Customer Reviews

Reiki Handbook: A Manual for Students and Therapists of the Usui Shiki Ryhoho System of Healing

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

As a Reiki Master/Teacher I read a lot of Reiki books. This manual is the best one I've come across in my years of teaching and practicing. It covers a variety of subjects, including the history and philosophy of Reiki, procedures for treating with Reiki (people, animals, and even plants), and gives detailed charts, pictures, and explanations of using Reiki to heal.

One of the parts I like best about this manual is that on each page where the various hand positions are shown is a spot where students can take notes during class. That allows students to keep important things together with the manual, rather than having a lot of loose papers to keep track of. I will note that several of the hand positions are slightly different than those I was taught and teach, but that's a minor quibble, as practitioners know that Reiki goes where it is meant to go.

I especially like the section which focuses on pets and wildlife. I have been working a lot of late using Reiki to treat horses, with wonderful results, and this book is helpful to those who wish to work with animals. It has several diagrams of basic dog and cat anatomy, and gives instruction on hand positions for them.

All in all this is a great book. It's not perfect, but it's the best out there bar none. Don't hesitate to buy it if you're a Reiki student or teacher.

I highly recommend this book for Reiki I or First Degree Reiki training. As a Reiki Master/Teacher for many years, I read and reviewed many Reiki books to determine which Reiki book I would like to give to my students to supplement the material that I give them. This book has an entertaining story of Usui and Takata which gives the student a greater appreciation for the history of Reiki than most books. I have been told there are inaccuracies in the story, but it is similar in nature to the one my Reiki teacher told me in Reiki I, and the book provides a fun folk-loric version. I do inform my students that it is a version of the story and if they wish to do more research into the true history of Usui, they are welcome.

A helpful aspect of the book was a list of medical problems and the suggested Reiki hand positions for treatment. For someone just beginning Reiki or energy work, it is very helpful to give them some guidelines.

The chapter on Reiki for animals had some simple drawings of a cat and dog which I have found helpful when working with animals or showing a client how Reiki is appropriate for animals. Personally, I have not used or recommended any of the food or diet recommendations.

The hand position pictures were clear with lines below the pictures for notetaking, and the book lays open easily, so the student could easily refer to the pictures. The only complaints I have about the hand position pictures is that they do not show any positions for the arms and legs and the "much-to-friendly-positions for the root chakra area." For those cases, I give my recommendations on arm, leg, knee, foot, and root chakra positions to my students to augment that material.

As a Reiki practitioner or teacher, it should be noted that it regard to the "Reiki Finish" described, it should NOT be done. For Reiki, it is:
- NOT allowed to have physical contact with "private areas" in a traditional client/practitioner relationship, clothed or unclothed
- NOT allowed to have the client disrobe, remove any clothing, or even pushing aside a shirt. Shoes and socks removal is fine.
- NOT allowed to perform massage techniques of stroking, kneading, etc. (unless you are also a trained and certified massage therapist).
As energy workers, we need to be cognizant of the professional boundaries and ethics involved.

Overall, this book is very easy to understand, explains ideas well, and just gives a wealth of good information to the beginning Reiki practitioner. Also, I liked the fact that the authors signed each copy of the book with their "Reiki Blessings." It just adds to the book's overall value, because the authors cared enough to sign each one. Wishing you love and light on your spiritual journey.

The Reiki Handbook is an invaluable source of knowledge and wisdom dating back to the beginning of this ancient Japanese healing technique rediscovered by Usui Shiki Ryoho; the Reiki student will revert back to this manual over and over again. Having used the techniques illustrated in The Reiki Handbook there is no doubt this is the most clear and concise manual with the ORIGINAL applications. I am convinced this is the ONLY manual for Reiki students and therapists. After witnessing the effects of Reiki and having used The Reiki Handbook myself, I would recommend this book to everyone. A wonderful addition for anyone involved with, or interested in, alternative methods of healing.

