The word "reiki" is composed of two words that can be interpreted or understood in different ways.
REI means "universal" and refers to the level of spirit and soul.
KI means life vital energy that flows in all living beings and has a lower frequency than rei.
Reiki originates from the late period of Atlantis. During the intermediate period, various civilizations rose and fell, so the knowledge of Reiki was preserved only in some monasteries and in the Himalayan region and places where Buddhism was widespread. Therefore, we can conclude that Mikao Usui did not discover anything new but rather passed on long-forgotten knowledge of hands-on healing to people.
Dr. Mikao Usui led a Christian seminary in Kyoto, Japan, at the end of the 19th century. One of his students was interested in the type of healing that Jesus Christ used in miraculous healings. As he couldn't provide an answer, he decided to travel through Christian lands until he found the answer. He studied numerous texts, but all in vain. It was only after his return from America that he stumbled upon ancient Buddhist sutras with Sanskrit signs and symbols in a Zen Buddhist Japanese monastery, and it seemed to him that they might hold the answer to the question he had asked. He studied the texts carefully and decided to meditate on them for 21 days on Mount Kurama. At dawn on the 21st day, he noticed a rapidly approaching beam of light. When it reached him, an invisible force threw him to the ground, and at that moment, he saw symbols forming in different colors in the sky, the same symbols he found in the sutras. As he descended from the mountain, he stumbled upon a stone and injured his finger. Spontaneously, he placed his hands on the bleeding finger, and the pain instantly disappeared, and the bleeding stopped.
Usui encountered many people with various problems and soon realized that his hands had a beneficial effect on the well-being of patients when placed on a painful area. However, the signs of illness that disappeared after therapy reoccurred in most patients, sooner or later. To maintain good health permanently, he advised them on how to live and initiated them into Reiki, which he himself received on Mount Kurama.
The most credited person for the expansion and popularization of this method is Dr. Chujiro Hayashi, who founded the first Reiki clinics in Kyoto and Tokyo in Japan. Hawayo Takata, who became a Reiki master, was also treated there and later brought this knowledge to the United States. Reiki was well received and quickly established worldwide as a simple and effective method of healing and, above all, self-healing.
In the last hundred years, Reiki has undergone significant changes. It is important to know that the Reiki taught in the West today and spread around the world is something entirely different from what the ancient Japanese practiced. Modern Reiki mostly uses three symbols or even more in addition to:
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CHO-KU-REI
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SEI-HE-KI
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HON-SHA-ZE-SHO-NEN
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DAI-KO-MYO
Besides the classic Usui Reiki, there are now many other forms (Karuna, Angelic, Imara, Seichim, Kundalini...) with the discovery and use of new symbols. However, all these systems and techniques are difficult to compare with what the ancient Japanese knew and practiced. Symbols have their power, but only up to the level of awareness they reach themselves, mostly on the astral plane.
Many therapists who practice this type of Reiki claim that the therapist cannot absorb negative energies from the patient or vice versa. Unfortunately, this claim is not true. Perhaps this explanation will clarify for many why some individuals feel worse.
These types of Reiki can be beneficial for individuals, but only up to a certain level of spiritual development. Typically, once a person surpasses a certain level, they no longer feel the need for it or begin to supplement it with something else.
The method known by ancient Japanese extends to the highest levels and is more effective than the modern Western Reiki. People who have knowledge of this often do not use symbols, even though they are familiar with them. Instead, they prefer to use various kotodama (mantras), sacred sounds, breathing techniques, visualizations, directing energy to specific points, and other practices. In short, they utilize techniques practiced in Buddhist, Taoist, and other monastic traditions, also known and practiced by advanced yogis. Some aspects are very similar to techniques and theoretical knowledge originating from pranayama, yoga, and mantra knowledge.
Active and passive Reiki
Passive or classical Reiki is what is mostly taught in the West today. The person invoking Reiki energy acts as a passive channel, and the energy flows where it is needed. Improvement in the psycho-physical state is not immediately visible, and the processes occur gradually and slowly.
In active Reiki, the person invoking Reiki is also actively involved. By employing different breathing techniques, visualization, kotodama (mantras), and specific techniques that accumulate and direct energy to precise parts of the body, emotion, mental formation, trauma, or event, more can be accomplished in a shorter time. This approach involves deep energy healing. A person who is more connected to their soul can even receive advice, instructions, or hints from it, allowing for additional processes during the therapy.
Comparing active and passive Reiki, one active Reiki session is equivalent to 5-10 passive sessions.
In addition to everything mentioned, special attention must also be given to safety, which is rarely taught in most weekend Reiki courses. Due to a lack of knowledge and the failure to address the dangers of energy work, many therapists and recipients experience various issues. Many young therapists have also died due to incorrect approaches that have harmed their health. We pay special attention to the dangers of working with energy and how to avoid them.
Currently, we only operate in the field of therapies. Soon, a teaching and initiation program for active Reiki will be developed, conducted on an individual basis. We are aware that each individual is unique, with different prior knowledge and levels of consciousness. Thus, the education will be tailored to each person.
We draw inspiration from older teaching systems known in the East because they have certain advantages.