Essential Reiki - A Complete Guide to an Ancient Healing Art

Diane, a Reiki master/teacher since 1990, writes of her own experiences of teaching and passing attunements to her students. She is a respected teacher of women's spirituality and healing skills. This book was my introduction to Reiki and although I don't agree with the author on everything written in it based on my continued understanding of Reiki tradition. I had mixed feelings about her choice to reveal the symbols. I do give the book merit overall. It opened doors for me.

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Diane Stein's work gives a comprehensive look at the three levels of Reiki, offering help for the novice, the student, and the Reiki instructor. Her book is sectioned into three parts, the contents of each section coinciding with the three degrees of Usui Reiki, a traditional healing system.

Part one offers the story of Reiki, historically passed down over hundreds of years from healer to healer orally, along with its chronological time line. Reiki in general is defined, also shown are step by step hand positions for giving self-treatment, healing others and participating in group healings. A single page chart indicates probable emotional sources of given diseases or physical location of pain.

Breaking with tradition in section two, Diane Stein, exposes the secretive Japanese Kanji symbols hidden from non-Reiki persons prior to her book's publication. This breaking of the rules initially caused controversy in the Reiki community of healers. Absentia healing and discussion regarding connections with spirit guide helpers is also explained. Separate Ki exercises for women and men are explored.

Part three serves as a manual for the Reiki instructor. The additional Master symbols beyond those given in Reiki II are shared. Tibetan Buddhist definition of all five symbols are summarized. The attunement process is fully explained from the view of the receiver as well as the one performing one.