Reiju

By Erika Beale

When I first learnt about Reiki, when I received my first Reiki ‘attunements’, I believed the ritual to be something that was far beyond my grasp – something that was done to me, something that I received. It was a lovely experience but certainly kept me in my place. So, it was with a heart full of joy that I finally realised Reiju was something totally different – Reiju is life, Reiju is love, we are Reiju and how wonderful that is.

This realisation would not have been possible when I started my practice, as much of the things I was doing relied on other people. I would look to my Reiki teacher to provide me with healing, strength and courage and so Reiki as a practice was outside of myself and disconnected. As I began to practice in a different way, learning that everything I needed, I already had and that this was Reiki, because I am Reiki, then things started to change and true healing began to take place. This was (is) a slow process as it takes a long time to peel back the many layers of worry, fear and anger I had painstakingly and lovingly placed upon myself – doesn’t it feel more comfortable to add on another layer of fear when we have only known fear for so long? But I knew that I had to persevere. I had begun to see glimpses of my bright light and could finally admit that it was beautiful.

The importance of finding a teacher, who teaches from the heart, from a place of compassion and knowledge had allowed me to take the step forward and learn Shinpiden. I was told that Shinpiden, was just the start and it has delighted me ever since to find out that this is true. After learning Reiju myself and experiencing it with wonderful people, in a supportive space, I truly started to see what Reiju is. To begin with, this was an experience of profound wonder – seeing my light reflected back at me in the steady glow and strength of my teacher. It was also confusing and a little scary – up until then, I had not had the courage to look at my great bright light myself and so didn’t really believe it existed. Acknowledging this for the first time shook my foundation and all the beliefs I held about myself and Reiki, and this is why Shinpiden is the start of seeing what is hidden. This is why Reiju is important.

When we are held in a space of compassion and shown our true light, we begin to understand what the system of Reiki is all about. Experiencing Reiju is the initial experience of our true selves, of Reiki and when we receive Reiju at different times, we will experience this in different ways – and that is wonderful too. As we move deeper into our personal practice, our hearts become more open, our minds become more open, and so we experience Reiju in a way that allows us to become even more wide open. As the barrier of our human bodies becomes indistinguishable, we notice that there is no barrier any more and that there never was one. It is the anger, worry and fear that created this barrier and made us forget who we are. Reiju helps us to slowly, and at the right time, experience a spaciousness that has no attachment to worry, no memory of anger and no need for fear. Reiju becomes our state of mind, our state of being – everything is Reiju. 

Reiju for me, is a spiritual practice, it is the act of the precepts being given bodily form. When I practice Reiju for myself, I am in a space full of compassion, I feel no anger, worry or fear, I am wide open with no expectations or judgment – I am the precepts. This is Reiki – Reiju is Reiki – we are Reiki – we are Reiju. The challenge then, is taking this healing out into the world, experiencing healing in all we do, and that is tricky, so we have the meditations within the system of Reiki to help us.

As a teacher, Reiju allows me to go deeper into my practice, to time and again, be held in a space of love, because what is Reiki if not love? In this space, I have the strength to notice the things that I am holding onto – often with a very firm grip, and I start to have the courage to let go. Reiju strips me of all the outside influences that have created disconnection with the world, with myself, because I remember I am Reiki – in that space of light and openness, I am Reiki – I remember, and that is wonderful. All too soon, the clouds of fear come rumbling in, desperate to shower me with doubt and worry, so Reiju is a daily practice, to allow me to look through the clouds and focus on the space beyond. It is with this continuous remembering, that we can then begin to heal. It is with this remembering that we can start to share our experience with others. It is through Reiju that we can start to teach others about the system of Reiki.

Reiju can be a ritual, with physical movements that help focus the heart and mind, but Reiju is also doing absolutely nothing, and when we are able to feel this wide openness, feeling the barriers of disconnection disappear whilst we do nothing at all, then the love of the universe washes over us in waves, a love that is never ending, infinite and all encompassing. Then how wonderful when, through Reiju, we can share this love, this Reiki, with all of the people we meet then, when this love comes from a place of compassion, so it expands to embrace all of the beautiful souls we are yet to meet.  Reiju is the system of Reiki, it is our coming home, our remembering.