Reiki Healing Touch

Even though Reiki was first developed in 1926, we are still discovering new depths of the spiritual practice. In fact, many startling revelations have been uncovered over the last two decades alone, which have cast new light on the methodology widely adopted in the West. The practice was invented in Japan. By the time it had finally reached the U.S., its founder had long since passed away. This created a dynamic in which the original teachings were modified to fit a western culture.
This article will explore the differences between Eastern (or, Japanese) and Western (or, Occidental) Reiki. I’ll explain the early influence of a woman named Hawayo Takata as the spiritual practice spread throughout the U.S. We’ll also revisit some of the original teachings of its founder, Mikao Usui.
The Influence Of Hawayo Takata
For much of the twentieth century, the West’s access to Japan was very limited. As a result, the U.S. had only a rudimentary understanding about the original teachings of Reiki, which remained within Japan until the 1970s. A woman named Hawayo Hiromi Takata brought the practice to the U.S. after having been trained by Chujiro Hayashi. Hayashi was a student of the founder, Usui. He transformed Usui’s teachings into a rigidly simplistic set of rules that emphasized physical healing over spiritual growth. This is the version that Takata introduced to the West.
The style offered by Takata was positioned as an unchanged methodology. That is, the methods she taught were billed as entirely consistent with the founder’s original methods. For years, nobody suspected the claim. However, when Japan and its culture became easier to access, it was discovered that the style of Reiki that was spreading throughout the West was radically different than Usui’s approach.
Like Hayashi, Takata emphasized the memorization of a codified set of rules. Every person who received healing was treated with the same set of techniques, including established hand positions. While her methodology successfully standardized the practice, there were inherent limitations. First, it did not allow flexibility for each client’s unique needs. Nor did the standardization encourage students to expand their understanding of the methodology. Reiki practitioners have since learned that there is enormous power in experimenting with different systems and channeling energy through those systems.
Rediscovering Mikao Usui’s Approach
Mikao Usui’s approach to the methodology is far different than the style taught throughout the West by Takata. His method did not emphasize memorizing one distinct set of hand positions to be used to treat each person. Instead, his approach was more intuitive; he trained his followers to “listen” to the energy and adjust their hand positioning accordingly. He also taught Byosen scanning, a technique in which the practitioner learned to determine areas in need of healing through sensations in the hands.
Usui also incorporated a number of other methods under his broader Reiki system. These included Gassho meditation, Gyoshi-ho, and Koki-ho, all of which allowed students to further control the energy.
East Versus West
Initially, because Japanese and Western styles of Reiki are so dramatically different from each other, it seems logical to select one or the other. However, both strains of the practice have immense value to an astute practitioner. Both cater to disparate concepts, but both also form a similar framework. Takata’s style emphasizes a linear approach. Usui’s style highlights an approach based on the student’s intuition. The ideal system integrates the best of both styles.
Reiki continues to evolve as we learn new things about the practice. In the West, there are already dozens of systems that underscore different procedures and concepts. It’s important to remember that each person’s needs are unique. To that end, it is more important to apply systems that fit the need rather than rigidly sticking to one of them.

