Interview with Sherry Anshara on Achieve Radio

A couple of days ago I had the real pleasure of being interviewed by Sherry Anshara on her wonderful radio show 'Conscious Healing' broadcast from Achieve Radio. The interview was a great success and it was lovely to spend some time chatting with Sherry about Reiki and about Reiki Jin Kei Do in particular. If you missed the show, or simply didn't know about it you can check out the downloadable file or listen online at Achieve Radio. Just click on the link and it will take you straight there. Then click on the 'Click to Listen' button for May 23rd 2007.

Sherry has had some wonderful guests in the past and it would be worthwhile spending a few minutes just browsing through the archive for the show. You can find the archive for the show by clicking here.

Another interview coming up in a few weeks time - I'll keep you posted.

Many blessings,

Steve

Reiki - May the Force Be with You

This article was published in issue 19 (May 2007) of the UK's 'Paranormal' magazine.

One of the fundamental principles underlying many alternative therapies is the idea of a biological life force energy. In traditional Chinese medicine it is called 'chi', in Ayurvedic medicine it is known as 'prana', and Russian researchers gave it the rather grandiose title 'bio-plasmic energy'. Others simply refer to it as Light or Love. This life force energy which is said to animate all living things, flows around our bodies through meridians (or pathways) and the chakras (energy centres). When this energy becomes blocked, illness follows. Reiki - which is a Japanese word meaning 'universal life force energy' - is a system of channelling this energy through the hands to the patient; accelerating the body's ability to heal physical and emotional disorders.

Since Reiki's spread to the West in the 1970's, it has become one of the most widely acclaimed therapeutic systems available. It can be used for chronic ailments, pain, stress, anxiety, combating addictions, improving the quality of life for the terminally ill and simply for an increased sense of wellbeing. In some areas of the country through Social Services funding it is being used very successfully as a part of drug rehabilitation programmes and for curing people of alcohol addiction. In others it is being used with remarkable results for the alleviating and curing of symptoms associated with M.E. and Irritable Bowel Syndrome. It's most immediate and powerful results however seem to be in the area of relief from stress related problems. In fact there are no problems that cannot benefit from Reiki and it can be used in tandem with and to enhance any other treatment whether they be conventional or complementary medicines or therapies.

In the USA and Canada, where Reiki first took root in the West it is being used extensively in some hospital and hospice environments by trained medical staff as well as by alternative practitioners. Reiki is being used in a variety of situations such as that of the lady who was recuperating from a hysterectomy. After being discharged from the hospital she developed a bladder infection which lead her to suffer intense pain. The debilitating effects of the pain prevented her from urinating and she had to use a catheter. Her sister suggested Reiki. After a few minutes of Reiki from her sister the lady began to breath deeply and drifted off to sleep. The Reiki treatment continued for another forty minutes. The next day the lady's husband phoned his sister-in-law in disbelief. Not only was his wife comfortable when she woke up but she was able to urinate properly for the first time in two weeks. She remained pain free and the hospital confirmed that the bladder infection was gone. She healed quickly from that point on.

Pregnant women also find that Reiki helps them to cope with their pregnancy better and often reduces the feelings of discomfort, leading to a much greater chance of a successful and pain free birth. This is on top of the benefits received by the unborn child through the input of universal life force energy.

Whatever the reasons for having a treatment the recipients of Reiki treatments almost invariably report an increased sense of wellbeing, a feeling of being enclosed in a fine sheathe of energy, or the sense that they are being surrounded by unconditional love. Often Reiki will send the recipient into a meditative state where strong emotions can be released. This will only happen if the problem being treated has an emotional basis and it is necessary for those emotions to surface and be dealt with as part of the healing process.

The unique thing about a Reiki treatment is that the energy has an intelligence of its own and will always go to wherever it is needed the most. This means that whatever the problem, be it a migraine or the after effects of chemotherapy, the Reiki energy knows what the precise healing needs of the individual are.

This of course means that Reiki will not always bring about the expected or the desired result straight away. Often underlying causes have to be dealt with before the symptom disappears. So if you develop a stress related illness as a result of your boss giving you a hard time at work, Reiki isn't going to simply get rid of the physical problem. What needs to happen in this case is that you need to develop a better way of either relating to your boss or a way of removing yourself from that stressful situation - either physically or emotionally. This is where Reiki will help. By working on your mental state and the way you are effected by other people, the energy will restore in you a state of balance that would enable you to have a peaceful coexistence with your boss. The stress therefore disappears and Reiki can then work on removing - for good - the illness that you manifested.

The practicalities of receiving a treatment are simple. The Reiki recipient lies fully clothed on a treatment table and simply relaxes whilst the practitioner places his or her hands in a series of defined positions on various parts of the body that correspond to the major organs, endocrine glands and the seven major chakras stretching from the Crown at the top of the head to the Root at the lower abdomen. Each position will be held for about five minutes whilst Reiki energy is channelled directly into the body.

So how does the practitioner know how much energy is needed in any particular place, and what if too much is given? The answer is that the practitioner doesn't know how much energy is needed, nor is there a need to know. The subconscious mind/higher self of the recipient draws the energy in just the quantities that are required. The practitioner actually does nothing other than make his/her hands available through which the energy can be drawn. For this reason it is never possible to have too much Reiki.

At the end of this series of hand positions the practitioner may feel that it is necessary to work on other parts of the body, depending on where an illness or problem seems to have its source or they may wish to return to one of the previously worked on points.

