Reiki's Complimentary Add-ons

There are several topics often taught with Reiki, but are not Reiki.  They are as follows: 

1.      Reiki Guides:   Usui’s teachings do not include meeting your guides.  These practices were taken from Shamanism and other New Age sources.  However, belief in Reiki guides is simply that, a belief created to help folks come to terms in their own minds as to how Reiki works.  However, this belief is not necessary to practice Reiki or to do so effectively.

2.     Psychic Powers:  In addition, Usui’s system was not designed to develop psychic powers.  However, many teachers claim this to be true.  Perhaps an increase in awareness from the attunements can serve to enhance one’s already existing intuition, but this a far cry from the abilities of a true psychic.

3.     Chakras:  Some masters teach Chakras along with Reiki.  Chakras are energy vortexes in the body that correspond to specific physiological organs and systems.  These masters will often teach how to determine the spin of a Chakra and how to open or close it.  Manipulating Chakras is a very complicated skill and if you do not have specific and extensive instruction as to the proper techniques, it is best left well enough alone.  Reiki is powerful, passive, and can do no harm.  Allow Reiki’s universal intelligence do all the work.  That way there is no room for the possible errors that could occur with manually manipulating an energy vortex.

4.     Energy exchange:  The idea of energy exchange is the belief that if one receives a gift, such as Reiki, that there must be an equal exchange of energy to balance the universal energy.  This philosophy was added to Reiki by some of Mrs. Takata’s students.  This was never part of the original Usui teachings.  Members of the Reiki Alliance used this belief to justify charging $10,000 for Reiki Master training.  I personally do not believe the universe requires the repayment of its gift of Reiki.  I believe that the universal life force energy is already infinitely abundant and is in no need of our assistance in maintaining that particular type of balance.  In addition, if we believe that we are all one, then have we not just given ourselves Reiki, when we pass it on to someone else?  I do not see this exchange of energy as a give and take, but more like a cycle.  What goes around comes around.  However, the belief that you can’t get something for nothing is so deeply ingrained into some folk’s thinking that they have a need to put a dollar value on it, in order to give Reiki a sense of worth.  If you are a healer who makes their living healing others, it would be essential to charge and appropriate to do so.  Not because the universe demands an energy exchange, but because you require a monetary exchange to cover the costs of your time and service.  The issue isn’t so much as to whether there should be a charge for giving Reiki or not.  It is an issue of being honest as to why you charge or do not charge for giving Reiki.

By:  Jacqueline Windon

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