Reiki
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Reiki is said by its practitioners to be a form of complementary or alternative medicine, developed (or rediscovered) during the Meiji period (the late 19th century) by Mikao Usui (usui mikao 臼井甕男) in Japan. It has gained popularity throughout the Western World. Nevertheless, because of the lack of objective evidence for its theories or its results, the scientific establishment considers Reiki to be quackery.
The name Reiki comes from two Japanese characters that describe the energy itself. '霊 rei' (meaning 'spirit') and 気 ki (meaning 'life force energy' in this context). Common translations of the term 霊気 reiki are "aura" and also "universal life force energy."
The Japanese noun "Reiki" has been adopted into English and adapted for use as a verb or adjective. In Japan, however, the term is commonly understood as describing a generic term for "ghostly power" and is not interchangeable with the "Usui Method of Reiki Healing" (in Japanese - "usui reiki shiki ryoho").
Practitioners claim that they are able to act as channels for "Reiki" energy, which they allege flows from the universe through their bodies and primarily from the palms of their hands, to specific parts of their own or others' bodies in order to facilitate healing. Some claim that Reiki energy can also be channelled through other parts of a practitioner's body (for example their feet, fingers, or through their eyes) if they wish to. They say the primary method to focus the desired flow of the energy is the practitioner's intention.
Many scientists, health care workers and others dispute the effectiveness of Reiki, claiming that there are no objective studies confirming the existence of this specific Reiki energy or practitioners' claims that this Reiki energy has the capacity to facilitate healing beyond that expected from the placebo effect. At the same time, a growing number of healthcare workers (medical doctors, nurses, mental health professionals, hospice and nursing home workers, and other healthcare providers) believe that Reiki does appear to have some beneficial effect on the recipient and is a worthwhile inclusion in both professional training and patient care (to wit, registered nurses may earn continuing education units, or CEUs, through the American Holistic Nurses Association, accredited by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, for Reiki training.)
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Theories and practices
In some traditions, Reiki energy is believed to enter the initiate through the 7th (crown) chakra, fill the initiate's aura and flow through her or his hands into the body of the recipient. In other traditions, it is said to enter through the 1st (root) chakra, fill the aura, become centered in the 4th (heart) chakra, and flow out through the initiate's hands. The Reiki energy is said to be "intelligent" energy, which "knows what to do", or "where it is needed". Thus, Reiki adherents say, if the recipient needs it, and is ready to heal, the Reiki energy will go where it needs to for healing. They also maintain that if, on the other hand, the intended recipient does not accept the energy on some level, the energy will not be absorbed. Some traditions teach that Reiki "spirit guides" keep watch over Reiki energy and assist the practitioner. Many teach that any intention to do harm will not facilitate the flow of Reiki energy. The doctrine is that Reiki energy is incapable of doing harm.
"Treatment" is traditionally done similarly to the laying on of hands. The clothed recipient is asked to lie down and relax. The practitioner then acts as a channel for Reiki energy, theoretically allowing the energy to be channelled through the practitioner to where the patient requires it. Usually the practitioner applies his hands to various parts of the patient's body. Some practitioners touch the body or hover their hands above it. Some patients report feeling various sensations: heat, cold, pressure, etc. Practitioners often attribute these sensations to Reiki energy filling the body and aura of the recipient and acting: filling up energy deficiencies, repairing and opening the energy channels (meridians), pulling out "negativity" and dissolving the blockages of stale energy. Others report feeling little or no change.
Reiki is purported to be a form of Oriental medicine and it defines full health as total harmony of body, mind and spirit. Some traditions label these as Body, Emotion, and Soul and are taught the technique said to be for each in that order: Reiki I, Reiki II, and Reiki III (see below).
History
Reiki is claimed to have been "rediscovered" by a Japanese man named Mikao Usui, a Tendai Buddhist. After long meditation, fasting and prayer, Usui claimed to have gained the knowledge and spiritual power to apply and attune others to "Reiki" healing energy through a mystical revelation. While some believers in Reiki claim that access to this energy is fairly limited for the majority of people, they claim that Reiki is available to everyone. Some go so far as to hold that the energy system Reiki flows through and works with is integrated into our basic energy body (or aura) and that every person has the ability to channel this energy. Mikao Usui claimed that he could enable his students to enlarge their access to the energy through certain initiations. Attunement to the energy is said to enhance and refine the ability to connect with this already-occurring natural process. Through such initiations, students become clearer channels for Reiki energy, and this, in turn, enhances the quality of treatments that student (or practitioner) provides to the patient.