At each hand position the recipient can feel a number of physical sensations. Most commonly heat of varying intensities is felt or in some cases it can be coldness. It is not uncommon for people to feel energy waves rushing through their body or a 'tingling' feeling or see in their minds eye brilliant colours or find themselves on exotic journeys or in beautiful landscapes of a visionary nature. Each person's treatment is unique as are the experiences of that treatment. One thing is certain however; Reiki does bring a deep sense of peace and wellbeing to whoever comes into contact with it. Many people find that Reiki transforms their lives and go on to learn it for themselves so that they can continue with self treatments. You don't need to have anything particularly wrong with you to benefit from Reiki. All you need is a commitment to bringing peace and harmony into your life and Reiki can be there to make it happen.

Some people question whether it is necessary to believe in Reiki before anything will happen. Though Reiki is a form of spiritual healing it is not faith healing and it is entirely non-denominational. Anyone, regardless of race, creed or religious beliefs can experience the effects of Reiki. Although it is better to have a positive mental attitude towards the treatment Reiki will work if you are simply prepared to give it a go and find out for yourself. I have known many instances where Reiki has also had a powerful effect on those who are quite adamant that Reiki is no more than superstitious nonsense. Belief is simply not a factor in Reiki.

A full Reiki treatment can last up to an hour and a half and will cost you anything between £10 and £40. Depending on the problem to be treated a full course of treatments might mean several visits. For more serious problems expect to need ongoing and extensive treatment. Price is not an indication of quality in Reiki. Because Reiki training is so accessible, and there being very little in the way of professional guidelines for Reiki practitioners, there are a number of unscrupulous people charging high prices for less than satisfactory treatments. Always look for someone who's level of integrity and truth you are personally satisfied with. Find out how long the practitioner trained for - there are some Reiki Masters currently practicing and teaching Reiki who took less than two weeks to do all of their training! Some claim to have learnt the whole system in a day. Ask whether the practitioner can give you their training lineage back to Mikao Usui. Anyone involved with Reiki should be able to do this, as it is a point of honour embedded within the system.

From My Amazon Blog: Hello!

It has been quite extraordinary seeing my book go from strength to strength around the world and the phenomenally positive reception it has received everywhere. I have been constantly reduced to (almost) tears by some of the emails that I have received from those whose lives seem to have been touched by its central message: the need to develop the wisdom mind and the heart of compassion through the practice of Reiki. Here is one of those emails from Ada in Devon, England, sent to me the other day and included here with permission:

Hello Steve,

Congratulations with your book! Let me introduce myself. My name is Ada van Hamersveld, Ian ***** friend from Devon. Ian told me about you, and I feel honoured to have received your book from him as a gift. It was a pleasure to read, and in the personal way it is written I would like to say: Pleased to meet you! Your book is so different from the Reiki books I've read. No-nonsense, to the point, clear, very complete. I am a Reiki II (Takata) myself ('dormant' for the last couple of years), so a lot of information isn't new to me. However, the 'full' story of Usui and beyond, gives me a lot more insight in the Reiki history. I must tell you that your description of the Principles in Chapter 7 really touched me, and brought something home to me. So did your description of the symbols, I see them in a different light now, with a lot more respect. The overall effect that your book had on me is that I've been practising Reiki again on a daily basis for the last 3 weeks (I really don't know what kept me so long!), and I've taken up a Core-meditation (beginners) at the same time. Never had the patience or 'time' to meditate before, had a couple of half-hearted attempts and turned my back again after 3 days. Now I'm sticking to it, binned any expectations, and it makes me feel better in myself, more relaxed, more connected. Thank you very much, you've made a difference in my life, and I hope you and your book will make a difference to thousands of other people, and therefore to this planet and the Universe.I wish you Love and Light and Peace,

Ada

Here is another one from a highly respected Reiki Master in the Jin Kei Do lineage - Patricia Warren:

"I just read 'Reiki Jin Kei Do' by Steve Gooch and I love it! After 17 years of teaching Reiki, I'm finally recommending a Reiki book to all of my students (shocking for those who know me). It is a good book with a good history of Usui and in-depth information about the Principles of RJKD and Buddho-EnerSense. Steve is a very down to earth Reiki Master and I have great respect for him. The book gives "seekers" a practical guide to the essence of this lineage."

People keep raising issues over the history of Reiki Jin Kei Do. The book does only contains two chapters on the history of Reiki and ten chapters on many other aspects of the system. The message of these chapters, indeed of the whole book I hope is that there is a need to deeply engage with Reiki as a healing method in a much deeper sense than simply as a hands-on therapy. Meditation is the key to Reiki and the key to progress with the system of Reiki Jin Kei Do.

There is so much suffering in the world and it is the message of Jin Kei Do that this suffering is not only unnecessary but that there is a way of dealing with it - at the very least on a personal level. Later on the highly evolved feelings of compassion that have been generated as a consequence of engaging with the Jin Kei Do method can be used to impact in a powerful and positive way on the wider world for the benefit of all.

Jin Kei Do is not better than other methods of Reiki, it is simply a different approach to this popular healing system. I am very aware of the controversial nature of some aspects of my book and the strong emotions that this controversy will inevitably give rise to in some deeply entrenched members of the Reiki community. Be that as it may, there is more than enough room in the world of Reiki for many shades, many methods, many interpretations of the truth of the Reiki method. All ways lead eventually to the state of human perfection. For those of you who wish to explore the Reiki Jin Kei Do approach you are more than welcome to join our rapidly expanding global family.

Whereever you live in the world, you should be able to find a RJKD teacher by reference to the extensive World-Wide Masters Directory that is included at the back of the book. This is also available online at my website and can be accessed here:

World-Wide Directory of Reiki Jin Kei Do Masters

I have probably waffled a lot here and apologies if you have got rather bored with this! Back soon I hope with more...

Many, many blessings to you all and much metta (loving kindness),

Steve