otherwise only one of them might be receiving it.

Visualization Technique

The Visualization Technique seems to be the method of choice for more advanced Reiki Practitioners. As the entire process is done entirely in your head I find it takes a bit more effort and concentration than the other methods. Using more physical techniques allows you to easily bring your attention back to the matter at hand, while the visualization technique, as in Reiki meditations, allow your mind to wander and there is a chance of the connection being broken if your mind wanders too far.

To perform this technique, just imagine the person you will be sending the healing to sitting, standing or laying in front of you. Some teachers teach to shrink the image down so that it fits in the palm of your hand while others teach that you just close your eyes and imagine them in front of you in whatever form or position they are currently in. Draw the necessary symbols and send the Reiki. Again, its important to keep your attention from straying, if you start sending the Reiki and then start thinking about dinner… you might lose the connection… especially if your stomach starts rumbling.

Newspaper Technique

I find the Newspaper Technique quite useful for sending Reiki to situations rather than specific people, although both are equally possible. As I’m reading the newspaper, as certain situations (floods, earthquakes, typhoons and other natural disasters) are reported I send Reiki to them. I quickly draw the distance symbol, connect to the situation and let Reiki do the rest. Some days take quite a bit longer to get through the reading as there are so many situations that could use a bit of that unique positive energy that Reiki has to offer.

Reiki Box Technique

Many teachers teach the creation of a Reiki Box for distance healing. I found a perfect Reiki Box in an esoteric bookstore a while back. Its made completely of teak and has rounded sides so that it fits between my palms perfectly. In side it I keep a couple of crystals (which I charge with Reiki individually from time to time) as well as photos, memos with people’s names or specific situations written down, cash (from time to time), and various other objects (power stones, rings, memorial bookmarks, etc.) that I send Reiki to whenever I think of it. To do so, just connect to Reiki, draw the necessary symbols, and send Reiki. Everything in the Reiki box will be effected.

There are countless other techniques for sending Reiki either to others at a distance or sending Reiki back (or forwards in time). If you have a favorite technique, we’d love to hear from you… just click on comments (or no comments, as the case may be) below.

For further explanation or discussion, your thoughts are most welcome and highly encouraged, please feel free to comment below!!!

It’s my pleasure to announce the Reiki Quick Tip Series where I will briefly describe one tip, technique, strategy, method or style related to one of The Three Pillars of Reiki that you might put to immediate use.

Today’s quick tip is about Hatsurei Ho, which you can more read about in my post entitled Reiki’s Hatsurei Ho.

Whenever I go to Hiroshi Doi’s monthly Reiki Shares, they always perform Hatsurei Ho. This is done in time to the Hatsurei Ho track on Doi Sensei’s Gendai Reiki Ho CD.

Whenever the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai holds its monthly gatherings, they always perform Hatsurei Ho. This version differs from the method performs at Doi Sensei’s Reiki Shares as it is the original version as taught by Dr. Usui.

Along with Vibrational Scanning (Byosen Reikan-ho) and the Blood Exchange Technique (Ketsueki Kokan-ho) Dr. Usui himself included Hatsurei Ho as one of the three major techniques for developing one’s Reiki Practice.

Why do these people put such great emphasis on Hatsurei Ho? Not only does it spread out Reiki Energy and Reiki Healing in all directions as it goes, but it is also an excellent way to increase your Reiki power by widening your Reiki channels and expanding your Reiki Energy perceptiveness. On top of that, it also has a built in Reiki Meditation component, so in effect it addresses all three pillars of Reiki in one phenomenal exercise.

If you haven’t tried Hatsurei Ho, I highly recommend it and if you’d like a guide, click on the CD image above and that will take you to Yumiko Natori’s Gendai Reiki Site where you can order the CD and have Doi Sensei and Yumiko Sensei take you through the steps in both English and Japanese and you can listen to it as often as you like. :wink:�

For further explanation or discussion, your thoughts are most welcome and highly encouraged, please feel free to comment below!!!

There seems to be even more craziness than usual occurring of late in this old world and during my daily voyage into the unknown (i.e., my daily Reiki meditation) I believe I’ve stumbled across both the problem… and the solution.

Okay, So What’s The Problem?

I really think there is just too much going on nowadays and that our senses are being bombarded with meaningless tripe at every turn. The result is sensory overload, which is technically a condition usually reserved for mentally handicapped people, but due to the nature of the nonsense we are consistently being assaulted with, it is rendering the normal logical functioning of our brains to be greatly diminished resulting in the inability to distinguish between right and wrong, good and bad and other dichotomous constructs.

Those with a natural ability to deal with all the confusion being met are more inclined to remain calm and rational, while those with a lower threshold for coping with so much nonsense are being affected in profound ways. The media is especially throwing a lot at us, while music (especially forms like rap and heavy metal are so intense that they cause the high logic centers of our brains to completely shut down while it tries to sort things out. Movies are also getting more and more dramatically stimulating and nighttime dreams, which are usually reserved for dealing with the sorting of all this stimuli are not performing their function due to the diminished ability to reach the necessary levels of relaxation during sleep.

