This isn't a how-to guide, so don't come in expecting to learn how to practice Reiki. That said, this is a great way to connect your inner self with the principles of Reiki. Think of this as a series of meditation practice lead-ins. This will give you deeper insight into what Reiki is, as well as helping you connect with a deeper part of yourself.

I have been a Reiki L1 practitioner for a couple of years. This book was an interesting read that I managed to find here on www.netgallery.com, those of you who would like to explore the world of Reiki and what Reiki then I would like to recommend this book to you. As it gives a very written explanation on Reiki, how to do hands-on and off healing worth a read.

Thank you John Hunt Publishing amd Netgalley for an ARC of this book.

Being relatively new to Reiki I found this book to be a great introduction for me. I enjoyed the short chapters and learned a lot from the author. I look forward to learning more on this subject.

A simplified foray of System of Reiki as Mindfulness

I have read all the books authored and coauthored by Frans Stiene and have followed his teachings for few years now. I also had fortune to take an in person class from him few years ago. I will here write an honest review based on what is written in the book as well what impact it has in my own personal practice.

I will also add that here my perspective on any teaching based on my own Buddhist practice which defiantly complements and go very nicely along with system of Reiki. And will point few suggestions for the reader when reading this book or any for that matter based on those---

1. Don’t follow anyone, no teacher, no one but your inner self. Follow the teaching, see if it resonance with you and how it affects your life.
2. Use container and water in it just the way they are intended for. Culture, rituals (or symbols and mantras) etc are like container, they are not the teachings however water in it is the teaching. So don't confuse rituals (or tools) as teachings.
3. Container (Rituals/ cultural aspects) changes from place to place, culture to culture, however teaching remain the same. Bring your container and take it in but then leave the container at its place.

Above three points are mentioned in Reiki Insights in different ways and forms in every section of this book and I invite reader to do the same when reading the book.

I really enjoyed how Frans Stiene breaks the book down into short chapters - makes it ideal for reading a chapter with my meditation. It is always enlightening to read this wonderful Master teacher's marvelous insights about the system of reiki. The book is divided into 8 different parts and each part has several short chapters focusing on that topic. If one looks deeper we can find the strong message in all of them is about correct attitude with which to approach our practice. And each section offers method in a very simple language on how one can embody that in day to day life.

For example there is section on hands on healing and it has no mention about hands position as one might think. Lot of people gets carried away in rigid hands position or symbols etc. However even hands on healing section describes how it can be a meditation and way of life. No need to place hands!

When the attitude towards our practice is right, any method will bear abundant fruit. Our life will be illumined. We are then more centered and grounded to take care of ourselves and others. There is a section on what is healing. What it means to become whole. Lot of times people think healing means curing but one healing is very deep. Healing is about mind. Reiki precepts are pointing to mind. There are many gems in each chapter. And they all touch upon different aspects of our lives. Even the chapter on history of Reiki gives deep insight into what traditional system of Reiki roots came from.

Even though chapters are short they each shake us. Some chapters give us encouragement. Some challenge our ignorance and bring us back into the present as we continue to read.

This book is about letting go and what remain are openness, joy and playfulness.
Reading this book is like sitting with a teacher, Frans Stiene.

Reiki Insights clarify the proper mental attitude with which to practice system of reiki by providing simple yet profound insights into all the tools that are in system of reiki- Reiki precepts, Symbols and Mantras, Reiju, Meditations and hands on healing. It further goes into history and what it means to be a teacher and what to look for in a teacher. Frans wisdom is simple, clear, & effective and he clarifies the spiritual path in general.

Remember what I wrote earlier - Container is not the teaching, teaching is “within”. If it resonant with you then go further and investigate. As reading book and applying it is also not enough. You have to keep going further.

Master or student, get it and find out for yourself. It can change your life. It certainly changed mine...and continues to do so every moment.

So, do yourself a favor and give a read with an open mind!

I also want to thank Net gallery for giving me opportunity to review this book at no extra monetary compensation.

Best wishes to the author as well for a job well done.

In my recent delving into spirituality, meditation and such I had heard about Reiki but this book was my first real introduction to the subject so I'm not sure how it compares to the larger subject matter but as a novice these are my insights on the book.

Reiki's precepts are
Do not anger
Do not worry
Be grateful
Be true to your way and your being
Be compassionate to yourself and others

Frans Stiene's exploration of the topic is best used (as he mentions) as a meditative guide to opening up each of the precepts to look at them, to understand what they mean, what is necessary to accomplish them and why one wants to. It isn't as philosophical as it sounds because he does an excellent job of breaking down small pieces into digestible chapters for you to reflect on rather than a meaty book to read in one sitting. I've enjoyed reading chapters at night or in the morning as a way to focus on--well--all of the precepts although each chapter does really focus on singular aspects making it easier to not be overwhelmed by the enormity of what amounts to becoming a more enlightened person.

