Reiki (pronounced raykee) means universal life force. It is an unseen energy force that surrounds and flows through all living things and exists in the very air we breathe. It is this life energy force, called Ki, that gives the body its ability to stay alive and heal itself. When the life force is depleted, the body experiences difficulties healing itself. When our intake of Ki is optimal our bodies are able to fight off infections and maintain a healthier state of being both physically and mentally. When the life force is cut off completely, the body's connection to the physical world ceases to exist. Reiki dramatically reduces pain and discomfort from illness, post-surgical recovery, injuries such as cuts, bruises and burns. Reiki calms and relaxes the body so it is excellent for stress and anxiety. Reiki can help migraines, injuries from sports or from everyday mishaps involving falls, muscle pulls or strains of all sorts. Reiki helps to restore balance to the emotions so is wonderful for mood swings, PMS, depression, illness symptoms, and many others.

Research into the origin of Reiki indicates its history dates back thousands of years with Tibetan Buddhists. In Japan, in the early 1900s, Dr. Mikao Usui while on a quest to find answers to the mystery of the miracles of Jesus and through a meditative state experienced a vision of what he was seeking.

Reiki was brought to the United States in the early 1970s by Hawayo Takata. Mrs. Takata had received her Master level from Dr. Chujiro Hayashi, and Dr. Hayashi received his training and Mastership from Dr. Usui, thus establishing a Reiki lineage. It was some time after Mrs. Takata arrived in the United States that she realized she was the only person in the United States with the knowledge of how to initiate others into Reiki so she began initiating others into Reiki at the Master level. Before she passed on, she made 22 Masters in the United States. John Harvey Gray was the third student she initiated into Master level. He is now the oldest living Reiki teacher/pratitioner in the United States, lives in Rindge, New Hampshire, and along with his wife, Lourdes Gray, also a Master Reiki teacher/practitioner, are the Reiki teachers from whom I received my Master teacher/practitioner level training.

Reiki is a light touch hands-on healing modality that restores vital energy to the body bringing the body back into balance leaving one with a sense of well being and tranquility. The healing takes place on a very deep level. The newly regenerated cells that have absorbed the Reiki energy can now begin the process of healing the body.

During a fully clothed session, the Reiki energy is transmitted into the body throught the body's energy centers called chakras. The effects of a Reiki session may not be immediately noticeable, but over time one becomes aware of the beneficial effects. The sensations felt during a Reiki session can be warmth, coolness, tingling or vibrating sensations or a sense of heaviness. Some may not feel anything at all. This does not mean that the Reiki energy was not received but that it was beyond the perception of the person receiving it. With subsequent sessions, an awareness of the energy develops. For example, if someone has a pulled muscle they may leave the Reiki session with a sense of the muscle still in pain, but a few hours later suddenly realize that the pain has subsided or completely disappeared. Reiki's intention is not to replace conventional medicine, but to be used in complement with it.

Electricity and sound waves are known to exist even though you can't see the movement of the energy. This is proven through the workings of television, computers, radios and the internet. This same principle can be applied to Reiki: Experience it and you too will acknowledge that it exists.

Many articles have been written about diseases and health abnormalities that can be the result of imbalanced emotions. For example, extreme anxiety, tension and worry can cause ulcers; stress can trigger headaches and migraines; a sustained period of unresolved anger (Type A personality) can cause heart attacks. Reiki restores balance to the body and emotions which will allow the body to heal itself.