Reiki is the energy of nature that can cure medical and non-medical problems’

Holistic treatments are increasingly being incorporated into hospitals’ treatment programmes, and such is the demand – and apparent success – of natural therapies such as reiki, the ancient Tibetan-Japanese healing art that draws on the power of nature – that even insurance companies are nowadays paying for cover. Ida Bagus Putu Wijaya (left) is a Reiki Master based at Renon, Denpasar, and Ubud, where he runs healing camps. He spoke with Carla Albertí de la Rossi about his therapy and what it purports to do.

Reiki is, from the Japanese, the use of universal energy. It is claimed that it can cure all illnesses and diseases. Is this the case?
It’s true. It can cure any illness and disease because it is energy that comes from nature; it’s universal. It’s originally from Tibet but it was developed by a Japanese man called Mikao Usui.

How does it work?
First someone must clean the body with the attunement, focusing on the seven chakras. I do acupuncture with something I got from the Mother Temple (Besakih) in Bali. After that, someone can receive the energy with reiki. This energy heals people. The Reiki Master has to know how to clean the chakras. It can work even with people who are sceptical about this practice.

It’s not energy coming from the person, but rather energy channelled through the person – correct?
That’s right. I transfer the energy from God to people.

Is it said that everyone can be empowered to use reiki as a healing method, either on themselves or on others. How do you do an attunement?
A Reiki Master must first clean their seven chakras. The person must concentrate in the five reiki symbols. Then he has to pray to God, or nature, and ask for happiness for every human being and for all animals. They will then have more energy so they will be able to transfer it.
In 21 days the other person that has been attuned can treat someone else. But for this to happen they have to pray every day for 21 consecutive days and concentrate in different parts of their body.

Does it help to follow a certain diet in order to give or receive reiki? For instance, is a vegetarian diet more beneficial?
People have to stop eating lamb, or at least seldom eat it. It’s best when one is vegetarian. It’s also important to eat cooked vegetables and fruit.
Alcohol and tobacco are very bad for reiki. If you smoke or drink the breath circulation will not be good. It’s also important to drink a minimum of eight glasses of water a day.

Is there a religious aspect to reiki? Do you have to follow any particular belief system?
Everybody can study reiki. It’s something universal. An atheist can also learn to do reiki. It’s not something religious.

You learned reiki from a master in Surabaya over a decade ago, and have been practising in Bali ever since. What drew you to this field?
Reiki is the energy from nature; it’s very special. Without the energy from reiki you can’t heal people. Before reiki I did yoga. After that I learned tai chi and I also studied anatomy. These are very important for reiki. I can feel someone’s vibrations to identify their problem.

Give us an example of the kind of people you have helped, particularly what illnesses you have helped to cure.
I’ve cured depression, insomnia, stress, low and high blood pressure, people that suffer from panic attacks.
I’ve also cured breast and womb cancer. Cancer takes two months to be cured because it’s a special treatment. As with all serious illness I must take them to my centre in Ubud.

What’s the meaning of the symbols that reiki practitioners work with?
Chakra is the centre of the power, the centre of energy. It comes from the universe.
Manas represents our thoughts; these are affected by our awareness of the world.
Kala is the time: past, present and future.
Len So May is the light that brings us the truth and goodness. Len So May is very important.
Infinity is love without condition.

Many expat reiki practitioners in Bali offer courses in which there’s a stage one, followed some time later by a second stage and then a third, which is the master element. But you combine the first two in one session. Why?
I combine the first two phases because it’s easier to practise reiki and give energy to someone if I first clean their body.

After receiving an attunement, some people report an overabundance of energy in their bodies and feel almost lightheaded. It can also be a very emotional experience. What’s the reason for this?
Energy depends on karma, on the person’s past life. If the person was good in a past life, then the energy will be good in this life.
When they feel emotional and sometimes hot or lightheaded it’s because their energy is imbalanced.

For many who come to Bali, there is feeling of electricity in the air, as though it is charged with spirituality. Do you agree, and if so, why do you think this is?
That’s right. In Bali everyone, every day, gives offerings to the Gods. Because they always give, there’s something positive and energetic in the atmosphere. Meditation also has great power. Balinese people are balancing the energy.

Is Bali therefore a good place to practise reiki or receive treatments?
It is very good for treatments and to receive energy because Bali has a very positive energy.

Reiki masters can “send energy” to people anywhere else in the world. How does this work?
Yes, they can. They only need to concentrate on the symbols and on the energy. They also have to be thinking about that particular person.

Because of its perceived effectiveness, some hospitals in the West are incorporating reiki into their treatment programmes, and in some cases medical insurance firms are paying for treatments. Is this a sign of reiki’s growing importance in medical care?
Yes, because reiki is the energy of nature that can cure medical and non-medical problems. People are starting to realise this.

Is it said that negative thoughts and feelings are the root causes of illnesses and disease, and that reiki works to dispel these attitudes and restore calm and positivity. Is this how you see it?
Of course. Reiki can get rid of that negative energy.

