>What is it ?« Reiki » is a Japanese term (霊気) that can be translated into « universal energy » to designate an essence which is present in each thing, necessary for life and for the expression of its potential. The further we move from our own nature through inadequate living conditions and activities, the less reiki there is in us in quantities sufficient to lead us towards the balance we long for. Conversely, whatever we do that accords with our real nature facilitates the integration of more universal energy and thus helps us to develop towards harmony.
By extension, « reiki » also means a method of reception and transmission of this energy, taught by Mikao Usui in the early XXth century. These techniques were discreetly spread in Japan and more visibly in the United States, and are now known in many countries throughout the world, with variants depending on schools and new methods also appearing. For the initiate, they offer means of enhancing the presence of reiki in themselves and of practicing hands-on treatment for themselves and other « receivers » – people, animals, plants, etc. –, either directly or from a distance. Without initiation, one can therefore enjoy reiki transmissions « channeled » through a practitioner.