Before Reiki can be explained, 3 key concepts must be described first. These are the concepts of Chi, of the Aura, and of Chakras.

Chi, also known as Ki, and Prana, is energy. It is life-energy, the energy that we all possess, and we all need to stay alive. It is intangible to the untrained, unrecognised by Western medicine, and invisible to those who do not try to see it. Chi is all around us, and can be found in every object. This chi can be channeled, and those who do energy chaneling, when doing Tai Chi etc. are channeling chi.

Chi has to be stored somewhere, since we need a surplus to keep us healthy. It is stored in 2 places - in a chakra above the chest, and in the aura. The aura is a later of chi around the body, up to 3 metres thick. There are many different layers to the aura, all representing different things. There's no need to go into that here, but if you want to see what they look like, take a peek at the Pictures page. When we are injured somewhere, say a cut in the arm, the aura above that spot develops a hole or depression in it. The body will gradually heal this over time, but the proccess can be speeded up by a healer, who will channel chi into the hole, and fill it. When the aura is healthy, a person is able to recover quicker, and suffers less pain.

The mind distributes chi through the aura and body via the chakras. Chakras are spinning energy disks, that send energy through the aura, and can be used by healers to help distribute energy. Of the 7 main chakras, the crown chakra, found slightly above the head, and the base chakra, found at the crotch, can receive energy, and send it through the central energy vent (along the spine) through the other chakras, which are located between the two.

This is where Reiki comes in. Reiki was developed by Dr Usui, a Japanese man who lived at the end of the 19th century. It works by the Reiki practitioner channeling chi found everywhere in the atmosphere, through their crown and base chakras, through to their hands and into the patient's aura. Reiki has many techniques for making it work, such as healing with symbols, and energy manipulation techniques. For more information, try asking your local Reiki practitioner if you can go on a course to learn Reiki.