The first time I offered Reiki to someone else, I felt energy moving between us. Her forehead grew hot and red, and afterwards she explained she saw a bright light and then felt relief from the worries she had about the future. It. Was. Trippy. I. Was. Hooked.
Because I believe in knowing what I’m doing, I took a deep dive into Reiki, which is an art of energy exchange. Reiki means life energy: rei is spiritual and ki is vital energy. Everything in and from nature shares energy, and this energy can be used to heal mentally and spiritually—and some believe physically, too. The good things about Reiki are that it doesn’t zap your own energy, and you also can’t give “bad” energy, like hexing someone because they’ve annoyed you. Reiki is all about love, gratitude, and living vibrantly.
My little summary is really nothing in comparison to the following books that will help anyone understand this powerful act.
The Original Reiki Handbook of Dr. Mikao Usui: The Traditional Usui Reiki Ryoho Treatment Positions and Numerous Reiki Techniques for Health and Well-Being by Dr. Mikao Usui
The best place to start is from the source himself: Dr. Mikao Usui developed this system of hand healing, and his handbook explains his story. The origins are fascinating! The handbook explains the Buddhist connection first and then offers information on Reiki’s Three Pillars. It explains in detail the hand positions and sequence for healing, which has helpful pictures for explanations. It also lists afflictions and how to treat them through the hand positions.
Essential of Reiki: A Complete Steps From Basic to Master Level by Mikao Usui
The next place to go is back to Dr. Usui for this concise explanation of Reiki. This book gives an overview of holistic healing and a simple explanation of how Reiki works. It includes a section with diagrams about chakras. At the end is an extensive glossary for quick reference to concepts and people involved in Reiki’s evolution.
Self-Healing with Reiki: How to Create Wholeness, Harmony & Balance for Body, Mind & Spirit by Penelope Quest
This guide to Reiki goodness focuses on self-care and self-healing, as the title indicates. Reiki works when you take care of yourself first. This guide begins with the author’s own story about how Reiki allowed her to heal herself. Then she offers an overview of how energy works to connect, protect, and cleanse. She then breaks down healing: physical body, emotional self, mental self. The focus on self-care leads to a conclusion about taking a Reiki retreat for self-healing and a continued life of gratitude and feeling energetically well.
Vets on Animal Reiki: The Power of Animal Reiki Healing in Veterinary Practice by The Shelter Animal Reiki Association with Kathleen Prasad
Reiki is not for only humans! Remember that all living beings have energy? That means that any animals (and plants!) can benefit from Reiki vibes. This collection of testimonials starts out with a poem by Registered Veterinary Nurse Rebecca Westwood that explores the energy connection Reiki finds. (I love when poetry appears in unexpected places!) The foreword offers a quick overview of Reiki healing and humans, and then it moves into how animals can also benefit from Reiki practice. Fact: animals have chakras in different places from where humans have them. I guess that shouldn’t be shocking news, but it kind of was to me. The rest of the book is the veterinarians’ firsthand experience with energy healing in their practices.
These books may inspire you to become a Reiki master and/or you may find yourself seeking a Reiki treatment for some feel-good vibes.
For more on Eastern philosophical vibes, check out these books about meditation and these books about yoga.