What is Reiki?

What is Reiki?

Usui Reiki Ryoho is a system for hands-on healing, self-improvement and enlightenment developed by a spiritual teacher named Usui Mikao in Japan in the early 1900s.  The system of Reiki was synthesized from various energetic and spiritual techniques and practices already in practice throughout Japan for centuries, yet it is  thoroughly “modern.”

The Japanese kanji or words  (“Rei” and “Ki”) can be defined as a miraculous and sacred energy of the universe which sustains all life. During a treatment, Reiki is activated to help bring the mind and body back into a state of balance to support a positive state of wellness.

The ultimate benefits associated with Reiki are to feel healthier and happier and progress toward a state of greater self-awareness.  These concepts are similar to other forms of Eastern-based medicine and mind/body practices, including Tai Chi, Qi Gong, yoga, acupuncture, Traditional Chinese Medicine and shiatsu.  As a practice, Reiki is spiritual in nature, but it is not a religion nor does it espouse any formal dogma.

What does Reiki do?

If the ”ki” in our body becomes weak, blocked or over-stimulated, it may eventually lead to symptoms of physical, emotional or spiritual imbalance.  The easiest way to illustrate this is to talk about the cumulative effects of stress.  Having a stressful day every now and then will not harm the body, but unrelieved chronic stress eventually leads to compromised immune function, poor sleep, depression, hypertension, anxiety and physical pain. A Reiki treatment helps the mind and body return to its natural balance, leading to a restorative and healing state.

Reiki practitioners are compassionate facilitators; they help activate the process using light touch, and remain present to observe the movement of Reiki and help focus treatment where it is most needed. During a treatment, the recipient is the one who brings the body back into balance by assimilating Reiki as needed.  Part of the healing journey requires that the person to be healed take responsibility for their part in the process.  This quote by Misa Hopkins (The Root of All Healing) illustrates this point beautifully:

“The human being’s ability to heal is extraordinary. The power of love and intention a person can generate for healing is remarkable. Using the power of your mind and heart is in complete alignment with the law of nature. Bodies regenerate themselves naturally. Sometimes we need to help our bodies remember how to do that healthily and if we choose to do this consciously, we embark on a healing journey.”

What benefits does Reiki have?

Reiki is very gentle, but its effects are often quite powerful.  A treatment is very relaxing, and can be helpful for reducing stress and anxiety..  Many people settle into a deeply relaxed state (between waking and sleeping) which is very beneficial because it allows the adrenal glands and the body’s parasympathetic processes to rest and recover.  People who are who are recovering from illness or injury can benefit from receiving Reiki to promote healing, reduce pain or discomfort and impart a sense of well-being.

Reiki is a wonderful tool to use as a complement to conventional medicine, and is increasingly being offered in many hospitals, medical care and therapeutic settings.  Reiki should not be a substitute for regular medical care from a qualified professional, but it can be beneficial to use it along with medical treatment. It can help counteract the side effects of medication, such as nausea and fatigue from chemotherapy, or make it possible to reduce dosages of painkillers because of its own ability to minimize or alleviate discomfort. Reiki may help accelerate healing time from surgical procedures.

What is a Reiki session like?

Before your first session, a Reiki practitioner will spend a few minutes describing the session to you and what you might expect.  He or she will also give you an opportunity to discuss any particular issues you are experiencing and what you hope to achieve from your session.

For the actual session, you will rest comfortably and fully clothed on a massage table on your back with your shoes removed. You may spent part of the session face-up and then may be asked to turn over so the practitioner can work on the back part of your body.  If a medical condition requires it, Reiki can be performed with you sitting in a chair as well.

A typical Reiki session may utilize a combination of hand positions beginning at the head. More time may be spent working on specific areas of the body if the practitioner senses byosen (imbalances in energy flow.)  Some hand positions may be hands-on, where a light touch is applied or hands-off where the hands are held slightly above the body.  Many people report feeling very relaxed, peaceful, feel warmth or tingling in various parts of their body or simply feeling a sense of improved well-being. Some people actually fall asleep during a session, which is wonderful for its ability to promote deep healing.

What is distant Reiki?

Reiki treatments can also be conducted via distance by qualified practitioners.  Spiritual energy doesn’t require proximity for the treatment to be  effective. A great source for understanding a scientific viewpoint of distance-based healing comes from an interview/article with James L. Oschman, Ph.d entitled Science and the Human Energy Field.  He describes, in very approachable language, the quantum science behind energy transfer and how our tissues receive information, specifically mentioning scalar waves, which

“have the extraordinary property of affecting the structure of space everywhere, instantaneously. Scalar waves therefore do not have a velocity as such, and their effects do not diminish with distance…there is growing experimental evidence for healing at a distance, as well as for the benefits of prayer… This is important because many of the complementary therapies are discovering that healing work that can be done locally can also be done at a distance.”

Basically, what this means is that energy is interconnected phenomena that does not rely on physical locality in order to affect its transfer. Thererefore, the healing benefits of Reiki are not limited to in-person sessions.  This can be very useful for someone who does not have immediate access to a Reiki practitioner, is housebound or would simply prefer to relax in a safe, familiar environment and receive healing work when it is convenient for them.

For more information on Reiki, as well as clinical studies that support Reiki’s palliative and healing benefits, see the following: