I have to say I love this cartoon! When I first tell someone that I am a Reiki practitioner, I often get a quizzical look. “Reiki? What is that?” “What do you do?”
It’s also common for people to approach me and say, “Oh, I heard that you do Reiki” and pronounce it “Reekee” or “Reckey” or “Ryekey.” After all, it is a Japanese-based practice and not yet rooted in the American mainstream. It took me a while to remember how to write and pronounce the energy-based practice Qi Gong (which is sometimes written as Xi Gong, Chi Kung, or several other variants) so I completely understand.
The cartoon plays on the verb we practitioners have given to describe our treatments: “I Reiki-ed him”, as if the energy were literally raking and smoothing down the energy in the recipient’s body. Sounds rather violent but Reiki is, in fact a very gentle, non-invasive practice. A recent client with decades of experience meditating with Indian-based prana practices described Reiki as a “soothing energy” after his session.
If you have received Reiki, what was your first experience like? Was it completely different than what you expected? Did it exceed your expectations? Did it change your experience of receiving energy, or healing in general?
July 1st, 2010 at 2:35 pm
I love reekee…and maybe a raking is what it feels like for some…my 5-year old granddaughter said she felt like sticks were poking her! My first experience? It felt and continues to feel like a warm blanket, heavy and light at the same time.
July 4th, 2010 at 6:46 pm
My first reiki experience was an all embracing warmth. A hug from the heavens that never let go. I was truly born again.
July 7th, 2010 at 3:29 pm
I went to the Fall Festival at Life Grocery in 2007.They had a Reiki practioner there giving donation sessions. I had heard things about Reiki, but it sounded “weird” or New Agey (whatever that is-lol) so had not tried it. But still, a part of me was very curious and interested since I had already had some healing experiences from doing yoga.
I chatted with the practioner for awhile before my session, told him what I knew about it, what problems I was having (at the moment I was battling sciatic pain so asked him to help with that) He had another man helping him who he informed about my pain and such and then I laid down on the table. At first the crowd was distracting (it was outside and lots of people were around) but soon it became just a dull humming in the background. He chanted and made some very strange noises (they were to me)I felt some warmth in my body, and weird warm sensations all over. I also began to relax and feel calm. I felt some tears come up and more warmth. Towards the end he put one hand on my lower back/hip area and one on my ankle on the side with the sciatica. All of a sudden I felt heat all along my leg, all down my sciatic nerve. I knew *something* was happening. My pain was lessened that afternoon and 2 days later was completely gone. And I was hooked on Reiki!
July 7th, 2010 at 5:06 pm
Thank you for your wonderful comments! Each of you had very beautiful and unique experiences with Reiki. I love hearing stories like this.
And Christine, I really would love to know what your practitioner was chanting. He may have incorporated a different practice in with Reiki, since we (traditionally) do not chant during healing sessions. I’m so glad to hear it helped with your sciatica pain. I have witnessed similar results with many of my clients too.