It is said that while Mikao Usui was actively pursuing the art of healing before he developed his Reiki method he studied Chinese medicine, Ayurveda, Qigong and Yoga. He claimed that the awakening of Reiki and the development of the set of accompanying techniques was something entirely different, however. Nonethless, Reiki seems to be based loosely around Taoist ideas of qi. The "ki" in "Reiki" is the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese character.
Hawayo Takata claimed that, after developing the Reiki methodology, as well as receiving the spiritual ability to practice it, Usui went to the slums of Tokyo to attempt the healing of beggars. However, after several years, he claimed that it was their mindset that kept them ill, even after he had "treated" them again and again. This gave rise to the principle that there should be an "energy exchange" in return for a Reiki treatment. This "energy exchange" may take the form of cash payment, or a trade of some sort. The idea is that the patient regards the treatment as having a value and is prepared to invest himself/herself in the healing process.
Usui was also a great admirer of the literary works of Emperor Meiji, and, in the process of developing his Reiki system, summarised some of the Meiji Emperor's works into five ethical principles, one rendering of which is:
- "Just for today, do not worry.
- Just for today, do not anger.
- Honor your parents, teachers, and elders.
- Earn your living honestly.
- Show gratitude to everything."
Mikao Usui trained several disciples. One of his disciples, the naval doctor Chujiro Hayashi, stressed physical healing and taught a more codified and simpler set of Reiki techniques. Among Hayashi's contributions was a set of fixed hand positions to be used in the course of a treatment; Usui often preferred a more mystical means of diagnosing the patient's problem.
Hayashi initiated and trained Mrs. Hawayo Takata, who brought Reiki to the USA. The U.S. proved to be fertile ground, as Mrs. Takata applied the American spirit of enterprise to Japanese tradition. Mrs. Takata claimed that she had been appointed Grandmaster of Reiki through the lineage of Mr. Chujiro Hayashi, and that there were no surviving teachers of Reiki to be found in Japan after World War II. Her claim of Grandmastership and her allegation that no Reiki teachers remained in Japan have been found to be false, as lineages through people other than Hayashi have been found. Research has discovered that the title of "Grandmaster" does not exist, and is not recognized in Japan.
Nowadays, while Reiki is comparatively rare in Japan, it flourishes in the West. There are essentially two broad groups, or schools: the traditional school and the independent school. The traditionalists claim to teach and practice Reiki strictly as it was taught from Usui's time until Mrs Takata's time, although modern research suggests that training under Usui differed greatly from the way Mrs. Takata taught. Another, separate branch of traditionalists advocate adherence to the (now rediscovered) Japanese school's methods. The independent schools vary greatly in their practices and methods, ranging from those descended through Iris Ishikuro, which fundamentally adhere to traditional Reiki practice but eshew Mrs. Takata's practice of charging $10,000 for attunement to Reiki Master level, to so-called "newer" schools, which either add elements to traditional Reiki or claim to have been independently developed.
Celtic Reiki
This is a version of Japanese Reiki with a New Age Celtic twist. It was created by Martyn Pentecost and further developed by Julie Norman, and employs symbols derived from ogham (an ancient runic script used by some Gaelic tribes). Advocates claim that Reiki energy mimics the frequency of various trees and plants so as to combine the alleged healing energy of Reiki with channeled "ancient wisdom of the Celts."
Many scientists, traditional Chinese medicine practitioners, health professionals and others dispute the effectiveness of Reiki stating that there is no proof or evidence that Reiki energy exists, nor proof that healing beyond that expected from the placebo effect can be achieved by it.
Non-traditional Reiki
The independent movement developed partly in response to the belief that Reiki training should be more widely available and practiced in a flexible and complementary way with other practices, and as a political reaction to the mainstream of Hawayo Takata's style. Furthermore, some practitioners believe that Reiki is Humanity's birthright. New paths were developed out of the Reiki core that fused it with New Age thinking regarding Christianity, shamanism, channeling and so forth. Also, new symbols and practices are often added. Many of these symbols emerged through practitioners who said they felt guided to expand the system in various ways. A great deal of generic New Age content is now often taught either as an adjunct to Reiki or even as an integral part of the system, and numerous schools of thought now exist, some being freely offered and some proprietary. This more flexible form of Reiki was initially developed in opposition to the stricter Reiki practices that Mrs. Hawayo Takata claimed were the authentic method, which demanded strict obedience to her prescribed forms. These innovative forms of practice surprisingly share much more in common with the newly rediscovered traditional Japanese style of Reiki. Additionally, many of the independent schools of Reiki differ from mainstream Reiki by the inclusion of "skhm" or "seichim energy" and symbols into their teaching, which is often said by its adherents to make the experience and practice of channelling Reiki energy significantly different. "Karuna Reiki" and "Terra Mai Reiki" are examples of Reiki forms that have incorporated this skhm energy.