Does it work? I'm still meditating on the precepts but I have been finding it easier to remain calm and focused in my daily life as I use the precepts to reorient myself. I'm not sure if I can say that I understand what Reiki is but I appreciated the way it guides my meditation now.

Reiki Insights by Frans Stiene is divided into many short chapters. Each can be read independently, offering food for meditation. Rather than covering the how-to of Reiki, this book covers the why and what of this distinctive energy system. Here you will find no technique, no using such symbol when, and the manner of drawing them. You will find the important lessons of trusting in yourself, of not falling into strict dogma, but learning your own flow. I especially loved this analogy with the notion of trees swaying in the wind.

It did seem rather repetitive at times, with the same topic or issue threading through several chapters, saying the same things over and over. Or in repeating the precepts in most every chapter making it feel it is for beginners, yet it clearly wasn't a beginner book. As a person who knows Reiki, it became tiresome after a while. However, part of this is that, in reviewing it, I read straight through. This is a book meant to be read piecemeal, and not necessarily in order. Great addition to any energy healer’s library.

***Many thanks to Netgalley and John Hunt Publishing for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I am interested in all things spiritual. it is likely that I had this passed on to me by my mother who practices mindfulness and meditation daily. The chapters are short and everything is concisely described. I don't think that this is really a beginners guide though as I think most of the topics would need more explanation than was given here. It is not required that you read each chapter one after the other, you can easily dip in and out of it when needed.

"Reiki Insights" is what it says on the tin - An insight into the underlying principles and practices of Reiki and the concepts that flow through it. I found it intriguing and learned a lot about how Reiki actually works and where it came from. This is more of an exploration of how Reiki came about and its teachings, it is not a guide to how to practice Reiki.

Many thanks to O-BOOKS for an ARC. I was not required to post a review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

All who practise Reiki should read this book!

In 2016 Frans Stiene spent three weeks deep in the mountains of Japan with his own teachers, Shugendo priests who were helping him gain a deeper understanding of Mikao Usui’s teachings through esoteric teachings.

Frans Stiene has structured the book in “bite-size” chapters so that you can read them, absorb what he has said and take it to the next level, and meditate on the subject raised. Some of the topics raised and possibly the most important, are those on the Five Precepts that Mikao Usui’s teachings are based on; Do not be angry, Do not worry, Be grateful, Practise this diligently, Show compassion to yourself and others. He re-writes these Precepts in different ways throughout the book, over and over again.

There is (obviously) a lot more information given in the book. However, he comes back to the Precepts in each chapter. In my opinion, regardless of whether you believe or practice Reiki or not, these five Precepts should be printed out and stuck on mirrors, phones, and your laptop to remind you of how you can gain “oneness” in your life.

I think it would be useful to include some information about Mikao Usui. While finishing his studies at a traditional Japanese Tendai Buddhist Monastery, he realised he was interested in different types of medicine, energy movement and religions, reading widely on all subjects. Usui was looking to find a way to heal himself and others, using his hands, that didn’t deplete his energy levels and he devoted many years searching for a system. His open-minded approach towards other belief systems and religions is why Reiki is accessible to everyone. It has no religious attachments.

While he was living at the monastery, Usui decided to attend Isyu Guo, a 21-day training course, to seek enlightenment. This involved living in a cave on Mount Kurama and fasting, meditating and praying. On the morning of the 21st day, Usui experienced a mystical event, ‘seeing’ ancient Sanskrit symbols, which he acknowledged would help him develop the healing system he was looking for. After this event, Usui set up a clinic in Kyoto, where he began to heal and teach people.

I was initiated twice into Reiki, but have always felt that there was “something missing”, that is, until now. Frans Stiene has taken me back to connect with Mikao Usui. I now feel whole and able to move forward.

Treebeard

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.

Reiki treats the whole person including body, emotions, mind and spirit creating many beneficial effects . To me this means using what you have to help others and yourself. There are chants to heal yourself and others from the energy within. Meditation and chants are in the book by chapters. It's not hard to find or difficult to read. It is well written with a lot of hands on research.. Very interesting and I hope to delve into this more as it is something that I want to do. Healing is important and I have a friend who uses it with wonderful results. Great book. I received this book from Net Galley for an honest review and no compensation otherwise

This a good daily Reiki and meditation companion. Each chapter is a new step into the world of Reiki.

My interest in the subject this focuses on still stands but so do my questions surrounding it. If this book taught me anything it is that I prefer a lengthier topical discourse, even if this is to be my introduction into the subject, as briefer overviews often leave me feeling more bewildered that when I started reading it. This is no fault of the book, it is purely that the design of it did not work well for me. I can see this being an insightful introduction for other readers, however.

Frans Steins is the co-founder of the International House of Reiki and Shibumi International Reiki Association with his wife, Bronwen Stiene, with whom he has co-authored several of his books. Reiki Insights is the latest publication and Steins looks back on some of the founders of Reiki and some of the principal insights into the system. This isn't a practical workbook but an exploration with some depth and a light and warming touch.

