Reiki for Healing & Spiritual Awakening

by Chantal Guillou-Brennan —Reiki Practitioner and Teacher at the service of Reiki

Unlike letters in our alphabet the Kanji (ideograms) for Rei and Ki represents an idea with multidimensional meanings. The commonly accepted meaning for Rei is Universal and the meaning for Ki is life force energy. Reiki (pronounced Ray Key) is a method of healing, finding its roots thousand of years ago in Tibet, India, China and more recently in Japan. Reiki was originally a spiritual practice that became a healing practice with the influence of Mrs. Takata who brought the methodology from Japan to Hawaii. Today the practice of Reiki Energy Medicine is used in many hospitals through out the US and other parts of the world.

The Essence of Reiki and What It Is Not

From the beginning Reiki was said to be an “intelligent energy.” What is the intelligence and how can it guide energy? To elucidate this we need to look deeper into the meaning of Rei and Ki. The essence of Rei is that of non-energy. It is what the Chinese called Wuji and the Buddhists call Dao; but it also is and quantum physicists call the Unifying Field, the Higgs Field or the Mind Field. It is the non-energy or consciousness that holds creation together, because it’s the space (of no-thing) between the tiny quantum particles that make up what we “think to be matter”, and that we are told, by physicists, accounts for 99.99...99% (to the power of 17) or everything!

Therefore, the deeper meaning of Rei is what holds the matter, the creation together. Rei is the Universal Consciousness, or Spiritually Guided Consciousness. It permeates our universe and everyone/everything within it.

Ki on the other hand, is the 0.00...01% identifiable as a wave that becomes particles of energy when observed. This wave/particles has many names from Chi to Ti or Prana and Ki in Japanese. Thus more than a modality Reiki is the energy of pure potential for healing and transformation.

Differences Between Reiki Classes

For centuries the knowledge of Reiki was secretly guarded and transmitted orally from teacher to student. However it was after Mrs. Takata brought Reiki to the west that some information was added or lost or transformed to give us today the wide range of Reiki training programs available online and in-person.

One of the most striking differences encountered is the purpose and number of the attunement received and the recommended practice after Reiki 1. Some of this is explained below but you may want to read: Why not all Reiki classes are created equal.

When Mrs. Takata brought Reiki to the West, she forbade her students to take notes and did not give a manual to her students. This accounts for much distortion and omission from one generation to the next.
In some lineage, the spiritual practices were stripped away to turn Reiki into an acceptable methodology. The result is that the effect of Reiki is seen to be the result of the placebo effect. But what is the placebo effect, if not faith; and what is faith if not a state of consciousness. Learn about the nature of consciousness with the IEMI masterclasses; or experience the depth of your infinite possibilities with the 8-hour Medical Intuitive Teleclass. See IEMI curriculum for Reiki 1, Reiki 2, Reiki Mastership.

Origins of Reiki

Reiki was developed by Sensei Mikao Usui who was born on August 15, 1865 in the village of 'Taniai-mura' in the Yamagata district of Gifu prefecture Kyoto. During his life Mikao Usui held many different professions such as public servant, office worker, industrialist, reporter, politician's secretary, missionary, supervisor of convicts. He also worked as a private secretary to a politician Shimpei Goto, who was Secretary of the Railroad, Postmaster General and Secretary of the Interior and State. At some point in his life he became a Tendai Buddhist Monk/Priest.

Many theories exists as to the origin of Reiki. Some seemed to be made up out of fear like the notion that Mikao Usui was a Christian who had been inspired by Jesus. Dr Usui was undoubtedly a Buddhist yet his travel to the United State and Europe may have indeed revealed to him the parallel between the healing of Buddha and Jesus. Yet, the very nature of Reiki does not exclude one from the other. In fact Reiki can be integrated with any belief system; or none at all, as it can even be understood to fit within the quantum mechanic paradigm. And although the history of Reiki may be a fascinating endeavor for a scholar it may not add to the understanding of this practice, which existed before Mikao Usui rediscovered it.

Thus, Reiki is not associated with any religious beliefs and all religions are honored in the practice of Reiki. For detailed information on how Reiki was brought to us and spread in the US, I recommend Reiki, The legacy of Dr Mikao Usui by Frank Arjava Petter.

