The following interview with William O’Connor gives insight into the concept behind integrated reiki alignment, its principles and understandings.

 

What is Reiki?

In simple language, Reiki is a transmission of universal energy from one person to another with the purpose of healing the energy field of the receiver.  It is based on the understanding that there is universal energy that can be accessed and channelled by anyone who is ‘tuned in’ and has the intent to channel or transmit.

What is ‘Integrated Reiki Alignment’, is it simply Reiki with another name?

Integrated Reiki Alignment incorporates the principles and practices of Reiki, but explores

    • the development of the practitioner

    • the nature of universal energy at a deeper level

In fact, the main focus is the journey of the practitioner’s development. This empowers the practitioner to deliver a purer transfer of energy to the client.

 On your courses you talk about the ‘three doors’ and ‘four alignments’…can you explain this?

These are the major contents of our training programme. The three doors refer to ‘the three doors of sustainable connection’. They are: ‘door to self’, ‘door to life’ and ‘door to other’.

The ‘door to self’ is about sustaining a clear connection to your own alignment. This is the main requirement to be able to have a clearer or you might say ‘purer’ connection to the second door, which refers to universal energy. And, of course, these two doors are the foundation to a clear and deeper connection to the client.

The doors are connections. The depth or quality of the connection depends on the practitioner’s ability to ‘align to self ‘; that is, the stage the person is at in facing ‘the self’, beyond the level of concepts or emotions. This requires a journey of personal development.

That is what the philosophy of Reiki talks about, but you are saying that you actually help the Reiki student to develop that ability to connect to self?

Yes, that’s right; however we must take it one step at a time. In the Certificate, Advanced Certificate and Diploma Modules, we do four things:

            • Re-align the students’ own energies

            • Develop the students’ awareness and sensitivity to misalignment

            • Show how to ‘energetically’ work with internal conflicts

            • Show how to ‘energetically’ address the above conflicts in your life

We work with personal conflicts because they represent personal energies that are in conflict with each other; and therefore won’t be free for connection to self. Once a person graduates, we offer ongoing workshops and one-to-one sessions for their ongoing development (or connection to self) if they so wish.

I see what you mean about it being more developmental; please explain to me the ‘four doors’.

            • Self

            • Spiritual

            • Higher Purpose

            • Definitive Knowledge

So let me explain these one at a time. Alignment to self is about you being able to balance emotional, mental and physical energies in a given moment; so you are in a place to receive what is coming through.

Alignment to the Spiritual is developing your direct connection to that ‘mysterious quantum’ called universal energy. The question is, is that ‘mysterious quantum’ general universal energy or specific beings that act to step down to the higher energy? This is a question that can only ultimately be answered through ‘orienting to definitive knowing’.

This leads us to the next alignment, your higher purpose. The course introduces students to the idea of what higher purpose is. It also lays the foundations for being able to connect to your individual higher purpose.

I can follow all of that, and it makes sense, but I can’t imagine what ‘orientating to definitive knowledge’ would be?

Definitive Knowledge is referring to ‘direct knowing or seeing’. That is what is referred to in the East as the opening of the ‘third eye’. This is quite an event when it takes place definitively. However, there are steps and stages to direct knowing/ seeing. There also exists a path to orientating or sensitising to this stage of direct seeing. We call this path ‘the definitive journey’ because it is the journey of personal development that will help a person to define their relationship to self.  It is this relationship that opens the direct seeing or ‘definitive knowledge’.

When a student is engaged in this ‘definitive journey’, the quality of their work with clients becomes qualitatively different. The way they engage their day to day life changes in quality as well. But it is a serious journey. It takes sincerity, humour and a degree of courage.

In Reiki courses people become ‘Masters’; but you haven’t mentioned this…why?

It is just a question of terminology…using the best terminology for the processes that you are offering people. I have no argument or judgement that normal Reiki courses use the word ‘master’. It is saying you are ready to practice. It also implies that you are now in line with the ‘master’ that taught you energy work. That is what (in Reiki circles) is known as ‘lineage’.

Our focus is on building a foundation of personal development that supports the student to be in line with their own self.  So ‘alignment’ to self is the basis of transmitting universal life force. And alignment to self comes through personal development processes.

When in a process of personal development, it is better to see yourself as a student of life, rather than a master. When you have mastered the basic elements for practicing with people, we call you a practitioner. Hopefully you will also be a Student of Life. When you have opened up to ‘definitive knowing’, which implies you have direct knowing of self, we’ll call you a master if you want the title.

Is your Integrated Reiki Alignment based on the Reiki started in Japan?

 

The actual term ‘Reiki’ is Japanese, meaning Universal Life Force.  The founder of the Japanese version of Reiki was Dr. Usui.  According to Mrs. Takata, a student of Dr. Isui, the humble and dedicated Doctor searched for an answer to how Jesus could heal the way he did.  His search took him into the study of Christianity, Taoism and Buddhism.  Finally while studying in Tibet he found the principles that could allow Jesus to heal.  But the principles were only intellectual, not an ‘empowerment’.  

 

So part of my answer to your question is:  Reiki is universal, the principles can be found in all spiritual disciplines, because all spiritual disciplines hinge on direct knowing of self. The nature of self is directly related to ‘Universal Life Force’.  The second part of my answer is in the second part of the story of Dr. Usui.

 

Dr. Usui returned to Japan, having found the intellectual keys to using Universal Life Force, but as already stated, it was not enough without personal empowerment.  To gain that empowerment, he went to a holy mountain to fast and meditate for 21 days.  On the final day (according to Mrs. Takata) “…a shining light hit him in the middle of the forehead”.  As a result he had a direct seeing experience of the Sanskrit symbols that became the foundation of his system of Reiki.

 

So the second part of my answer is: our approach to Reiki is founded on the same process & Journey that Dr. Usui went through:

                                          1.    A journey to know the correct principles

2.    The journey of personal development

3.    Orienting to Direct Knowing (Definitive Knowledge)

 

The 3 modules of our course lay the foundation of correct understanding of principles and technique.  The course introduces the student to the principles of personal development.  We offer workshops and 1-1 work to support the graduates of the course – if they wish – in their deeper journey of personal development as well as their professional practice.  The ongoing Journey is the road to deeper empowerments.

 

 

Are you saying a person has to have an enlightenment experience to practice Reiki?

 

Not at all.  I’m saying that there is a process, a Journey.  A person simply needs to develop a foundation of right knowledge of the principles of Reiki.  That person also needs a good understanding of the elements of personal development.  That person would be wise to have a good sense of their gaps in their personal development.  With the above, they are in a very good position to be a very successful Reiki Practitioner.  Graduates who continue on a definitive journey of personal development tend to grow and excel both as a practitioner and as a person.