The essential focus of the system of Reiki is foremost about rediscovering our original nature. Everything has original enlightenment beans within it, all we have to do is water them, give them light and keep the weeds out.

The Reiki precepts are repeated often and in reading them and following them, the healing and inner purpose of this system permeates the book.

Do not anger
Do not worry
Be grateful
Be true to your way and your true self
Be compassionate to yourself and others
There is some history of Reiki in this book but the main message is about practice. One must practice the precepts, one must meditate.

Reiki Insights is primarily a meditative journey into the inner depths of the system of Reiki.

It is presented as a series of short chapters, each of them a teaching, so that you can pick it up, choose a chapter and read it. After you have read the chapter, sit down and meditate upon the words. Let them sink deep into your mind, body, and energy, so that you can feel what is in between the sentences. By reading and experiencing Reiki Insights in this way, it will lay a foundation for inner change, from not knowing your true self to knowing your true self.

If you've never seen or felt reikin in practice, here is Steins performing a healing treatment demo.


In this wonderful book, Frans Stiene addresses ancient wisdom and meditation tradition in a very practical way to bring it to the modern world. It conveys a beneficial, heartwarming, and transformative experience, and will create happiness and joy for those who read it.
Orgyen Chowang Rinpoche, author of Our Pristine Mind

Reiki Insights is available to purchase.

Thanks to Frans Stiene for writing this book, knowledge and understanding ooze from the pages. It was a joy to be taken back to Reiki basics and spend quality time discovering the Precepts afresh and in some depth. I particularly enjoyed the inclusion of direct Japanese translations and alternatives.

I would have given a higher rating except I found there to be a lot of repetition, I think this was because Reiki Insights was designed to be read as a resource book, so you look up a particular topic and read the relevant chapter. As I was sent an advance copy to review this is not the way I read it. My other issue was that some parts were not explained sufficiently (well at least for me) for example ‘deep within the word Reiki we see rain’, I really wanted to follow this thought pattern but needed some help to get there and found there wasn’t any help provided.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Very interesting but more informed than books I usually read on the subject.

It will require more studying but very informative. Maybe one for someone with more experience than I have.

An interesting book, and a great insight into the world of Reiki

By now, we have had the opportunity to peruse a hand full of reiki books. It feels so strange. We were called to reiki when we didn't even know what it was. It was the same for our sensei.

We thought back to that introductory meeting for those wishing to learn. We had no idea at the time that the reason why we and the girl sitting next to us were so giggly and happy. Later, we learned that it was because of our readiness for it.

How is all of this germane to this review?

Because we consider all things reiki as we read through this. What it is. What it does. What non-spiritually inclined others think about it. What fellow healers think about it.

It's really wild just how much information has been turbo packed into this piece. Of particular interest was the chapter for the empath. We need to focus on grounding. We knew this. But, we didn't know everything.

Wonderful!

Per author, the way this book is constructed, you can pick a chapter, read it and meditate on words. I’ve read many books about esoteric teachings, but this is the first book I’ve read about Reiki. And I don’t agree with the author that you can just pick a chapter and meditate on the words. I had to grasp the whole concept in order to do what she claims. And even with that, for me, some chapters are too long to meditate on. The message should be concise and poignant.

Grasping the understanding of what Reiki is truly about, it took me a while. I was 1/4th through the book, when I got to the chapters about energy and mind, which for me should be at the very beginning of the book. So you can clearly understand the meaning of direct translation of Reiki – “spiritual energy.”

It is all about energy and focused mind. When your thoughts are scattered, then you are depleting your energy. Which actually needs to be stored inside your body instead of being thrown out through the window sort of speak.

The flow of energy and its source are very important. If energy is depleted, it leads to for example depression. If our mind is all over the place, because of worry or many distractions, it depletes the energy. “This in turn makes us feel less energetic, less joyful, less compassionate, and it creates a lack of clarity.”

Breathing is very important part of Reiki, it puts a mind in a state of concentration.

The foundation of the system of Reiki are the precepts:
1. Do not be angry
2. Do not worry (being in present time is very important)
3. Be grateful (being grateful means for all the experiences good or bad)
4. Practice diligently (be true to your way and your true self)
5. Be compassionate to yourself and others

“By meditating on the precepts we start to gain a direct insight into why we get angry, why we get worried, why we do not feel grateful (…) Thus we can see that meditating on the precepts is a method of healing ourselves.” And you meditate by “contemplating what they mean and what their inner secret is.”

The second part of the book is geared more toward practitioners as it talks for example about hospital setting and how to facilitate a 10-20 minute visit instead of 1-2 hours normally. It talks in details about symbols/mantras, hands-on healing, distance-healing, and rediscovering our original nature.

It is a very insightful insight into Reiki, very exhaustive source of information.

Not what I thought it would be and definitely not for the lay person with an interest in Reiki.