Courses
The method developed by Mikao Usui spread over the world. Though controversial, correspondence courses over the internet even offer distant training. To achieve a complete education in the "Usui method of Reiki Healing", 3 courses are necessary: the 1st degree course, the 2nd degree course and the master course. The specific contents of each of these courses vary widely from one teacher to another, depending on personal philosophies. A typical set of courses is something like the following.
1st degree Reiki courses teach the basic theories of how to work with Reiki energy. The channel through which Reiki energy passes to the 7th chakra is said to be widened through an initiation by the teacher, to let the Reiki energy be strong enough to heal. Students learn the manner in which to place their hands on the body of the recipient said to be most successful in the healing process.
In the 2nd degree Reiki course, a symbol for mental healing is purportedly taught, training students to say that they can treat even deeply ingrained problems like fears, depression, addictions and the like. It is also taught how to supposedly direct the energy to a certain point in time, to a specific person or place or a specific issue. The issue can be something like a particular health problem of an individual, or it can be a more abstract or general issue such as world peace. Practitioners say that this is possible using three symbols taught at the second initiation. The claim is that this skill allows the channel to be opened even wider.
As part of the master course, usually the third degree, students become a Reiki "master" through the third initiation; they learn how to initiate students and have the option of teaching Reiki courses themselves. The student learns a further "master" level symbol in this course as well as the method of attuning others. In some case the third level is broken into smaller stages of attunements from the teacher, as well as being taught the attunements for the first second and third level in stages. A teacher has completed practical training when told he or she has the ability to attune others to all degrees and has been given the final fourth Reiki Master symbol that is used in attunements.
The first and second stages can also be broken up into smaller levels of attunements and received symbols, however this is very rarely done and teachers often do not know how to do this. It is generally found to be impractical so is not widely practiced, taught or known.
It is up to students how many levels they want to complete. The courses are sequential, and can be expensive, especially the third (master) level. Often a teacher will require time in between one course and another (time in which the student is expected to apply new learning before taking the next degree). Before offering Reiki treatments to the public, a student is often advised to take a second-degree course.
Reiki community
While there is no single standards organization and practitioners practice as they will, some choose to form Reiki communities to bring together often diverse knowledge and experience. Some of these communities have grown out of informal groupings of practitioners who organized Reiki circles for working together, while others have formed around a particular school or teacher.
Many of the Reiki communities also emerged due, in part, to the expanding popularity of the internet. Global initiatives have been introduced (like healing the planet or global peace fostering) and a great deal of online services (like training and healing) is available.
Controversies
The existence of Reiki energy has not been scientifically proven, and anecdotal evidence of the effectiveness of Reiki therapy is commonly ascribed to the placebo effect and a combination of post hoc reasoning and the regressive fallacy by critics. Proponents of Reiki claim that they can detect and manipulate this energy, but a means to measure it or even objectively demonstrate its existence to the satisfaction of the scientific community has yet to be found. The predominant opinion among the scientific community is that the sensations felt by practitioners and patients of Reiki are psychologically subjective or the result of self-deceit.
Many practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine are also sceptical of the claims of Reiki practitioners.
Doctors, academics, and consumer advocates have expressed concern when patients with serious diseases such as cancer choose Reiki solely as a means of treatment over trained doctors. In some cases people reject conventional medicine completely and solely practice Reiki, and this is deemed as a highly untrustworthy and potentially dangerous practice even within the Reiki and wider alternative health community. While it is understandable for patients to seek non-mainstream remedies when conventional options seem ineffective or untrustworthy, many doctors say that Reiki, like many other forms of alternative medicine, is simply exploiting the fear and hope of people with serious illnesses for money while offering no demonstrable help. The response from Reiki practitioners is that Reiki is a reliable and effective treatment that is being unfairly dismissed by conservative Western scientific research. Some Reiki teachers and practitioners advocate a complementary approach to conventional medicine - holding it as the most prudent and responsible means of treating any illness - much like many other alternative medicine advocates suggest.
