By Corie Cornwell

Reiki (pronounced ray kee) is a Japanese word made up of two characters, rei meaning spirit and ki or life force. The term is usually translated universal life energy or life force.

The closest parallel in Western philosophy to the practice of Reiki is faith healing or the laying on of hands in a spiritual sense. The Reiki practitioners believe the the life force is channeled through the bodies to the hands where it can be sent into the body of the client or patient. This is done through two processes, first attunement to receive the flow of the life force by the Reiki master, then the positioning of the hands and sometimes other parts of the body such as the eyes or the breath to channel this flow to the patient.

Those who wish to become Reiki therapists under traditional Usui Reiki must learn from a Reiki master in an unbroken line from the original Grand Master. According to traditionalists, Reiki cannot be learned; it must be experienced.

All training courses in the United States originate from the Grand Master, Mrs. Hawayo Takata who claimed to be a student of one of the students trained by Usui. Although some of her claims are not able to be confirmed, such as the statement that no Reiki Grand Masters in Japan survived World War II, she trained at least 21 masters in the years between 1970 and 1980 in the traditional Usui method.

Even amongst traditionalists, the Reiki course will differ somewhat, as some Masters do not teach students to pass on the method to others, only to use it in healing. Others insist to be recognized as a Master, the student must be able to teach the techniques.

The traditional Reiki course consists of three levels, Levels I and II can usually be mastered in one 6-8 hour session for each component. Level I for example would include information about the history of Reiki, a ceremonial process called attunement, which is a structured formalized series of movements, chants, hand positions and touching, provided by the Master to each of the students. There are four attunements during the Level I course. Also included in Level I is practice of the hand positions required for Self-Attunement and later, practice of the same hand positions as they are used on another person. The Level I Reiki is completed with the first session.

Some people elect to stop at Level I, but others choose to continue to Level II Reiki. The second course is taught in two 3 hours sessions, sometimes separated by over night, but at least 2 hours must elapse between the first and second sessions in order to provide learning and memorization of the names and descriptions of the Reiki symbols. These symbols are important to the practitioners and must be called and drawn correctly so that they may be visualized correctly when applying attunement or therapy to oneself or to others. Two more attunements are given during the Level II course.

At Level III, a divergence of opinion among Masters occurs. Some treat Level III as a continuation of Level II with additional emphasis on both the symbols and channeling the life energy, as well as practicing distance healing; while others believe that to complete Level III, sometimes called Reiki Master Level, the student must successfully teach others the techniques of Reiki.

About The Author

Tops-Reviews.com brings you the articles and reviews on products that amuse, inform and entertain.
For more reviews and info on Reiki,
click here

By Randa Khalil

The skin is the largest elimination organ, it is known to be responsible for 10 to 15 percent of total body elimination, and is sometimes referred to as the third kidney.

Dry skin brushing is a swift and powerful way to enhance the detoxification process . It’’s easy, pleasant and yields tremendous benefits!

Not only does it improve the appearance of your skin by eliminating dead cells and helping new skin to regenerate, it also stimulates blood circulation, the lymphatic system, and greatly enhances toxin elimination.

In addition, the massaging effect of the bristles is known to be highly beneficial for eliminating cellulite.

Brushing the skin gently stimulates the lymphatic system and is considered to be one of the best natural lymphatic cleansers available.

The lymphatic system is composed of lymph vessels, lymph nodes, and organs. Part of the body’’s defense system, the lymph nodes remove microorganisms and other foreign substances. They act as a filtration system, which keeps particulate matter, such as bacteria, from entering the bloodstream.

Stimulating the lymphatic system through skin brushing will activate all of the above functions as well as encourage blood circulation and cell regeneration. Both actions promote detoxification, weight loss and cellulite reduction, as well as improve body tone and skin radiance.

I have been regularly brushing my skin for the last 2 months, in addition to my Detox Bath, and am genuinely amazed at the benefits I am experiencing. Not to mention that I'’m really flattered by the compliments I am receiving on how healthy and radiant I look! My normally dry skin seems a lot more supple, I am eliminating better, and the cellulite lumps on my thighs and hips are now less visible…

All you need is a NATURAL bristle brush with a long handle or a loofah…and 5 minutes.

I start with brushing my feet -including the soles- moving upwards to the tighs, in small circular motions.

For the upper body part, I put one arm up and brush down towards my armpit and then move to the other arm. When brushing my torso I brush towards the heart. Brushing over the top of the breast I insist on the armpit, where there’’s a concentration of lymphatic nodes. I finish off with small circular brushing around the neck and shoulders, avoiding the face where the skin is sensitive.

I then brush my abdomen from the left side to the right, and go around in circles to gently massage the colon. I insist on the hips and thighs as skin brushing is an excellent treatment for cellulite.

As a general guide, it is more beneficial to brush from the extremities towards the core of the body.

Always brush gently, and especially over the sensitive areas. In time, and with practice, your skin will become more resilient and endure more vigorous brushing. It is important to avoid brushing over bruises, cuts or irritated areas.

Dry Skin Brushing benefits are numerous and include:

Accelerating toxin elimination

Stimulating blood flow and circulation

Reducing Cellulite

Enhancing lymphatic flow

Exfoliation and removal of dead skin cells

Anti-aging through cell regeneration

Stimulating both the sweat and sebaceous glands, thus contributing to the restoration of moist, supple skin.

Brushing your whole body will take around 3 to 5 minutes. Always brush the skin when it’’s dry, and follow with a hot shower to wash off the dead cells.

To complete a PERFECT detox, finish up with a 10-minute cold Detox Bath.

The Detox Bath is based on an ancestral detox technique created by Louis Kuhne of Leipzig, the father of detox, in the 1880′’s, and is proven to encourage toxin, waste and fat elimination. The Detox Bath’’s working principle is to refresh the core area of the body (groin) during 10 minutes daily. This process creates a vibration in the fascia (interconnecting tissue covering all internal organs), which sets in motion a roll-back effect transporting waste, fat and deposited toxins back to the intestines, where they are later eliminated.

The whole procedure of skin brushing, hot shower and Detox Bath should take no more than 30 minutes, but it is far superior than any detox spa treatment you can get, and it’’s free! The best part for me is that it doesn'’t involve starving myself or going on harrowing detox diets.

You will soon experience a significantly better toxin elimination, rejuvenation and renewed energy, and your body and health will thank you for it!

About The Author

Randa Khalil & Lina Baker
Co-authors
Detox Bath: http://www.pureinsideout.com/detox-bath.html
Ebook published by Dream Team Publishing UK
Visit pure inside out:
http://www.pureinsideout.com/articlemarketer-index