Origin
Reiki is a new form of energy healing which has only been around for the past century. Reiki is made up of two (Japanese) words: Rei = Sacred or Spiritual and Ki = Energy. So whilst Reiki can be translated as Spiritual Energy, Rei and Ki also stand for separate energies which can be used during treatment. Rei is used on the spiritual body and Ki is used for the emotional and physical body.
It was first developed by Mikao Usui (Usui Sensei), a Japanese teacher and healer, who was constantly striving to improve body, mind and spirit and to become a better person. This led him to undergo a rigorous practice of meditation, fasting and prayer up on a mountain around 1922 until he was spiritually enlightened. Through this enlightenment he was given the Reiki healing method as a gift from the Universe.
In 1923 there was a big earthquake and Usui Sensei was out there trying to help and heal as many people as he could, offering himself and his skills to the community in these times of hardship. Word travelled fast about his healing abilities and he had to expand his clinic as demand was increasing.
Usui Sensei taught more than 2000 students and 16 masters in his time. He passed away in 1926. His teachings continue to be passed on from master to student. There are two different lineages in Reiki. The Japanese and the Western lineage which differ in the sense that the latter became somewhat more clinical in its approach and something more scientific rather than a spiritual way of life which might have been more palatable for the West, not used to energy healing. Actually, Usui Sensei himself tasked one of the 16 masters, Dr. Chujiro Hayashi, to expand the Reiki practise, which he did by taking a more clinical approach and introduce Reiki Levels I, II and III. It was thereafter with Mrs Hawayo Takata that the Reiki practise became fragmented as she didn’t allow her students to write down what she taught and therefore, after her death, there were different opinions of what was taught.
Benefits of Reiki
Reiki is a natural healing system which is a gentle, yet powerful form of holistic healing. Because Reiki is so safe with hardly any contraindications it can be used to treat everyone from babies and children to adults and elderly clients. Reiki can even be used on pets and plants. It can be a beneficial addition to contemporary medicine.
Reiki helps the body to reach an inner state of harmony, physically, mentally and spiritually. As well as helping many physical ailments, it can also promote the changing of any negative mental habits, turning these into more positive and productive thought patterns.
Here are some additional benefits:
• Release of tension which induces a state of deep relaxation
• Supports the body to heal itself quicker
• Better sleep
• Lowers blood pressure
• Can help with acute (injury) and chronic problems (e.g. headaches, asthma, skin conditions)
• Pain reduction
• Removal of energy blockages
• Supports the body in the toxin removal process
• Can lessen side effects from medication or treatments like chemotherapy or surgery
• Supports the immune system
• Facilitates spiritual growth and personal development
Treatment
There are different ways of giving a Reiki treatment. It can be done actively or passively. You are either present in the room or Reiki can be given as a distant treatment.
Active treatments are more effective with Alexandra healing with the hands on you. You remain fully clothed during the treatment, normally comfortably lying on a massage table.
If you are interested in experiencing Reiki for the first time or you visit for a general maintenance session, Alexandra will put her hands in 12 set positions for around 3 to 5 minutes. However, oftentimes clients would book an appointment for specific concerns. In this case Alexandra works much more targeted and places her hands in positions as directed by her knowledge of Reiki as well as her intuition.