Why Reiki 1 is the Most Important Class

By combining the practice Energy Medicine with the energy of Rei and Ki you get the best of both worlds. As such IEMI Reiki stands out for the way the energy medicine treatment is conducted, for the manner in which the energy is brought to the receiver, and for the wide range of frequencies connecting the receiver to the field of pure potentiality.

Rei-Ki enters the practitioner through the Crown chakra, flows to their heart and out their hands. As such Reiki is more a form of energy than a modality. Yet with the proper energy medicine training it is one of the most powerful modality available to us as a training. Unfortunately, as an oral tradition until the late 90s, Reiki suffered much distortions and few lineages have preserved the original teaching, now available through the Integrative Energy Medicine Institute. (Read testimonials on the right or on IEMI Google page.)

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The Power of Reiki

When practicing Reiki the practitioner is never depleted. The attunement process prepares students for the flow of healing energy. Rei-Ki enters the practitioner through the Crown chakra, flows to the heart chakra and out the hands.

• Using the power of Reiki the practitioner connects to receiver to the field of pure potentiality and a wide range or vibration that may include that of the earth as well as that of the Soul. As such the effects of a Reiki treatment have the potential to occur on the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual levels.

Other modalities channel telluric (earth) energy from the consensus reality of form through the feet up the Lower Tantien (second chakra) and out the hands. Because the Tantien is the sit of your personal vitality, this process requires the practitioner to have a diligent practice to replenish the vital life force stored in the second Chakra. Failing to do so can result in depletion and poor health.
Qi Gong Masters adopt a daily routine to cultivate the Ki so they can then direct that life force energy to heal or to break bricks! Failing to do so result in the depletion of vitality in the practitioner and possibly serious health issues. Pranic Healing uses the breath to gather Ki /Chi energy from the “air” (Prana).

• By channeling Reiki through the upper chakras the practitioner avoided has less chance to be triggered as the energy does not mingle in the lower chakras where childhood trauma are stored.

IEMI Reiki combines the power of Rei and Ki with the knowledge of the physical and energy systems to bring a complete energy medicine treatment while connecting the receiver to the field of pure potentiality.

• The ego of the practitioner is put on hold during healing with the intention that the treatment and the frequency delivered is for the highest good of the receiver; a most valuable step in a universe where the observer creates reality.

• Through that intention and the power of the word to create form, the practitioner allows the appropriate frequency to flow to the receiver. It is essentially the receiver who defines the frequency, color and destination of the energy of Rei and Ki; not the whim, ego or taste of the practitioner.

• With intention Reiki is delivered for the highest good of the receiver. Thus the “quality” of that energy is defined by the receiver’s needs and desire to heal. As such we consider every healing to be self-healing.

• Reiki flows through the Higgs/Rei/Mind Field that connects all in the proverbial Web of life. It is because of this non-energy that connects us all that we can deliver (the wave particle) to the receiver through great distances. Unlike the speed of light the speed of thought is instantaneous! What we consider magik or woo-woo is only what we don't understand, at this point in our evolution and technological advancement. We simply refute it out of closed mindedness. There are no mystery in the universe, all can be understood and explained.

• Because the lower three chakra hold the records of our childhood wound, practitioners get triggered and often cannot differentiate what is their wound or that of the client, UNLESS they have a self-healing practice lo healed themselves first, which is the purpose of Reiki 1.

• Yes, we always need to heal ourselves first. If we are to be the conduit, the channel, for any energy to be delivered that channel needs to be healthy of mind, body and spirit. When it is not, energy will first treat by the practitioner and the remaining will go to the receiver.

• Reiki treatment follow the natural circulation of energy down the front and up the back (taught in Reiki 2 and 3). This frequency delivered to the receiver may include the grounding earth vibration or the download from their Soul. Rei-Ki offers the widest range of vibration for the highest good of the receiver.

The Evolving Power of Reiki

• The energy of Rei and Ki can be combined with any energy medicine practice. As "Reiki practitioners" we are not in competition with any other modality but we can integrate all the learning about the human energy body and apply these facts and the experiences of those who have come before us, to enhance our ability to heal ourselves and others-- as a species, this needs to be a common goal for all of us.

• When channeling energy in the manner it is taught in IEMI Reiki, practitioners are never depleted unless they use their will and their own life force energy and fails to recharge. This is something that can happen easily especially when treating loved ones. It is not bad. It is natural. Yet is can be prevented by remaining in understanding "a clear and pure channel".

