Spiritual Drifts from The River of Karma

In my last post, I begin what I hope to be my first footstep in the journey of million steps into the world of Energy Healing. The last 3-5 years has seen a dramatic increase in interest in energy based modalities that it astounds even the likes of me.

It was therefore important to start with the most famous of them – Reiki. You can read it by just scrolling down.

In a nut shell, Buddhist monk Mikao Usui discovered the energy of Reiki after profuse fasting and meditating on Mount Kurama. It gives one the ability for self healing as well as healing others. Reiki also functions better with symbols.

Getting that out of the way, in this conclusion post on the introduction of Reiki, (Believe me, I’ll be touching on Reiki in some form down the line) I look into the one area many people today are showing great interest – Becoming a Reiki practitioner.

Economic fluctuations all around the word have some people desiring to use Healing as a source of self-income. Coupled with the fact that this is still a relatively new industry, thereby meaning less competition and a steady stream of customers who are willing to pay RM100 per session, it’s only soon before this is out in the open.

While Malaysia may be slow to see it, hospitals in England have started offering this alongside acupuncture and chiropractic as part of the Health Care Program. Some hotels place it as part of room service.

But this modality isn’t without controversies. Debates abound, and heated they are. Not to give away some just yet, but different schools claim differently while ego’s tend to strut their size.

You will want to read on.

Becoming Reiki Healer

In order to heal using Reiki energies, you first and foremost have to be able to channel them. In simpler terms, be able to connect to tap into the frequencies. (much like how your radio is tuned to a station).

This process of “Attunement” – The use of certain specialized techniques and meditation - all happens under the guidance of a qualified Reiki Master. A person is required to undergo 3 stages of attunement before becoming a full fledged Reiki Initiator.

Here, depending on which of the many different Reiki School you belong to maybe a little different from one to the other. But the need for 3 stages tends to stay the same.

Stage 1 - Students are attuned to the energies after a few sessions. They are able to feel and channel these energies to enable healing on own self and others for both local and far distances. Hand placements thought to be most conducive for healing are taught.

Stage 2 – The practitioner is now educated on the meaning and usage of symbols that are said to increase effectiveness of healing. Different symbols can heal different problems better (e.g physical, emotional).

Stage 3 – Here, having must completed the previous 2 stages, the practitioner is now attuned to enable the full channel and flow of Reiki energy. Thought this is not something I can comment on, one can only imagine it akin to the internet broadband flow going from a 56k line to a 1Mbit line. In this stage, practitioners are considered to have attained mastery and can now attune others into the system.

It is important to note – It doesn’t come cheap.

The 3 stages of attunement can cost anywhere starting anywhere from RM500 per level to RM 1500 for full 3 levels onwards. The price, while not fixed all over, can be dynamite on the pockets and is it’s only a matter if you can find someone who can do it for you a comfortable price.

This also explains in part why some healers can charge from RM50-RM100 per session alone.

Controversy

There exist in line debate about this modality. Almost all which stems from human ego which maybe fortunate or not depending on how you would choose to look at it .

1) Grandmaster

As they say, give a little and they take the whole. Claims of grandmaster-ship has existed coming from Hawayo Takata who studied from Mikao Usui’s first downline student. Being also American she was probably the first (Unconfirmed) to introduce Reiki to the Americans. However, this claim has never been verified and is not accepted in the different Reiki schools.

2) Compatibility

While the 3 stages of attunement is almost standard, the contents differ in practice from one school to the other. According to marthatierney.com, there are 46 differente forms of Reiki. These include Alef Reiki, Angelic Reiki, Archangelic Reiki, Brahma Satya Reiki, Celtic Reiki, Christian Reiki, Crystal Reiki, Divine Light Reiki, Dos Rios Reiki, Dragon Reiki, Essential Reiki, Fire Serpent Reiki, Gayatri Reiki, Heart Reiki, Huna Reiki to name but a few.

Of which, each school may not accept, in some cases completely reject, the teachings of another. Of one, Sekhem Reiki is considered less of a form of original Reiki as it blends the Egyptian healing modality, Sekhem, and Reiki. (Note: I will be covering Sekhem in the future).

While this surely is a pain to looks over small details, it is happening in the system.

3)Healing into the future

This is either a benefit or a problem subjective to individual discretion. Reiki practitioners are taught that healing into the future is possible if the patient will be present at the specific place and time. While I cannot give a say on the credibility of this statement as I have yet to come across any such occurrences, many do scoff at this for its pomposity.

So there you have. My foray into the world of Energy Healing. Granted this maybe my first of what I hope many to come, but it is a start I am pleased with. To become a Reiki practitioner is up to an individual. I personally think there’s nothing wrong with having this, or any other modality, as an aid. And if you don’t feel interested in Reiki specifically, go with what your heart tells you.

It’s your best guide.