The Five Principles:
“Just for today, do not worry”
“Just for today, do not anger”
“Earn your living honestly”
“Honour your parents, teachers and elders”
“Show gratitude to every living thing”

Reiki is the Japanese word for Universal Life Force Energy. ‘Rei ‘means universal or mysterious power. ‘Ki’ is described as the vital life force energy. Quite simply, performing Reiki can be as simple as holding a baby to comfort it from crying. On the other end of the scale, spiritualists can use Reiki as a more powerful form of healing. We all have the power to perform Reiki and with a greater knowledge and understanding, we can enhance its power. My simplest explanation of Reiki is this...’Reiki involves channelling clean, pure energy through your body and using this energy to fine tune the chakras like you were tuning a piano’.

When someone is treated with Reiki, they are brought back into a state of unity with the harmony of the universe. This harmony, which is able to reach them in the smallest of cells, makes them whole and healthy again, thus encouraging the natural ability of the patient to heal them self. Reiki can be done on yourself, other people, even animals and plants.

The founder of Reiki as natural healing is Dr Mikao Usui. At the turn of the century, late 1800’s, Dr Usui was the president of a small Christian University in Kyoto, Japan, Doshisha University. He was also a Christian Minister.

An interchange with a student at the beginning of a Sunday service changed the focus of Dr Usui’s life. As Dr Usui was beginning one of the last Sunday services of the school year, a senior student about to graduate raised his hand and asked a question:

“Dr Usui, do you accept the contents of the Bible literally?”

Dr Usui answered that indeed he did.  The student went on:

“In the Bible it says that Jesus cured the sick, that he healed, and that he walked on water.  You accept this as written, have you ever seen this happen?”

Dr Usui agreed that he believed and answered that no, he had never seen a healing or walking on water.

The student went on to say:

“For you, Dr Usui, that kind of blind faith is enough, for you have lived your life and are secure. For us who are just beginning our adult lives and who have many question and concerns, it is not enough. We need to see with our own eyes.”

A seed had been sown. The next day, Dr Usui had resigned his position as president of Doshisha University and went to the University Of Chicago, USA, where he gained a doctorate degree in Scripture to help him uncover the secret of how Jesus and his disciples healed the sick.

Still, he had not found what he sought.

Realising that in Buddhism tradition, it is held that the Buddha also had the power to heal, he returned to Japan to see what he could learn. After some time studying the Buddhism Scriptures, he still had no success.

Then he went on to learn Sanskrit, the ancient language which would help him read the original untranslated Buddhism writings.

Finally, Dr Usui found what he was looking for. In the teachings written by an unknown disciple, Dr Usui found the formula, the symbols, and the description of how Buddha healed.

And so at the end of a seven year search, Dr Usui uncovered the knowledge, but realised he still had yet to uncover the power to heal. He decided he needed to go to a mountain and meditate, to seek the power to heal.

Realising the dangers, Dr Usui climbed one of the sacred mountains of Japan where he was to meditate for twenty-one days. On the first day, he placed twenty-one small stones in front of him and as each day passed, he would throw one of these small stones away. And the days went on.

On the twenty first day, Dr Usui became aware of a beam of light from the heavens which came shooting towards him.  Although afraid, he did not move when struck by the light and was knocked over. Then in rapid succession, he saw before him lime bubbles of light holding the symbols discovered in his study, the key to the healings of Buddha and Jesus. The symbols burned themselves into Dr Usui’s memory.

When the trance was over, Dr Usui no longer felt exhausted, stiff or hungry as he had moments before.

He got up and began to walk down the mountain. On his way, he stubbed his toe, tearing back the toenail.  He jumped with pain and grabbed his toe with his hand. Within minutes, the pain left, the bleeding stopped and his toe was well on the way to healing.

Today, the Usui System of Natural healing is practised all over the world. By accepting Reiki, you become part of this history. With your willingness to share the gift, you support and quicken the unfolding of life. A person, who has been through the process of Reiki attunements, has experienced a very ancient process of fine tuning the physical and etheric bodies to a higher vibratory level. In addition, certain energy centres, known as chakras, are opened to enable the person to channel higher amounts of this Universal Life Energy.

We live hectic lives and often feel trapped by both the past and/or the future. To help bring ourselves back to the present moment, try this short breathing exercise. This exercise can and should be performed several times throughout the day. Take as little or as much time as you need. Anywhere from 10 seconds to several minutes or even hours. You can do this with your eyes opened or closed. At any time and any part of the day. Do it whilst while driving, shopping, working, in the toilet, etc.

• Begin by focusing on your breathing.
• Release all thoughts from your mind.
• Now just breath in and out at a comfortable rate for the remainder of the exercise.  If you find yourself getting distracted by different thoughts, don’t worry. Just clear your thoughts again and continue breathing.
• Whilst breathing, focus on awakening each of your five senses. Do this one sense at a time in any order.
• Listen….
• See…..
• Smell…..
• Taste…..
• Feel…..
• Gently awaken yourself to the present moment.

Just in case... 
If you have problems clearing your mind, start again using the following technique to start you off.

• To begin, breath in as much air as you can hold comfortably. Hold for 4 seconds.
• Breath out all air releasing all thoughts along with it. Hold for 4 seconds.
• Repeat this 4 times (in 4 & out 4) whilst continuing to allow yourself to let go of any thoughts.

It really is important that you do the exercise as often as you can.  If you learn to do this regularly, I promise it will change your whole perspective on life.  Don’t consider this a meditation in which you have to find a relaxed place and the necessary time to do it.  This can and should be done anywhere and anytime.  Consider this to be an essential part of your day from this moment forward.  Treat it as you’re reminder not to get caught up in the negatives which normally come from you thinking of either the past or the future.  This is a reminder to bring yourself back to this present moment.  Remember, there is no point worrying about what has happened and no point worrying about what could happen.  The only thing you have to worry about is anything happening right now.  If you have problems remembering to do this exercise regularly, set several reminders on your phone to get you in the habit.

Good Luck, Nas.