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Reiki is a Japanese word meaning Universal Life Force energy. When the REI and
the KI are viewed as separate words (in Japanese Kanji), the REI is defined as
universal, cosmic, spirit or essence, and KI is described as the energetic
component of life that is also know as qi (chi), prana or light. The use of
Reiki involves the transference of Universal Life Force energy. Once you have
received a Reiki attunement, you can use it as a tool for self healing,
personal growth and spiritual development, or for helping others in their
healing process. In general, Reiki brings harmony, balance and well-being into
one’s life.
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Reiki, as we know it today, is a healing system that was developed by a
Japanese scholar and healer named Mikao Usui (1865-1926). Through his research,
travel and meditations, he was eventually led to an ancient healing method
which has its roots in sacred Buddhist teachings and was known only to monks in
certain monasteries in Tibet, Nepal and India. Master Usui spent his life
practicing, teaching and sharing this knowledge. One of his students, a medical
doctor by the name of Hayashi, gave this method a formal structure that lay
people could utilize. This method is now known as Reiki or the Usui System of
Natural Healing.
Hawayo Takata (1900-1980), a first generation Japanese-American living in
Hawaii, was visiting family in Japan and went to the clinic of Dr. Hayashi for
treatment of some serious health concerns. After four months of daily
treatments she was completely well and convinced Dr. Hayashi to accept her as a
student to learn the Reiki method. She was accepted under the condition that
she complete her studies in the same program as the other students - i.e.
become a proficient first and second degree practitioner and then work in the
clinic for a year. Following this training, she returned to Hawaii and
continued to practice what she had learned. A little later, Dr. Hayashi
empowered her as a Reiki Master and from this time until her passing, Ms.
Takata trained 22 other Reiki Masters. It is from this beginning that Reiki
spread throughout the United States and Europe.
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There are different schools of Reiki, but all lineages originate from Usui. In
the West most lineages evolved from the Hayashi-Takata connection. But Reiki
Jin Kei Do differs in that its lineage is via Seiji Takamori (1907-1992), who
received his empowerments from Venerable Takeuchi, a master student of Dr.
Hayashi’s. A few years after completing his training, Seiji felt a calling to
search for the origins of Reiki and embarked on a journey to India, Nepal and
Tibet where he studied for over twenty years with different monks and yogis,
deepening his spiritual practices and knowledge of healing methods. After this
period of intense study, he spent many years traveling around the world
teaching meditation and practicing healing. In 1990 he traveled to the
University of Wisconsin where he met the current lineage head, Ranga
Premaratna, and passed on to him the empowerments and teachings so Ranga could
continue Seiji’s life’s work in transmitting this knowledge to those who were
ready. Following this training, Seiji entered a monastery in Sri Lanka where he
lived until his death in 1992.
As a result of Seiji Takamori’s extensive training and dedication to this path
of healing, both Meditation and Qigong practices were incorporated into and
became an essential part of the Reiki training. The practitioner is seen as
being a conduit or vessel through which the Reiki energy is drawn by the
recipient. Meditation trains the practitioner to hold the healing space and be
present, totally in the moment, which allows more energy to flow. The practice
of Qigong helps to cultivate this energy and develop one's capacity to contain
and channel it even more.
Ranga Premaratna gave this lineage the official name of Reiki Jin Kei Do: Rei
(spiritual consciousness) Ki (universal life force energy) Jin (healing of self
and others with compassion) Kei (meditation and the development of inner
wisdom) Do (the path of integrating healing and meditation in our lives). So
Reiki Jin Kei Do is the practice of Reiki with compassion and wisdom in a
balanced way. Integrating all three aspects and applying them to one's life, it
then becomes a way of life, rather than just another healing method.
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