View the original article: Reiki: What is it and are there benefits? (medicalnewstoday.com)
Reiki is a form of alternative therapy commonly referred to as energy healing. It emerged in Japan in the late 1800’s and is said to involve the transfer of universal energy from the practitioner’s palms to their patient. Energy healing has been used for centuries in various forms. Advocates say it works with the energy fields around the body.
Some controversy surrounds Reiki, because it is hard to prove its effectiveness through scientific means. However, many people who receive Reiki say it works, and its popularity is increasing. A Google search for the term currently returns no less than 68,900,000 results.
A 2007 survey shows that, in the United States (U.S.), 1.2 million adults tried Reiki or a similar therapy at least once in the previous year. Over 60 hospitals are believed to offer Reiki services to patients.
Fast facts on Reiki
Here are some key points about Reiki.
Reiki is a form of energy therapy.
Despite skepticism in some circles, it is growing in popularity.
It involves the transfer of energy by laying on hands.
Reiki’s advocates say it can treat many conditions and emotional states.
Small studies show that Reiki can slightly reduce pain, but no studies have shown that it is effective in treating any diseases.
Some hospitals in America and Europe offer Reiki, but insurance rarely covers it.
What is Reiki?
In Reiki, the practitioner transfers energy by placing their hands over or on the patient.
The word “Reiki” means “mysterious atmosphere, miraculous sign.” It comes from the Japanese words “rei” (universal) and “ki” (life energy). Reiki is a type of energy healing.
Energy healing targets the energy fields around the body. According to practitioners, energy can stagnate in the body where there has been physical injury or possibly emotional pain. In time, these energy blocks can cause illness.
Energy medicine aims to help the flow of energy and remove blocks in a similar way to acupuncture or acupressure. Improving the flow of energy around the body, say practitioners, can enable relaxation, reduce pain, speed healing, and reduce other symptoms of illness.
Reiki has been around for thousands of years. Its current form was first developed in 1922 by a Japanese Buddhist called Mikao Usui, who reportedly taught 2,000 people the Reiki method during his lifetime. The practice spread to the U.S. through Hawaii in the 1940s, and then to Europe in the 1980s. It is commonly referred to as palm healing or hands-on healing.
What happens in a Reiki session?
Reiki is best held in a peaceful setting, but it can be carried out anywhere. The patient will sit in a comfortable chair or lie on a table, fully clothed. There may or may not be music, depending on the patient’s preference.
The practitioner places their hands lightly on or over specific areas of the head, limbs, and torso using different hand shapes, for between 2 and 5 minutes. The hands can be placed over 20 different areas of the body.
If there is a particular injury, such as a burn, the hands may be held just above the wound.
While the practitioner holds their hands lightly on or over the body, the transfer of energy takes place. During this time, the practitioner’s hands may be warm and tingling. Each hand position is held until the practitioner senses that the energy has stopped flowing.
When the practitioner feels that the heat, or energy, in their hands has abated, they will remove their hands and may place them over a different area of the body.
Some Reiki techniques
The techniques involved have names such as:
centering
clearing
beaming
extracting harmful energies
infusing
smoothing and raking the aura
Some Reiki practitioners will use crystals and chakra healing wands, because they find these can enable healing or protect a home from negative energy.
However, Annie Harrington, Chair of the Reiki Federation of the United Kingdom (U.K.), told Medical News Today:
“Reiki relies on no other instruments beyond the practitioner. We do not use crystals, powders or wands as a general rule. However, one of the benefits of Reiki healing is distance healing (where Reiki is sent over several miles) then, many practitioners will use crystals to assist with the energy vibrations.”
Sessions can last between 15 and 90 minutes. The number of sessions will vary, depending on what a client wishes to accomplish. Some clients prefer to have one session while others have a series of sessions to work on a particular issue.
Health benefits
According to practitioners, the healing effects are mediated by channeling the universal energy known as qi, pronounced “chi.” In India, this is known as “prana.” This is the same energy involved in tai chi exercise. It is the life force energy that some believe surrounds all of us.
This energy is said to permeate the body. Reiki experts point out that, while this energy is not measurable by modern scientific techniques, it can be felt by many who tune in to it. Reiki is alleged to aid relaxation, assist in the body’s natural healing processes, and develop emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being. It is also said to induce deep relaxation, help people cope with difficulties, relieve emotional stress, and improve overall wellbeing. People who receive Reiki describe it as “intensely relaxing.”
Conditions that Reiki has been used to help treat include:
cancer
heart disease
anxiety
depression
chronic pain
infertility
neurodegenerative disorders
autism
Crohn’s disease
fatigue syndromes
According to the University of Minnesota, patients who have undergone a Reiki session may say:
“I feel very refreshed and seem to be thinking more clearly.”
“I think I fell asleep.”
“I can’t believe how hot your hands got!”
“I feel more relaxed than even after a massage.”
“My headache is gone.”
Cancer patients who have Reiki say they feel better after. This may be because it helps them relax. Another reason, according to Cancer Research U.K. could be that the therapist spends time with them and touches them. This has a soothing effect on patients who may be overwhelmed by invasive therapy, fear, and stress.
Individuals report different experiences. Some say that the practitioner’s hands become hot, others report cooling hands and some people feel pulsating waves. The most common reports are of a release of stress and deep relaxation.
Is Reiki harmful?
The U.S. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) state that Reiki “has not been clearly shown to be useful for any health-related purpose.” However, they add that it does not appear to have any harmful effects.
The main concern appears to be that people with serious health issues may opt for Reiki and other complementary therapies instead of rigorously tested modern medicine. However, using it alongside other treatments is unlikely to be hazardous.
Indeed, touch alone, whether with or without “universal energy,” appears to have a range of benefits, from building trust to enhancing overall wellbeing.
Kosovich points out that expensive conventional treatments that are currently available often have serious adverse effects, and may or may not work. Many people, therefore, would like the freedom to choose an alternative.
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