Sometimes what ails us isn’t physical. Sometimes it’s psychological or even spiritual. While modern medicine has a lot to say about brain and body chemistry and can prescribe drugs to try to address our psychological or spiritual challenges, older forms of healing may actually prove just as effective.
One that we highly recommend is Reiki (pronounced RAY-key). This Japanese technique for reducing stress is approximately 100 years old, at least that’s when it was formalized by Mikao Usui who wrote the seminal Reiki Healing and Its Effects. Today, there are over 1,000 reiki masters around the world practicing their art.
Let’s take a closer look at what reiki is to give you a better understanding of this potent, but often underused form of healing.
What Is Reiki?
Reiki uses a variety of techniques to improve life energy flow in a person’s body. Life energy, commonly referred to as chi or ki, is the universal energy that flows through us and is believed to be the force that causes us to be alive. Reiki uses hands-on touch, no-touch, and other techniques to help direct the flow of that energy and to clear blockages. Often these are spiritual in nature, but reiki has also been used over the decades to help alleviate symptoms of illnesses as well. That said, reiki itself is not a religion nor is it religious.
What Are the Benefits of Reiki?
Quite simply: Reiki is designed to help us feel more connected to the body, the mind, and the energy around us. The benefits of reiki are similar to those you might get from massage therapy, such as reduced stress and deep relaxation. However, it can also help to stimulate the immune system, relieve pain, and even help patients recovering from surgery or other traumas. It is fully safe and gentle, calming and assuring, with no insertion, injections, or other types of techniques found in other forms of medicine.
What Is a Reiki Session Like?
Similar to a massage, the patient in a reiki session will lay flat on a table, usually fully clothed. The reiki practitioner will place their hands over key parts of the patient’s body, particularly over major organs and endocrine glands. These points on the body are often referred to as chakras, which are energy points in both reiki and other forms of holistic medicine, such as ayurveydic medicine. During a session, the practitioner focuses on improving the pathways through which energy flows while also sending energy to parts of the body that need it. Sometimes a practitioner will use a no-touch technique, where his or her hands hover over the part of the body that needs healing.
Is Reiki Effective?
Of course, this is the big question that anyone has about any sort of treatment they receive. There have been numerous studies over the years whose evidence suggest that reiki is an effective treatment that is, in fact, complementary to other treatments. In other words, reiki by itself is not as effective as when used in conjunction with other forms of healing, both traditional and holistic.
If you are interested in learning more about or trying Reiki, we have a partner who provides sessions. Contact us to get a referral.
My sister has been feeling stress these past couple of months, which is why she's thinking of trying the reiki energy healing therapy because she heard that this is beneficial in terms of healing any emotional state. Well, it's interesting to learn that reiki will use different types of techniques in improving life energy flow. Thank you for also sharing here that this type of therapy is just similar to a massage.
I like the idea of connecting more with the energy around my body and mind. It'd be nice to find someone who can teach me how to do it. Maybe I could be more peaceful and happy this way.
I am appreciative that this post underlined that reiki can help us connect with our mind, body and soul better. The other day my wife mentioned she would like to consider a more holistic wellness method. I will propose to her to consider reiki.
I didn't know that reiki could be used to clear spiritual obstructions while also relieving other symptoms as well. My brother would like to find a professional that can help our grandmother feel better this month, but we are worried that her allergies may limit her treatment options. Maybe we should consider finding a spiritual healing service that can assist us.
My husband has been very stressed lately because of his job and I want to help relieve some of that stress. It was great to learn that reiki can help to reduce stress and improve relaxation. I will find a reliable reiki service that I can send my husband to and help reduce the stress he feels.