I'm often asked questions about Reiki, and more often to explain what Reiki is. I have come to understand that Reiki is so much more than a "healing technique", if fact, I'm not sure that it is a healing technique. I've read many of the books that are written on Reiki, and in fact, have sat down for countless hours and input enough information to write a book. But, as I read back through the material, especially with a few weeks, months or years allowed to pass, I've found that this writing limits potential readers understanding the scope and breadth of the system. I continued to gain additional knowing as I worked the system. A book would freezer earlier concepts of Reiki, as if it were limited by the words used to describe it. Needless to say, the book sits in the hard drive accumulating "cyber-dust". My understanding continues to grow daily with continued self-treatments, teaching classes and treating others. Every class, every person I talk with and every article seems to expand my awareness of Reiki. In this article, I'll attempt to put down an overall understanding...... to date.

I had the good fortune to have some cyber-friends call and say they were in Sedona and wanted to meet me, so we met for breakfast. The conversation soon centered on Reiki, and I was asked to define it. And these concepts rolled out of my head, over my tongue and out my mouth..."Reiki is usually said to be a "healing technique", but I've come to know that is so much more. When we humans were created and we decided to incarnate into dense physical bodies, we were fully connected to the Universal life-force that animates all living form. We could easily remember that we chose to experience solidity only temporarily, and that we could move between solid form and Spirit Essence. But over eons, we decided that it was fun to experience all the emotions, drama, and intrigue of forgetting our Spiritual side, and to stay fully immersed in the "playing of roles". As we moved our consciousness more deeply into the physical realm, we began to forget the Source of our creation/energy, and we began to become more out-of-balance to what we truly were. We spent more time "thinking" about material things, competition, money, power, control, and eventually we cut off our own conscious connection to Source. Add to that the loss of "vital Chi or Ki" through our addictive sexual appetites, our perception of servitude to work/jobs, our fascination to mind-numbing substances, and our struggle to survive in 3rd dimension. It is easy to see why we are developing dis-eases, imbalances, and conditions that are literally killing us."

Reiki is a subtle energy discipline that can replenish our bodies with the "life-sustaining" energy of Source. It is known to purify and eliminate everything toxic to our total being (all energetic levels holding our physical body in solid form). When we have more of the Diving Essence flowing through us, we are more filled with the "Love" of the Creator for his/her "creations", and with the "Light" that is the vibration of pure energy from which we come. When our bodies are filled with this vital life-sustaining energy, we will come back to balance/vibrant-health/wholeness. There are many ways/tools available today to accomplish this state of being, but one of the easiest is Reiki. All one has to do is to become attuned and lay their hands on the body for a minimum of one hour daily. That is all.... just one hour a day; while we awaken, fall to sleep, rest, eat, drive, work, watch television... etc. What could be easier? Basically, we can talk about Reiki, or we can do Reiki.... the proof of its effectiveness is in the state of our body/mind/spirit. What are you waiting for? If one hour could do this, imagine what two or more could accomplish.

© 2008 Bonnee Klein Gilligan. All rights reserved.

We all (male and female) have equal intuitive abilities. My experience of intuition is that it covers the gambit of all extra-senses which would include sensing/feeling, seeing, hearing, tasting and smelling.

Everyone expresses sensing/feeling at the most basic level. Like walking into a room and feeling welcomed or wanting to turn and run. And we all experience gut reactions to a new person we meet, partnership or proposal. We may be open or other. Part of our survival mechanisms. Each of us has a gift that is our main way of perceiving. Some see, some sense, some hear, some smell and some taste. I've talked with folks who have each as primary and one or more secondary. Usui Reiki Ryoho has many techniques which help develop and hone our intuitive abilities. In Shoden (the beginning teachings) the practice of hands on fills the body with energy and begins the wholing process. The breathing technique Joshin Kokyu reduces stress and clears the mind. While the Gassho Meditation begins our focus inward. It helps quiet the mind ('monkey mind') and still frenetic outer activities. 

As intuition develops it can include empathy, being able to sense what is going on with others... emotionally, physically, mentally and spiritually. This empathic bond often expresses with siblings or parents/children and people/animals. Usui Reiki Ryoho Okuden (innermost teachings) offers techniques and symbols which expand the process of sensing subtle energy, building the compassion body and expanding intuition. The technique Byosen Reikan ho... scanning develops and hones our empathic abilities. The technique Reiji ho develops and hones these abilities further by getting the small mind out of the process. It creates an environment where we begin to trust as we allow Reiki to guide us to the imbalances.

Our intuition develops further and we begin to intuit the astral levels, how/where many psychics read. Astral is where telepathy is honed. It is a 'free for all' zone where anything goes. A zone for coming to understanding about guiding forces, focus, stranding, attention, intention and more. Usui Reiki Ryoho Shinpiden (mystery teachings) furthers the process of accessing other levels through symbol focus and Reiju 'energy blessing'.

As intuition develops even further we begin to access universal knowledge and have conversations with other beings. Some would call this channeling, it falls in the realm of conscious-channeling (having a conversation) rather then trans-channeling (another speaking through with self unconscious). In other words the person is fully awake and aware during conversations. We have access to all knowledge, other dimensions, levels, worlds, parallel worlds, universes and beyond. The universal level is where one hones discernment about energetic resonance, intention, where one chooses to focus and 'who is who in the zoo' so to speak. And makes choices about self, service and continuing pathwork.

My extracted presumption... whatever level access there continues to be refining and  honing of all levels of beingness.

If one is desirous of expanding one's consciousness Usui Reiki Ryoho is one of the easiest pathworks to under take. But all require dedication and doing for results.

If you are interested in learning more about Usui Reiki Ryoho visit my website: www.reiho.org or contact me at bonnee (@) commspeed (.) net.

© 2008 Bonnee Klein Gilligan. All rights reserved.

I had the following Reiki question posed to me recently and thought that the question and answer would be a good blog subject.

The question relates to energetic build up. Many people are experiencing it and may not know what it is or how to cope with it. My answers can be applied in any situation where build up occurs.

Reiki Question: A group of about 9 trained Reiki people meet periodically and when sitting in a circle to apply beaming to each other one person gets so charged with energy, seemingly arising from the solar plexus that it almost becomes unbearable to sit through the process. She wants to get up and run to ease the build-up.  How can she deal with this as she is saying she doesn't think she can continue to meet with the group because the experience is so uncomfortable for her?  Would you know what is causing this?

• For immediate relief... I have found that a chiropractic adjustment of the spine helps me temporarily. Sometimes if the vertebra are subluxated it creates a block or pinch in energy flow resulting in pain. A quick method of adjustment is to have the person cross their arms high on their chest, a big strong someone stands behind grabs around the arms, lifts them off the floor and very gently shakes once. You should hear a pop. Never do this with force, nor to a person with back problems.
• Energetic build up symptoms can also happen if the person isn't grounded. A quick way to ground is to grab the feet of the ungrounded person and feel them come back into their body. Try it with the group holding the person's feet and see if it works faster.
• When there is too much energy... scooping it off of the area and throwing it onto the floor helps relieve excess build up. Do this until it feels different, cooler or less vibrant.
• I would also suggest the person try to uncover the cause of the block and work on it with Reiki. Some things that can cause blocks... a past life experience of breaking the back or being stabbed in the stomach, causing death would be a remembered soul trauma. This may carry over as a block in one's energy field in this lifetime. A physical injury to the area; emotional trauma such as not feeling loved; or mental trauma such as not feeling supported financially or otherwise can also cause energy blocks.