Reiki is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that promotes healing.  The word Reiki comes from two Japanese works, Rei meaning spiritual wisdom and Ki meaning life energy.

When the body is holding on to stress, we feel the effects manifested in tight shoulders, headaches, stomach problems and a myriad of other symptoms.  We can have a massage to relieve the tight muscles but what about the insides of our body, what about our internal organs.  We are not generally aware of the effects that stress has on our internal systems and do not see the resultant effect to our immune system, which, when compromised, lowers our defenses and leads to our becoming ill.

Reiki is like a therapeutic massage for the “inside” of your body.  During a Reiki treatment, the practitioner places their hands directly above most organs in the body.  The “life force” energy relaxes the body and mind to the point where your own immune system can work at a more optimum level.  Reiki removes blockages allowing our flow of energy to be revitalized.  It is effective and a perfect partner to work with all other modalities of healing such as massage, acupuncture and even prescription medicines.  It makes us very happy to see that Reiki is becoming more mainstream and is now being introduced at healing centers and progressive hospitals.

Reiki – Just a Word

In 1998 Allan Sweeney was invited to address the first ever large gathering of Japanese Reiki Masters in Tokyo, Japan. Unfortunately, as he was in Egypt with a group of his students, he could not attend personally, but sent the following message to Tokyo. It was read out at the gathering of Japanese Masters and Sensei’s, and is a message to all Reiki practitioners and Masters throughout our world.

He wrote the following:

‘Reiki, just a word. Yet within that word is so much. It contains Heaven and Earth. Spirituality and Materialism. Love and Healing. The word ‘Reiki’ means so much. How can we describe it to others adequately? Would it mean more to them than just a word?

Perhaps it depends who we are talking to!

For example, in England, if we were talking to a doctor, we would say that no-one knows how Reiki works; but that studies done on chronic patients in doctors’ surgeries show that healing can help 72% of the patients that doctors give up on. This study has been repeated with similar results. Most doctors hearing this information are impressed. If we had said anything else, perhaps Reiki would have been just a word.

If we were talking with a scientist, we would say that 155 world-wide experiments and studies on healing have been published in two volumes called ‘Healing Research’. Of the 155 experiments, 55 were of significant or highly significant value. This percentage of significance is very high. In fact, the percentage success is more than twice what is needed for a medicine to be prescribed or sold in England.  Most scientists hearing this information are impressed. If we had said anything else, perhaps Reiki would have been just a word.

If we were talking with a priest, we would talk about Reiki’s Unconditional Love; the God nature of the energy; how both healer and patient feel loved during and after a Reiki treatment. We would talk about the highest Rei of the Reiki, the energy that may come in as high as 7,200 cycles a second. We would say that if anyone reaches this 7,200 frequency in their energy body, they have a God experience relevant to themselves as an individual. It feels like Unconditional Love. Most priests hearing this information are impressed.  If we had said anything else, perhaps Reiki would have been just a word.

If we were talking to a Marxist, we would talk about the readily available nature of the energy, and the way it can be used for self-healing. This means that we can help all segments of society. With self-healing, even poor people have a chance to be healed.  Most Marxists hearing this information are impressed. If we had said anything else, perhaps Reiki would have been just a word.

And so on. Every person we meet has their own belief patterns, their own understanding of the world. This becomes one of the difficult areas to overcome if we wish to expand Reiki alongside the medical professions or any other body of people. Because we cannot hope to help others understand Reiki if we talk about Reiki in a way they do not understand.

In England, I have helped Reiki become accepted in the prisons. Initially this was because I talked about Reiki in a way which was acceptable to the Director. I then took part in a pilot scheme which was followed by an offer to be the National Reiki Trainer for all of the prisons in England. I am now teaching Reiki to prisoners for their self-healing, and also to therapists who will work in prisons across our country. If I had said different things to the director at the start, maybe to many prisoners Reiki would still be only a word.

Reiki. Just a word. Yet within that word is EVERYTHING. Reiki is curing, helping, healing energy. It is cleaning, cleansing, transforming energy. It is empowering, nurturing, caring energy. It is universal, spiritual, God-like. It is Love.

Please offer that Love to everyone. Do not be shy. It is your birthright to be healed. Progress your own soul. Shine the light from within you to lighten the darkness of others. It is your birthright to be able to heal. Let others know about your light in a way they will understand. Help the soul path of others. Do it with that word, Reiki. Unconditionally.

Reiki. Just a word. Yet within that word is so much. Seek the deeper meaning of the word. Within the meaning is Truth; a fun life of spirit in flesh; professionalism and respect to medical authority. Within the meaning is enjoying Usui Sensei’s Reiki cure.

Usui Sensei is much respected in England. For without his wonderful teachings, we would not be helping and healing each other as we are today. Written on his tombstone is his wish that Reiki would spread around the world. With this message from England being read to your gathering today in Japan, Usui Sensei’s wish has not only been fulfilled but Reiki has come full circle around the Earth.

I wish you every success in your future. Both for your organisation, and for you as individuals. Life and love start fresh every day. So does Reiki. Use it both as an organisation, and as individuals, for with Reiki the world will be a more beautiful place.

Reiki. So much more than a word.’

With sincere, loving, Reiki thoughts

Allan J Sweeney