As the name suggests, reiki yoga is a healing art that combines the benefits of the ancient practices of reiki and yoga. In reiki yoga, the practice of reiki, or the channeling of universal healing energies, is undertaken while performing specific yoga postures and breathing exercises. In this way, the healing benefits of reiki and the unifying aspects of yoga are combined to provide maximum health and wellness to the mind, body and spirit.
In reiki yoga, an individual will often perform the reiki techniques upon themselves while maintaining specific yoga positions. To achieve the most benefit, a person should have at least a basic knowledge of both practices. Preferably, he or she will be trained in both reiki and yoga.
Reiki is an ancient healing art originating in Japan thousands of years ago. It is based on the belief that there is a life force energy around and running through each individual and that sickness, stress and other ailments are caused by a weakness or disruption of that energy field. By laying hands upon a person, a reiki practitioner will channel healing energy from the divine, or universal, energy into an individual’s personal energy field, thus relaxing and restoring their body, mind and spirit.
Some reiki practitioners will not actually touch the person but rather will hold their hands in various positions slightly away from the person’s body but close enough to connect with his or her energy field. Reiki is generally not learned from a book or set of instructions. Rather, it is passed down from teacher to student through a process called attunement.
Yoga originated in India centuries ago and involves the balancing of mind, body and spirit through various postures and breathing techniques. The word “yoga” comes from the ancient Sanskrit word for “union.” Practitioners of Yoga believe that there is a core of energy that runs through a person’s body, and the blockage or misalignment of that energy causes physical, mental and emotional issues. Yoga is designed to clear an individual’s energy channels, bring the mind, body and spirit in unity with each other and allow for a stronger connection with the universal energy that permeates all things. There are several styles of yoga, but reiki yoga primarily utilizes the hatha style, which focuses on certain breathing techniques in conjunction with specific postures.
Although both yoga and reiki are ancient practices, combining the two has resulted in a unique practice that can enhance a person’s overall well-being. It is believed that yoga will help increase the flow of healing reiki energy through a person’s life force. The two practices therefore complement each other in achieving optimum health of mind, body and spirit.