Reiki is described as the act of laying hands on the human body or animal to bring comfort and to relieve pain. This has been closely related to instinct.

When someone experiences pain, the first thing most people do is put their hand over the affected area. This is not only a neurological response but a comforting emotional response as well. When a child falls, we stub our toe or hit our head - our natural response is to kiss or touch the area to make it feel better. Human touch communicates caring, love, healing and warmth. When an animal is in pain, it will lick the area for the same reasons a human uses touch.

A Reiki practitioner may lay their hands on the body or hold their hands above the body to relieve the body of discomfort or to facilitate healing. We do this innately when we stub our toe or bump our elbow. After making a grimacing face, we begin to rub the painful area with our hand.

Healing power of touch -

We use the healing power of touch in so many different ways. You don't have to be a parent to have experienced a deeper level of comfort when we soothed a child or loved one with a kiss or touch. We have even used our breath to blow on a bumps, scrapes and bruises. When we feel feverish, we might take our own hand and feel our forehead.

The animal instinct -

Touching, caressing and stroking are instinctive healing qualities that not only humans enjoy, but animals as well. Animals caress their young with their faces or lick them to shove love and affection. Cats will walk between our legs and rub their faces against our calves and dogs will lick our legs to show tenderness and warmth. We all have the ability to show love.

Many names for energy -

• the Chinese call it Chi'
• In Hebrew it is referred to as Ruach
• In India it is known as Prana
• Islamic countries call it Barraka
• the Japanese call it Ki'
• some Native Americans call it Orenda
• the Polynesians call it Mana

Reiki is not a religion

It must be said that Reiki is not a religion, nor is it affiliated with any religion. The names above are merely what each culture calls the universal life force energy.

Reiki I practitioner

Reiki is divided into three degrees. A Reiki practitioner at the level of Reiki I generally uses their sessions to heal themselves. The practitioner may often have better health after he or she has gone through Reiki I level training.

Reiki II practitioner

The Reiki practitioner at the level of Reiki II may have larger amounts of healing energy. These practitioners may do distance healing. Meaning that the person being healed does not have to be present in order to receive healing. A Reiki II practitioner will begin directing healing energies rather than at Reiki I where they lay the hands directly on the body.

Reiki III practitioner

The Reiki practitioner at the level of Reiki III is a Master/Teacher. This means that the practitioner has mastered the discipline of Reiki and is therefore able to teach others. There is no ego involved in being a Master/Teacher. It simply means this person can heal by channeling energy through pure joy and love.

Anyone can learn Reiki -

Reiki is not reserved for people who are in health care. Reiki can be taught to anyone by a Master/Teacher Level III practitioner. We all have this inborn ability to heal ourselves and Reiki can help facilitate that healing through our own hands or the help of others.

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