The attacks which took place in London, Paris and other cities around the world would suggest now more than ever, we need the healing disciplines such as Reiki can bring. Unfortunately when many people think of Reiki it's the traditions, symbols and hand positions that come to mind, and to many, this apparent ancient practice has little relevance in the modern world. This point of view is understandable and in many ways we only have ourselves to blame for the misconception people have about Reiki, and what it can do.
The name itself is just a label that implies a universal life force, yet it has become defined by symbols, hand positions and the associated spiritual mantras of ''Namaste and love and light''. There is nothing wrong with any of these things in themselves but they are not Reiki, they are simply man made physical representations of an infinite energy source. These are the trappings along with soothing music, candles and incense often associated with Reiki treatments provide us with a sense of comfort. While these may be aesthetically pleasing they are cosmetic and contribute nothing to the energy that we have come to know as Reiki.
This universal life force we have christened Reiki is non secular and non denominational, it doesn't need our permission or our approval to exist, and no matter what we do we can't add anything to it, nor detract from it. It is what it is, and we are an expression of this creative life force. Our role is to acknowledge and work with it to the best of our ability using the limited means available to us. Remove all of the peripherals; strip it right back to basics and what you end up with is an energy seeking expression through the actions of the individual it created in the form of personal spiritual development.
The purest expression of this life force is the acquisition and application of knowledge and understanding for this is the wellspring from which all things are made possible. Knowledge and understanding is the stuff of miracles; for even the miraculous is nothing more than a creative technology that lies beyond our present level of awareness. Creation and the process of healing, be it mind body or spirit is only made possible through applied knowledge and understanding. It is this that opens our eyes to the troubles we face and the state of the world around us. Awareness is a state of mind that allows us to recognise the realities of the world we have created, the relationship between our thoughts, beliefs and actions and the events unfolding before us.
Everyone was rightly shocked and appalled by these terrorist attacks in Paris and the outpouring of grief and patriotic defiance led to land marks around the world draped in the colours of the French tricolour. It also resulted in people changing their Facebook status to show their sympathy for those who lost their lives in the bombing. While many may find this a beautiful gesture, as a Reiki teacher and practitioner I find it disturbing and cause for real concern. Not so much for the gesture itself but by the obvious double standards, the way we allow ourselves to be conditioned to think of others as our enemy. Who does and does not deserve our sympathy and compassion.
In the same period a Russian plane was blown up in mid air killing 244 men women and children. Extremists were responsible for both atrocities yet by comparison the silence on Facebook was deafening with not a Russian flag in sight. If anything the bombing of the plane was far more tragic because of the number of children who lost their lives, but where was the solidarity, the outpouring of grief then. These were ordinary men women and children like you and I but because we have been conditioned to view Russians as our enemy they didn't deserve our compassion or our sympathy. Inadvertently our patriotic gesture made it quite clear that we valued their lives far less than those who died in the Paris bombing.
Not a day goes by where innocent civilians are dying around the world in conflicts that our own governments have either instigated, sanction or prolonged through the provision of finance, weapons and training. Yet because of media bias and restrictions our involvement in these deaths goes unnoticed and unreported. When the US trade centres were destroyed 2,997 people lost their lives. The ensuing grief quickly turned to shock and anger and the demand for those responsible to be brought to justice. In the retaliatory conflicts that followed in Iraq/Iran/Afghanistan/Pakistan it is estimated that the civilian non combatant deaths have exceeded 250,000 and this number continues to rise each and every day.
Those men women and children are not only robbed of life they are denied the acknowledgement of victims and become the sanitised collateral damage. Apparently it was their fault for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Casualties by default, but where are their memorials, where are the flags on Facebook? Why aren't we standing with them?
A Religion that demands obedience or the death of the unbeliever has nothing to do with spirituality or the spiritual development of those who seek enlightenment. It owes more to political extremism that seeks to use ideology as a means of exercising its power and control. When attacked the most natural response is to defend ourselves and In the midst of outrage like we have witnessed in Paris, London and around the world, it's understandable for those who have suffered to demand justice or even seek revenge. Pain and suffering has the power to destroy lives and in many ways rob us of our sanity; it's from a dark and desolate place we seek to destroy those who have taken so much from us.