Henry David Thoreau said that the secret to a happy life was to “simplify, simplify” but I feel that dropping everything and moving to a lake, while quite an enticing notion, is not very reasonable in this day and age and luckily, Reiki provides a more practical solution.

Okay, So What’s the Solution?

I believe the answer lies in Reiki meditation itself. I’ve been meditating for at least an hour everyday for the past 2 years. In my post on Reiki and Meditation I discussed how there are different types of Reiki meditation and how one must find the type that’s right for them. Previous to my current daily style of meditation, I tried many different techniques and none were the right fit for me, until finally I happened upon the style that is currently taking me where I need to go. Previous to this daily meditation, I was overstressed and couldn’t get the quality of sleep I needed to function the way I needed to. All of that changed when a proper meditation became a part of my daily Reiki ritual.

You see, during the night, our dreams are necessary for sorting and making sense out of our daily experiences. Information is transferred from our minds to a place where they can be dealt with effectively. Then, through the process of dreaming, that understanding is stored in our unconscious minds for retrieval at the appropriate time. With the level of sensory overload being what it is, as well as the levels of stress and unconsciousness, dreams aren’t performing their function effectively and a new breed of mental dis-ease is the result. A daily Reiki Meditation assists the mind in functioning correctly by focusing on the most pressing issues and guiding our minds towards an effective solution.

The key here is in effective Reiki meditation, as opposed to just any meditation. You need the ability to go deep inside and bring those thoughts and ideas circulating in your conscious mind into your unconscious mind where they can be processed. When Dr. Usui recommended putting your hands together in gassho every morning and every evening in contemplation of the Reiki Principles he was referring to proper meditation, wasn’t he? Morning meditation takes vital information garnered form your nightly dreams and brings them into your day’s consciousness while they are fresh on your minds, while evening meditation prepares the thoughts and experiences of the day for the dream state which will attempt to make sense of them.

Science can’t really explain the how’s and why’s of how meditation (or dreaming) works. There have been some honest attempts made towards their understanding but they always reach a point where the mind just goes “bye bye” <technical term> after which it is only guesswork. In fact, the brain is still like a big black box sitting on our shoulders and scientists really have no clue as to how it works. Therefore, the possibility that it may be broken is quite alarming because if they don’t know how it works they certainly can’t really fix it now can they? A daily Reiki meditation allows it to fix itself and perform as it should… and it is quite effective in doing so.

I believe all of this sensory overload, confusion and dis-ease is actually a blessing in disguise. The ability to to rise above the noise and confusion and effectively deal with it all will ultimately take you deeper and deeper into enlightenment, into a place where there are no problems… only challenges… and exciting ones at that!

For further explanation or discussion, your thoughts are most welcome and highly encouraged, please feel free to comment below!!!

The muse struck sooner than I expected… cool! Out of the possible titles for this post (Reiki & Bushido or Reiki & The Art of War or Reiki Samurai or Reiki Ninja) Reiki Samurai is the victor because it seems to encompass the essence of all the others.

What is a Reiki Samurai?

The Samurai Class were the military nobility of Japan during Japan’s extensive feudal period. In the West the Samurai can be likened to Cowboys and/or Knights, and like Cowboys and Knights, Samurai came in many shapes and sizes… although generally they followed a strict code of ethics known as Bushido. Also, as the code of Cowboys and Knights is very Christian in nature with elements of Christianity liberally sprinkled throughout, so too, Bushido is rather Buddhist in nature (and in Japanese the kanji are remarkably similar).

As discussed in my post on Reiki and the Dead, in Japanese Buddhism there is a tremendous amount of crossover with Japanese Shintoism, while in Bushido there is a tremendous amount of crossover with Japanese Buddhism (as well as Japanese Shintoism). For some idea what I’m talking about here, watch The Last Samurai which, while not historically accurate gives a good overall account of true Samurai philosophy in the early years.

Samurai were actually very spiritual and dedicated their lives to the spiritual nature of man. If you read Bushido: The Way of the Samurai you will get an adaption of the Hagakure (written by Tsunetomo Yamamoto)… which was like the original Samurai Bible. In it you can find answers (or perhaps suggestions) to many questions of how to live your life… the Samurai Way. Surprisingly, although written about 300 years ago, the Hagakure is quite full of common sense which applies just as readily today, for example:

Perhaps, like hot water in a kettle, your resolution may become cooler. There is a way to keep it hot. Our unique vows are:

1. Never lag behind in the practice of Bushido.
2. Always be loyal and devoted in the service to your Lord.
3. Do your duty to your parents.
4. Stir up your compassion for all sentient beings in order to devote yourself to the service of others.