You say that reiki – this universal source of power that is all around us – comes from God. Can you explain what you mean by that, and is it therefore inherently a religious treatment or experience?
It’s not a religious practice. God is nature.

Instructions about rekie treatment

Since Reiki is able to work in tandem with nearly any type of medicine or therapy, the fact that some practitioners have developed Reiki massages should not be surprising. Reiki can be used to treat any problem areas in a person's massage, and will aid her with purging the toxins in her body, not to mention adding to the sense of relaxation a good massage will produce.

Instructions

Step 1

Check the client before the massage to make sure she is ready. Make sure the client is wearing loose-fitting clothes, with no belt and no shoes. Ideally, the client should also be naked from the waist up, and lying down in some warm towels on the massage bed.

Step 2

Prepare the client for the massage. Use some massage oils on the client to loosen the skin and muscles, as well as provide some aromatherapy for him. Make sure your hands are warm and supple, in order to minimize the discomfort to the client.

Step 3

Begin to massage the client. Use the technique that works best for you, as Reiki can be incorporated into all types of massage. Some claim that Shiatsu and Thai massages are best suited to prepare a person to receive a Reiki treatment owing to their Asian origins, but this claim has never been substantiated.

Step 4

When the client is in a relaxed and tranquil frame of mind, begin to give the client a Reiki treatment. Since the full Reiki procedure involves 27 hand positions with 5 minutes allotted per hand position, make sure the client knows the time commitment involved. Many practitioners of Reiki massage will instead give a person an abbreviated Reiki treatment, centered on the back and torso.

Step 5

Intersperse the Reiki treatment with the massage. Some practitioners of Reiki massage will instead wait until they discover a problem area in their client, then give that area some special attention with Reiki.

Step 6

Allow the client some time afterwards to adjust to the feeling of being cleansed with Reiki. Many clients, after their first Reiki treatment, experience rushes of emotion such as sadness or guilt. Let the client express these feelings if he wishes, and encourage the client to set aside a block of time afterwards so he can deal with these feelings, which usually pass in 30 minutes or so.

rekie heailing treatment

The practitioner places their hands on (or sometimes above) the client on various parts of the body, usually starting with the head. The Reiki healing energy flows from the practitioners hands to the client and is guided to where it is most needed to cleanse, release blockages and to restore health, balance and well-being.

The treatment is gentle with no manipulation of the skin or muscle tissue. The client may feel heat, cold or even a tingling feeling. In addition, the client may feel physical and emotional sensations as the energy moves through them. It is common for clients to feel so deeply relaxed and calm that they fall asleep. The experience is unique to each individual and may vary from one session to another. Many clients are amazed at the feeling of relaxation they leave with.

Usually one or two Reiki sessions bring release from stress related issues. However, a course of four or more treatments may be recommended for a chronic or more serious condition. Many clients use Reiki to “top-up” their energy levels every four to six weeks. They enjoy the wonderful feelings of vitality gained and are much more able to cope with life’s pressures.

The Reiki treatment will cleanse the body of toxins and creates balance to allow healing to take place. It is recommended you drink plenty of water after your treatment to help this process.
Fee: £30 per treatment


The aura is a field of subtle energy which penetrates and extends out from the physical body. Usually we are unaware of our aura but it is directly affected by our thoughts and feelings. If you have a bad day and are feeling down and tired, your aura will recede to perhaps two to three feet from your body. After a Reiki treatment, your aura will grow to twenty to thirty feet.

Illness first starts in the aura, either as negative Ki formed by the subconscious mind, or as karma, brought from past lives. This negative energy begins to grow in the aura and can extend into the physical body causing disruptions to the chakra’s energy flow (see below) and resulting in physical and mental illness. By cleansing the aura, the client’s energy levels rise and residual energy from previous trauma’s in this or past lives are removed. This allows healing at a deeper level and will help prevent physical illness in the future.

Aura Cleansing can be incorporated into a Reiki Treatment or done separately. When done separately, an aura cleansing treatment usually take about 30 minutes. The cleansing is completely non-invasive and painless as the practitioner works in the area around the client.
Fees: £15 per Aura Cleansing Treatment
£35 combined Reiki Healing and Aura Cleansing Treatment


The Chakra’s are our body’s internal energy transformers which follow the length of the spine. The Chakra’s play an important role in health and healing. There are seven main chakra’s in the body, starting at the root chakra at the base of the spine to the crown chakra at the top of the head.

When the chakra’s are out of balance, the energy and life force which flows through the body is blocked. As a result, difficulties in life or even illness can arise in that area. By balancing the chakra’s, the life force and energy resume their correct flow and maintain health, both in body and mind.

Chakra Balancing is done using a pendulum and crystals. The energy flows clockwise then anti-clockwise from one to the next chakra. Using a pendulum held over the body, the practitioner will identify where the energy flow is moving in the right direction. Where the energy is flowing in the wrong direction, or completely blocked, crystals are placed on the body which correct the flow. The balancing is painless and non-invasive.

Chakra Balancing usually takes about 15 to 20 minutes to complete and is excellent when combined with a Reiki Treatment.