Unfortunately violence breeds more violence no matter what we call it, be it retaliation, retribution or revenge. Those who single mindedly advocate the destruction of violence through the use of further violence only serve to perpetuate the belief that might is right, and the end justifies the means. It buys into the rigid mindset that extreme violence is acceptable and a legitimate means to an end and in doing so we feed into the myth that we have some God given right to assume the role of judge, jury and executioner. Unfortunately the lines between good and bad, right and wrong are no longer clearly defined, and hatred never chooses sides.
When we witness these acts of wanton brutality it's easy to point a finger of righteous judgement and overlook the part our governments have played in the creation of terrorism or the groups using violence to achieve their objectives. Individually we can rightly say we have done nothing wrong and are innocent of any crime against humanity, while this is true we must collectively accept responsibility for a world created in our name by governments acting on our behalf. Enemies don't just appear out of the mist like some disembodied spectre; they like us are flesh and blood and are created in part by the consequence of our actions.
There are those who would demonise all Muslims but we should not forget that the emergence of Christianity defined the term radicalisation as it swept all before it. Millions died as traditions, cultures and spiritual belief systems were decimated in the name of salvation and enforced submission to the Christian God. Those who would have us forget this part of our social and religious development help to ensure those mistakes will be repeated instead of learnt from. It's dangerous and naive to believe the past is irrelevant and of no consequence to the present moment. It's the actions of our past that have helped create the realities we now have to deal with. How we react or respond to present situations will create the world for future generations.
Terrorism is evil no matter what flag it flies and righteousness is in the eye of the beholder, the terrorist and freedom fighter are often separated by nothing more than the degrees in the violence they perpetuate and the flag the claim allegiance to. Distance like ignorance and fear have the power to alienate and isolate us from the realities of life. The deaths of thousands barely cause a ripple in our consciousness and hardly a voice is raised against the injustice of deaths that have no meaning to us. This indifference provides a very fragile sense of comfort and security which is shattered when we are faced with the realities of war and acts of violence.
We must defend ourselves to protect our homes, family and country but violent conflict alone will not bring about the peace we desire. In a world where conflict appears to be the norm we must be able to protect ourselves in order to survive, but survival requires more than a defensive or offensive armament. We must also have the knowledge and understanding to seek out a solution to conflict so that violence and aggression is no longer a viable option. Violence is addictive and when out of control it begins to feed upon itself to the point where self destruction becomes inevitable. We have a choice to make; a world without wars brought about through raised awareness knowledge and understanding brings, or a world without wars only because there is no one left alive to fight them.
The power of Reiki can never be defined by training manuals, symbols hand positions or mantras. It's defined by our level of awareness and the knowledge and understanding we express in the way we live our lives. It's defined by the love and compassion we can allow ourselves to enjoy and share with others in an open and non judgemental way regardless of colour creed or religion.
We have lost our way and future generations may in hind sight consider our time the darkest age mankind has ever inflicted upon itself, yet a single thought has the power to change the world if enough people believe in it. As Reiki teachers and practitioners we have a moral duty to use the skills and abilities at our disposal to help people free their minds as readily as we try to free them of their physical aches and pains. A global solution begins with a personal acceptance of responsibility. Change is only possible when we become aware of the options available to us, and accept we have the ability and desire to overcome the challenges before us. What doesn't challenge us lacks the power to initiate the change within us. When our comfort zone no longer fits our attention is drawn to the discomfort caused by an idea, belief or reality outgrown. Reiki is first and foremost education in action, a process of spiritual and personal development and in these dark ages where ignorance and fear rule by default there is no better time to allow that personal light of knowledge and understanding to shine.
Phillip Hawkins Reiki Master Teacher. Published author and contributor to various social media sites on subjects such as Reiki, personal development and working with special social and educational needs. http://www.philliphawkinsreiki.wordpress.com
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