Reiki and Yogic Philosophy pt. 1

Taking the dive into Hinduism and Ayurveda studies this week rekindled my own multiple decades of practice in the energetic bodywork methods of Polarity therapy and Reiki.  In Asad & Coakley (1997), I was reminded of the innate balance in the composition all bodies have: satva, rajas and tamas. Polarity therapy emphasizes balance between these doshas through bodywork, diet, exercise and movement. 

The practice of Reiki does not work with these elements, but instead, a significant correlation is that in the practice of Reiki, the beginning student is offered an attunement or blessing that is a counterclockwise spiral, rotated three and a half rotations, identical to the symbol of the serpent in the kundalini.  Instead of bringing the energy up from the spine to the top of the head, in Reiki, the spiral is offered to the crown and sent downwards toward the grounding root of the practitioner to assist them in making connection with their own cosmic consciousness and awareness of Universal energy.

Choudhury (2016) described the image of this Universal energy as infinitely flowing through the human body as Shiva.  The main pathway is called sushumna with the left channel ida, representing the moon and pingala on the right, representing the sun.  Again, a similar correlation in Reiki with another symbol used by practitioners called Dai Kyo Myo, represents the inherent potential for an individual to connect to the brilliant light of the sun and moon through the practice of connecting to the great light flowing through the central channel.

Through yoga, according to Eliade (1990), the aim is to dissolve normal consciousness.  In doing so, awareness can be perceived.  In both my clinical psychotherapeutic work and research, the transliminal state of consciousness seems to be the realm where answers, insights, and connection to one’s expanded sense of self.  One focus of my research has been to explore the studies connecting embodiment.

Resources

Asad, T., & Coakley, S. (1997). Religion and the Body. Cambridge: Cambridge.

Kundalini: Awakening the Shakti Within with Raja Choudhury. (2016, March 30). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSLq04QI9UY

Eliade, M. (1990). Yoga: Immortality and Freedom. 1969.

Copyright Eileen Dey Wurst 2022

Photo credit