What is the System of Reiki?

Many people ask the question “What is Reiki?”.

There are two ways of looking at this question. 

From one angle Reiki means “spiritual energy”; our own innate brightness, our true nature, our essence or whatever words you want to use to express this. This innate brightness is often covered with layers of worry, fear, anger and attachments. So much so, that we cannot see its brightness anymore–it is completely hidden. And if we can’t see our own innate brightness, then it will be very hard for others to see it within us as well. This covering up results in us not remembering our connection with who we are and therefore getting quickly angry or worried, fearful, unhappy, distracted, and unloving.

Nevertheless, even with our innate brightness concealed, our true nature continues to shine. Think of it as a light bulb that is covered by a lampshade, no matter how many lampshades you place over the bulb, the light is still the same brightness, it’s just that we can’t see it! 

To remove the layers of worry, fear and attachments that cover our brightness, we practice “the system of Reiki”–which is the other angle of the “What is Reiki?” question. The system of Reiki has five very specific elements; precepts, meditations, hands on healing, symbols/mantras and the attunement/reiju. These elements help the practitioner to slowly remove the layers so that our innate brightness can shine in all its beauty once more.

The more layers we remove, the more our innate brightness casts further afield, eventual resembling a bulb with the lampshade removed. Suddenly, the room is filled with light. YOU. When our innate brightness becomes more visible to ourselves we start to feel kinder, less worried or angry and more compassionate. This in turn has a healing effect, not just on ourselves, but also on those we come into contact with in our daily lives; our family, the shopkeeper, people at work, random people at an airport, you name it. When we feel brighter, our world becomes brighter. 

Opening to our innate brightness also affects our hands-on healing work with others. The more we connect to our brightness (ie. to Reiki) as a Reiki practitioner, the better we can facilitate healing for others. Never forget that we are not the healers, we merely facilitate the healing while the client works on his or her own healing. If, however, my brightness is covered with clouds of anger, worry and fear then there is only a little bit of light that clients can use to guide them through their healing, but if we have removed the clouds and our innate brightness shines like the sun and moon conjoined then there is much more potential for healing to take place. 

Therefore the simple answer to “What is Reiki?” is this: The system of Reiki helps us to re-discover that we are Reiki in the first place.

So, start practicing and re-discover your own inner brightness; shine, be happy and act with compassion.

To serve the world out of the dynamic union of wisdom and compassion would be to participate most effectively in the preservation of the planet. Masters of all the religious traditions on earth now understand that spiritual training is essential not solely for monks and nuns but for all people, whatever their faith or way of life. The nature of spiritual development is intensely practical, active, and effective. The danger we are all in together makes it essential now that we no longer think of spiritual development as a luxury but as a necessity for survival.
Sogyal Rinpoche

Frans Stiene

Based in Holland, Frans Stiene teaches in North America, Europe, UK, Australia and Asia.
Frans is also the author of Reiki Insights, it is the continuation of his previous book The Inner Heart of Reiki, taking your personal practice and understanding of the system of Reiki yet another step deeper.

ihreiki.com/about/reiki_teachers/frans_stiene/