To understand how Reiki can help with karmic experience we need to examine the concept of Karma. Karma is most often misunderstood.  Many think it is strictly “an eye for an eye” natural law, but that is a false and oversimplified explanation for a complex belief.
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Karma is defined by Merriam-Webster as “the force generated by a person’s actions…to perpetuate transmigration and in its ethical consequences to determine the nature of the person’s next existence…”.  Simply put, Karma means that for every action there is a reaction.  Whatever energy is put into the world, the same energy will come back to the sender.  Karma is not a punishment that is meted out based on our actions, but rather a natural consequence of our choices.  Buddhists believe that Karma is generated by emotional attachments, and that emotional attachments are the cause all suffering in life.  Karma is the result of choices based on suffering resulting from emotional attachments. 

Karma is influenced by the lessons that we have chosen to learn.  Errors in life must be understood and remedied to be healed.  Our lessons must be learned to move past the energetic mess we have made with our negative choices.  Karma is the act of learning the lessons and replacing negative choices and actions with positive choices and actions, which will attract more positive choices and change. 

Karma is also instrumental in fulfilling agreements made while preparing to enter the current lifetime.  We all make soul agreements with our guides and with our soul groups regarding the lessons that will be learned, and a tragic event or a terminal illness may be the agreed upon circumstances to create the learning experience.  For example, a person who has suffered life-long chronic illness or injury may not be resolving karma from causing others to physically suffer in past lives.  The karma playing out could be a way of learning to receive or to be patient. 

So how does Reiki healing help karmic resolution?  If the karmic situation has its roots in past life circumstances, Reiki can help to provide space to learn the karmic lesson associated with the prior events.  The Reiki session itself is a meditative space that will allow the receiver to connect with still, small voice of the soul, providing insight into the relationship between current circumstances and past life experiences. 

Also, because Reiki energy healing works first on the high vibration energy body it will impact the high vibrational thoughts, beliefs, and emotions.  These thoughts, beliefs, and emotions can be directly tied to karmic issues such as explained fears or phobias.  Clearing out these thoughts, beliefs, and emotions can clear the karmic energy associated with them, leading to release and healing. 

Karma is a natural law that dictates that one will receive the same energy that one puts out into the universe.  This can happen quickly, or it may take lifetimes to fully resolve.  Reiki can have an impact on one’s karmic journey by providing gentle, quiet space to explore the karmic reasons for current events.  Reiki will also strengthen, support, and clear the energy body of residual negative energy resulting from thoughts and beliefs reaped from past actions and experiences.  

When I first began to practice Reiki and created a business with my practice, it became clear early on that I was going to have to find language around the art of Reiki. Language that not only invited curiosity and conversation around the subject of energy medicine, but was also authentic to me in a way that would convey my passion and belief in the healing process. I firmly believe as practitioners we not only enjoy the gifts of being in the healing community, but we also have a responsibility to share our knowledge with others who are interested. 
 
At first, I found myself tripping over my words trying to explain something that I just fundamentally and deeply understood. I struggled to find the words to explain the practice of Reiki in a clear and concise manner that would inspire interest, and not sound too mysterious or obscure. William Rand, founder of the International Center for Reiki Training defines Reiki as
                           A Japanese technique of deep relaxation and stress reduction that also
                          promotes healing.
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This is a good definition, and it is certainly general, or even vague enough not to be off-putting to anyone. But it doesn’t really say anything – it doesn’t speak to the hands-on technique, or the facilitation of life-force energy, or the benefits of Reiki healing. However, it is a great initial introduction to Reiki and will prompt conversation with those who are seeking information on holistic medicine. Another, more succinct, definition of Reiki is simply “spiritually guided life-force energy.” Although also not especially broad in scope, this definition does narrow it down a bit.
 
One of the reasons that we have trouble defining Reiki energy is because the English language has no word that explicitly means “life-force energy.”  We are not a nature-based society and as such we have no cultural understanding of the subtle energies that surround us. Just because these energies are not detected by the human eye, does not mean they do not exist. In fact, we acknowledge and use transparent, or invisible, energies every day. Electricity is an example of a subtle energy that is not visible to the human eye, but we confirm its existence each time we flip on a light switch. The internet, radio waves, and gravity are all examples of high frequency energies that we make use of each day, but cannot see.
 
Many cultures, both modern and ancient, have an acute awareness and understanding of the hidden energies that permeate our environment, the highest if which is life-force energy, the energy of love. In Japan the word for life-force energy is Ki.  In China it is Chi, it is known as Prana in India, and in Hebrew Raush. Perhaps with more acceptance of natural, holistic practices our Western European culture will eventually create a word that captures the essence of Life-Force Energy. 
 
Another challenge with the language of Reiki is the translation from Japanese to English. Language mirrors the culture within which it is spoken. Japanese and American cultures are very different and there can be misunderstanding when trying to interpret the meaning of words and ideas. Usui’s five precepts, the principles (Gokai in Japanese) that will lead to happiness often vary in the wording depending upon the translation. Although the general meaning is the same, the words used to describe the precepts can be quite different.
 
One thing is for sure – once embarking upon a Reiki adventure, one’s vocabulary will change and more thought provoking words, gentler words, words of compassion and curiosity become everyday words.  We begin to think with words like gratitude and forgiveness, unconditional love and self-responsibility, intuition, and integrity.  When we change our words, we can change our world.