• Reiki energy comes from the field of pure potentiality for the highest good of the receiver, it can include earth vibration and celestial or soul vibration. The range is infinite and defined by the receiver. This combine with the #1 principle of energy medicine: " Where ever the attention goes the energy flows" directs the energy where it is needs.

The Truth About Reiki Attunements

The transmission of Reiki differs from one Reiki class to the next. Diane Stein in her book Essential Reiki presents a simplified method of attuning students to the energy of Reiki. In her lineage the four attunements of Reiki 1 were the same and so she chose to condense them into one single attunement with simple hand positions focusing mainly on the symbols this allowed her to attune large crowd from a stage in a few minutes. The truth is that THE FOUR ATTUNEMENTS OF REIKI 1 ARE DIFFERENT IN ESSENCE & IN PURPOSE. It is the same for the Reiki 2 and 3 attunements.

The attunement process is a healing process. At each level the student receives a mini healing to allow the energy information of Rei and Ki (Source energy/message of harmony balance, health, purpose) to enter the student and raise their vibration to reconnect them to their path.

The True Attunement to Rei-Ki Energy

Reiki energy is the energy of Source. The infinite range of vibrational energies always matches the receiver for its highest good. During the attunements the energy is transmitted through the crown chakra and sealed in the hands. Each chakra is cleansed and balanced and the Crown chakra is opened a little more with each level.

The attunements of Reiki 1 introduce the aspiring practitioner to this unique vibrational frequency; but it is through dedicated practice, on oneself, for 21 days, that the student becomes "attuned" to the frequency of Reiki, which he/she will be able to use for Reiki treatments on self and on others. With practice the bandwidth widens and more energy flows through the aspiring Reiki Master.

The attunements are not a magic-wand ceremony: they first clear and align the student's chakras then they open the crown chakra to channel the energy of Reiki and introduce the student to the Reiki vibration. It is up to the student to nurture this frequency. Hence, the true attunement to Reiki is the practice of Reiki on oneself. Just like a tiunning fork resonnates through the field, the more you attune yourself to the energy of Reiki to more changes you can effect on you body, mind and spirit!

Several symbols representing the Reiki energy are placed in the aura of the person during the attunements. If, after the first class, the student is in conflict with the Reiki teaching or neglects to practice for 21 days on him/herself, then the frequency does not permeate his being and the symbols dissipate form the aura. For this reason, I have met people who sadly were not advised to have the 21 day practice (that Dr Mikao Usui practice on himself during his retreat to mount Kori-yama); and who tell me that Reiki doesn't work or that they feel nothing. The understanding of what Rei and Ki are and what energy is tapped into and how and why combined with a regular practice of Reiki on self will remedy this problem. At worse a re-attununing may be needed.

During each attunement, (four in Reiki 1, two in Reiki 2 and one in Reiki 3), the student goes in a guided meditation to either release what no longer serves him/her or to receive guidance from Source or the guide meet in the first attunement of Reiki 1.

This “guide” is the antenna to Source and the Soul. It will provide personal direction and guidance during treatment. The following of this guidance and building of partnership is understood and practiced with the self-healing methodology taught in Reiki 1.

With the help of attunements and a dedicated personal practice, the Reiki student becomes attuned to the frequency of the Reiki energy and is able to channel it as needed. This universal life force energy is invoked and transmitted through the hands of the practitioner, without any loss of personal energy. As a matter of fact, this is the main difference between Reiki and other modalities–where the practitioner has not adopted a rigorous practice to generate and regenerate the KI/Qi/energy in their body (as in the practice of Qi Gong)

As a channel of Source Energy the practitioner never tires and may even be energized when giving a Reiki treatment He is also protected at all times and never depleted.

This point is crucial in the understanding of energy healing. Energy always flows from a high frequency to a lower. In her book the intention experiment Lynn Mc Taggart describes an experiment in which healing energy promoted the growth of a single cell organism held in a Petri dish. However, when healers were monitored individually, these creatures either stopped growing or even died when the healers felt depressed or depleted by an ailment!

When attending the four year energy medicine program at the Institute of Healing Art and Science, I noticed that my classmates were tired after giving treatments because they did not have a personal self healing practice and because the energy was brought through the Tantien and they gave their own energy with the practice.

