The first thing I was taught by my Level 3 Reiki Teacher Richard Pietkiewicz was a simple definition of what Reiki is. He has played a big part in inspiring me to become the best practitioner and teacher I can be and for that I will be forever grateful.
Reiki is the Gentle Japanese Healing Technique
that assists the bodys natural healing
ability of the mind and body
Humans are much more that a physical body alone.
One of the most simple definitions of the word “heal” is……to make whole.
Within this wonderful system of healing there is access – for both Practitioners and those who wish to have treatments – to balance out all aspects of being human; body, mind and heart. None of the three – mind, heart and physical body are isolated. All three are interlinked and have an influence over each other.
Anyone can enjoy a Reiki treatment at any time in their life. Reiki is often now used alongside other conventional or complementary treatments. As Reiki Practitioners we’re not trained to diagnose and can’t predict a specific outcome from treatments. We can’t predict what Reiki will do, where it will go and how it will help the healing processes when a treatment is given. If people are worried about their symptoms they should see a doctor.
Reiki is ‘spiritual energy’ and is unlimited but humans can limit what and how they receive with their rational and logical thought processes.
The main concept to get across is that our bodies and minds will draw on the energy and take it where it is needed. If the rational mind gets in the way, either from the Practitioner by diagnosing/predicting or from the client by having expectations of what the treatment will do, we are limiting the healing possibilities of this spiritual energy. The resulting effects of a Reiki treatment reflect exactly what the client needed at the time it was given. To try and create an analogy, during a Reiki treatment, energetic pathways are cleared ‘washing’ away stagnant energy…..this movement of energy promotes and initiates change but we can’t give an outcome for what the change will be. Both the practitioner and client have to ‘let go’ and see what the result will be.
Below is a wonderful quote that I feel perfectly describes the effects of Reiki:
“As running water smoothes the jagged edges of a rock until it is small enough to roll away, Reiki flows to the areas of need, soothing and supporting the body’s natural ability to heal itself”
Definition of Usui Shiki Ryoho – the Reiki System in which The Reiki Association has its roots.
Having a Reiki treatment is a very simple process.
For a first session, an individualised assessment takes place, which includes welcoming the client, taking consent and putting them at ease. The client remains clothed and lies on a couch or sits on a chair and relaxes. The whole person is treated rather than specific areas. There is no massage or manipulation. The practitioner gently places their hands in a series of non-intrusive positions on or near the body… there are 5 positions around the head, following which the practitioner senses intuitively where to take their hands next. Sessions can take 45 minutes to an hour-and-a-half, depending on the client’s needs.
What do Reiki treatments feel like?
Each person experiences Reiki differently and this depends on what they need at the time the treatment is given.
During a session, you may or may not feel sensations. There may be a feeling of relaxation so deep that you enter into a state that is like sleep where you may even begin to softly snore but are also totally aware of what is going on around you.You may feel sensations of heat, cold, tingling, rushes of energy or see colours in your minds eye. Waves of energy can sometimes be felt moving down through the arms and legs. Sometimes there are emotional responses, indicating that shifts are taking place, allowing harmony to be restored. This can be tears or joy, whichever the client needs to release. Other benefits reported by recipients include afterwards feeling a calm, peaceful sense of well being on all levels.
What do Reiki treatments do?
Reiki is a safe treatment. As a Practitioner, I would never promise that I can cure you but a Reiki Treatment can:
- Provide comfort during difficult times, if you’re feeling stressed, overwhelmed or disconnected. Sessions can bring feelings of calmness, balance and an ability to cope better with the challenges of daily life.
- Help whether you are normally healthy and well and needing short term benefit for an acute condition or minor illness OR dealing with a long-standing chronic health condition. Reiki can help to bring relief, comfort, acceptance and a more positive outlook in either situation
- Alleviate discomfort and provide support during pregnancy.
- Calm and relax children and babies, with sessions that are often shorter than they are for an adult. Children usually love Reiki and ask for it.
- Reassure and relieve distress and pain in animals. As with children, animals seem to love Reiki. They often interrupt sessions that are being carried out on people to get close and join in, sharing the energy.
- Strengthen the immune system allowing the body to fight off illness with more ease.
- Be used as a form of First Aid – no matter where you are there is one tool you will always have with you—your hands. If you fall over and someone offers you Reiki, this may reduce the degree of bruising, pain or emotional discomfort that may have resulted from your accident. The best thing you can do is be willing to accept the healing, even if it is while you are lying on the pavement waiting for help to arrive.
- Provide relief and comfort for those suffering from chronic long term conditions including serious problems like heart disease and cancer.
- Promote healing and accelerate recovery for those suffering from acute conditions such as skin problems, flu, fatigue, headaches, back pain, musculoskeletal injuries etc.
- Provide relief for the mental turmoil and emotional distress associated with fear-based illnesses such as depression, anxiety, insomnia, lack of confidence and addiction.
- Be helpful at the end of life, providing great comfort and helping to promote a sense of peace and acceptance for those who are dying and also for their families.
How much Reiki would I need?
A single session may be sufficient – as your practitioner I will guide you . If you have long standing physical, emotional or spiritual issues, a series of sessions may be beneficial. If you are finding that helpful changes are taking place, continuing with more ongoing treatments is likely to be beneficial.
There are no known contra-indications for Reiki. It cannot cause harm. It requires no special equipment and I will be providing a non-intrusive treatment that will be delivered in a warm, comforting environment.