Reiki is a spiritual practice and a form of alternative medicine. Some say it dates back in India, others that it was discovered in 1922 by Dr. Mikao Usui, a Buddhist monk, during a 21 day training course on Mount Kurama. Using meditation, fasting, chanting and prayers, he acquired the knowledge and was blessed with the power to perform this healing technique. Reiki was brought to the West in 1937 by Mrs. Hawayo Takata who continued to practice and teach it all her life.

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Practitioners claim that Reiki is a very fast natural healing system that uses vital energy. It is administered by laying of hands. The translation into English is “spiritually guided life energy” as rei (the upper character) refers to the higher power or universal mind, while ki (the lower character) to energy and force. This stress reduction and healing technique relies on the same principle as acupuncture: that of the existence of a vital energy (qi). Its goals are to promote deep natural breathing, to spread peace to all cellular areas and release energy blockages.

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There are two main branches of Reiki: the difference is that while Traditional Japanese Reiki focuses on intuition, Western Reiki developed a set of hands positions, based on the seven chakras of the human body. A complete treatment generally involves hand placements over the head and shoulder area, the stomach area and ending with the feet. A treatment feels like a wonderful glowing radiance that flows through you and surrounds you. It creates many beneficial results including relaxation, and feelings of peace and well being.
Although treated with a lot of skepticism, Reiki is nowadays used as form of complementary medicine. It does not conflict with traditional medical treatments, it just compliments and enhances them, helping to build holistic health at all levels of the human being.
Reiki is used for physical ailments such as backaches, sore throats, headaches or anything physical that’s painful, but it also works on an emotional and psychological level. It can help people with anxiety or depression. If you’re hurt because you have just lost someone or because you ended a relationship, anything that can be traumatising in your life will be taken care of with Reiki. Its basic principle is 'heal the past, the present and the future.'

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What is even more interesting is that a combination of Reiki, crystals and symbols can be effectively used to heal somebody who is not physically present. Crystals are considered living tools able to absorb light and endowed with memory. It is believed that if combined, Reiki and crystals can create a healing chamber inside which we can mentally place the patient in order to heal. When the subtle Reiki energy flows through various kinds of crystal constellations, the beneficial effect on the patient is doubled.
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#Complementary and Alternative Medicines