Introduction to reiki - what we see is not necessarily what we get
As young children we do not question that the world we perceive through our senses is the whole thing. Later we learn that our senses are actually inadequate to know the world. In terms of total perception you actually get a lot more than you can just see, hear, taste or touch! A look down a microscope will soon convince you that normal eyesight fails to detect all manner of things. Until the invention of SONAR (sound navigation and ranging technology), we had no idea how bats could 'see' in the dark. How homing pigeons or migrating birds operate is still something of a mystery. It is clear that just about every animal has a superior olfactory sense (of smell) compared with humans; and who knows how keenly other animals taste things?
Other natural phenomena we have come to have some understanding of include: gravity, magnetism, plate tectonics and quantum physics, not to mention huge advances in physical brain function and psychology.
So, to return to our 'inadequate' senses: although our world appears to be motionless and solid, we now understand that in fact everything is moving, and at a sub-atomic level, everything is far from solid. In fact everything has great gaps in-between the particles. The nucleus of an atom is the only truly dense part of it - incredibly the size of the nucleus in relation to the size of the atom is like a pea in a concert hall. Electrical charge is actually responsible for solidity, not density or solidity of atoms, which are mostly empty space.
And everything vibrates at its own frequency. Through the dedicated work of scientists in many disciplines we have come to a scientific confirmation of what psychically sensitive people have long-time held: There is more going on in the universe than our limited senses can perceive, although some people seem pre-disposed to tune into and in some way, comprehend this energy. Perhaps it is due to this scientific rigor that complementary forms of healing and alternative ways of understanding our world, are increasingly being given recognition as being worthy of serious attention.
Reiki is now part of a worldwide movement of people who are properly concerned about their welfare and their loved ones - and indeed the planet. People are seeking to take responsibility for their own health, working with conventional medicine but extending those boundaries. Admitting that humans are just part of a natural system might seem diminishing at first, but in fact it is empowering because understanding the rules of the game (how the system works) enables one to use it to personal advantage and to help others. It behoves us to educate ourselves; challenge the 'received wisdom' (with generosity of spirit); explore new ideas; accept the consequences of our adventures; and treat every experience as potentially something from which we can grow.
Related to this it is helpful to consider a Japanese concept known as 'tatemae' which (although on a literal level is a ceremony for putting the framework in a Japanese house) also, and more pertinently, represents the maintenance of a harmoniously balanced society. This philosophy of 'promoting good for all' is found in other cultures and beliefs too, and as a positive, giving, all-embracing approach serves both as an important driver, and context, for Reiki's values and aims.
So let's look at how Reiki fits into this philosophy.
As young children we do not question that the world we perceive through our senses is the whole thing. Later we learn that our senses are actually inadequate to know the world. In terms of total perception you actually get a lot more than you can just see, hear, taste or touch! A look down a microscope will soon convince you that normal eyesight fails to detect all manner of things. Until the invention of SONAR (sound navigation and ranging technology), we had no idea how bats could 'see' in the dark. How homing pigeons or migrating birds operate is still something of a mystery. It is clear that just about every animal has a superior olfactory sense (of smell) compared with humans; and who knows how keenly other animals taste things?
Other natural phenomena we have come to have some understanding of include: gravity, magnetism, plate tectonics and quantum physics, not to mention huge advances in physical brain function and psychology.
So, to return to our 'inadequate' senses: although our world appears to be motionless and solid, we now understand that in fact everything is moving, and at a sub-atomic level, everything is far from solid. In fact everything has great gaps in-between the particles. The nucleus of an atom is the only truly dense part of it - incredibly the size of the nucleus in relation to the size of the atom is like a pea in a concert hall. Electrical charge is actually responsible for solidity, not density or solidity of atoms, which are mostly empty space.
And everything vibrates at its own frequency. Through the dedicated work of scientists in many disciplines we have come to a scientific confirmation of what psychically sensitive people have long-time held: There is more going on in the universe than our limited senses can perceive, although some people seem pre-disposed to tune into and in some way, comprehend this energy. Perhaps it is due to this scientific rigor that complementary forms of healing and alternative ways of understanding our world, are increasingly being given recognition as being worthy of serious attention.
Reiki is now part of a worldwide movement of people who are properly concerned about their welfare and their loved ones - and indeed the planet. People are seeking to take responsibility for their own health, working with conventional medicine but extending those boundaries. Admitting that humans are just part of a natural system might seem diminishing at first, but in fact it is empowering because understanding the rules of the game (how the system works) enables one to use it to personal advantage and to help others. It behoves us to educate ourselves; challenge the 'received wisdom' (with generosity of spirit); explore new ideas; accept the consequences of our adventures; and treat every experience as potentially something from which we can grow.
Related to this it is helpful to consider a Japanese concept known as 'tatemae' which (although on a literal level is a ceremony for putting the framework in a Japanese house) also, and more pertinently, represents the maintenance of a harmoniously balanced society. This philosophy of 'promoting good for all' is found in other cultures and beliefs too, and as a positive, giving, all-embracing approach serves both as an important driver, and context, for Reiki's values and aims.
So let's look at how Reiki fits into this philosophy.
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