The ancient Japanese healing practice of reiki has gained a huge global following over the past two decades. Deborah Goldman booked herself on a weekend course to discover what it’s all about.
No one knows for certain who first discovered reiki, but the most common story is that Dr Mikao Usui, a Japanese scholar fascinated with stories of healing spent his life investigating the truth behind these documented miracles. While he perched atop a mountain in Kyoto in the 1920s, a golden light bathed his forehead and imbued him with the knowledge he had been for – reiki.
A Warm Welcome
The teaching of this universal life-force energy is separated into three degrees. The first degree, which we would spend the next two days studiously delving into, focuses on the physical body and provides an understanding of mind-body connections.
I was met with a big hug from Reiki Master, and co-founder of the SoulCentre, Sally Forrest. Our group of ten students consisted of nine women and one man, of varying ages and backgrounds. Our reasons for being there were as diverse as our origins. Our group discussions were strictly confidential, so I am unable to say more about them, aside from that they were a great bunch to spend the next two days with. Together, we went through a very interesting and emotional journey.
Five Principles of Reiki
We learned that reiki is much more than just physical healing; it is a way of life. The following five principles were constructed by Dr Usui, and are the basis of reiki teachings:
• Just for today, do not be angry
• Just for today, do not worry
• Just for today, count your blessings
• Just for today, live honestly
• Just for today, be kind to every living thing
“All healing begins with a happy mind,” Sally explained. The concept of never being angry or worried is unimaginable to most of us. But adding the condition “just for today” puts the challenge into a manageable perspective, making it easier to digest. I was pretty sure I could manage those principles for one day, and maybe the next. However, on the second day, my ability to remain anger-free was put to the test by some unique taxi driving manoeuvres. I had a long way to go.
Getting in Tune
Over the two days, we were given four “attunements”. These sessions involved us sitting in a dark room with our eyes closed, while three reiki masters adjusted our vibrations to allow more energy to flow through our bodies.
Apparently it is quite normal to experience abnormal sensations during these sessions, and at one point it felt as though someone laid their hands on the top of my head. When I queried this afterwards, Sally told me that no one had touched my head. Others in the group reported seeing strange visions and symbols. It gave us goose bumps!
Something is Happening!
Our theoretical discourse was interspersed with practical sessions, in which we all got a chance to practise our reiki skills on each other. This was the most enjoyable part of the course, and everyone wanted their turn on the healing bed. Having someone lay their hands on me was wonderfully peaceful.
Sally taught us that each area of the body corresponds to a particular emotion. For example, problems in the liver often indicate fearful emotions. To help alleviate this fear and the physical symptoms, hands are laid over the liver. The universal magic of reiki then shoots out from the universe, through the hands and into the recipient.
During one of the last few practical sessions, we were asked to pick a partner. When I laid my hands over my partner’s torso, I experienced a very odd swirling sensation in the palm of one hand. With an excited “ooh” I asked Sally what it meant. “Swirling or heat under the hand is a feeling of the reiki energy,” she explained. “Not feeling anything, however, does not mean the energy is not flowing. It just means you cannot sense it yet. After practising, you will always sense it.”
A Shift in Energy
When I returned home at the end of the second day, I decided to try out my newfound ability to heal on my fiancé, James. Without saying a word, I placed my hands over his knees while he watched television. Five minutes later he looked at me and said, “Your hands are roasting!”
This was a first as my hands are usually lukewarm at best.
Now that I have experienced reiki firsthand, I am convinced of its power. For many, it is a life-changing experience that enables them to get in tune with their own bodies and emotions. It has certainly become a part of my everyday life.
SoulCentre Academy teaches all levels of reiki, including the Master level.
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