Reiki: a system for mindful connection with life energy for self-healing

Introducing Reiki

Rei Ki is Japanese for Universal Life Energy.

Rei: universal, or spiritual (the essence that gives something spirit)
Ki: life energy.

So in the System of Reiki, we are specifically interested in the energy which gives something life. This can be described as ‘subtle energy’, and a Reiki practitioner can perceive the quality (vibration, flow) of this subtle energy — of thoughts, emotions, intelligence, will, personality — a living thing’s essential energy.

Every thing whether living or not is made of energy; every atom is energy. Reiki practitioners will also perceive the energies of non-living things e.g. a place (genius loci), a rock, water…

Whether ‘connecting’ (more accurately, remembering that we are already connected!) with something living like a plant, animal or person, or with a place or a situation, a Reiki practitioner can change the energetic state of that living or non-living thing through their practices in raising vibration and flow.

And because fundamentally all energy manifests as vibration, Reiki practitioners work to be vessels of high vibration and flow of earth and universal life energy.

To cite the famous quote attributed to Nikola Tesla:

"If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration."

According to principles in both physics and metaphysics, matter itself is energy that has slowed down to a vibration rate that allows it to be perceived as solid. Everything in the universe - atoms, thoughts, emotions - constantly moves, pulsates, and vibrates at specific frequencies.

I start with this rather scientific energy contemplation because it shows us…
…that being aware of and connecting with life energy is the most natural thing!

Noticing, connecting with, protecting and nurturing our life energy isn’t a weird, new idea, or a cultural belief or religion.

Animals, children, sensitive people do it ALL the time. And it is what everything in the natural world does continually: it seeks a state of balance. Balance means a state of ease, equilibrium, and relaxed flow. Everything in nature is constantly shifting, adjusting and finding this balance.

We can connect with our life energy to support it to do this too.

A massage table with a gray neck pillow, white pillow, and beige towel, set up in front of a large window overlooking a tree. There is a white sofa with a cushion behind it, and glass jars on wooden shelves on the wall.

Natural life-force energy

Reiki is therefore two things:

  1. Rei ki is simply ‘life energy’, and

  2. And Reiki, is a system for learning to become aware of, expand and heal by connecting with personal and universal life energy.

We are part of the universal energy field, and, we have our own personal life energy, which leaves us feeling different depending if it’s resonating at a high or a low vibration.

Things like emotional state, mental wellbeing, environment pressures, relationships, stress and worry all change the vibration of our personal life energy.

And for that, founder Mikao Usui Sensei developed a system for noticing (feeling) and self-healing (flowing) life energy by introducing people to a system which encourages self-awareness of energy, and techniques to ground, centre, flow and connect