These are the keys. Recite these four vows while praying to the gods and Buddha. Then you will not run backwards, but you will be able to double your power and energy. You will go ahead inch by inch like a measuring worm. Even the Buddha and the gods decided on vows before they initiated their pursuits.

The Reiki Samurai, applies these concepts to Reiki, that is, approaching Reiki with a decided dedication and determination so that nothing will stand in the way between you and your Reiki goals.

The Art of War for Reiki

Quite similar in many ways to the Hagakure, although considerably more popular, is the Art of War, by Sun Tzu. Many years ago I read a book (sorry… I forgot the title) which replaced the word war with business and developed a business strategy based on the militaristic principles of the Art of War. Similarly, the Art of War for Women, the Art of War for Talent, the Art of War for Librarians, the Art of War for PC and my personal favorite, The Art of War for the Antiwar Movement, among dozens if not hundreds of others adaptations, have applied the philosophy and its principles quite successfully (if not dramatically).

In the Art of War for Reiki, we are applying the philosophy of Sun Tzu’s Art of War, not in any militaristic sense, but in the sense that we are involved in waging a battle for spiritual freedom, and there is nothing that says we need to lay down and accept what the universe offers without an effort to get as much as we can out of our Spiritual Quest. Dan Millman’s book Peaceful Warrior demonstrates this quite clearly, and I rather enjoyed Nick Nolte’s portrayal of Soc in the movie.

Pacifism seems to be related with the Reiki of the West, as well as to other Buddhist pursuits, but this is not necessarily true of traditional Japanese Reiki… just look at the military leaders that were part of the Original Reiki Movement. Juzaburo Ushida, Kan’inchi Taketomi and Houichi Wanami were all Japanese Admirals who were attuned to Shinpiden by Dr. Usui and went on to become Presidents of the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai (which seems to carry many of their militaristic practices into the current society). Bushido was (and still is to some extent) woven into Japanese culture and society, to separate would not only be a mistake, but would also take a big chunk of Reiki out of the picture.

There is one branch of spiritualism which maintains that you have to prove to the universe that you really want enlightenment before it will be granted. That means that in a sense you have to fight for it. Whether fighting your own lack of motivation or stamina in spiritual pursuits or actually fighting the universe itself for acceptance into the higher realms of spirituality you are actually at war with yourself in order to break the old paradigms in acceptance of the new.

I have no doubt whatsoever that Dr. Usui lived his life with these tenets in mind. I actually believe all of the above to be the true meaning of The Fourth Reiki Principle: Work Hard and as I stated, “you should put an honest effort into everything you do, this involves physical work as well as spiritual work”. One shouldn’t expect enlightenment to be handed to them on a silver platter or bestowed on someone merely because they purchased a Reiki Master Certificate… you have to work for it… and work hard at that (although its not hard work, it does require dedication and persistence).

For further explanation or discussion, your thoughts are most welcome and highly encouraged, please feel free to comment below!!!

One aspect of one’s Reiki Practice lies in making the best possible use of the Reiki skills one has. I refer to this as Strategic Reiki, and although not so difficult, I find it quite invaluable when considering the big picture. I know the idea of Strategic Reiki rings forth with a military and/or business sound, and this might definitely be a turn-off for some, but I do believe that, even though these are seemingly quite removed from Reiki, they do have some worthwhile contributions to make.

One of the most useful business heuristics is known as the SWOT Analysis, which is used in different forms in many areas of business. In a simple SWOT Analysis, you makes a chart listing the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to and/or of your Reiki Practice.

Strengths and Weakness are internal (part of you) while Opportunities and Threats are external (outside forces).

Some examples of strengths of your Reiki Practice are:

• good natural healing abilities
• plenty of time for daily meditation
• highly motivated to develop energetic skills
• good teaching ability
• etc.

Some examples of weaknesses in your Reiki Practice are:

• no time to practice
• little understanding of Reiki energy
• no ability to sense Reiki energies
• don’t care about people
• etc.

Some examples of opportunities for your Reiki Practice are:

• local Reiki share
• well known teacher coming to your area
• good location
• connection to local hospital
• etc.

Some examples of threats to your Reiki Practice are:

• no access to teachers
• no access to regular Reiki Shares
• family/friends against Reiki
• laws against various forms of therapy
  
• etc.

These examples are just a few out of the hundreds or thousands of possibilities that make your Reiki Practice truly unique. A good understanding of these 4 Quadrants is quite helpful in putting things in their proper perspective and lets you know where you should be focusing your energies.

In Reiki on the Run and Reiki Writing I discussed the importance of proper time management. Organizing your time so that you are getting the most out of each day is not only important for Reiki, but for virtually every aspect of your life. Having regular practice times set aside for your Reiki Practice will not only help you to be mentally prepared for upcoming sessions, but will also help to make your practice a habit… and hopefully one that you will have a hard time breaking.

