The Wider World: Reiki

Light on Healing from other times. places and Therapies

Reiki is an ancient Healing method. It originated in Tibet and is referred to in 2,500-year-old writings in Sanscrit. It was rediscovered in the nineteenth century by a Japanese monk, Dr. Mikao Usui. Reiki uses symbols to aid the Healing process.

Some Thoughts about Reiki Healing by Nicky Milligan

I have been approached several times by Reiki practitioners wanting to join Westcountry as Healers: they have been surprised to find that they would need to do our training course.

Several of my students and Healers are Reiki Healers and Reiki masters and are impressive. I decided that for me the way forwards was to attend a Reiki course myself and find out about it! It took me a couple of years to find a teacher that I was comfortable with and eventually a course was set up in Gloucestershire.

I have now completed Reiki 1 and 2. Many aspects of Reiki are similar to Healing but interestingly, Reiki seems to work with the flow of chi or prana: it energises, whereas Healing harmonises all the departments that contain the energy “flow”. I realize that the concept is not as simple as this, but I discussed it with my teacher and she agreed with the theory.

We can all access certain symbols from our collective unconscious, for example, a cross, an arrow or a triangle, some of which are seen today in maps and everyday life. The symbols given to me for Reiki use are not western; they had to be given to me because I could not access them in the usual automatic way. I was given Japanese symbols to use in a Japanese Healing system because I am not Japanese and am unable to access their collective memory.

I like Dr. Usui’s Reiki principles:

  • Just for today do not anger
  • Just for today do not worry
  • Honour your teachers and elders
  • Earn your living honestly
  • Show gratitude to every living thing

On a personal level, Reiki will not supplant my Healing skills but it enhances them and is another tool in my tool kit. I fully intend to do Reiki 3 in due course and look forward to it.

I will conclude with another saying that I Iike:

“The difference between a flower and a weed is a judgement”

I rather think that applies to many things.