{"id":21823,"date":"2020-03-10T01:10:24","date_gmt":"2020-03-10T05:10:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/?p=21823"},"modified":"2020-03-06T11:16:45","modified_gmt":"2020-03-06T15:16:45","slug":"book-review-in-focus-reiki","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/2020\/03\/10\/book-review-in-focus-reiki\/","title":{"rendered":"Book Review – In Focus Reiki: Your Personal Guide by Des Hynes"},"content":{"rendered":"

Book <\/span>R<\/span>eview<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h1>\n

In Focus Reiki<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h1>\n

Your Personal Guide<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h1>\n

b<\/span>y Des Hynes <\/span><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h1>\n

144 <\/span>Pages<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h1>\n

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Usui Holy Fire Reiki Master Des Hynes defines Reiki as \u201ca Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing through using the energy of a higher, divine, guided life force.\u201d The practice is named after the healing energy involved. Hynes learned about its benefits watching as his wife received Reiki treatments while getting chemotherapy<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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The book provides an introduction to this noninvasive healing modality, explaining it can reduce stress, depression, anxiety and physical pain, by removing blockages and balancing the body\u2019s energy centers.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Reiki (Rei meaning higher power and Ki meaning life force or energy) was founded by Japanese Buddhist monk Mikao Usui in the early twentieth century and is at the center of a variety of holistic healing practices. The belief is\u00a0the body has the natural ability to heal. Hynes looks at some ways to aid that process, stressing a mind-body-soul connection.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMost books on Reiki focus on the healing, but I believe that knowing the cause of the illness is just as important as the cure,\u201d he writes at the beginning of Chapter 1. For that reason, some material in the book is not specifically about Reiki \u2013 for example, a description of shamanic healing. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

In addition to the history of Reiki, this book discusses common causes of illnesses \u2013 primarily stress and anger \u2013 and covers the four levels of training, attunements, symbols, guides, and hand positions for self healing and for healing others. Each of the five Reiki principles and the seven chakras are also explained, along with crystals and aura clearing .<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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Illustrations, and boxes with tips, personal stories and exercises are sprinkled on the pages. The use of many of them, it seemed, was just to take up space; the same goes for the leading that separates lines of type. Attached to the inside back cover is an envelope holding seven large cards with meditations including one for each of the five Reiki principles.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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I am a Reiki master, and my instruction did not cover the topic of using Reiki to heal the past or the future \u2013 something presented in this book that I found interesting. In addition to the two manuals I had during my training, I only have one other Reiki book. Reviewing this one provided a few reminders and tips for tweaking my practice. However, I consider it an overview, giving background on Reiki and explaining what to expect if choosing to practice it.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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