Another important aspect of Strategic Reiki is found in testing, testing, and more testing. Continuously comparing your results against previous results is the only way to know how you are progressing. Its not possible (or wise) to compare your Reiki against anyone else’s and the only true measure is found within. Can you sense the energetic difference between the different Reiki symbols? Can you sense energy blocks in someone else’s aura? Have you tried? Recently? Try again and see if there isn’t a hint of something that wasn’t there before.

The final area I’d like to mention is one I’ve also hinted at in the past (see Reiki for Beginners and The Three Pillars of Reiki, for example) and that is a clear determination of your Reiki goals. What is it you hope to accomplish with Reiki. Or, to put it more dramatically, when you’re dead and gone, how do you hope to be remembered by others in reference to your Reiki Practice? Only through the proper creation of clear, reachable, practical, desirable and realistic goals (did I mention attainable?) can you (A) know where you’re going and (B) know when you’ve arrived.

The aspects of Reiki I’ve discussed here are all basically business approaches to ones personal Reiki Practice. I don’t consider business approaches to one business Reiki Practice to fall under the scope of Strategic Reiki, (rather in Strategic Marketing, Strategic Management, etc.) and so I won’t be going there. On the militaristic side of Reiki I find a tremendous amount of application and will be addressing it in a future post on Reiki & Bushido or Reiki & The Art of War or Reiki Samurai or Reiki Ninja… but I’m going to have to wait until the muse strikes… so stay tuned.

For further explanation or discussion, your thoughts are most welcome and highly encouraged, please feel free to comment below!!!

As summertime entrenches itself ever more deeply into reality, seasonal thoughts increasingly come to mind. You see, here in Japan, the people take the seasons very seriously, as evidenced by the wonderful Waka penned by the Meiji Emperor which Dr. Usui found so profoundly delightful, as well as Basho’s Haiku, which, by the formal rules of Haiku, must each contain a seasonal reference.

Its hard to imagine that Dr. Usui didn’t share the same love of nature and the seasons that all Japanese of his time derived endless pleasure and inspiration from. Its also hard to imagine that seasonal thoughts didn’t permeate Dr. Usui’s Reiki teachings and practices. Its actually rather enjoyable to imagine what kind of seasonal modifications, additions or references he may have included.

In Japan, each month has its own representative flower, which sets the mood for the month, so to speak. Each flower has its own personality, essence and gift. It is quite the common practice to use these as seasonal reminders, with their unique meditations and spiritual connections in many Japanese practices. The energies of the lotus blossom are quite distinct from those of the sunflower and besides the connection to the seasons there is also the connection to nature itself, or Mother Earth, in general which would not have gone unnoticed by Dr. Usui.

Seasonal clothing, seasonal food, seasonal festivals & religious events are all part of the Japanese landscape and culture as surely as tea ceremonies, Ikebana (the Japanese art of flower arrangement) & Sumo, each resplendent with unique seasonal variations, which is part of what makes them so very Japanese.

In Japan, people honor, respect and even worship nature (as that is the domain of the Shinto Gods and Spirits). So I have no doubt that it would have been a central part of the day to day Reiki landscape painted by Dr. Usui… and even though that part of the original Reiki teachings has been lost in the ages, it is not so difficult to image what it might have consisted of, the importance placed upon it and the love that Dr. Usui and the other original Reiki adherents would have had for the majestic splendor and pageantry of the seasons and the seasonal harbingers of all things good that nature so unselfishly bestows upon us.

Now, if I could only manage to remember where I stored the spare ice-cube trays…

For further explanation or discussion, your thoughts are most welcome and highly encouraged, please feel free to comment below!!!

In this post I’d like to compare and contrast the masculine and feminine or yin and yang energies as applied to Reiki.

At many Reiki Shares I’ve attended we form a Reiki Circle where Reiki Practitioners (and other assorted participants) form a circle and stand with their left hands facing palms up and their right hands facing palms down. Reiki then is passed through your downward facing right hand into the upward facing left hand of the person standing next to you at which point then the Reiki Energies are then able to flow around the circle.

Some people can easily sense the flow while others can’t. After a while we switch hand placement so that the left hand is facing down and the right hand is facing up, and those Reiki Practitioners that can sense the energy can compare the quality of that energy as it flows in different directions around the circle.

I always found the energy flowing out my right hand (and subsequently into my left hand) to be of a much stronger, forceful and heavy quality than when the circuit is reversed. This has been explained to me as the masculine Reiki energy or yang Reiki energy (“yo” energy in Japanese). When the energy flows out of the left hand it is of a much more subtle, warm and yielding nature. This has been explained to me as the feminine Reiki energy or yin Reiki energy (“in” energy in Japanese).

In Advanced Yogic Studies the energy is passed up along the sushumna, ida and pingala nadis, rising up through the body and through various exercises they can be forced to meet at the top, creating what is known as the kundalini effect (sorry… I can’t find any evidence of a kundalini effect in Kundalini Reiki) and is considered one of the goals of Yoga, as it leads to enlightenment (and other advanced phenomena).

