The Painting
The system of Reiki is an art, like painting.
To create a masterpiece might take many years. First, we need to learn about the canvas – the foundation, the paints – the structure of the painting etc.
It is a step by step progress, the same within the system of Reiki.
When we begin to paint we lay out all our equipment and we see the elements of painting as separate entities; the canvas, the paint, the brush. the strokes, the object of the painting, and ourselves.
Yet, when we develop our painting skills overtime these different entities start to melt together, becoming one.
Golden Light
Take for example, Rembrandt, a famous Dutch painter, who often painted people enveloped in golden light. When he painted he saw everything as interconnected – if he had envisioned each stroke as in individual never would the golden light have infused the whole painting.
This same process also takes place within the system of Reiki. In the beginning we see the five elements of the system of Reiki as separate entities; hands on healing, initiation/reiju/attunement, meditations, precepts, symbols/mantras.
The deeper we go into our spiritual development, the more we see that these five elements are all interconnected and there becomes an infusion through our whole being of golden light; showing our true self/reiki.
This is also the case when we do hands on healing on others, or “distance” healing for that matter, if we don’t see that the other elements are interconnected within these practices then the golden light will not be infused within the hands on healing session or “distance’ healing.
Canvas
If we see all the elements of the system of Reiki as a unified practice, then we realize that we do not heal anybody at all, all we do is offer them an empty canvas in which they can paint their healing. By offering them an empty canvas we remove the ego. If, on the other hand, we offer them a canvas painted by our own ideas and judgements than it will be very hard for them to paint their own healing work of art.
As practitioners It is only at the stage of offering an empty canvas that we also begin to see the whole and EVERYTHING becomes infused with the golden light.
The empty canvas is symbolized within the system of Reiki by the level III symbol and mantra DKM which standS for great bright light, non-duality and emptiness.
So next time, when you perform a reiju, hands on healing or “distant” healing, try it, just offer your client an empty canvas, let your light shine and get the ego out of the way.
Bronwen and Frans Stiene are the co-founders of the International House of Reiki and co-authors of The Reiki Sourcebook, The Japanese Art of Reiki, Your Reiki Treatment, The A-Z of Reiki Pocketbook and the Reiki Techniques Card Deck. Bronwen and Frans teach in the USA, Europe and Australia. Visit the Courses page to find a course near you.
Comments 7
Beautiful analogy Frans. By extension, it seems that the active and consistent practice of offering an “empty canvas” in a healing session, would lead us to more consistently be the empty canvas more often in life itself! i.e. Allowing the next moment to unfold as it may, and witness it in its own fullness without preconceived notions of what that should be like and thus, without judgment and the usual resistance that comes with it. What a wonderful gift we’ve received from Usui san in the form of the system of Reiki, which, in turn, has been so beautifully and deeply understood and expressed in your own practice and your teaching! Thank you! ~ Sundar
Hi Sundar,
Yes life needs to be an empty canvas as well. It is only then that we truly start to live our life fully.
So much judgement in modern treatments, plus for me all the judgements are a misunderstanding of Usui-san’s teachings. If he wanted us to judge during a treatment he wouldn’t have put the precept: show compassion to yourself and others, within the precepts.
Your “empty canvas” image is beautiful, Frans, as is Sundar’s amplification. I agree, if Usui Founder had wanted us to complicate the system of Reiki, he wouldn’t have made it so simple. I think many people don’t understand how hard simplicity really is—-or maybe they do understand it, and don’t want to deal with it!—-so they add layer upon layer of distracting, esoteric stuff. It’s like building a fire and then dumping layers of earth on it until the flame is suffocated, lost. Long may the golden light shine!
Hi Frans,
I love the painting ..the one you painted with your analogy ! I think if you just try to focus on hands on healing its like you are trying to run a marathon without having to learn how to crawl, you are skipping the milestones and then trying to brace it up with “extras” . Agree with Elly , doing something simple is the most hardest thing to do as people don’t get the concept. For starters you need to work “hard” on yourself to clear your own layers and not except a “readymade” option in a “pill” format. Yes indeed what a wonderful gift to live your life. Yes If judging others was the purpose then why we had the precepts. Thanks for another insightful article to explain the 5 elements and its interconnections !
Hi Elly and Seema,
I agree, simplicity is the hardest thing, I think this is why so many people get more and more stuff. And as you say, Elly, it will only smother the fire.
To keep the fire burning we need to keep it clean and clear, else it goes out or we get lots of smoke. To keep it clear we need to keep doing our daily practice.
I’m reminded many years ago I was doing a still life with pastles. I spent about four hours on this drawing. It was an arrangement of an apple, and some cones and a dried flower placed on a very old blue and gold tapestry cushion. Towards the end of the drawing something magical happened. The whole set up transformed and was full of light. I quickly drew in the places of light into the picture. The old cushion looked beautiful. Once the drawing was finished, it was as though the light had been switched off. The still life returned to normality. The frays on the cusion were visible and it was no longer full of light. However, whenever I look at the picture which now hangs in the entrance hall of my home, I still see the light. In fact, some the objects in the picture are not easy to decipher. That light must be the Reiki energy that enables you to see things as they are when the body, heart and mind are working in unison.
Hi Miriam,
Yes sometimes when we are in that space the light brings clarity and illumination.
Sounds like a lovely painting.,
Love
Frans