Preface to the book: motivation

(This post is part of the motivation in the preface of an evolving online book on Reiki.)

There are many books on Reiki. I have learned enormously from them, as well as from a broad spectrum of works on related topics. So, why is there a need for another book?

As a scientist, I look for theories, models, methods, observations, evidence, and proofs. In the spirit of Occam’s razor, I yearn for simple explanations that are elegant and intuitive. As one who likes to unify and integrate, I seek for generalities that explain the data, and for unification of models and approaches that are different but are clearly related. As one who prefers to work from first principles rather than memorize details, I search for the smallest number of key ideas that can be brought together to explain the most. As a teacher, I seek ways to help others learn effectively the most important concepts, as quickly as possible, and to share with the largest number of people who are interested.

This book follows from the abovementioned driving search. It aims to clearly and simply explain Reiki. It presents observations and studies. It aims to integrate investigations of the human energy system with some of the ancient practices of India and China – covering meridians, acupoints, chakras, and auras. It introduces new techniques that build on that integration, and which help explain and expand traditional treatment approaches that are part of the practice of acupuncture and chi gong.

The evolving outline of the book can be found at the wiki outline.