What is Reiki?

The knowledge that an unseen energy flows through all living things and is connected directly to the quality of health has been part of the wisdom of many cultures since ancient times. One particular study and practice of this form of energy originates from Japan and is called Reiki. Pronounced "Ray-Key", the term is made up of two Japanese symbols or Kanji. The first, Rei, means universal and refers to spiritual energy. The second, Ki, means the vital life-force that flows through all things. Therefore, Reiki is a Japanese term meaning "universal life-force energy", the energy found in all things, and it is used to describe many types of healing and spiritual work. There are numerous approaches, practices, and expressions of universal life-force energy found around the globe. The equivalent of the word Ki (Key) is called Chi (Chee) in Chinese, Prana (Prah-nah) in India, Mana (Mah-nah) by the Hawaiians, and Life-force by the Essenes. The existence of this life-force energy has been verified by scientific experimentation and science refers to the energy as Bio-plasma or Bio-energy. The scientific community continues to examine the vital role it plays in the functioning of the immune system and the healing process. In simplest terms, Reiki is a technique for promoting present-minded consciousness, relaxation, and stress reduction that allows everyone to tap into a limitless supply of universal life-force energy to improve health and enhance the quality of life.
Reiki / Energetic Bodywork is also one of the preferred modalities that we recommend incorporating into a multiple therapist session.

How do I learn Reiki?
An amazingly simple technique to learn, the ability to use Reiki is not taught in the usual sense. The energy is facilitated by the Reiki Master and activated for the student during an initiation and information process called an attunement. The use of Reiki is not dependent on ones intellectual capacity or spiritual development and, therefore, is available to everyone. It has been successfully taught to hundreds of thousands of people of all ages and backgrounds. Among the many thousands of Reiki practitioners all over the world, most will agree that "universal life-force energy" is only a minimal description of Reiki's extraordinary power. Click here to see a schedule of upcoming classes.

How does Reiki work?
First and foremost, Reiki is an effective tool for self-healing and spiritual evolution. It is also a powerful complementary treatment to any traditional or alternative medical therapy, as well as a wonderful way to give energy and support to family and friends. It can be applied as a self-treatment, in a clinical setting, or used as a simple method to enhance health, the practice of meditation, and emotional well-being. Once an individual has been attuned to the Reiki energy, whenever they focus their intention on the energy and/or place their hands on an area of their own or a client's body, Reiki will flow through them and be made available for treatment. When offering Reiki to oneself or another, the energy first fills the practitioner and the practitioners' energetic field. The practitioner then functions as a tuning fork that both holds and resonates with the Reiki vibrations and frequencies. This resonance generates an awakening of the Reiki energies within the practitioner and recipient and supports them in re-aligning or re-calibrating their vibration to one that is more optimal. In addition to this, as needed, the practitioner functions as a channel or pathway through which the Reiki energy will flow to the recipient and assist them in their process. This energetic resonance and communication may be felt as any type of sensation such as heat, cold, vibration, tingling, a comfortable heaviness, or sometimes as no sensation at all. More often than not, a treatment feels like a wonderful glowing radiance that flows through and surrounds you. A full Reiki treatment takes about 60 to 90 minutes and many have stated that they feel revitalized and newly awakened after a session. Reiki facilitates healing by flowing through the affected parts of the energy field and charging those areas with vital life-force energy. It raises the vibratory level of the energy field in and around the physical body where mis-qualified thoughts, feelings, and energies are attached. This causes the lower vibratory fields to break apart, fall away, and/or re-integrate at a higher, more beneficial vibration. In so doing, Reiki clears, aligns, and heals the energy pathways, thus allowing the life force to flow in a healthy, natural, and optimal way. Because Reiki is guided by the higher wisdom of a universal and spiritual consciousness, it can never do harm, and because the Reiki energy flows through the practitioner, who functions as a channel or conduit for the energy, the Reiki practitioner's energies are never depleted. The clearer and cleaner the practitioner is as a channel for the energy, the greater the flow of energy to the recipient and the more effective the treatments. Reiki always knows what serves a person's highest good and will adjust itself to create the effect that is most appropriate for that individual. One never needs to worry about whether to give Reiki or not - It is always helpful. Reiki has been shown to accelerate a healing response on many levels and has been documented to relax muscles, still the mind, and ease pain. Health professionals all over the world are effectively incorporating the use of Reiki into their individual practices. Click here to register for a class.