With Reiki the energy is channeled from Source/Divine Consciousness/Unifying field, through the Crown chakra and is never depleted. This energy is pure potential; unlike the telluric energy channeled from the earth, which is already part of the consensus reality. This telluric energy, naturally channeled through the feet, is stored in the second chakra for that person. It is used as needed and needs to be replenished.
Reiki Source Energy is pure in all its form: potentiality, range of frequency, and limitless. It helps reset the person to the vibration of their soul at one with Source.
This is why Reiki 1 is the most important level of all and we made it the foundation class of the Energy Medicine Program.

Because the will of the practitioner is secondary to the practice of Reiki, you learn (level 2) to “channel” unique healing for the receiver following your own intuition and the guidance that you receive from Source or your Reiki guide is a versatile modality, which can be used in conjunction with, and to enhance, any other method of healing.

What happens when an energy medicine practitioner is not healthy?
If they are Reiki practitioners then the energy of Source come through their body and will replenish them and then flow to the client. The client cannot be hurt because the energy flows still through them but depending of how much the practitioner needs and how long the treatment is the client may not receive as much as was possible.

If your practitioner is not practicing reiki they are using their will. In this case not only will the energy you receive be tinted by the frequency of their challenge but thy will use their will with good intention that will deplete them further and place their health in jeopardy.

Why choose I.E.M.I. Reiki Energy Medicine

There are two distinct ideology when it come to the practice of Reiki. Both work very well and each will appeal to different personality. Mrs. Takata’s style relies heavily on memorizing a specific protocol and working with standard procedures that remains the same for each client. Remember that originally Reiki was a spiritual practice, but it is Mrs Takata who transformed it to become a system of healing. She taught specific healing such as the positions for eyes treatment.

Dr. Usui’s style used a more intuitive approach. The hand positions are taught but are not necessarily all included in a treatment. Dr Usui emphasis was to teach his students to develop their intuition, to connect with source with the Reiji-Ho to find guidance for the "right" hand placements. This method results in a unique treatment for each client.

He also taught the Byosen/scanning of the body and how to sensitize the hands, included in IEMI Reiki 1 with the Gassho meditation to clear one self of negative emotions and the cleansing and energizing breath to heal one self quickly. Other techniques are included in Reiki 2 and 3 such as the Gyoshi-ho to send Reiki with the eyes, plus methods for clearing negative energy from objects and for sending distant healing. 
All of the above are taught in our Reiki classes.

The I.E.M.I. offers the best of both worlds. Our Reiki program includes the standard protocol favored by Mrs. Takata as well as her specialty healings, plus all of Dr Usui's method of healing and protections, while teaching the student to work synergistically and in partnership with the Source of the spiritually guided Universal Life Force Energy (Reiki).

Our style validates and encourages the development of second sight and intuition. And offers the aspiring Reiki Master the tools to remain healthy and grow with experience.

When attuned by Chantal you will be a 10th generation including Dr Mikao Usui! A very short lineage in which the ancient Tibetan teaching were preserved and will be passed on to you. See what her students say about that teacher.

STUDENT TESTIMONIAL: I highly recommend receiving Reiki training from Chantal. She is wonderful teacher who is loving, gracious, kind and knowledgeable. She provides her students with detailed coursework materials to study from and many opportunities to practice this spiritual work. She embodies Reiki and is truly a master in every sense of the word. I will also add that I was completely transformed by learning Reiki. My extrasensory perception is significantly enhanced and I have been awakened to the spiritual world in new and amazing ways. You've heard the commercials from advertisers that promise that you'll amaze your friends by the changes that will happen to you when you use their product or take their course? Well that exactly describes what has happened to me. My life is full of joy and appears to be guided by the angelic realm. I was just introduced to the work of Doreen Virtue and found myself nodding in agreement while reading all her descriptions of how angels communicate with us, because this is how I now experience life. This is not to say that I no longer encounter difficulties; however, the sense of awe from the happenings and gifts received each day has been unending since taking Reiki I and Reiki II and regularly following the practice. I very much look forward to taking the Reiki III class with Chantal. — Maria B. from Bethany, CT.

The Reiki levels

Reiki is taught in levels, referred also as degrees. Reiki 1 is the level to heal your self and al the tools from al three levels have been pulled into this one to help you in your life and on your path. Many student do not want to become healers but will take this class to raise their vibration and become aligned with their soul’s purpose. The true attunement to the energy or Rei and Ki is the 21 day practice betwen Reiki 1 and Reiki 2.

