The Reiki Cafe 

Otoharo!

When I saw the opening page, with notice of coming events. I was hit by the language people use. Level I reiki. There is no such thing. There is reiki. When we have the first class, it is not level one. It is THE class where a person gets Reiki. period. It is not reiki at level I. It is REIKI. Period. If a person never had another reiki class, they would have all of reiki. There is never any way to increase reiki except how one clears out his own stuff so that his body, mind, and soul are clear and offer a clear conduit for the energy, that is always as much as the conduit will allow. You can not get more reiki than that.

When one wants to learn how to use distance, then the next course is available, But it does not increase reiki.

When one want s to teach reiki, then there is a class available for that. But it does not increase reiki.

Can we divise a language which keeps this clear?

finality

finality,

/*\ Namaste :-}}

- yes, language is such a blessing

- it is also quite limited and use of terms can be sooo confusing

bagl

- so, first, middle, and last there is ULE.

>:-}}

- after that is the issue as to how well one is able to connect to the flow of energy. That is where the practice of Reiki comes in ( as well as other practices).

- I would say that most people will develop their connections to the flow of energy as they do the Levels associated with Reiki (not ULE) and spend time actually practicing their Reiki (we don't practice ULE)

>:-}}

- Reiki 1 does not automatically give us a 'complete' connection to the flow of energy. Neither does Level 2. Nor does Master\Teacher Level. The connections only develop as we 'do Reiki' (and other energy practices as well).

>:-}}

Reiki All Around,

All Blessings,

Firekeeper

Finality,
I agree that language can be confusing but as we all learn from different sources we all use the terms we were taught. I was taught level one, two and three. Others may call it reiki I, II or III. You say potato...

What matters is that the context of the learning is as similar as possible. That is another battle and probably one more worth fighting for. As there are people from all over the world on just this one site, language should not be a barrier but a way of learning others viewpoints.

Just my 2 cents:)

Love and light,
Tracey

Yes, thanks, FK. you say this very well.

finality

Namaste Firekeeper.
Your simple explanation makes the concept of the levels clear. When you say reiki and not ULE, can you please elaborate on that? Because I may get the answer for my post on ''sudarshankriya and reiki'' here.
Thanks.
Alamelu

Otoharo!

There is an analogy that we used in class. Electricity is just that. How much electricity one gets into the home depends on the size of the line that brings it in.

My father considered himself as good an electritian as the next fellow. I had bought a seond hand electric cookstove. He tinkered with it and told me he had fixed it. There was nothing wrong with the stove. When I next used a burner, my tea kettle melted right down, water everywhere. So when the conduit is larger, more electricity comes in but it is not more except in quantity, not more in value.

That is the crux of the matter. When FK says we do not practice ULE, that pretty much says this. Rob clarifies by saying the system of reiki versus, reiki to show the difference.

finality

Hi Finality
Yes I do agree that the language does get muddled. I think that those of us who have been around a bit longer, do seem to think that everyone will be able to understnad the distiction between Reiki the energy and Reiki the system.
I can remember when I took my Reiki 3 course. People used to ask me what level I was at. When I said Reiki 3, they then got confused, because they see that as Reiki Master. So now I use the term Master, but only because it saves a long explination of what I mean by Reiki 3.
We could of course always adopt the Japanese definitions.

Namaste

Rob
Truth is not a property of language because language has not been able to express abstract ideas as efficiently as concrete items

alamelu,

/*\ Namaste :-))

- it seems to me that Usui Sensei named the practice Reiki after the sense (and method) of the energy connections he was able to develop for himself (and then share with others)

- but the energy is ULE

- the practice is Reiki

- an analogy might be: we say he\she 'practices medicine' or is in the 'practice of law' or dentistry or psychology, etc, etc.

- in each case the practice is not the same as what one is working with; the law is there; lawyers learn to interpret and apply the law; physicians (or veterenarians or dentists) practice their "arts" on the anatomy and physiology processes and structures that are already exist; psychologists may help people work with their psyches, behavior, etc.

- Reiki is the practice of connectng with and sharing (applying) ULE (with self or others) - the more mindfully the better

>:-}}

- and, there are, of course, other ways to connect to ULE besides the practice of Reiki

>:-}}

- hope this helps

Reiki All Around,

All Blessings,

Firekeeper

Namaste Firekeeper,
I couldnt have got a better explanation than this! What you say makes perfect sense to me, thanks a lot.:-)
Alamelu

Dear Finality,
No matter what language or definition one uses there will always be some confusion some where. There is no perfect way to communicate to all the people all the time. The expectation that there is a perfect way is perhaps an unrealistic expectation? Or is my expectation too low?? :)
peace & joy,
holobon