In applying these masculine and feminine energies in Reiki, the first step is to be able to actually be able to sense these energies. The second step is to be able to actually use them. Being able to notice the subtle differences in energy being passed out your left hand from that of your right hand and “intuitively” knowing which would be more beneficial in which situations is an exciting, albeit Advanced Reiki Technique, but one achievable by everyone, regardless of Reiki level.

Of course, beginners learn to pass the energy through both hands at the same time, which has the same desired outcome, and is all good and fine, but for those interested in taking it to the next level… the door is labeled “Practice”.

For further explanation or discussion, your thoughts are most welcome and highly encouraged, please feel free to comment below!!!

Last night I met up with a few Reiki friends at a pub in Osaka, and so naturally I introduced them to the Reiki Beer Game as discussed in my post on Cooking with Reiki. Not only did the cold beer take some of the sting out of the hot summer night, but it led to a most interesting discussion.

As you recall, in that game, one glass of beer is given Reiki and the players must choose which one it is. After a couple of rounds of repeated failure on their part, the conversation drifted towards a discussion on the difference between guessing and intuiting, which led to some interesting observations.

By my own analysis, the long and short of it is that guessing relies purely on statistics while intuiting relies purely on skill. There are generally two voices simultaneously going on in your head (maybe more, depending on exactly how damaged you really are ). One is the voice that won’t shut up. This is the one that the Chinese traditionally refer to as “Monkey Mind” and it is the one that Zen Practitioners endeavor to permanently silence as their solution to the enlightenment koan. This is where the skill of intuition comes into play… that is, the skill required to ignore, stifle, silence or otherwise void that voice.

The other voice is that of your true self, the one that Victor Frankl discovered in the concentration camps and this is the one that provides the answer to Nisaragadatta’s question of “Who are you?”. When the monkey mind finally shuts up… who is it that notices? That is your true inner self… the one connected to the universal presence or (collective consciousness as Jung put it). This is the one that led Eckhart Tolle to enlightenment through his analysis of the statement “Sometimes I can’t stand myself”. Meaning sometimes I (the true inner self) can’t stand myself (the monkey mind) whereby it is clearly seen that the I and the myself are completely different entities. Perhaps a closer analysis of Descartes’ “cognito ergo sum” or “I think therefore I am” will demonstrate that the I that thinks is different than the I that am… logically rendering the statement incorrect.

Guessing is the process of logical deduction, whereas intuiting is the process of being very quiet and listening for the answer (which isn’t always easy in a crowded bar… although I do think that is the ideal place to practice…because it takes you to a much deeper level if you can focus amidst all the confusion). Intuiting is a skill… I believe we are all born with it, but before long we grow up and learn to reason our way through life rather than trusting the universe to offer solutions.

One of my comrades asked about the difference between men and women in this respect, as it seems that women are generally much more intuitive than men. Actually I believe we are equally intuitive, its just that women tend to listen to the voice more, while men generally ignore (or even blatantly defy) it. Either way, as a skill it needs practice and refining before mastery can be attained.

Other questions came up, such as the right brain/left brain dichotomy, inductive processes vs. inductive processes, thinking vs. feeling or sensing vs. intuiting (in Myers-Briggs terminology) chunking up vs. chunking down (in NLP parlance), concrete vs. abstract thought patterns, biorhythm accuracy, etc. which led to the typical philosophical debates of the type generally reserved for pubs in the wee hours…. after which its all a blur. All of these, no doubt, are related somehow, yet, for our purposes in Reiki the how’s and why’s are not as important as the results we are seeking in techniques such as Byosen Scanning and Reiji, although they make great fodder for our daily meditations.

For further explanation or discussion, your thoughts are most welcome and highly encouraged, please feel free to comment below!!!

Following my post on Distance Reiki I’ve received a ton of email asking me to reconsider my position… so I have…

Generally, the comments received agreed with my position on distance attunements (which is always nice… thank you) and quite a few asked me if Reiki styles that were created with Distance Attunements in mind were not completely acceptable forms of Reiki Training. While Reiki styles such as Hana Reiki, Komyo Reiki & Gendai Reiki were all designed for hands-on (so to speak) attunements, Reiki styles like Sacred Flames Reiki, Threshold Reiki and Karuna Ki as well as non-Reiki systems like MPRUE, Chios and Ra~Sheeba all have strong distance attunement practices embedded, which admittedly, do not detract at all from their authenticity or power.

The main point of most of the emails received was that people want to take Reiki training from me, but do not want to have to travel to Japan to do so. Fair enough! I can understand the importance of such systems and do feel a Distance Reiki Training system might be of benefit to a lot of people, so I will endeavor to find an alternative that doesn’t go against my own Reiki principles…

In the meantime, please stay tuned to these pages for updates as things <technical term> develop.

