December 15, 2007

Reiki as consciousness II

As Reiki originates in unity consciousness, so its practice also engenders the same. Let’s understand how this happens. Earth and Celestial Ki are polar expressions, rather than being dualistic. There’s a subtle distinction. Duality is one or the other, two oppositional forces that are separate. Water in the refrigerator is cold; water boiled in a kettle is hot. It’s tough to jump from these directly to warm. Yet introduce polarity and the possibility of blending hot and cold appears. Polarity is the balance between two complementary states. It’s the in-between state that can take us from duality to unity.

Cold water has it’s uses, as does hot water. Earth Ki is specific in its qualities, as is Celestial Ki. In Reiki we work with each specialty for our betterment. We also have the significant opportunity to blend the two, to become One. The perfect balance between the polar energies of Reiki leads to unity consciousness.

And this is where healing really occurs. Whether you’re practicing on yourself (hands-on or Reiki meditations) or another, that practice is not symptomatic relief, but the essential change of consciousness. Symptomatic relief is part of the package, but it’s a surface effect. Reiki often surprises people with its power. Knowing Reiki is spiritual healing in its purest sense brings its power into perspective.

Yet in the everyday practice of Reiki this high-minded underpinning is just that, operating subtly, not asking you to have assimilated any of the above.

Reiki is so very user-friendly. Its effects are palpable, it’s warm and compassionate, noninvasive and supportive, portable (consciousness and hands go with us everywhere!), widely applicable, carrying and bringing out wisdom, having no known contraindications, and always improving quality of life.

Reiki isn’t only a healing art, but a total enlightenment program. The previous material deals with this, and it will be addressed again.

Let’s now look at some of the more everyday applications of enlightenment in a Reiki context. These are just as important as satori or self-realization, because we have a world and populations to care for and be in relationship with.

Properly understood and practiced Reiki is an agent of social change. At one point I was relentlessly solicited by environmental organizations. Each day I would get 3-4 pieces of mail. This was before the advent of the Internet. After a while, I took all that mail and practiced nonlocal Reiki on it.

It developed a deep connection for me between all the troubled areas of the Earth, endangered species, and all environmental concerns. I was able to observe the whole planet as a living being; noticed the Earth’s ley lines; and the accumulated negativity in the Earth’s energy field.

Most remarkably, after a few weeks of nonlocal Reiki for the Earth, the solicitations, which had continued throughout, entirely stopped. Entirely!

I then knew that I had fulfilled my part. (Our part is constantly renewed–I still work with/for the Earth.)

Nonlocal Reiki is commonly practiced for individuals. It can be practiced also for the promotion of values, progressive ideas, ideals and visions, the empowerment of citizenry, social projects and cultural progress.

In all these areas, the groundwork obviously has to be done too, the activism, all the tangible components need to be in place. But at a meta level, through Reiki, there’s access to this power that heals burnout, opens minds and hearts, removes obstacles, stimulates and encourages, and deepens the good.

Reiki practice is born and honed in its meditation methods or hands-on application, but it doesn’t stop there. It doesn’t stop at all.

Related:
Reiki as consciousness Part I

Reiki as consciousness Part III

December 11, 2007

Reiki as consciousness

The word ‘energy’ is bandied about so much these days. And it’s highly relevant as energy underlies life. It’s important to also understand that there are different kinds of energy. Metabolic energy is what we use to fuel the physical body. There’s psychic, emotional and mental energy. Then there’s healing energy.

Even if we were to understand Reiki purely on energetic terms, the distinction still needs to be made that Reiki is spiritual energy, or rather a way to tap into it. What might that be? It’s the all-encompassing, overarching common denominator.

Energy is undeniable and there is an energetic manifestation of Reiki. Before that aspect can be experienced and effective, however, a subtler causal level acts as a backdrop.

This backdrop is nondual consciousness. Nothing has separated or differentiated from it yet. It is One and all-pervading. This consciousness has no distinctions of subject/object, mind/matter, words/concepts, or space/time.

In this sense, Reiki is a practice to participate in non-ideational consciousness, be informed by it and evolve, with all other benefits condensing from there.

In Reiki terms, when nondual consciousness begins to differentiate, i.e., move into manifestation, it does so in polar fashion. Before going on, let’s identify nondual consciousness and nondual or primordial Ki as being one and the same. Yes, Ki is a form of energy, but it is also a ground state, a grand backdrop.

The two polarities that first throb out of an undifferentiated source are Celestial Ki and Earth Ki. These are primordial qualities and vibrations. In fact everything in creation is created with as a blend of these two polar forces.

Fortunately for us, Earth and Celestial Ki are available to be experienced spiritually, mentally and physically, and in the material world. Reiki practice is a simple and direct way to do so.

That we can work and play with these pulsations of pure consciousness makes Reiki much more than a modality or even art of healing. This is the stuff of the universe we conduit and receive. Whether you’re a practitioner or recipient, universal powers are interacting with you.

Being in natural balance between Heaven and Earth is one of the core mindbody states Reiki cultivates.

Part IIĀ