In this issue, we invite Ambika Menon, the co-founder of Sanctum Singapore and an experienced Reiki Master/Teacher, to explain what the popular hands-on healing is all about.
Reiki is popularly translated as “Universal Life Force Energy”. It is a form of energy healing which is channeled via a healer to the client. It is believed to have been discovered in the early 1900’s and rapidly gained in popularity due to its efficacy. There are many forms of Reiki being practiced today but all forms hark back to the original now known as Usui Reiki, in honor of its founder or more accurately, its discoverer. Usui Reiki as is taught today follows the structure stipulated by Dr Usui and all Reiki Masters trace their lineage back to the founder. A knowledge and understanding of the history of Reiki is a necessary and integral part of Reiki teachings.
Diseases, whether physical, mental, or emotional are believed to be caused by imbalances within the body’s energy systems. Reiki works by stimulating our inherent life force to address and correct these imbalances at the core level. Reiki has been used to effectively combat cancer among other life-threatening diseases, especially when used in combination with effective diet and life-style choices. Reiki can be used to enhance the quality of food, cleanse and empower living quarters, as well as in the treatment of children, pets and plants. Some other forms of Reiki which have gained popularity and acceptance are Karuna Reiki, Seichim Reiki, Sekhem Reiki, Isis Seichim Reiki and Green Tara Reiki, to name a few.
Reiki works by stimulating our inherent life force to address and correct these imbalances at the core level.
While Reiki energy does not have its origins in any specific religious or spiritual tradition, some of the variations work with specific aspects of a higher spiritual power. Reiki works with a set of symbols which students are taught to work with. The founders of different modalities have discovered unique symbols which are believed to channel different levels of vibrational healing energy. The use of these symbols exponentially increases the power of the energy being conveyed. This is a classic instance of “the proof of the pudding being in the eating”!
In order to be able to practice Reiki, the practitioner needs to undergo a process known as attunement. Usui Reiki is the foundation for all other forms of Reiki. Many alternative Reiki modalities are only taught to students who have completed the 3 levels of Usui Reiki. Reiki does not have a single governing body so fees are at the discretion of the practitioners. Historically, fees for Reiki attunements used to be in the thousands. The decision to charge a fee for the attunement was taken by Dr Usui when he realized that a gift freely given seldom commands the respect of a service which has been paid for. It is important to realize, however, that a more expensive session does not necessarily mean the practitioner is superior to someone who chooses to charge a lower fee. The choice of Reiki instructor aside, the basic structure of the workshops will not differ very much, as this part of the teachings. Reiki can be said to be a life-style choice; how well it works for you very much on the level of commitment and discipline you bring to the practice.
Reiki healing has no affiliation to any religion and contains no dogma. Medical science now accepts that the state of mind of a patient has very important consequences on the effectiveness of any allopathic treatment. Reiki is fast gaining acceptance and is now widely used in many hospices and cancer centers in the US, to not only alleviate pain but to provide a turn-around in the psychological makeup of patients. The time frame of this turn-around or more tangible healing effects would vary from individual to individual.
