My "10 Rules of Reiki"

The other day, I got a post from another Reiki Master Teacher about "The 10 Rules of Reiki" and thought to myself - there are rules, really, in Reiki?

One of the things I love about Reiki is that there are really very few rules. Sure there are things you should do and things you shouldn't do, but I never thought of them as "rules". To me the word "rules" brings to mind a mom, with one hand on one hip and another hand extended out towards you with a pointed finger, wagging it at you for walking into the house with muddy shoes on, or hitting your sister. Where does that fit in with the gently, spiritual, healing and divine energy that is Reiki?.

So here is what I came up with:

1) Reiki is always performed on someone fulled clothed.

2) Your fingers should be close together and your hands slightly cupped when you are administering Reiki to someone or yourself. (Fingers open, energy is dispersed out in all directs, fingers close together, energy is focused).

3) You have to be attuned "in person" by a certified Reiki Master Teacher in order to channel Reiki. Some folks get what is called "distant attunements", but I feel, as do many others, that there is something missing with that.

4) You go through a 21 to 30 day detox after every level of attunement (there are generally 3 levels of Reiki training, some lineages, like mine, have four). This is the sacred ceremony that connects one to the energy so that they can channel it.

5) Reiki is a "hands on" healing modality but we don't touch in private areas, we hover our hands above the body over these areas, working in the energy field.

6) Reiki is an intelligent energy, it knows where to go and what to do, no matter where the practitioner puts their hands.

7) Reiki has a built in safety mechanism as it is a on way flow of energy - you are fully protected while you are giving Reiki, unless you are fearful or think that it's your job to take on the suffering of others, then you can cancel out the built in safety of it.

8) Anybody can become Reiki, no matter what sex they are, what religion, age, color or fitness level. It's not a cult or a religion - we welcome everyone.

9) Reiki was created by a Japanese Buddhist in the early 1900's by a man named Mikao Usui who was later awarded the title of "Dr." after he healed over 4,000 people following one of the most devastating earthquakes in the history of Tokyo by the Meiji Emperor of the time.

10) Reiki can do no harm.

I could probably keep going and come up with a few more, but I feel and teach that REIKI will TEACH you! It's a teacher's job to give you the basics, make sure you are doing the techniques correctly and then let you loose. There should be no rigid following of set patterns of treatment, or time limitations, or even whether or not you just "turn Reiki on" by holding up your hands and saying "Reiki On" or you follow a long and complex Invocation before you can channel Reiki. The adage "KISS" applies!