Reiki Healing: Part Three
By Karen J. Gordon

Honoring a request from her teacher, Chujiro Hayashi, in the early 1930s, Hawayo Takata brought the Japanese healing art called Reiki (ray-key) to the West. For 40 plus years she worked with Reiki through self-treatment, treating others with the hands-on form and distant healing, working with the Five Principles of Reiki taught by Mikao Usui, and initiating many others into Usui Shiki Ryoho--the Usui System of Natural Healing--at the First and Second Degree levels. In her lifetime she initiated only 22 Reiki Masters.

Today there are several different traditions and schools of Reiki throughout the world. Some of these evolved from Takata's teachings when her initiated Masters began to teach others. And some of the traditions of Reiki that exist today came out of Japan from other lineages that began with Hayashi and/or Usui. It's said that each of them initiated only 18 Reiki Masters in their lifetimes. Some of the traditions of Reiki practiced around the world have been given new names; however, many of the different practices and trainings go by the same name: Usui Reiki.

The three levels of Reiki as brought to us by Takata-First Degree, Second Degree, and Master-are significantly different from each other and are not looked upon as a course of study to complete. In other words, First Degree Reiki is not viewed as a prerequisite taken in order to move on to the next level of training. First Degree stands alone, and at that level the student has everything she or he needs in order to share Reiki with others and to explore her own healing process through her practice.

If after working with Reiki for a year or more the student is drawn toward the Second Degree level, that training is available. However, Second Degree Reiki then stands alone and is not viewed as a prerequisite class taken to quickly become a Reiki Master. When a person chooses to be initiated into Reiki, she-consciously or unconsciously-enters into a relationship with that energy. This relationship can go in many directions depending upon other aspects of the person's life. Some people work with First Degree Reiki for years and are never inclined toward the next level of training. They go deeper into their own process of healing through self-treatment and treating others at the First Degree level.

Others are drawn toward the exploration of themselves and Reiki through the Second Degree initiation and training. The student works with additional applications of the healing energy which are taught at this level. One of these applications is distant healing whereby a connection to Reiki is made with another person without needing to be in her or his presence.

Many Reiki students keep their practice of Reiki in the realm of "folk art." If they offer Reiki healing to others, it's through a casual relationship rather than professional. People use Reiki with family members, pets, plants, friends, even friends of friends. Sometimes the Reiki is given freely; sometimes there's a barter exchange of some sort. From time to time, the student may charge money for a treatment. But for the most part, the person's Reiki practice is casual and even spontaneous. She keeps her exploration of Reiki within a basic community of familiarity.

If a student is inclined, she can take Reiki into the public arena. This is called a public or professional practice. There are a few things which move Reiki beyond a folk art. They are:

1) Consistently receiving payment
2) Professional setting
3) Advertising

Payment received for a Reiki treatment varies from practitoner to practitioner and area to area. Sometimes a sliding scale is offered and under some circumstances, barter is utilized as an exchange.

One of the most important differences between Reiki as a folk art and a public practice is the setting for the treatments. When a student practices casually, her healing hands can be offered anywhere, anytime. No special environment or equipment is necessary. But in a public practice, the following should be considered:

1) Sturdy table for treatments
2) Clean and professional environment and personal appearance
3) First aid and emergency supplies
4) Insurance
5) Record keeping

When a person moves Reiki into the public arena, she might choose to advertise. This could be seen as one of the most striking differences between the two ways of working with Reiki: folk art and public. Either way, the practice of Reiki is of benefit to the student because of her continuing relationship with the energy. But when she begins to announce her practice through advertising and marketing, it's easy for the focus of the work to shift away from one of a spiritual nature to one with a more practical and economic flavor.

Hawayo Takata wrote about Reiki as being an unfathomable, immeasurable, universal life force-a force accessible to every living being. When initiated into the system of Reiki healing, the student has the ability to access this life force with focus and purpose for the benefit of her own healing and the healing of others. A responsibility goes along with initiation. Someone else's healing process is not our own, and the practitioner is taught to gain permission before offering Reiki to someone else, whether hands-on or distant. She understands that the person receiving the Reiki is responsible for her or his own healing. The practitioner merely acts as a passive conduit for the energy, and remains compassionately detached from any specific outcome.

Hawayo Takata said: "Hands on, Reiki on. Hands off, Reiki off." Whether practiced as a folk art or a professional public practice, Reiki healing truly is that simple.

© 2005 Karen J. Gordon