People who are just beginning to learn how to use Reiki to heal themselves and others can gain practical momentum through meditation. Regardless of whether you’re earning your first degree or have already become a Master after graduating from a third degree course, meditating pushes you to the next plateau. In fact, many practitioners who have faithfully adhered to the practice’s underlying principles claim they began to see a new level of progress only after meditating regularly.
Below, we’ll explore the ways in which finding quiet and solitude on a regular basis can strengthen the connection you feel with the Reiki energy. I’ll explain the fundamentals of meditation and how you train yourself to schedule time for it. I’ll also describe a 3-week program that you can use to contemplate your goals and seek answers.
What Does It Mean To Meditate?
Many people confuse prayer with meditation. It’s worth clarifying the difference. Prayer is speaking with God. To meditate is to embark on something entirely different. It is the act of quieting your mind and listening to what God has to tell you. Many Reiki practitioners prefer to begin each day by meditating on how they should use the universal energy into which they tap.
But, it’s a mistake to think that meditating must be done according to a schedule. In truth, many of the most revelatory moments are experienced during spontaneous meditation. A lot of Reiki devotees find themselves tapping into hidden stores of spirituality even while doing mundane things like driving, washing the dishes, or exercising. The key is to appreciate the meaning behind meditation and how it fortifies your connection with the Reiki energy.
Finding The Time
There will always be reasons to procrastinate meditating. Our lives are busier than ever and time is a valuable commodity. It’s too easy to keep telling yourself that you’ll meditate later in the day after you’ve accomplished everything on your “to do” list. But, that seldom happens. Other things will continue getting in the way.
This is one of the reasons why many Reiki Masters devote time during the early morning to their meditation. They realize that spending time alone and communing with God is critical to being able to focus on their spiritual growth. In doing so, they gain a better understanding about the healing nature of Reiki and the relationship they share with the universe.
A 3-Week Program To Strengthen The Connection
To be sure, there are many approaches to developing the habit of meditation. The program that follows is used by many practitioners because it helps them build the habit while strengthening their focus and spiritual empowerment. It is a 3-week process through which you can open your mind to your connection with the universe’s healing energy.
Week 1 – During the first week, you’ll concentrate on the Usui symbol of power. Each day will start with a specific question. Find a quiet, secluded place and meditate on the symbol for 20 minutes. Keep a small legal pad nearby to write down any notes that form in your mind during your session. They can include words or symbols. It is not important that you understand your notes; rather, it is important that you record them.
Week 2 – The second week will focus on the mental and emotional symbols of Usui. Each day will begin with another question. As before, meditate on the symbols for 20 minutes in a secluded area where you will not be disturbed. Keep your legal pad nearby and record any thoughts or images that appear in your mind.
Week 3 – The last week focuses on the distant healing symbol of Usui. You’ll spend the entire week meditating on this symbol for 20 minutes each day. Write down any notes on your legal pad.
Ideally, the above program should be used by students and practitioners who have passed the second degree of training. Those who have become Reiki Masters can add to the program by including additional symbols. Remember, the first step is building the habit. Only then can you truly connect with the universe and explore that connection with the Reiki energy.

Most students of Reiki only consider the spiritual system in the context of its healing power. To be sure, there are significant health benefits for those who receive treatment. This is the reason many of the techniques are practiced in hospitals throughout the country. Under the surface, however, there is a treasure trove of opportunity for devotees to experience immense personal joy and happiness.
Too often, advocates of the practice treat others while ignoring their own needs. Even as their patients experience breakthroughs in their physical and mental ailments, those who perform the healing are nearly overwhelmed by their own. It does not need to be this way. In fact, treating others effectively requires the healer to enjoy some level of happiness. Mikao Usui, the Father of Reiki, was an ardent believer in this concept. He even called the spiritual system “the secret art of inviting happiness.”
So, it is undeniable that students should be seeking their own personal joy through learning and practicing Reiki. The question is, how can they do so? This article will explore the issue by looking at the critical roles of self-focus and ongoing affirmation.
Focusing On Yourself
Tapping into the spiritual energy of the universe enables Reiki practitioners to treat the physical and emotional ailments of others. Thousands of accounts of healings that have successfully alleviated medical conditions and mental imbalances attest to this. If the universal energy can be harnessed to treat others, does it not also follow that it can be used to heal yourself?
I’m often surprised by the number of advocates who have themselves become Masters, yet focus little time on pursuing their own happiness. Many seem to believe their psychic, emotional, and intuitive abilities should be focused solely on the treatment of others. While that goal is noble, it is imprudent. Healing others is most effective when the healer is happy. And that happiness is achieved by performing Reiki on yourself.
Affirmation Throughout The Day
Nearly all practitioners – whether Masters or beginning students – want to experience joy within their lives. Oddly, while they have immediate access to the divine energy, few take advantage of it for their own needs. The first step toward beginning to perform Reiki on yourself is by affirming your pursuit of happiness.
Say to yourself, “I wish for the Divine energy to wash through me so that I may express my joy.” Make this exclamation a part of your daily meditation. Spend several minutes saying it over and over, focusing on the areas in your life that require healing. Do this throughout the day to strengthen the connection between your mind, body, and the divine life energy of the universe. You’ll discover that your emotional stress declines, your aches and pains grow less pronounced, and your mood lifts.
The Seeds Of Physical And Mental Health
When you affirm your pursuit of true inner happiness, you might notice negative emotions rising to the forefront of your mind. Don’t suppress them. This is an opportunity to dispel them with Reiki energy and to enjoy healing. Let them emerge. You’ll find that they evaporate as you focus the spiritual energy of the universe on those areas of your life.
As you begin to experience new levels of joy, you’ll also experience several side benefits. You’ll be more productive throughout your day because you’re unencumbered by negative thoughts. You’ll also be more creative as your mind explores further than before, unhampered by fear. These are the seeds of physical and mental health. It begins with performing Reiki on yourself and realizing that your happiness is the lever that allows you to treat others.