For further explanation or discussion, your thoughts are most welcome and highly encouraged, please feel free to comment below!!!

I‘ve received a few questions about something called ART or Advanced Reiki Training and if these are the Advanced Reiki Techniques I teach and refer to in the recent poll. The short answer is no, the more detailed answer is…

What are Advanced Reiki Techniques?

In the realm of Advanced Reiki, there are many different opinions as to what exactly counts as Advanced Reiki. In Traditional Japanese Reiki there were only three levels…. and Level Two was basically considered Advanced Reiki. Other Reiki styles have four levels where Level Three is considered Advanced Reiki. Still other styles have a completely separate course called Advanced Reiki. My own opinion is that anything that does not deal with basic hands on healing constitutes Advanced Reiki and it is important to break this down into two distinct areas… Advanced Reiki Techniques and Advanced Reiki Practices.

Non-Reiki Techniques and Practices

Before diving into a discussion on Advanced Reiki, I’d like to take a quick pit stop to talk about Non-Reiki Techniques and Practices. There have been a lot of non-Reiki elements being brought into Reiki, some of which make excellent additions… however, I do feel it needs to be pointed out that there is a very clear distinction between what is Reiki and what is not Reiki.

Additions to the Reiki system such as crystals, stones, essential oils (aromatherapy), Tibetan symbols/energies, drums, dancing, psychic protection, judo-based degrees, yogic siddhis, etc. all have interesting and sometimes wondrous applications… but they are not Reiki. Many new Reiki styles have been created by applying something foreign to Reiki into the Reiki system… which again is all good and fine, and some wonderful and helpful techniques have been introduced… but Reiki did not come from India, Egypt, Atlantis, Tibet or even the Pleiades… it is a simple system developed in Japan. The word Reiki is an original Japanese word, not a translation or transliteration of anything from another country (or world). Not to ruffle anyone’s feathers, but Dr. Usui alone developed the Reiki system… and anything he did not include in his system is simply not Reiki.

Advanced Reiki Techniques vs. Advanced Reiki Practices

Keeping the above in mind, Advanced Reiki Techniques are generally such Reiki techniques as Hatsurei Ho, Zenshin Ketsueki Kokan Ho, and Reiji Ho and such Non-Reiki Techniques (hey, if they work, far be it from me to disclude them) as crystal healing, aura cleansing, chakra balancing and even Shouboshi Ho Any techniques that help you to increase your abilities on any of the Three Pillars of Reiki (Reiki Healing, Reiki Energetics & Reiki Spirituality) qualify and as we all have different styles, one technique may work better for one person than another.

Advanced Reiki Practice refers to a decided path on which to follow Reiki. Those Reiki Practitioners who merely wish to use Reiki for its healing benefits (on themselves and others) are of course free to do so, however, those that wish to take a few more steps up the ladder are also quite welcome to do so if they feel that is their calling. Once they do, they have begun an Advanced Reiki Practice. As discussed in my post on Reiki for Beginners “A Reiki Practice is a regular routine”preferably daily, but one with a clear goal of where you are going and what you hope to accomplish.

So the bottom line is, you don’t need to be involved in Advanced Reiki Practice to make use of Advanced Reiki Techniques. Those techniques are there for anyone to use (and create). On the flip side you don’t really need to make use of Advanced Reiki Techniques in order to be involved in an Advanced Reiki Practice… however, it would sure make it a lot easier to reach your destination.

For further explanation or discussion, your thoughts are most welcome and highly encouraged, please feel free to comment below!!!

This powerful technique is a Hana Reiki original, so as of this moment you won’t find any information about it anywhere but here.

Hana Reiki is my own personal version of Reiki and there are quite a few techniques which I have developed myself after years of playing with its unique energies. This is an advanced Reiki technique, but can be done quite simply at a very basic level.

Shouboshi Technique Basic Application

Shouboshi is Japanese for Fireman and this technique is named for its similarity to the fireman’s handshake, although it is generally applied to oneself, it is also fun to practice in pairs or groups. To apply to yourself, first connect to Reiki, then point your left or right palm outwards (yes it makes a difference… try them both and see if you can notice the difference) and either grab your left wrist with your right hand and your right wrist with your left hand or keep them about an inch apart. You should wind up with your palms over your pulse taking spot.

Once you are in position, just let the Reiki flow. There is a traditional Reiki technique called Zenshin Ketsueki Kokan-ho or Blood Cleansing Technique (which I will discuss at a later time) but I find this Shouboshi technique a fast and easy substitute for quick fixes. By cleansing the blood of toxins, vital energy is released and after a 10 minute treatment you’ll feel like you just slept for an hour.

The veins in the wrists are easily accessible which is why this technique works so well. Not only for cleansing, but for cooling, too. In my post on Summertime Reiki I mentioned that giving “Reiki to the wrists seem to be the most instrumental in actually dropping the body’s temperature” and this technique is an ideal way of doing so.

