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Post by Mystik on Nov 11, 2008 2:01:52 GMT -5
There seem to be more types of "reiki" than stars in the sky these days. They are based on a whole range of philosophies, reckoned to come from Atlantis, Tibet, India, any number of places.
Actually the word "Reiki" is Japanese and can be loosely translated as "spiritual energy" It could be just called "ki" because essentially "ki" also refers to the spiritual energy of the universe. That is the energy that Reiki works with. However to say that Reiki is all about energy healing would be missing the point entirely. Reiki is a Japanese art of the early twentieth century. It is based on Shinto and Buddhist philosophy and it is, first and foremost, a spiritual practice.
Because Reiki is a Japanese art, it is based in Japanese esoteric lore. While much western style Reiki (whatever it may be called) and its offshoots follows the Indian system of chakras and energy centres, pure Japanese Reiki is not based on the chakra system, the auric field, etc. Instead it follows the Japanese concept of energy centres. That is, there are only three energy centres: the hara (below the navel) the head and the heart.
The hara (also called "tanden"in Japanese and "dantian" in Chinese) is incredibly important in Japanese culture. Also in martial arts like Aikido, it is essential to "act" from, and around the hara.
Next instalment - the hara energy center
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