Reiki & Aikido A natural Partnership?

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[Mark Nicoll]

Do Reiki and Aikido go hand-in-hand?
I am Reiki level 2, next is masters. Before every Aikido practice, I open my Reiki, and let the energy flow through. This helps me in a couple of ways. It helps me to relax more for more effective Aikido & it also helps me mentally with my concentration. It can also help to relieve those aches and pains especially if you are in suwarawaza for any period of time!

What does the collective think?

[Thalib]

People who does Reiki will find corellations between Aiki and Reiki. It is not always true the other way around, people who does Aiki doesn't always agree with the way of a Reiki practitioner.

Correct me if I'm wrong, Reiki involves the opening of chakra. I don't actually understand this so I won't even comment on it. The way one could open their chakras is through meditations or have a Reiki master "open" them.

Please don't get me wrong, not that I don't believe Reiki, I just don't agree with the way it is done. I've seen too many articles in Reiki even to self defense Reiki, it is just too passive. Like enveloping oneself in a sphere of Ki to protect oneself from attackers or healing someone from great distances.

I was raised in a society that believes in the mystical, so if I say that I don't believe in this stuff I would be lying. It's just the methods that I don't agree with. The flow of Ki should just be natural with time through training of the physical, the mental, and the spiritual.

To me, Reiki looks like a shortcut, and some couldn't control it. Reiki is like opening the floodgates, if one is not careful one will drown. A couple of Reiki practitioners in a class I train in could be seen constantly "cleaning" themselves after each partnered waza. Their partner's Ki easily enters them because they are "opened". They have yet to know how to let the Ki flow through.

All I have to say is be careful, if you are partnered up with someone that has strong Ki flowing through them even if they don't know it. You will be easily affected.

[Charles Hill]

Mark,

I don't know much about Reiki but would like to learn more. Could you recommend a good source of information? Then I might be able to give an opinion.

Charles

[Ghost Fox]

Maybe that's because both Ueshiba and Usui studied under Deguchi of the Omoto Kyo.

It is also interested that both Aikido and Reiki came into manifestation around the same time.

[Jeff R.]

I was under the impression that we do Reiki every day. Touch someone; it's Reiki, smile at someone; it's Reiki, etc. People are constantly effected by our energy.

Ki moves through us, and the more we extend it to others, the more that chennels through us from the earth and universe. Does that apply to the definition of Reiki?

Aikido is about blending and directing the flow of Ki with the Ki of another.

Reiki is the healing power of either applying positive Ki, or removing negative Ki, or opening channels so the body can release unhealthy cavities of Ki. (Please correct me if I'm missing something.)

It seems that there is little difference, save for the applications, and it makes sense that the two would mesh well.

Reiki, Kiatsu, Laying on of Hands, long-distance healing--all very effective, but taking an amazing ability to channel Ki.

[L. Camejo]

Do Reiki and Aikido go hand-in-hand?

I am Reiki level 2, next is masters. Before every Aikido practice, I open my Reiki, and let the energy flow through. This helps me in a couple of ways. It helps me to relax more for more effective Aikido & it also helps me mentally with my concentration. It can also help to relieve those aches and pains especially if you are in suwarawaza for any period of time!

What does the collective think?
Very very interesting thread. Been thinking of, and using this myself actually.

I think Aikido and Reiki go hand in hand very very well - at all levels of training.

The physical level benefits from the healing effects on the body as described by Mark.

The ki/hidden level benefits from the increased sensitivity to another's movements, ki extension, aura and general disposition that is gained from regular Reiki practice (Shiatsu and Qigong too actually).

The spiritual level benefits from the opening up of the self to let the divine function, which in my humble opinion is what we are trying to achieve with Aiki (harmony :ai: with the energy :ki: of the universe [rei]).

The thing about it imho, is when we release our egos and step back, allowing the Universal to function, we begin to see the true power and meaning in both Aiki and Reiki practice. As we begin to harmonise with the universe around us, the most correct technique, or healing comes about at the right moment for the particular situation. Takemusu Aiki? - maybe. I'm not qualified to say:).

For Thalib: It is possible to be a very good Reiki healer without any knowledge of Chakras whatsoever. As one digs deeper into the activators of the practice, Chakra study is one of many areas that is encompassed and affected by Reiki study. Unlike some other forms of energy healing, the Reiki practitioner does not assume that they (ego) know what's best to heal the receiver. Instead they allow the highest source of wisdom to decide that and let that energy flow through them and into the person. The Reiki healer in my book is just a little bit more than an energy channel, creating a link between the receiver and the universal healing energy.

Two sites off the top of my head with some info on reiki are - www.reiki.net and www.reiki.org willl get others for later.

Hope this helps some. Just my 9.99 on the thing.

L.C.:ai::ki:

Aiki, Reiki, Qigong, Shiatsu practitioner.

[Jeff R.]

The ki/hidden level benefits from the increased sensitivity to another's movements, ki extension, aura and general disposition that is gained from regular Reiki practice (Shiatsu and Qigong too actually).

The spiritual level benefits from the opening up of the self to let the divine function, which in my humble opinion is what we are trying to achieve with Aiki (harmony :ai: with the energy :ki: of the universe [rei]).

The thing about it imho, is when we release our egos and step back, allowing the Universal to function, we begin to see the true power and meaning in both Aiki and Reiki practice. As we begin to harmonise with the universe around us, the most correct technique, or healing comes about at the right moment for the particular situation. Takemusu Aiki? - maybe. I'm not qualified to say:).
What a wonderful, wonderful post. An uplifting pleasure to read!

[Mark Nicoll]

I think Aikido and Reiki go hand in hand very very well - at all levels of training.

The physical level benefits from the healing effects on the body as described by Mark.

The ki/hidden level benefits from the increased sensitivity to another's movements, ki extension, aura and general disposition that is gained from regular Reiki practice (Shiatsu and Qigong too actually).

The spiritual level benefits from the opening up of the self to let the divine function, which in my humble opinion is what we are trying to achieve with Aiki (harmony :ai: with the energy :ki: of the universe [rei]).
Very well put and I do agree.
Unlike some other forms of energy healing, the Reiki practitioner does not assume that they (ego) know what's best to heal the receiver. Instead they allow the highest source of wisdom to decide that and let that energy flow through them and into the person. The Reiki healer in my book is just a little bit more than an energy channel, creating a link between the receiver and the universal healing energy.
All relevant in it's simplest form.
Two sites off the top of my head with some info on reiki are - www.reiki.net and www.reiki.org
I don't disagree with these.

[L. Camejo]

Thank you for the beautiful comments folks.

Have been doing a little bit of research utilising the energy extension qualities found in Reiki and Qigong and adding it to my aikido to see what effects, differences etc. show up in my training, and I must admit that there are some interesting phonemena occuring :) Especially in the areas of sensitivity, extension of energy and leading of uke. I even test it in tanto randori, where it yields some really interesting results under resistance. Takes a lot of practice tho.

One major commonality that I saw with Reiki and Aikido had to do with O-Sensei and his training up at Mt. Kurama, the same place where Usui got his enlightenment with Reiki.

Some more sites with linkages between Mt. Kurama, O-sensei and Onisaburo Deguchi are http://www.asunam.com/life_of_mikao_usui.htm and http://www.reikitreatments.co.uk/R_HistoryofReiki.htm

It may be possible that it is not by accident that M. Ushiba went to Mt. Kurama to be "instructed" by the "Tengu" (http://www.aikidojournal.com/new/article.asp?ArticleID=386)

Just some more links and info to munch on.

Arigato Gozaimashita

L.C.:ai::ki: