Reiki
/ˈreɪ.ki/noun
A Japanese system of hands-on healing or meditation intended to direct or balance a purported life energy.
Did you know?Reiki was formalized by Mikao Usui in Japan around 1922, making its modern system relatively recent despite drawing on older Buddhist, Daoist, and Japanese healing concepts.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient China
Classical Chinese
靈 (líng)
“Spirit, supernatural presence, or something spiritually efficacious; this character underlies the Japanese rei in Reiki.”
Ancient China
Classical Chinese
氣 (qì)
“Breath, air, vital energy, or animating force; this is the source of the Japanese ki.”
Early Japanese
Japanese
霊 (rei)
“Spirit, soul, or supernatural power.”
Early Japanese
Japanese
気 (ki)
“Air, breath, mood, vital energy, or life force.”
1920s
Japanese
霊気 (reiki)
“A compound meaning approximately “spiritual energy” or “spirit energy,” used in the name of Mikao Usui’s healing system.”
Modern English
English
Reiki
“A Japanese-origin healing and spiritual practice involving practitioners placing or moving their hands near the body.”