Opposition from religious groups
There are various religious groups opposing Reiki. Christian fundamentalists condemn Reiki as promoting pagan practices. For example, the Unification Church cautions its adherents to avoid Reiki on the grounds that Reiki involves channelling the energy of evil spirits. Some individuals and groups (like Dominicans from the Roman Catholic Church) actively advise believers against it.
Reiki as a cult
Reiki has been called a cult or an attempt at sorcery. Some Reiki adherents would reply that there is no strict structure, guru or chain of command in the Reiki community, so it doesn't fit the modern sense of a cult. While the practice itself does not necessarily fit into cult-like behaviours, some teacher's of Reiki have engaged in practices reflective of a cult-like approach, proffering various religious and spiritual beliefs along with the Reiki techniques. The experience of hot or cold sensations in the hands whilst giving and receiving Reiki is put forward as a validation of some groups' particular religious ideology - however far fetched or different to other Reiki groups.
It is claimed by critics that some Reiki groups also put forward that they can never grow ill if they practice Reiki regularly and have a positive outlook - with disappointment and shock being the outcome when their teacher (or they themselves) become mortally ill or die.
Critics point to the often substantial fees charged by Reiki practitioners for their teachings as deeply troubling, as well as the obedience to a given that some teachers demand of their students. Chujiro Hayashi's students are, for example, called "disciples" - strongly implying a religious overtone.
Some Christian practitioners of Reiki claim that the source of power that is directed through them is the Holy Spirit, or go so far as to say that Jesus was a Reiki master - claims that are in contradiction with most Christian doctrines. Hawayo Takata has claimed that she once used Reiki to raise a person from the dead. Such a claim falls outside the scope of most alternative health practices - comparable to the New Testament story of Jesus restoring Lazarus to life.
Because of the health claims made by its adherents, Reiki is sometimes embraced by people desperate for hope that their terminal or chronic health and mental problems may be miraculously cured. The desperation of these people and their willingness to embrace magical thinking is sometimes encouraged by less than sincere teachers and practitioners - contributing to perceptions of Reiki's association with cult-like practices.
Internal Controversies
With the many varied ways that have been used to teach Reiki, there have emerged many points of controversy between different groups, teachers and practitioners. Controversies often exist on topics such as the nature of the Reiki energy itself, fees charged for courses and treatments, training methods, secrecy of symbols and attunement methods, to name but a few.
Various claims are made as to the 'legitimacy' or 'authenticity' of various schools of practice - with the schools making those claims also engaging in criticisms of the other schools who they see as illegitimate or otherwise inauthentic or immoral in their spiritual conduct. Political fighting is quite strong between many schools; so for example a practitioner of one teacher may often not be welcome to practice Reiki with another teacher's Reiki group. Teachers from other schools are often not welcomed in other teacher's classes. A Reiki school will often discourage the participation of outside students and teachers, particularly when there are claims of an individual school's practices being the only correct practice. This occurs amongst both traditional and non-traditional schools. Often and as a more mild form of enforcing adherence, the unorthodox person is required to be retrained in their levels before being accepted into the fold.
Secret Teachings
Teachers often appear claiming to possess hidden additional teachings from the original system and symbols unknown to other schools et cetera, but none of these claims are substantiated with evidence that supports the additional material that they use. Some current examples (but certainly not a comprehensive list) of such schools are Dr Barbara Weber Ray's "Radiance Association" (who claim to possess additional attunements, symbols and levels) and Dr Ranga Premaratna's "Reiki Shin Kei Dō/Ennersense/Buddhō" (who claims to possess the original Buddhist Reiki system as well as additional symbols, initiations and meditations). Although (among many others) both organisations also claim they possess additional authentic supplementary teachings, neither school provides evidence to substantiate these claims. Takata’s students, particularly the teachers present during her training, dispute Dr Weber Ray’s claims. Dr Ray demands strict obedience from her students and deregisters them if they disobey her, as does Dr Premaratna. Dr Premaratna nowadays claims that his teacher, Seiji Takamori, was not really taught and initiated into Reiki by Hawayo Takata, although Takata herself stated that Takamori was one of her students. He additionally claims that although Seiji Takemori was a teacher, he only initiated Dr Premaratna alone. At one time however his training materials claimed no special lineage regarding Seiji Takemori, and instead agreed with Hawayo Takata's statement that she alone was his teacher.
