Who was Mikao Usui?

A modest man who was maturing as an adult in the time when Japan was making its transition from the feudal system of the Samurai and Shoguns to a western style of constitutional government. This transition introduced many different streams of thought and cultural influences. In this atmosphere, he was an avid scholar and a seeker of answers to questions that became a spiritual quest. Through his searching, commitment to his burning questions, and a willingness to devote his life to this pursuit, he was gifted with the experience of Reiki. The creation of the Reiki practice developed as he gained understanding of the gift he had been given. He founded this system of practice, a unique combination of impulses that are able to be passed from generation to generation; giving anyone who is willing to practice, an opportunity to also live with and in the conscious presence of Reiki in daily life.

What is Universal Life Energy ?

The Japanese language is made up of characters that come from ancient pictographs. Many students have studied the inherent clues that remain in the characters today. This allows those of us who do not know the Japanese language to come closer to what might have been in his mind as he chose these particular kanji or characters to communicate this energy of Reiki. Reiki is held as a part of the universal mystery, the divinity that is in everything. The Japanese culture accepts the existence of mystery as a real part of our world. Thus a connection to the realm of the mystery remains intact and necessary to have a true understanding of the natural world, including our human existence.

Phyllis Furumoto describes Reiki as coming before everything, the potential of all movement. When applying Reiki in one's life, the potential of our uniqueness as human beings is furthered while our similarities as human beings is made evident. This paradox provides a student with a rich learning field.

What is a Reiki Treatment?

There are formal and informal treatments.

In a formal treatment, the person being treated lies down fully clothed. The student has learned a set of hand positions that are used covering the head, chest, abdominal area, and back. Other positions may be used in agreement with the person being treated or to cover other parts of the body that are in distress. The treatment time is usually between 60-90 minutes.

An informal treatment may occur anywhere a Reiki student and someone who wishes a treatment have met. For instance, in an office, someone with a headache may seek out a Reiki student and ask for a 20 minute treatment to relieve the headache.

What are the benefits of connecting with Reiki?

As a student in this system of Reiki, the student begins to have a conscious relationship with this energy that is called Reiki. As living beings we are endowed with Reiki. We have, thorough our separation from the agricultural rituals and our natural connection with nature, also separated ourselves from a conscious relationship with Reiki. When students begin their practice there are many levels of benefit. The one most noticeable is that our outside life begins to match our inside life. Our talents and abilities are enhanced and motivation is found to utilize these in our daily lives. People and situations that are not congruent to our inner lives often shift and fall away. Physical ailments can be resolved. Emotional stress can be relieved. And with all this, the life style of the student begins to shift into a supportive kind of life that reduces the stress of our modern life style, bringing up the natural values that each of us have within.

Because each human being is unique, each path is unique. Though Reiki stories have similar feelings and patterns, the results are unique to each student. This is often the source of much speculation. Our human tendency to categorize is often thwarted by the unexpected results of treatment while producing a feeling of awe at the appropriateness of the individual development through this practice.

What is a Reiki student?

In entering a Reiki practice, a student completes a course of training. In this system, this training is accompanied by ceremonies of initiation. The initiations are moments of spiritual connection that the master and student create by their willingness to enter into relationship with the energy of Reiki. These initiations must be done "in person" and through the grace of the training time normally referred to as a "class." The student is given the basic practice in the First Degree class and then begins a daily practice that will benefit all aspects of life and all levels of healing.

The basic practice is self treatment. Treatment of others, usually starting with family and friends, is possible after the first day of the First Degree. However, some students need time to become confident before embarking on another level of practice.

For more details of becoming a student, go to Usui Shiki Ryoho