I dispise writing negative reviews; but one that refuses to stand for the truth will fall for anything. This is a hodgepodge of myths circulating in the Reiki community. I happen to be a Master/Teacher of five forms of Reiki, and have the certificates to prove it! I have stuffed my certificates in a mailing tube; because if the heat emanating from my hands is not enough to convince someone I am a Reiki Master; then the pretty peices of paper will not convince them either. Where to begin? 1. If a Reiki practitioner EVER uses the "Reiki Finish" on you or an aquaintance; please contact the authorities. No Reiki practitioner of Master should EVER touch the breasts or genitals. 2. On the page introducing Virginia Samdahl (the technical advisor for the book); the information is simply FLAT wrong. Ms. Samdahl claimed to be the first occidental to receive mastership in 2,500 years. Everyone that knows anything about Reiki; admits that Sensei Mikao Usui discovered the system known as Reiki, Sensei Usui was not born until 1865 (136 years ago). Far less than the alleged 2,500 years. 3. the story of Sensei Usui's encounter with the beggar king in the slums is pure ... 4. the story of Larry Arnold's incident with the bee sting (He has alergic reactions to bee venom). Reiki CAN do wonders. I have seen astounding things many times, but Reiki 99.999% of the time will NOT work anywhere near fast enough to override an alergic reaction. The energy used in Reiki gives the recepient's own healing system a kick start. 5. Reiki is NOT, and should NEVER be used in place of proper health care. Any Reiki practitioner or master that tells you not to go to the doctor or to throw away your medication is a fool, and you should RUN (not walk) away from that person. Reiki is extremely simple. The channeling of universal lifeforce energy to the recepient for healing. ... ... ... Two Bears. Wah doh Ogedoda (We give thanks Great Spirit)

This book presents itself as a Reiki I manual, and uses a lot of space to show hand positions and leaves spaces for notes and journaling. It devotes a lot of space to Reiki for animals and provides some simplistic information about healing diets and dishes for humans and animals. It tells the Reiki history that has been shown to be mythology, and generally presents only basic and incomplete information. I guess only a Reiki I would be likely to accept this book as authoritative. There are now many other more useful books about Reiki, and if you want to take notes during your practice just buy a cheap pad or book of paper.

This is a great book for beginners. I use this book as a teaching guide for my Reiki 1 classes. It gives great information and has helpful pictures and a reference section in the back of the book to help with specific conditions.

For what it is, this is a nice little guide. Although we now know the historical information to be incorrect, and despite some misspellings of names (such as "Hyashi" in lieu of "Hayashi"), this is one of the earliest books published on the Usui System of Healing in the US. Both authors were students of Virginia Samdahl, the very first person to be acknowledged as having received master training from Takata. That alone makes this book interesting to all who seek further insight into those early days.

Although I would reccomend taking some of the stories shared with a grain of salt, there are a few nice illustrations of the effectiveness of Reiki in various situations.

There are illustrations of hand positions, space for personal commentary and journaling, and techniques that Takata taught her students, such as the "Reiki Finish." While such a technique really is not intended for use in all situations or by everyone (since it does come too close to massage and may also intrude upon clients' personal space), it is an adaptation that Takata made to Hayashi-sensei's ketsueki kokan ho (literally "bloood exchange method"), a coporal manipulation intended to restore proper circulation of not only ki, or life force, but also blood.

Since Mrs. Samdahl never published her own works, it is nice to delve into the works of her students to see how the first western Reiki teacher practiced. Given this context, as well as an understanding of the revelations about Reiki's factual history, this is a great book.

I am a Reiki Master, and use this handbook for the first level Reiki class. The basic hand positions are shown, and there is room for notes on variations of hand positions that are passed from Master to Master in my line. The visual learner doesn't have to use just the notes given in class to remember the hand positions, but has a permanent source. Excellent visual aide.

I found The Reiki Handbook clear, concise and well written. I have been a practicing Reiki Master/Teacher since 1996 and I often refer students to this book. The photographs of the hand positions are easy to follow, and I enjoy the detail of the section on giving Reiki to animals. The learning material does not stray from the subject, as some other Reiki books do.

This book starts with misconceptions and lies about Usui Mikao and goes downhill from there. It has managed to sift through all facts on Reiki keeping only the legends, myths and lies of both Usui (NOT "Dr. Usui") and the schools that arose from his teachings. It is beyond comprehension that this fabrication is still in print. The Reiki truth is free, not buried under extortional fees. Read Diane Stein and learn the truth Essential Reiki: A Complete Guide to an Ancient Healing Art