Cosmic cure

Don't worry, my cold will go in a jiffy. I just did Reiki for it.'' This remark by a colleague was my first introduction to Reiki. We g...

8220;Don8217;t worry, my cold will go in a jiffy. I just did Reiki for it.8221; This remark by a colleague was my first introduction to Reiki. We greeted it with hoots of laughter, but nothing could shake her faith.

She is not the only one. There are many others here who claim to have cured ailments as diverse as slipped disc, cold and pains to digestive problems with this technique. For Aparna Jha, a Delhi-based Reiki master who was in Chandigarh to hold a session, it8217;s nothing unusual. 8220;Reiki,8221; she says, 8220;is an ancient hands-on healing technique that was rediscovered about a 100 years ago by Dr Mikao Usui, a Japanese.8221; She adds: 8220;It is made up of two Japanese words: Rei, which means divine consciousness and Ki, which is the life-force that is present everywhere. It works on the principle that all of us are born with divine energy which, if blocked, triggers physical, mental or emotional problems. Reiki cures by channeling this energy.8221;

Anju Kotwal, another Reiki master in Panchkula, who claims to have cured many chronic diseases with this technique, says it8217;s all about balancing the seven chakras that make up our body. 8220;We can heal,8221; she says, 8220;by sending Reiki to the chakra that controls the problem organ.8221;

Reiki is given through the palm. Onkar Singh, a practitioner, claims the patient can actually feel the waves, which can be hot or cold, when the healer places his palm on the trouble spot.

You can also heal yourself if you know Reiki besides doing it for others, regardless of where they are. But this requires initiation by a Reiki master. 8220;Books,8221; says Ruby Singh, a business person, who is into Reiki, 8220;don8217;t help. It8217;s a must to get yourself attuned by a Reiki Master.8221;

Satvinder Kaur, a housewife, also agrees. 8220;I thought I would be able to learn this art through books, but I couldn8217;t. Finally, I approached a Master who taught me how to invoke Reiki.8221;

The initiation is one-to-one and takes about a day or more. That does sound like abracadabra, but Onkar Singh claims they merely teach people how to channelise the energy. Onkar, who believes Reiki is akin to yoga, starts by teaching breathing and concentration exercises. Others do it with the help of symbols, which, they say, are better left unpublished.

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The whole process may seem a bit inexplicable, but Reiki practitioners swear by its efficacy. Ruby Singh says it has changed her life radically. 8220;I practise Reiki every day for around 45 minutes before going to sleep. It has given me a terrific sense of security. Now I feel no matter what happens, I will be able to cope.8221; And yes, it does help her cure physical ailments. Satvinder Kaur too echoes her. 8220;I know there is no logic to it, but I have felt more at peace ever since I took up Reiki,8221; she smiles.

Ruby sums it up for both believers and disbelievers when she says: 8220;Reiki is a spiritual experience. It tells you there is a universal force looking after all of us. It8217;s up to you to believe it or not.8221;