Shouboshi Technique Advanced Application

The advanced application of this technique is done on several levels. First, is the energy level. Learning to distinguish between your Yin and Yang Reiki energies (or In and Yo in Japan) is an advanced exercise that is not only excellent for increasing your perceptiveness and awareness of the subtle energies associated with Reiki and other forms of energy healing, but also for actually growing your Reiki channels. In this technique all you have to do is switch your hands, i.e., left thumb up or right thumb up. For most people, I’ve found right thumb up to be Yang energy, but I’ve met a few Reiki practitioners where it was reversed.

The other level this works on is based on Ayurveda. I don’t intend to go into detail about that here, but if you do some research on the Ayurvedic Pulse that will point you in the right direction.

Give Shouboshi a try, and remember, as with all Reiki techniques some of the more advanced techniques take quite a bit of practice to get the hang of, but once you do you’ll find them quite powerful and most effective.

For further explanation or discussion, your thoughts are most welcome and highly encouraged, please feel free to comment below!!!

This post is designed with the complete Reiki beginner in mind. No matter what level your certification says you are at… if you are just getting started with Reiki and need a few pointers (or if you are in a Reiki Rut)… read on…

Let’s face it, all people are different (and some are more different than others). We all have our own way of doing things and this is the case with Reiki as well, that is, we each need to find our own legs in regard to Reiki so that we can build a strong foundation on which to build our Reiki Practice. We also have different expectations of what we hope to get out of Reiki and a complete understanding of these expectations is the perfect place to start.

Reiki Goals

The first thing to do when you embark upon your Reiki path is to set your destinations… these are your Reiki Goals. Reiki is a journey of discovery that leads you deeper and deeper into some of the mysteries of life as well as deeper and deeper into yourself. Reiki Mastery may sound like a good goal but its not very clear and its not very specific… so it will not be very easy to attain. Like any journey, you need to set a clear destination so that you know which direction to go in (as well as to know when you’ve arrived).

An example is, if your goal, for example, is to be a master healer, you may wish to:

• Practice healing (whether yourself or others) on as frequent a basis as possible, which again, varies from person to person… (a hint is that the more you practice the sooner you will achieve mastery). Weekly Reiki Shares are quite helpful in achieving this as well as in associating with other, like-minded folks.
• Learn as much as you can about both, Reiki Healing and other forms of energy healing. Reading some of the wonderful Reiki books out there dedicated to Reiki Healing, joining Reiki forums for discussions, continuing your Reiki training with different teachers or different Reiki systems, and of course… constantly returning to these pages to learn as much as you can from them.
• You want to learn a little about other aspects of Reiki, because they can greatly enhance your understanding of Reiki in general as well as enhance your healing abilities. For example, some practice in Reiki energetics can help to grow your Reiki energy channels while some meditation can help in increasing your awareness of various aspects of Reiki Healing.
• Teach Reiki Healing to someone… there is a wise saying that “To teach is to master”. I find this to be quite true. There is another saying (ahem)… those that can’t do, teach and those that can’t teach, teach teachers! I won’t go into that one though… �:lol:
• You also want to have some quantifiable components… things that can be counted… these are great ways to measure your progress. For example, daily self-healing, weekly healing of others, a new book every month, weekly Reiki shares, daily Reiki.WhatItAllBeLike.Com reading and commenting, etc. are all easily measurable so that you can see how you’re doing. If you find the targets you’ve imposed on yourself to be too difficult… change them… find a plan that you are comfortable with and that you can easily (but not too easily) fulfill.

These are all just suggestions if you were on the Reiki path strictly for healing. Similar plans can be designed for any of the other paths you may be on depending on your own individual Reiki Practice.

What’s A Reiki Practice?

A Reiki Practice is a regular routine in which we focus on one of the 3 Pillars of Reiki. Preferably this is a daily practice and there are many components which may be added depending on your Reiki goals. Ever notice how certain professions refer to their jobs as practices? Medical Practitioners, Legal Practitioners, Dental Practitioners and yes, Reiki Practitioners. This indicates that the job is not something that is ever mastered and must be constantly practiced in order to keep up. I know there are some doctors and lawyers who feel they know it all (and dare I say I know quite a few Reiki Practitioners who fill the bill as well) and there are actually now laws in most states where such professionals are required to participate in continuing education in order to keep up with the latest practices and changes. Unfortunately, Reiki has no such requirement… so you may wish to impose it yourself.

A Reiki Practice can (and should) be quite enjoyable. If you’re not enjoying it, you’re not doing it right. Get yourself a deck of Reiki Cards or learn to play some Reiki Games… if you are enjoying the trip you’ll find the journey much more rewarding!!

For further explanation or discussion, your thoughts are most welcome and highly encouraged, please feel free to comment below!!!

