Eastern Versus
Western Reiki
Mikao Usui's original
reiki method differs
greatly from the way it
is practiced in the West
today. "In Usui's time, the
emphasis was very much
on personal responsibility
and commitment," says
Reiki Master and instructor
Ginny Mackles, who has
practiced reiki for almost
30 years and has a direct
lineage to its original
teachers. "Reiki is first
and foremost a self-healing
and spiritual development
method, though it is
something that you can
also use to help others."
Traditional Usui reiki
has the main goal of being
used as a spiritual tool for
one's own improvement
and enlightenment.
By contrast, the
Western reiki tradition
focuses mainly on the
healing aspect of reiki.
It also places more
importance on hand
symbols and has added the
chakra system into the
modality, a concept that
originally came from India.
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