Reiki, the Healing Touch: Japanese Reiki Techniques and Hayashi Healing Guide [Paperback]

The fact that he has studied with so many different teachers from different lineages has given him a very broad understanding. You can sense the respect he has for all Reiki people and the fact that he promotes harmony in the Reiki community is very important to the health and well being of all of us involved with Reiki.

At the sametime, it is a very practical and down to earth Reiki book. He has done research in Japan and also taken classes from Japanese Reiki masters so that his Reiki information is based on facts and on original information from Japan, rather than second hand information that has wandered from the original intent of Reiki. He also includes all the hand positions for both self and others and important information on the Japanese Reiki Techniques that were taught by Dr. Usui and the Hayashi Healing Guide which are really necessary if one is to understand how Dr. Usui practiced Reiki. He has also provide very helpful information on developing your Reiki practice and becoming a Reiki master which I have found useful in getting my practice started. It also includes some of the best information on the Reiki symbols I have found.

This book is one of the clearest and easist to understand of all the Reiki books I have read. I truely feel that he comes from the heart and has done his best to create a very helpful and informative Reiki manual.

Mr. Rand does a fairly good job with descriptions of the power behind Reiki, but because of the whole "the symbols are secret" attitude, I feel that he skipped some information about Reiki to keep it traditional. Whereas I can understand the notion to honor the tradition of the privacy of Reiki it with the combination of the lack of information from my teacher left me with plenty of questions. I had to seek out other books to complete my curiosities.

However, it is not a bad book -- but very good with discovering the basics. I've read the reviews on his book and don't feel that they are really promoting his business, but he does have a clinic to support and since this is the manual that he distributes to his students, I can understand that he gives information on himself. (Please also note that I am not a student of William Rand.)

He has throroughly added to the manual with revised editions over the years and it has grown considerably larger with updated information of Dr. Usui and another path of Reiki considered the Eastern Tradition (whereas the typical four that most people learn to obtain the Reiki Master status, it seems that it really is only one level of eight.) He is very descriptive on hand positions, which can easily be forgotten after the first attunement and also gives diagrams.

Mr. Rand also gives information on how to contact him and where he can sell supplies. In my opinion, most people who read "help" books like to find out more about the author especially if they truly enjoy their books or have heard from others that they enjoyed his work firsthand. Considering this, I see no problem with relaying information regarding his classes or tools.

This book is good for Reiki practitioners who have knowledge of Reiki and want to read indepth on experiments with Reiki as well as a "how to" guide. Again, this is his manual for his classes. It is good for Masters to use for their students, especially if they have already given plenty of information on Reiki. A good bonus to already distributed information for students, but not the best.