This is not a traditional Reiki book. Although you'll find much of the basic information about what Reiki is as a healing art, including history, hand positions, and the like, you won't find a conservative view of the art of Reiki. Magick of Reiki is an exploration of the many systems of healing now called Reiki, viewed as a magickal tradition. Most people in the traditional Reiki community would not consider Reiki a form of magick. Most practitioners of true magick would not consider Reiki a relation to their craft. I have used both in my practice, and find them incredibly healing, valuable, and spiritual. To me, they are facets of the same force, simply using a different mechanism, and the mechanisms themselves are not that different when closely examined. As I explore both communities, there is far more crossover between the two than most believe, but no one is talking about the similarities between Reiki and magick. So now we begin a dialogue that many may find controversial. Now we bring together two worlds that have always overlapped.

Through this work, we'll explore many aspects of Reiki, and give applications of its use for the traditional Reiki practitioner as well as those involved in the magickal arts. If both topics are new to you, this book will give you a simple, firm understanding of both arts and how they relate to each other. Magick of Reiki is not a Reiki teaching manual for the average Reiki class, but it could be used as a manual by those teachers discussing these complementary topics along with the traditional Reiki material, or by those with a strong interest or background in metaphysics and magick. Ultimately, this book is a starting point for further discussion and experimentation.

What Is Reiki?

When I first learned Reiki, it was described to me as universal life force or universal energy. That seemed pretty vague at the time, but the concept behind those lofty words is the fundamental energy that creates and sustains the universe. The ki in Rei-ki refers to the energy component. Different cultures recognize life energy and call it by different names. Ki is used in Japan. Chi is another name for basic life energy, also used in the East. The discipline of tai chi is learning how to work with this force. Hindu traditions call it prana. Hawaiian shamans call it mana. Rauch is the Hebrew term for this force. Numen, odic force, and orgone are all variant names. The different cultures have different definitions, interpretations, and cultural associations for it, but basically they are all talking about the same life energy.

This life force is found everywhere and in all things, including people, animals, and plants. It sustains us. The energy is universal, denoted by the rei in Rei-ki, not personal. The universal part of the Reiki definition signifies not only that this basic energy is found in everything, universally, but also that as a system of healing, we are drawing upon this energy from the universe, which is limitless and ever abundant, rather than drawing upon our own personal ki or that of another person, animal, plant, or object.

Reiki the System versus Reiki the Energy

But I already do Reiki. I didn't take any classes. I don't need to learn it from anyone. I hear this statement or something similar from many people, and it causes great debate among many in the Reiki community. The essence of the controversy comes down to a misunderstanding of terms and words. In my magickal training, I learned how important it is to say what you mean, because of the inherent power of words. Unfortunately, for most of us, English can be an imprecise language and is particularly limited when explaining mystical and Eastern concepts. Because our language often lacks the subtlety needed, we must explain things clearly.

When people say the word Reiki, some are referring to the energy of the universal life force, which is ever abundant and available to everyone. We already have some of it flowing through us every day. If we didn't, we wouldn't be alive. We take it in with the air we breathe and the food we eat, and subtly exchange it with the environment around us, including the Earth, Sun, Moon, stars, plants, and animals. There are many mystical ways to access this energy, which some people do intuitively, with little training. Many healing and magickal arts call upon this energy of the universe. Prayer, meditation, ritual, visualization, affirmations, and intent are all methods to connect to it, and they all come with their own techniques, strengths, and drawbacks. I'm sure that many people are already using this universal life force in their own way, even if they have never even heard the word Reiki. Other people use the word Reiki to refer to a formal system of healing, originally called the Usui System of Natural Healing by its modern founder, Dr. Mikao Usui. This system has a fairly modern history, and practitioners of it have a lineage where they can trace their teachers back to Usui. The system uses specific symbols, hand positions, philosophies, and techniques, and is said to have a great many personal benefits and safeguards built into it. Although there are many variations and additions to it, Reiki as a system is a tradition. Without learning the tradition from a qualified teacher, you do not receive the same benefits and safeguards. People will talk about Reiki as ancient, and the energy itself is ancient. Many people throughout history, known and unknown, have tapped into it. It is a part of life. But as a specific tradition as we know it now, Reiki is fairly modern. Perhaps its modern form is...(Continues)