The Reiki PrimerThe Reiki Primer 
      Way back in Kindergarten or Pre-school when you were first learning to 
      read, your teachers likely gave you books and lessons that were the 
      beginnings of your learning.  These were the basics.  These materials were 
      referred to as "Primer", and they prepared you for later learning.  This 
      section is for the absolute beginner to Reiki as they begin their Reiki 
      Journey, in essence a "Reiki Primer".   In this section you will find a 
      basic understanding of Reiki, what it is, how it works, and what you need 
      to do to get started. 
        
      Reiki is an enlightenment system and a healing art.  Some focus more on 
      one aspect than the other.  That is, some teach Reiki only as a healing 
      system while others may teach it only as a spiritual system.  Either is 
      Reiki.  Reiki is primarily used in the West (i.e., the United States, 
      Europe, Australia) as a healing system. 
      The system of Reiki was invented and developed by a man named Mikao Usui 
      (pronounced Me-ka-oh OOh-su-ee) in the early 1900's.  Reiki is often 
      translated to mean "Universal Life Energy", but can also mean 
      enlightenment or the coming of together of the Universal Spirit of 
      Creation with our own. 
      Mikao Usui trained a number of teachers of this system.  Many of those 
      teachers taught students of their own.  There are many lines of Reiki 
      practiced in Japan from these teachers.  Usui founded a school there that 
      is said to maintain his original teachings.  This school is called the 
      Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai.  They generally are a closed club and do not 
      share information with outsiders. 

      Reiki as practiced in the west comes from the teachings of Mrs. Hawayo 
      Takata.  Mrs. Takata was a student of Chujiro Hayash, a retired Naval 
      Officer and student of Mikao Usui.  Most western Reiki practices come from 
      the teachings of Mrs. Takata. 
      At its most basic level, Reiki is a set of five principles for living, a 
      set of hand positions for treating self and others, and the receiving of 
      an attunement to connect to the reiki energy.  An attunement (or 
      empowerment) is a simple ceremony that helps you to reconnect to the 
      energy that is reiki performed by a Reiki teacher or "master".. 
      There are three levels in Reiki.  In level one, you learn the reiki 
      principles, the hand positions and then receive an attunement.  In level 
      two, you learn the three reiki symbols, distance healing and receive 
      another attunement. In level three, you learn the reiki master symbol, the 
      attunement process, how to teach, and receive the master attunement. 
      Reiki works by simple laying of hands and intent.  It helps brings us back 
      into harmony with the Universal life energy.  This is often healing. 
      In reiki you do not use your own energy but let this loving Universal life 
      energy flow through you to others.  People who do reiki are often called 
      "reiki channels" or that one "channels" reiki.  This word "channel" has 
      several meaning in the new age communities and in common use might mean 
      "channel" as in spirits.  It needs to be clearly stated here that reiki is 
      not about channeling spirits.  The word "channel" here in relation to 
      reiki simply means that we are in tune with this Universal life energy and 
      let it flow. 

      Many have added in much material in the west since 1980.  Some have added 
      in "reiki guides", crystals, pendulums, reiki "rays", psychic surgeries, 
      and many other practices that are often taught along with reiki but are 
      not part of reiki. 
      The ability to do Reiki cannot be learned in books.  To do reiki you need 
      to receive an attunement from a reiki teacher.  This can be done in 
      person, or via distance. 
      This is Reiki at it's most basic.  From here, if you would like more 
      information please continue reading in the Level I manual. 

      The Reiki Plain and Simple On-line Book, this site and all its contents 
      are Copyright 1998-2001  by Vincent Amador. The author of said material 
      allows it to be used For Free Use only.  It is to be shared freely, 
      without cost.  You may print copies of this work for personal use or to be 
      shared with students, provided that it is given in its entirety, and this 
      copyright message remains intact with the work.  This material is not to 
      be republished on other webservers, websites, translated, altered or in 
      any other way used without the express written permission of the author.  
      This notice supersedes any previous notices.  All rights reserved.