What is Reiki and how can it boost your health and wellbeing? We speak to Sonya at Mendip Reiki Healing Arts to find out!

What is Reiki & where did it originate?

Reiki means ‘Universal Life Force Energy’ in Japanese. It’s thought to be developed in the early 1900s by Dr. Mikao Usui, yet some believe it dates back to ancient Tibet or even when Jesus practised hands on healing. Reiki is a beautiful, natural energy, found all-around us. It is the force that binds all life together and flows within us. Are you feeling the Star Wars connection here? Joking aside, it’s very similar to the ‘force’ described in the film, except we’re not looking to move Jedi spaceships with it! You may have heard of ‘Chi’, ‘Ki’ or ‘Prana’ in other traditions – well Reiki is another term used to describe this ‘Life Force Energy’.

What is a Reiki treatment like?

Reiki is a totally safe, non-invasive method of healing which involves placing the hands on or near the body in order to channel and balance the aura and chakras (energy centres). This then boosts the body’s natural healing ability and brings about balance, harmony & calm to the mind, body, and soul. During a treatment, the client will lie on a couch, on their back, closing their eyes and relaxing. The Reiki therapist will then scan the body for potential energy blocks and then use sacred Reiki symbols and intention to rebalance the energy field. Clients most often report feeling tingles, hot or cold sensations, sometimes seeing colours or received messages. Some

people feel nothing, but rest assured, the Reiki will still have worked its magic!

Why choose Reiki over other therapies?

Because Reiki is purely natural, it is completely complimentary to your body’s way of healing. It is intelligent energy – some believe it is ‘energy guided by grace’, but essentially it will automatically go to where the energy block is in the body. Reiki will also always meet you where you are in your life and only ‘come to your attention’ if you are ready and open to receiving it’s guidance. Reiki works in tune with universal laws and your own energy – it can do no harm. Having said this, it does not replace medical treatment and if you are under medical care, you must always inform your doctor before receiving Reiki. This is because prescribed medication levels can be affected by the Reiki treatment and some ailments may not be suitable e.g. pacemakers might be affected by the energy flow.

Can anyone do Reiki?

I believe everyone can ‘do’ Reiki. But if you want to heal others and become a conduit or channel for Reiki energy it is imperative you are trained by a qualified Reiki Master Teacher. This is so that the sacred symbols are passed down to you meticulously, so the lineage and authenticity of Reiki is kept intact for future generations. Reiki students receive attunements in a Reiki ceremony and also have to learn the 5 Reiki principles before they can progress to practitioner level – it’s a meticulous process.

What next?

If Reiki has caught you eye and you are curios, I would suggest the time is right for you to receive a Reiki treatment from a qualified practitioner. Then afterwards, you can experiment with self-healing on yourself (not others). Of course, this won’t be using the sacred symbols that are passed down in training, but you can still connect with Universal Life Force Energy because it is simply all around us…

Self-heal method

1. Sit quietly, somewhere where you won’t be disturbed.
2. Use your breath to quieten your mind and relax your body – do a few cycles of breathing where you match the number of counts in the inhale and the exhale.
3. Next, place one hand in the centre of your chest (your heart chakra) and the other just below or even on your Solar Plexus (your upper stomach, near the diaphragm).
4. Now visualise being outside in nature, maybe sitting in a woodland glade, with the sun streaming down in between the trees and warming the top of your head. Imagine the golden light travelling through your scull down your neck to the centre of your chest area. Let the warm light mingle and flow a while in your chest.
5. Now imagine that same golden light energy growing outwards and travelling from the centre of your chest, down both arms to your palms. You are now circulating the golden energy back to yourself.
6. Continue to visualise and feel this circuit of golden energy re-vitalising your whole being. You can even extend this practise to include the legs and feet – a whole body self-heal.

When I first learnt Reiki I used to fall asleep at night using this self-heal method. I found it particularly helpful if I felt anxious or needed to feel safe. The more you practise this mindful connection to the ‘Universal Life Force’, the more connected you will feel to the whole of life. You will be amazed at how ‘doors’ will open in your life and how you will start to emanate light and love. After all, Reiki is really unconditional love for all of life, it is born out of love and spreads love.

If you would like to experience Reiki please contact www.mendipreikihealingarts.co.uk or email Sonya at sonya@mendipreiki-healingarts.co.uk to arrange your first treatment.

Namaste

‘Let The Light In Me, See The Light In You’.