Reiki 2 is the level to develop your intuition, Extra Sensory Perception through a nurtured partnership with Source/Reiki guide to channel healings and to be able to do Reiki remotely.

Reiki Mastership level 3 offers a complete manual of specialty healings for many different ailments. It focuses on developing a Reiki practice and interacting with client. (View classes descriptions and prerequisite for each.)

Reiki Teacher Training is a separate class in which you learn to give the attunements, learn to teach each class and practice this teaching. Teaching requires unique skills and a desire to teach and continually learn. It also requires much practice to understand what Reiki has to offer. Both are a prerequisite to this program.

The Dual Benefit of Reiki

Because of the nature of Reiki, as a spiritually guided life force energy, the most significant benefit is that your vision of yourself and creation will be changed forever. As you become attuned to the high vibration of Source and begin to release blocks you also become attuned to the frequency of your soul and aware of the guidance of your Soul (which is at one with Source). Life begins to unfold as you are now in alignment with your purpose and the aspirations of your soul.

Student that adopt a morning practice of self-Reiki seem to report more changes in their life than those who choose to practice self-Reiki in the evening. It is as if the person was now able to hear the messages from their Soul. These always came but now the person is able to hear them and act on these throughout the day.

However those who practice at night report having more dreams. Messages than come this way are not always as clear. Nevertheless people practicing self-Reiki in the evening or before going to bed have better sleep patterns and often report more physical changes in health. When to person falls asleep Reikiing themselves, the energy continues to work through the night. The mind is open to receive and deeper changes may occur that may at first not be as obvious as those practicing in the morning.

For these reasons it is best to try to practice both at night and in the morning to see which is best for you.

The direct benefits of practicing Reiki on yourself and others:
• Promotes natural self-healing
• Balances the energies in the body
• Balances the organs and glands
• Strengthens the immune system
• Treats symptoms and causes of illness
• Relieves pain
• Clears toxins
• Adapts to the natural needs of the receiver
• Enhances personal awareness
• Relaxes and reduces stress
• Promotes creativity
• Releases blocked and suppressed feelings
• Aids meditation and positive thinking
• Heals holistically

The secondary benefits of practicing Reiki on yourself and others:
• Release of Karmic wounds and patterns of thoughts
• Opening of heart and heightened compassion
• Coherence of heart and mind & greater clarity of purpose
• Increase in serendipity and synchronicity
• Heightened awareness or divine providence
• Selfless success
• Vibrational transformation and desire to be of service to humanity
• Selfless love and gratitude toward all life
• Reconnection to one’s soul and purpose
• Enjoyment toward daily life
• At-onement with Divine Mind/Rei and the field of pure potentiality
• Peaceful appreciation of daily life
• Feeling of connectedness and ones with all

Shamanic Reiki, Crystal Reiki, Angelic Reiki, Lemurian Reiki, Atlantian Reiki...
Because Reiki is the energy of Source chanelled for the highest good of the receiver, Reiki can be combine with any other modality. More than a modality it is the energy of pure potential for healing and transformation.

However “specialty” Reiki is not taught before Reiki 2 because the level of Reiki 2 is to develop the intuition and Extra Sensory Perception that will reveal to the student their unique skills, interests, and purpose. If you were to learn a hybrid Reiki from the start and this was not a match to what you are meant to focus on, or not in alignment with your skills and talents, you would essential be derailed from your path. As such we keep the Reiki teaching pure.

When a Reiki practitioner uses the Reiji-Ho to connect to Source Energy, and allows the energy or Reiki to flow through them for the highest good of the receiver, then the frequency of Reiki is the highest vibration for that receiver. The practitioner cannot be depleted because they do not use their will and the energy that flows through their hands is purely coming from the Universe/Source and is unaltered by their own energy.
As the jumper-cable between the receiver and Source Energy, Reiki Energy Medicine therapist intentionally create a synergy between giver-receiver and Source, whereas the receiver/Source define the frequency delivered. The practitioner must remain aware to corelate their understanding anf knowledge of energy anatomy to work in partnership with this synergy. Thus, rather than delivering the same recipe to everyone and expecting different result, the treatment is adapted to the need of the receiver and spontanously unfolds for highest good of the receiver.
When the practitioner "wills" the energy to be the highest "they can" possibly give, or deliver a "special frequency" limited by their training or desire to use a specific color or frequency, then the treatment is limited by what they believe they can deliver.

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