Reiki is a noun, though I've heard it used as a verb. English is poorly suited as a language to describe anything about the process. We can't even figure out its part of speech! So please excuse my clumsy, dumb-sounding attempts, ok? Thanks.
What's required in order to do Reiki is both simple and yet very challenging. A practitioner must have the ability to focus and quiet the mind, something that can be gained through any kind of meditation practice, martial art, or from doing yoga. It helps to have a relationship with the divine or at least accept that mystery is a part of our world. We can't understand EVERYTHING, people! No matter how controlling we are, shit happens that can not be explained.
If you meditate and have a relationship with the divine or acknowledge mystery, you're two thirds of the way there. You must also receive an attunement from a Reiki Master in order to honestly proclaim yourself a Reiki practitioner.
What is an attunement? I knew you were going to ask! Once again mea culpa - English is not a great language for describing it. An attunement is a ceremonial laying on of hands during which the soul of Reiki, and some particulars about the phenomena, are placed literally into the body of the person receiving the attunement. Think of ordainment. The officiating clergy always places a hand on the head of the person being ordained. Why? It's interesting to think about.
During an attunement, something mysterious is passed directly, by touch, through the Reiki Master to the person receiving. What is passed is not something I have words to describe, but the quality of attunement makes me think about oral traditions, the way elders told stories around the fire pit to the younger people, passing history, a system of ethics, and a world view, all with the voice. The "story" of Reiki is passed through touch. I don't know what else to say about it except it doesn't originate in the Reiki Master. It comes from somewhere else, through the body of the RM into the person being attuned. It's the weirdest feeling, like standing in an wind tunnel (not that I ever have, but it seems like it would feel the same).
Tomorrow I'll TRY to describe a session of Reiki. It is a participatory kind of witnessing. Though it's actually impossible to explain, I'll have fun trying.
Have a peaceful day. Shalom.
7 comments:
I'm a believer - I'm pretty sure that my surgery went so well because of Reiki :)
Oh I'd love to experience that.
I find whenever I try to meditate, I fall asleep.
I was getting a facial last week and she was trying some sort of light thing where she put a light next to my skin and moved it around. I got dizzy and the room was spinning, very strange. She couldn't explain it.
Jeanette I would love to get you on the table for a Reiki treatment. You would love it!
Dana I sent you a boatload of Reiki during your surgery. An equal amount went to Michael. He was so worried!
i love Reiki; i have always had profound and deeply healing experiences with Reiki; but have totally failed to describe it to sceptics so have stopped trying. Your words are brilliant! thank you
wish i could stop by for some reiki with you
Val I'll send you some long distance Reiki if you like. I'll email.
yes please! wow!
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