RANDOM THOUGHTS 4
Copyright © 2009/10 James Deacon

#  'Energy' or 'Spirit'?

Reiju, Hatsurei ho, and Reiji ho are believed by many to be three of the most important practices within Reiki Ryoho.

So, if Reiki Ryoho and its associated techniques are ( as perhaps a great many Reiki Folk tend to believe) about working with 'energy', why is it that these primary practices are named the way they are:

reiju ....靈授 ....- "giving spirit"

hatsurei ho ....發靈 法 ....- "invoking/generating spirit"

reiji ho ....靈治 .... - "indication of spirit"

Why do they refer to 'spirit' [rei: 靈] rather than to 'energy' [ki: 気]?

#  'Gokai: Moral Admonitions and...

# "Reiki can do no harm"?

There is a much-repeated belief that: "Reiki can do no harm" 

So, what does this statement actually mean? Do we take it to mean that: "Reiki can do no harm to any one or any thing"

To whom or what is Reiki harmless?

If Reiki assists an individual to overcome a viral or bacteriological infection which, prior to intervention with Reiki, the individual's bodily defenses were failing to eradicate - would it not be fair to say that Reiki was (perhaps indirectly?) responsible for causing harm to the bacteria or viruses - which are, afterall, living organisms?

And if Reiki can thus be seen to cause harm to a living organism, albeit submicroscopic in the case of a virus; how far can we take this?

If we apply Reiki treatment to deal with intestinal parasites such as Nematodes (round worms) or Cestodes (tapeworms) etc.; is not Reiki at least assisting in the destruction of these lifeforms?

Is there a 'cut-off point' at which Reiki ceases to cause harm to a living entity?

Perhaps it is that Reiki can do no harm to sentient life?

Then again, different cultures, philosophies and individuals have differing views as to what is or is not sentient...

#  'On the source of Reiki 'energy'...

When asked what 'Reiki' meant, Takata-Sensei frequently gave a very simplistic answer, along the lines of: Rei means 'Universal', and Ki means 'Energy'.

However, in attempting to transmit a deeper understanding of the meaning of Reiki to her students, Takata-Sensei spoke of Reiki as:

"...a universal force from the Great Divine Spirit"

elsewhere, she described it as:

"...a cosmic energy to heal the ill..."

and yet more specifically, as:

"God Power".

" It is not associated with any visible material being.", she said of it, "It's an unseen spiritual power that radiates vibration and lifts one into harmony. This power is incomprehensible to man, yet every single living being is receiving its blessings..."

Now, it seems that in hearing Takata-sensei speak of Reiki as a "...a universal force from the Great Divine Spirit" and '... a cosmic energy...' , many of her students took this to mean that Reiki - as an 'energy' - was something outside of ourselves: something 'out there' - beyond us.

- something we 'channel' from 'out there', rather than something arising within us.

And this is the understanding these students passed on to their own students.


However, this idea of Reiki as being something external is perhaps only part of the truth...

In a diary entry dated Dec. 10 1935, Takata-sensei wrote about Reiki being:

"...Energy within oneself " - and also about how we must "...meditate to let the "Energy" come out from within."

Concerning the "Energy" she said: "It lies in the bottom of your stomach about 2 in. below the navel."

On learning of this, many people have now jumped to the conclusion that Reiki must therefore be an expression of our own inherent, intrinsic, 'self-originating' or 'personal' energy.


However, simply because 'energy' is perceived as coming out from within, does not necessarily mean it is 'personal energy'

Consider, for example, the phenomenon of Johrei (or Jyorei) Healing:

Johrei's 'founder', Mokichi Okada believed that he had received the purificatory, Johrei healing power from the bodhisattva Kannon.

According to Okada (known to his followers as 'Meishu Sama'), Kannon placed an orb or ball of golden light within his hara*, and it was from this radiant source within his abdomen that the power of Johrei emanated.