Reiki is a Japanese word meaning “Re” means “energy” and “Kei” refers to universal. In this sense, Reiki refers to universal life force energy. Lifeforce energy is something that keeps us survive.

We talked about this traditional Japanese treatment method. For many, Reiki may seem like a strange subject. That is why we have chosen this subject.

Kavita Shrestha of Khabarhub held a conversation with Reiki Grand Master Aishwarya Basnet, who has briefly presented to the readers on the topic of what Reiki is, how it is treated with Reiki, how Reiki changes people’s lives. Excerpts:

How do you define or explain Reiki to the general public?

Reiki is a Japanese word. In Japanese ‘re’ means ‘energy’ and ‘kei’ refers to universal. In this sense, Reiki refers to universal life force energy.

Lifeforce energy is something that keeps us survive. ‘Universal’ here means derived from the universe. Our life has been possible due to the positive energy in the universe.

Like the sun, we cannot imagine life without the sun. Similarly, there are various heavenly bodies like earth and other planets in the universe. Astrologers also talk about and interpret life calculating the position of these bodies on various occasions.

Reiki is also that positive energy related to the universe which gives us life, a new life. This can give new life to all, all organs of our body.

Reiki is for all living organisms, all plants and animals including human beings. Lifeforce energy is in all organisms. Even all organs within our body.

Generally, we understand Reiki as a healing energy, were you in Reiki from the very beginning or you joined it afterward?

I was not in Reiki since childhood. Though there had been various energy in me by birth, I had not understood it in my childhood. I did not know about it before marriage.

Later, I had been in depression. I was in utter depression and the doctor I consulted had told me that a door would open in Patan for me within a month. Then, I did not know that there had been a lunatic asylum in Patan. I knew it only after I came back home.

That was the time when I used to be nearly unconscious for about half an hour if anyone spoke positively about me. That was a depression attack. Depression has different levels. That was the last level.

After reaching that stage, I started meditation. There is an organization following Nikhil Gurudev and Guru Gorakhnath, an Ashram named Gorakshya Nikhil Siddhasram. I got a book of that Ashram. The book said that even the mentally disturbed people could be healed. There was Dhakal Dai there.

I feel he had healed me through Reiki. I recovered in merely 11 days. I, who was in a way bound to head at mental asylum soon, came not only to normalcy, I was back to life again.

Did anyone recommend you to join the place or you happened to reach there? 

I had bought a book named Gorakshya Nikhil Bani. It had a photo of the Manakamana temple on the cover page. The book had the address of the Ashram. Dhakal dai, who was the first man in the Ashram then, was my first preacher.

He used to grant mantras for meditation or penance. I was not in the condition to practice mantras, but, I thought I could practice meditation.

So, I chose meditation. While allotting me meditation, he had given me Reiki 1, Reiki 2, etc. level-wise. He was a Reiki Brand master. Though he had infused Reiki in the meditation, I was not told about it.

When I reached at Samadhi (transience) level in meditation, or when I had reached a condition I could come out from my body, I suffered urine infection. I had not used Reiki consciously.

Then I consulted a gynecologist, but she gave me the wrong medicine which resulted in a wound in my uterus. She even tried to use some forcible measures which we did not accept. Then I went to another doctor who told me that I had to take an antibiotic every month and later go for surgery after 40.

I did not know about it in the beginning and followed the instruction in the beginning. One day I shared Dhakal dai that I was following the medication as I had a wound in the uterus and sometimes I had bleeding for a long time. He informed me that I had completed Reiki 2 course and advised me to consult the healers there and start self-healing.

He assured me that within 21-30 days I would be completely recovered. I could not believe it first as the doctor had said that I had to undergo surgery after I crossed forty years. Yet, I obeyed him as I had successfully recovered from depression with his help.

To my surprise, I was healed in a month. The doctor who had told me that I had to undergo surgery was surprised as well.

Then, I realized that Reiki could heal beyond what medical science could heal. Then, I felt that I should do it for others and started practicing regularly. Practicing that way, I opened my first Reiki center Dhyana, Dharana Samadhi Reiki Upachar Kendra in 2011.

None of the people who visit the center for healing has ever said they are not healed. It was all because, together with practicing meditation and healing, I started researching the various types of symptoms and the way to heal them.

