Manual Therapies: Massage Reflexology and Acupressure
Professor: Karen Scotti
Although the world is in dire need of healing today and the imbalances that people have are causing illnesses that can be treated by a single touch and a slight energy balance, there is good news, something can be done and things are being done to restore balance to humanity. Reiki is a spiritual healing art that can help one return to balance both: physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually and socially. Reiki means universal life energy, it doesn’t attack disease, but supports health, by strengthening our body’s ability to heal itself. Once can select a professional or friend to practice the art, but Reiki could also be self-performed by oneself. There are four levels of Reiki: physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. Reiki helps a person physically by strengthening the immune system, loosing blocked energy and cleansing the body of toxins, etc. Emotionally Reiki relaxes and calms the nervous system and evens the emotions, mentally- relaxes the mind so that clarity can be enhanced and spiritually- Reiki reconnects us with the “Source of Life.” (Honervogt) Reiki was started by Mikao Usui, who lived in Japan between 1865 to1926. He was a spiritual seeker who went on a fasting retreat in the spring of 1922. During the retreat he had a meditation experience that awakened a vibration about his head that awakened him and he recognized this energy as a healing power. He started using this energy healing technique on himself as well as his family. When he proved that it was a success, he began to share this idea with the public and he relocated his family and shared his ideas with circles of healers. (Miles) Mikao Usui gave more than two thousand Japanese Students initiation, or Reiju into the First
Degree Reiki practice called, Shoden or basic techniques. Among the twenty-one students whom
Usui trained as Reiki masters was a retired naval capital and medical doctor, by the name of
Chuijiro Hayashi (1878-1940) who put a handbook together with Usui that specified different hand placements for treatments for various conditions and Hawayo Takata who was a woman and born in Hawaiian island of Kauai in 1900’s, but whose family migrated from Japan. She sought treatment for her ailments while in Tokyo and later became a student of Usui. (Miles) There are Five Reiki Principles that Dr. Usui taught his students. (Qwest)
1. Just for today, do not anger; 2,Just for today, do not worry; 3.Honor your parents, teachers and elders; 4.Earn your living honestly; 5.Show gratitude to every living thing The most important aspects of the Reiki Principles are the phrase: “Just today.” Even though we are human and it is not likely that we can keep the principles, but the idea is to try one day at a time, as well as the other principles it is a day to day thing and practice. (Qwest)
There are Three Degrees in Reiki: The First Degree training is the basic course that lasts 2 to 4 consecutive evenings. Each session lasts 3 hours and during this time you receive four attunements (energy transmissions) and are taught the fundamentals of Reiki system of healing, its history, effects and benefits. You practice basic hand positions to treat self/others, animals and Reiki with first aid. A minimum of
2-3 months should be taken to adjust energy to the higher vibration/frequency that is required. The Second Degree should start after at least 2-3 months of practice between the First and
Second Degree attunements. The Master-Teacher that is responsible for the initiation has to find the student trustworthy enough to receive the Reiki symbols and empowerment they give. A 21 day cleansing process, daily self-treatment is done to refine the student’s energy. The Second
Degree attunements