There are many questions remaining around Reiki practice, and many of these are currently being answered by the newly rediscovered Japanese lineages. These lineages can in fact produce historical evidence to support their claims, and although perhaps the actual nature of "Reiki" energy is a mystery, the system of the "usui shiki ryoho" seems to be becoming clearer.
The "Reiki Grandmaster"
Many conservative schools are based around claims of Hawayo Takata's many student teachers competing as the true "Grandmaster" of Reiki or teaching exactly as Mrs. Takata herself taught. In recent years however many teachers connected in some way with Hawayo Takata do not strenuously claim to be appointed as the "Grandmaster of Reiki" as they once did in the past. Phyllis Furumoto (the granddaughter of Ms. Takata), for example of the "Reiki Alliance" seemed to cease claiming this title around the same time that it was found that historically no such title ever existed once the Japanese schools were discovered by Western Reiki schools. Often these "Grandmasters" attempt to patent the term "Reiki" in their particular country or countries of interest. Such actions are very unpopular in the wider Reiki community and have never been granted in any country.
It would appear that Hawayo Takata invented this title and claimed it for herself, however her motivations for this obfuscation are unknown. Dr. Barbara Weber Ray (T.R.T.I.A - The Radiance Technique International Association / a.k.a. The Radiance Association), Beth Gray and Phyllis Furumoto are the most notable Hawayo Takata trained teachers who have all claimed at one time or another to have been anointed as the supreme teacher of Reiki. Whether Mrs. Takata did or did not appoint them is unknown, as none of these claimants have produced any evidence or witnesses to their claims. It is perhaps likely that as the title itself was a fiction, that Mrs. Takata was reluctant to officially endorse anyone, as she herself could not actually confer any such title.
Reiki's origin
The provenance of Usui's system is obscure, little independent documentation exists as to his influences. There are superficial resemblances to Chinese Taoist and Buddhist philosophies in the Reiki symbol terminology. Reiki however fails the standard test of whether a teaching is Buddhist or not; that of the three "Dharma Seals" or the "Three marks of existence". This doctrine states that any teaching or practice that does not extol these three core ideas cannot be said to be a Buddhist teaching, and Reiki does not.
Reiki may however be said to be a Buddhist art in the way that karate-dō or shiatsu is a Buddhist art without being a Buddhist practice. Similarly, the majority of Taoists would deny that Reiki was a Taoist art. The words used in these symbols show that their creator was exposed to these ideas. Whether or not Reiki was entirely spiritually received, rediscovered (as claimed), fabricated, or patched together by Usui and his followers from disparate influences, can only be guessed at due to lack of sufficient documentation.
See also
- Johrei Johrei is not a form of Reiki but has some similarities.
- Pseudoscience
- Snake oil
Partial Bibliography
- Original Reiki Handbook of Dr. Mikao Usui, Usui and Petter, Lotus Press, Twin Lakes, Wisconsin ISBN 0-914955-57-8
- Hayashi Reiki Manual: Traditional Japanese Healing Techniques from the Founder of the Western Reiki System, Petter, Yamaguchi and Hayashi, Lotus Press, Twin Lakes, Wisconsin ISBN 0-914955-75-6
- Reiki Healer: A Complete Guide to the Path and Practice of Reiki, Ellyard, Lotus Press, Twin Lakes, Wisconsin ISBN 0-940985-64-0
- Human Hemoglobin Levels and Reiki (Journal of Holistic Nursing, 7(1)pp.47-54 1989)
External links
- The Reiki Page (http://reiki.7gen.com) - general information
- Abstract of "Reiki Healing: A Physiologic Perspective". Journal of Holistic Nursing 7(1), 47-54, 1989 (http://www.phact.org/e/tt/wendy.txt) (by Wendy Wetzel)
- National Council Against Health Fraud article on reiki (http://www.ncahf.org/articles/o-r/reiki.html)
- Reiki Plain and Simple (http://web.archive.org/web/20020806013433/angelreiki.nu/reiki/) - a description and discussion of several forms of Reiki training
- The Skeptic's Dictionary (http://www.skepdic.com/reiki.html)
- Reiki Meetups (http://reiki.meetup.com/)
- Skhm/Seichim Homepage (http://www.skhm.org/)
- The Reiki Alliance (http://www.reikialliance.com/)
- Free Reiki International (http://freereiki.proboards43.com/)
- Higher Energy Systems Reiki (http://http://www.angelfire.com/mb/manifestnow/reikipage.html)- Reiki FAQ and articles on Reikibg:Рейки
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