My dhyan preacher had assured to give me third ‘A’. However, unfortunately, he died while still in Russia. While searching for someone of Dhakal dai’s equivalent in Nepal, I met Lama guru, Nawang Richhen Lama Guru, who was dai’s friend as well.

I knew him long before, even before he had become Guru. When I told him everything, he checked my energy. As in addition to Reiki, I had other energy as well. So, though I was another Guru’s disciple, he agreed to give me a grade.

Around 3-4 months after granting me Reiki, he went to Chile. But, before leaving for Chile, he called me and said that he could not go abroad without awarding me a Grade ‘B’. I had a very high level of energy then. While awarding me Masters or third B, he lauded my energy and said that he would like to see me with a Grand Master degree.

When I asked him, what should I do to be eligible to get Grand Master, he replied that I should have more compassion and I should have healed a large number of people.

“You have to research more, you have to find out more techniques of acquiring Reiki energy,” he said.

I did as advised by him. He was in Chile, I used to consult him now and then. I used to inform him about the techniques I was adopting and seek his advice as well. Reiki does not heal one from the diseases, it nurtures the family life, and also makes the relationship with neighbors better than before.

It helps in improving your economic status as well. Reiki can do anything. If all the Reiki masters sit together, the earth can be healed. By the time we reach this stage, we learn a lot of things before we acquire our positions.

We do not interfere in nature and the course of nature. I mean to say that Reiki heals not only our bodily diseases it can do a lot in all sectors. It can help to settle personal disputes or misunderstandings in the relationship etc.

The husband and wife who have reached the verge of divorce have again got reunited and are living happily through Reiki. I have got experience and evidence of it. I have successfully stopped many couples from taking to divorce.

However, one of the family members has to be honest and positive towards retaining the relationship to prevent the family from the split. To make Reiki work effectively, either the husband or the wife has to be willing to continue the relationship. If none of them is sincere towards the relationship, then, Reiki might not be able to bring substantive changes.

By now I have actively helped more than 400 families overcome the misunderstanding and prevent the split.

You said you can heal any problem. Can you use Reiki to heal the coronavirus patients?

I have done. There are many people healed by me. There are some people in the UK and the US whom I have healed from here. I have got their record as well. I have healed many people in Nepal. We can tell what stage the coronavirus is in a particular person.

One of my friends had brought a couple suffering from coronavirus. He told me that the husband was in more critical condition than the wife.

While healing I told him that it’s not the husband but the wife who is in critical condition and she has to go to the hospital. The next day she was hospitalized, but I managed to get her back from the hospital in one or two days, it was before Dashain, last year.

I looked after around 72 cases after the second wave of the virus started. I was almost successful in all but one. His entire family was suffering from coronavirus.

95 percent of his lungs were damaged. He was brought to me after the doctor gave up and informed the family to stay prepared for his heavenly departure. I was optimistic, I could heal him though only five percent of his lung was working.

But, unfortunately, it was too late. I healed the whole family but not him. I survived 24 days after coming into my contact. But sadly, all of a sudden there was a shortage of oxygen in the whole country. He passed away as there was a shortage of oxygen.

I could not focus on my work for about two or three months after the incident. I had a sense of remorse that I failed to give life to that man.

People talk of rebirth. Can Reiki forecast or impact rebirth?

I can’t claim that Reiki can cause impact rebirth, but what I can say is Reiki can impact one’s life. It can prolong one’s stay in their present form. Reiki can expand life.

The line in my palm says that I should have died at the age of 32. Then I had been in a coma for two days. I came back to normal life afterward. Whoever interprets my palm lines or the horoscope says that I have been living a borrowed life. If I am living a borrowed life there must be a reason. I have given life to many. Perhaps, I am meant to do more.

I feel that my gurus gave me the life I should have lived after my rebirth within this life. I am living because of it.

I realized it the moment I found myself capable of giving life to others. I found that they have been living because they have got a certain portion of their next life. I succeeded in making them live the days of their next life in their present life.

I used to think that Reiki can merely expand one’s healthy life. However, when I found that the people who were granted extra years developed or came out with new traits; sometimes typically different from the ones that made me grant them the years.

Rebirth depends on ‘karma’, how many lives we are supposed to take birth on depends on our karma. Not only the karma of this life, but the karmas of previous lives also influence our rebirth.

We are talking to each other now. We are in a way connected to each other. This connection could have been destined by some of the deeds of our past.