I‘ve recently been asked where my inspiration comes from when writing these posts on Reiki. Its a very good question as I believe it applies to much more than just these simple blog posts. The short answer is, of course, from Reiki itself… the long answer is…

Before I start writing I make it a habit to connect to Reiki. This not only puts me in the right frame of mind for such posts, but also connects me to the collective unconscious, or higher consciousness, or the infinite (whatever you’d like to call it) where I, in a sense, have the ability to channel Reiki thoughts, questions, attitudes, etc. Reiki Channeling itself is a practice that can be effectively utilized in ones Reiki practice and I will talk about it in some detail at another time.

One bit of advise that is given to many aspiring writers and attested to by such prolific authors as Stephen King and Ayn Rand and professional writers such as Gary Bencivenga and Clayton Makepeace, is, when staring down that blank sheet of paper (or empty screen in the Internet age) is to just start writing. Just type whatever comes to mind, no matter how ridiculous and keep going. This gets the writing energies stoked and the creative juices flowing and once a momentum is built up you can start writing more coherent and appropriate stuff <technical term> after which you merely delete the nonsense you wrote when you first set to the task at hand.

This strategy not only is the perfect cure for writers block, but can be used in many non-writing situations as well. Many artists also call their muses this way, whether musicians, painters or sculptors, if you just start doing it… you have broken through the obstacle of actually getting started… which is oftentimes the most difficult obstacle to overcome in the first place.

Another strategy is the time management strategy discussed in Reiki on the Run:

Better time management is one way to pack more into your busy day. Lack of a proper schedule not only wastes time, but does not make efficient use of the time that isn?t being wasted. One of my favorite time management techniques is that I keep a kitchen timer on my desk and I allocate either 33.33 or 22.22 minutes for any given project at any given time. These blog posts are a perfect example? 22.22 minutes from start to end. When the next project starts? I reset the timer and away I go.

After a while you get used to your chosen time limit and end up with the ability to accomplish a great deal in a short time because unconsciously you are preparing well in advance of the actual work.

Most other writers, of course, don’t write about Reiki so they need to draw their inspiration from someplace else. For me, connecting to Reiki seems to bring forth the inspiration needed to get started… as well as the creativity to present something (hopefully) worthwhile and specific to building a successful Reiki practice. Give it a try! It really works!!

For further explanation or discussion, your thoughts are most welcome and highly encouraged, please feel free to comment below!!!

Summers in Japan are hot and extremely humid. In fact, the first dose of real summer came today and it got me thinking about what might be done, Reiki wise, to make it a bit more tolerable… and here’s what I came up with…

Give Reiki To The Temples

No, I’m not suggesting you make a pilgrimage to any monasteries, I’m talking about giving frequent blasts of Reiki to your forehead. During Reiki, as you know, the hands tend to get quite warm… and after you remove them there is a coolness that ensues… which is quite nice. Reiki to the temples and Reiki to the wrists seem to be the most instrumental in actually dropping the body’s temperature.

Reiki Spritzer

As discussed in my post on Spray On Reiki, I shared he following technique which is especially helpful in combating the heat:

… fill a spray bottle with water and apply Reiki for 5-10 minutes. Use the power symbol or master symbol if its available to you for extra oomph <technical term>. The Reiki energies attach themselves to the water molecules and disperse through the air (or on your skin) essentially bringing Reiki to whatever it comes in contact with…

Cooling Meditations

I recommend planning your daily Reiki meditations during the hottest part of the day. Body temperatures tend to drop during mediation, so you can kill two birds with one stone… beat the heat and take another step towards immortality. You are meditating every day, aren’t you? �:?:

Mini-Meditations

Short (5 minute) meditations or visualizations interspersed throughout the day are also quite nice, keeping cool rain forests, waterfalls or gentle showers in mind, and are also ideal for keeping your body temperature down. Train rides, waiting in lines, sitting on-hold, etc. are all perfect times for these mini-meditations and make good use out of what might otherwise be wasted time.

Have A Nice Cuppa Tea

My Komyo Reiki teacher, Hyakuten Inamoto, is fond of the expression… ?have a nice cup of tea? and he uses it quite frequently and in many situations. In the case of beating the summertime heat, a nice cuppa hot tea is remarkable cooling. Spicy foods are quite effective as well, and this is evidenced by the type of food that is popular in countries like India, Mexico & Thailand where the temperatures reach excruciating levels in the summer. Chili peppers contain a chemical (capsaicin) that makes us perspire more and as this perspiration (and perspiration caused by the tea) evaporates, you tend to feel much cooler.

Lubricate!

Drink a lot of water… and afterwards… drink some more! Make sure to give healthy doses of Reiki to the water so that the nutrition it is providing is of that unique Reiki variety.

If you have some more suggestions for beating the heat… please share them with us!!!

For further explanation or discussion, your thoughts are most welcome and highly encouraged, please feel free to comment below!!!