Who can benefit from Reiki?
Numerous programs that incorporate Reiki have been created for cancer patients, AIDS patients, those with HIV, victims of war, and hospice care settings, to name just a few. Reiki treats the whole person: body, mind, and spirit. It promotes relaxation and profound feelings of peace, security, and well-being. Many recipients have reported miraculous results. Reiki is both powerful and gentle. In its long history of use it has aided in healing virtually every known illness and injury including serious problems like: cancer, lupus, multiple sclerosis, and heart disease, as well as skin problems, cuts, bruises, broken bones, headaches, colds, flu, sore throat, sunburn, fatigue, insomnia, impotence, poor memory, lack of confidence, severe trauma, etc… Recently, many organizations and professional athletes have recognized the benefits of Reiki and are utilizing it to enhance physical and mental performance, increase energy, reduce stress, and help create optimism. Click here to make an appointment for a Reiki session.

One of the most important things to remember in using Reiki is that it is your birthright. It is a gift of Divine Grace. Through societal conditioning, stress, toxins, trauma, etc… your connection to the energy may have been disregarded, become sluggish and weakened, or simply unacknowledged and forgotten. Through the attunement process and use of the Reiki energy your connection to the energy is re-aligned, expanded, and greatly empowered. By embracing the five principles and practice of Reiki you can consciously commit to walking the path of health and happiness that is your birthright. Click here to register for a class.

What Type of Reiki does Body-Power Therapies Instruct?
The style of Reiki instructed by Body-Power Therapies is based on the Usui System of Natural Healing or Usui Shiki Ryoho. This approach was developed by Mikao Usui, a Japanese doctor. He is credited with uncovering information and techniques about Reiki from ancient manuscripts and then incorporating these into a simple format and philosophy based on his own understanding of and connection to the energy. I have chosen to instruct in the Usui format for three reasons. The first reason is that I wish to honor the tradition in which I originally learned this work. The second reason is that Usui's system has been shown repeatedly to greatly empower the flow of universal life-force energy within the practitioner and recipients. The third reason reason is that the Usui system is a straightforward approach that holds within it the foundation for a greater understanding of all the expressions of life-force energy from around the world. It is my hope that these classes will serve to assist in your journey and allow you to more clearly and efficiently connect with the wondrous expression of this energy as it flows through you and your life. Click here to view our class descriptions.

What abut the Continuing Education (CE) Hours?
The primary intention for creating these classes was and is to honor the universal life-force energy, Dr. Usui, and all those who feel aligned with the path and practice of Reiki. Therefore, these classes are for anyone who wishes to learn a valuable skill and an amazingly powerful form of bodywork that can dramatically enhance the quality of not only their own life, but the lives of those that they work with as well. For those individual already certified and/or licensed to touch for the purposes of health and wellness, each class completed in the Reiki curriculum can count as 12 CE Hours from The National Certification Board of Massage Therapy and Bodywork.

Once I take these classes, can I begin charging money for providing Reiki?
Inevitably, at some point in your training and work with Reiki, this question will arise. There are numerous things to consider when deciding to charge money for your Reiki services. Not only must you determine if your level of training, experience, and competency in Reiki is adequate enough for you to charge for your service, but you must also comply with all of the laws that allow you to do so in your particular area. Each local, regional, and national governmental agency can differ significantly in their requirements for you to promote and provide Reiki as a health and wellness touch modality and/or business. For example, some municipalities and states do not require you to have a certification or license to touch for the purposes of health and wellness, but they do require the necessary business registration, insurance, and tax forms to entitle you to receive monetary compensation for your work. Others will require that you have both the necessary certification or licensure and the required business documentation. Also, each country can have very specific regulations that do not match with those of other countries. Because of the variation in regulation from location to location, please verify and comply with the laws and regulations for offering Reiki in your area. When determining the requirements for your area, please know that these Reiki classes are considered continuing education and are not meant as a substitute for the primary or core curriculum often required by governmental agencies to obtain the necessary certification, license, or permit.


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