Open and Clear, Academy | Rev. Devan Jesse Byrne

In its simplest sense, it is a gentle method of hands on or distance support that invites the body, mind, and heart to remember balance. Rather than forcing change, Reiki creates a space where tension, pain, and emotional strain can soften, and a deeper intelligence within you can begin to reorganize your experience. Many people feel warmth, tingling, peace, or a sense of being safely held, yet the real work happens in quiet ways that often reach far beneath the surface.

Historically, Reiki in its modern form arose in Japan in the early twentieth century through the experience of Mikao Usui. During a period of deep spiritual practice and fasting, he entered an expanded state of awareness in which this healing current became unmistakably clear and accessible. From there he developed a simple structure of hand positions and principles that allowed others to connect with the same energy. Although the modern system has a Japanese lineage, the essence behind Reiki is not bound to any culture. It is the same universal presence that mystics and healers across traditions have touched for ages and given many different names.

In our language, we call this universal life energy the "Wholly Spiritual Universe." This phrase points to the idea that everything you see, feel, and experience is an expression of one living spiritual field. Rather than an invisible force outside of you, the Wholly Spiritual Universe is the very substance of your awareness and the light from which your body and personality appear. When we offer Reiki, we are not pulling power from somewhere else or from a special person. We are relaxing into this already present field and allowing it to flow more freely through our attention, our hands, and our willingness to be a clear conduit.

Traditional Reiki often speaks of "chakras" as centers in the body where energy gathers and moves. In this approach, it can be helpful to understand them as frequencies rather than fixed spinning wheels. Each frequency is a range of vibration within the Wholly Spiritual Universe that resonates with certain themes in your life. The frequency at the base of the spine relates to safety and embodiment. The one around the heart relates to connection and love. The area around the brow relates to vision and inner clarity. Thinking of them as frequencies highlights that they are not objects inside you. They are patterns of resonance within a single unified field.

When Reiki is offered, the Wholly Spiritual Universe naturally moves toward harmony in all these frequencies. Where there is heaviness or fear, the vibration may gently rise. Where there is scattered, frantic energy, it may slow and stabilize. You might feel this as warmth in one area, coolness in another, or waves of emotion passing through. Sometimes nothing dramatic is felt at all, yet over the following days you notice subtle shifts in mood, decisions, or perspective. The intelligence of the field knows how to tune each frequency without the mind needing to control the process.

On a personal level, practicing or receiving Reiki is like learning to trust that this universal field is always available and responsive. You begin to sense that you are not isolated inside a separate body, struggling alone. Instead, you are immersed in the Wholly Spiritual Universe, and your willingness to relax, breathe, and place your hands with intention opens the way for that reality to be felt. Over time, this can change how you relate to discomfort and challenge. Rather than fighting them, you discover how to invite the field to move through them and reveal a deeper harmony.

In this way, Reiki becomes more than a healing technique. It is a steady practice of remembering that everything is energy and that all energy is part of one living spiritual presence. By working with frequencies in the body and mind, you are really learning to listen to the Wholly Spiritual Universe and to cooperate with what it is already trying to do through you. The more you surrender to that movement, the more natural it feels to live as a channel of peace, clarity, and compassion in every area of your life.

Reiki is often experienced as a gentle, living presence that moves through and around you. Some people feel it as warmth in the hands, a soft tingling in the body, or a deep sense of being held in something kind and intelligent. Others may not feel obvious sensations at first, yet notice they are calmer, lighter, or clearer after a session. It is less about forcing change and more about allowing a natural harmony to return.

During Reiki, you might notice your breath slowing down and your thoughts becoming quieter. Worries that felt loud and urgent can begin to fade into the background, as if they are being placed in a wider, kinder space. You may feel as if you are finally allowed to rest, even if your day has been full and stressful. This rest is not only physical, it is emotional and energetic, like your whole system is exhaling.

Emotionally, Reiki can bring old feelings to the surface in a way that feels safe and supported. You might suddenly feel sadness, relief, gratitude, or even unexpected joy as blocked energy begins to move. Instead of being overwhelmed, many people feel that Reiki gives them permission to feel what they have been holding back and to release it without needing to explain or justify it. The energy seems to understand without words.

On a mental level, Reiki can create a sense of clarity where confusion once lived. You may leave a session with a new insight, a fresh perspective, or a simple inner knowing about what you truly want or need. It can feel as if the noise has been turned down and you can finally hear your own inner voice again. Questions that once felt heavy may not be fully answered, yet they no longer feel like a burden.

Physically, people often experience Reiki as soothing and restorative. Tension may ease in the shoulders, jaw, or stomach. You might feel heavy and grounded, as if you are sinking comfortably into the earth, or you might feel light and spacious, as if a weight has been lifted. While Reiki is not a replacement for medical care, many notice improved sleep, a deeper sense of relaxation, and a more trusting relationship with their own body.

Spiritually, Reiki invites you to remember that you are more than your stress, your history, or your struggles. In the quiet of a session, you may sense that you are connected to something vast, loving, and peaceful. Some describe seeing colors or gentle images behind closed eyes. Others simply feel a wordless presence that reminds them they are not alone and never have been.

In daily life, the experience of Reiki often continues long after the session is over. You may find yourself reacting more calmly to situations that used to trigger you. You might notice you are kinder to yourself, more patient with others, or more aware of when you need rest or support. Reiki does not make life perfect, but it can change how you move through it, helping you carry more peace into each moment.

Over time, as you receive or practice Reiki, it can feel less like a separate healing method and more like a natural way of being. You begin to notice energy in conversations, in places, and in your own choices. You may start to trust your intuition more and feel guided from within. In this way, Reiki becomes not only something that happens in a session, but a quiet, loving current that flows through your entire life.