"Japanese" Reiki: purer / nearer to the source - than "Western" Reiki...

It is interesting, I feel, how what we term: "Japanese" Reiki is widely considered to be 'purer' or 'nearer to the source' than socalled "Western Reiki".

Yet if we look at the various primary "Japanese" expressions of the art :
Vortex Reiki, Reido Reiki, Gendai Reiki Ho, Komyo Reiki Kai, Jikiden Reiki, etc.

we cannot help but see that while originally stemming from the same source, these "Japanese" styles - just as is the case with "Western" Reiki - have, over time, evolved and grown in different ways:

They have often been subject to various external influences,
in several cases, adopting-in practices from non-Reiki sources;
evolving different understandings concerning the primary underlying purpose of Reiki practice;
modifying the form of the symbols,
evolving different versions of symbol names and/or jumon,
adding new symbols,
in some cases, changing the level at which symbols are introduced;
blending in elements from different pre-existing Reiki styles;
evolving different versions of the attunement or reiju process,
in some cases having several different versions of the process for different purposes;
evolving different understandings concerning the purpose and use of specific symbols;
changing the number of levels within the training format,
and also the content of training at each level,
as well as modifying the teaching format
– the list goes on and on...


So what is it that causes the seemingly widespread tendency within the Reiki Community to be more accepting of the changes and evolutions which have taken place in “Japanese” Reiki, while decrying similar changes and evolutions which have occurred in “Western” Reiki.

Could it be simply a case of having been dazzled by the hype...

If reiki is

universal life force energy

doesn't it therfore mean it comes from the only pure source available and that we all share the same energy whether that be "Japanese" reiki or "Western" reiki

http://www.aetw.org/reiki_real_Hayashi_style_teachings.html . I've posted this article in full in the historical section.

queen of clean wrote:
If reiki is

universal life force energy

doesn't it therfore mean it comes from the only pure source available and that we all share the same energy whether that be "Japanese" reiki or "Western" reiki

Indeed.

The energy (if we choose to understand the phenomenon that is Reiki in terms of being 'energy') ultimately comes from a pure source.

And yes, we all share what is, at core level, the same "universal life force energy".

Yet "universal life force energy" manifests itself in myriad different forms.

In time then, will reiki become so altered from the original pure source that it will no longer be in fact "reiki" and will have evolved into something completely different?

Rlei_ki wrote:It is interesting, I feel, how what we term: "Japanese" Reiki is widely considered to be 'purer' or 'nearer to the source' than so called "Western Reiki".

Speaking personally - I was looking for a simplified form of Reiki.

So what is it that causes the seemingly widespread tendency within the Reiki Community to be more accepting of the changes and evolutions which have taken place in “Japanese” Reiki, while decrying similar changes and evolutions which have occurred in “Western” Reiki.

Could it be simply a case of having been dazzled by the hype...

I wonder if in our Western minds we have a tendency to think of the Japanese as a cultural group who are big on tradition and keeping things the same. So if we learn Reiki from a Japanese source we consider it less altered than what has happened with the Takata - Western form.
And yes, hype could be a contributing factor too for some.

While different people have different interpretations regarding what Reiki is, that same amount of variation extends to Universal Life Force Energy.
Do we have and can we agree on a common definition that everyone will be happy with?
Can we even have a common definition based on the fact that each persons' experience with practicing Reiki is different?

Personally my world view of Reiki has changed from when I was a newbie to now and while I'd like to think my view won't change - I'm not carving that into stone just yet.

If we can believe what some of the Japanese teachers say "The further a practitioner is from ego the 'purer' the reiki channel will be". Then the reiki experience might be different.
Practitioner 1 could be Japanese trained and have a totally different focus than the Western practitioner.
Practitioner 2 could be Western trained but has that same focus due to their relationship with Reiki and/or other non-reiki experiences.
Practitioner 3 another Western trained person who is into the glamour of being a reiki practitioner - look what I can do.

Yes sadly, I do get the impression that some folks are more into 'additions or changes' to Reiki than Reiki itself. Change for change sake is not always a good thing, and yes in this sense this new version of reiki has "evolved into something else."

Hi James,

Could it be simply a case of having been dazzled by the hype...

Yes I agree! There is one aspect of Reiki that we do not talk a lot about (if at all)- the business aspect. It appears that what is referred to as “Western Reiki Style Market” is rather saturated and well.., very competitive with some “big players” claiming large part of this market and making a lot of money.

In this environment it is rather hard to enter this market and go against “well-established reiki business” therefore to make a “quick buck” people have to be very clever and come with some new “product lunches” with a lot of hype. Now, I am not saying that change is bad nor that new reiki styles are bad. The change is the only thing that is certain. I do welcome new styles as long as they are transparent.

As always, great post!

Regards,

Resko