Reiki energy is considered to be a healing energy of the vibration of love. Hawayo Takata, who helped introduce the teachings to the West, defined the meaning of the word reiki as “universal life energy” or “God power”.

According to UCLAHealth.org, reiki touch therapy is “a complementary biofield energy therapy that involves the use of hands to help strengthen the body’s ability to heal. A study conducted by New York Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Campus to determine the effectiveness of reiki treatments on the autonomic nervous system showed lowered heart rate, respiration and blood pressure.”

Mikao Usui, from Japan, created Usui Shiki Ryoho reiki, also referred to as Usui Reiki Ryoho, and most practitioners receive training from this lineage. Usui Reiki Ryoho is fun and easy to learn. Anyone can train in it, and it helps one develop a feel for the reiki energy.

During a reiki treatment, the energy is said to clear and balance our physical, etheric, mental, emotional and spiritual bodies by transmitting high frequency healing energies of unconditional, universal love through the practitioner to the client. Feelings of peace, clarity, joy and deep relaxation are reported as an effect of the reiki energy.

As one continues to work with and receive the healing energy, the reiki process begins to purify and align the body, mind and spirit. As a result, a person’s energy opens up to give and receive love more freely and deeply than ever before. Lower frequency energies that no longer serve that person are also released during a reiki treatment—blocks to self-love and the ability to love others are removed from the chakras and energetic bodies. Qualities that are disharmonious to one’s well-being are replaced with more positive energies of love and all its characteristics of peace, harmony and joy.

Karuna reiki—developed by William Lee Rand, the founder of the International Center of Reiki Training—transmits the vibration of compassion. In this lineage of reiki, a person’s ability to have compassion for oneself and others is received along with the guidance to make changes and take action to heal at a deeper level than ever before. In the book written about this form, Advanced Healing Energy for Our Evolving World, author Laurelle Shanti Gaia states, “Compassion is a state of consciousness which, when combined with energy, has great transformational power.” When clients or students receive Karuna reiki, energetic blockages in their soul’s path are illuminated.

Karuna energies are highly refined, and therefore Karuna reiki training can only be taken a year after a student has received the reiki master teacher certification. Karuna training has three levels: level one, level two, and Karuna reiki master. Typically this training is taught in three full-day classes. This powerful energy of compassion removes dense shadow energies and blockages within an individual, and enables them to be free from energies that bind. It can be used for cellular healing, soul retrieval work, karma clearing, ancestral healing, creating interdimensional links and much more. Furthermore, Karuna reiki works on a person’s subconscious energies for different issues, such as addiction, self sabotage and trauma. The modality helps a person fulfill his dharma to become an awakened being with an ascended heart that gives and receives compassionate love.

As more and more people begin to work with the evolved energies of Karuna reiki, their inner conflicts clear up. This can lead people to the eternal peace within that can then be extended freely to others. Compatible with Usui reiki, Karuna reiki is a powerful form of reiki that gives palpable guidance for taking action in our lives to heal ourselves and our planet.

Rhiana Tehan is a Karuna reiki master teacher. She founded Be Reiki: Wisconsin Center for Reiki Training and Treatment, located at 3082 Main St., Ste. A, in East Troy, where she teaches monthly and provides reiki treatments, chakra workshops, and more. For more information, call 262-498-4162 or visit BeReiki.com.