Reiki (ray-key) is an ancient healing technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing. Reiki means universal life force energy; the energy found in and around all living things. It is a natural, gentle, non-invasive yet powerful method of healing that is given by gentle touch. The aim of this healing energy is to balance all levels of being: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual as well as enhance the natural power of the body to heal itself.
Reiki is NOT a substitute for medical or other health care treatments.
Reiki restores energy balance and vitality by relieving physical and emotional effects of unreleased stress. Reiki (Spiritually Guided Life Force Energy) is powerful, yet wonderfully gentle and nurturing. It supports and complements any medical or psychological healing method a person may be using. Reiki is a method to aid the body in releasing stress and tension through deep relaxation.
{Note: In
Japan, Reiki is a generic word that means Universal life force energy.
There are various forms or schools of Reiki named after the founder or
the way of doing Reiki. Such examples are Usui Reiki (the traditional
founder), Tibetan Reiki, White Light Reiki, to name but a few.}
What can Reiki be used for?
In
one simple word—EVERYTHING! Reiki is not only a relaxation and healing
technique, it is an energy source in itself and a spiritual path for
many. (For more information, see my article “What I believe about
Reiki” on the articles page.) Since it balances body, mind and spirit,
Reiki can be used for:
Relaxation and stress reduction
Relief from pain and anxiety
Restoration of vitality
Enhancement and acceleration of body’s healing abilities
Ease and comfort during the dying process
Calming and nurturing
Grief
Self-care (helps prevent burnout)
Preparation and recovery from surgery
Enhancing the body’s ability to recover from injuries
Relief from the physical and emotional effects of stress
Assisting the body in clearing toxins (chemotherapy or radiation)
There are no known medical contraindications to Reiki.
Like
a sponge, a person draws the energy into them, and when balanced (or
“saturated”), they simply stop receiving the energy. Thus, there is no
danger of a side-effect or “overdose.”
The Reiki Ideals
Just for today, I will let go of anger Just for today, I will let go of worry. Just for today, I will give thanks for my many blessings. Just for today, I will do my work honestly Just for today, I will be kind to my neighbor and every living thing.
Reiki can be used for
people of all ages; from pregnancy throughout the life span. Animals
also love Reiki and many pet owners now give Reiki to their beloved
pets.
Reiki does not interfere with any traditional medical
treatment or medication you may be receiving. Because of its relaxation
effects and overall benefits, some people may find that they may
require less medication. Any medication adjustment should be made under
the supervision of their doctor.
How does Reiki work?
In my 16 years of practice, the simplest explanation I can give is this: when a Reiki practitioner has the desire and the intent to help another person, feelings of compassion and other healing feelings are created in their heart. This opens their heart center allowing those feelings of compassion to flow down through their heart channel, emptying into their hands. They then place their hands on or near someone with the intent to let healing energy flow. This, I believe, is the origin of hands-on healing.
Scientifically speaking, these feelings can positively affect the electrical energies of their heart, which in turn travel through their nerves and vascular system into their hands. This then creates a healing energy field that can be transmitted to the recipient.
Reiki also works by inducing the relaxation response. When the body is relaxed, the side effects of stress are reduced. And, just as Florence Nightingale, the founder of the modern nursing tradition, described how the role of the nurse is to “…put the patient in the best condition for nature to act on him,” by bringing about the relaxation response, Reiki removes physiological stress from the body and the body does what it was designed to do—it heals itself.
I also like the explanation of Dr. James Oschman, author of “Energy Medicine: The Scientific Basis,” when he describes how practitioners of hands-on therapies can emit extremely low frequency (ELF) signals from their hands. These are related to the idea of magnetic fields and how they can jump-start the healing process in different parts of the body. He also noted that this “pulsing field” was produced by touch therapies practitioners but not by the hands of non-practitioners. In essence, you might say that biomagnetic fields produced by practitioners’ hands can induce current flows in the tissues and cells of individuals who are in close proximity as to enhance and stimulate the repair of one or more tissues.
What is a Reiki session like?
A Reiki session is usually conducted in a quiet room, where the person would be sitting in a chair or lying on a massage table. However, Reiki can also be done in a hospital bed, on an operating room table, in the Recovery or Emergency Room, a doctors’ waiting room, a nursing home, a wheelchair, or a person’s own bed or recliner. Reiki can be given on the beach, out in nature, in an animal hospital, or in a horse’s stable. In essence, Reiki can be given wherever a person or animal is.
During a Reiki session, soft, gentle relaxing music would be playing in the background. Perhaps incense or aromatherapy is burning in the background. A general session includes placing hands on or just above 12 to 16 positions on the body (these positions are generally located near the major organs of the body). This would include the head, the front and the back of the body. If you cannot lie on your stomach, you can lie on your side and the Reiki practitioner would simply work on your back.
A Reiki session could also be focused on just one or two areas of concern, injury, pain or discomfort. The session would be as long or as short as needed. A short, focused session can last from 10 to 40 minutes, and a full body session can last from 45 to 90 minutes. All the person has to do is relax and receive the healing energy. Talking is usually not encouraged so the person can receive the full benefits of relaxation.
Most people that receive Reiki describe it as a feeling of deep relaxation, which often brings a deep sense of peace. Many feel restored and energized. Others feel balanced.
