Embracing the Power of Reiki: An Insight into Reiki Therapy
Reiki (pronounced ray-key) is a form of spiritual healing and alternative medicine that originated in Japan in the early 20th century. The word Reiki combines “rei” meaning universal or transcendental, and “ki” meaning life force energy. Reiki therapy revolves around the idea of a universal life force that flows through all living beings. This vital energy animates us, sustains us and even helps heal us emotionally, mentally and physically.
When our life force energy is low or blocked, we feel stressed, tense or unwell. Reiki aims to transmit this subtle energy to the receiver through gentle touch. The purpose is to rebalance energy deficiencies and surpluses, enhancing the body’s natural ability to heal itself. Today, Reiki is practiced worldwide by millions as a method of relieving pain, reducing emotional distress and promoting wellness. This article discusses what Reiki involves, its purported benefits, risks, history and how to become a practitioner.
The Basics: What is Reiki Used For?
Reiki sessions are primarily used to aid relaxation, ease pain, speed healing, reduce anxiety and improve overall wellbeing. Recipients usually feel warmth and tingling sensations while receiving Reiki. Most people describe Reiki as a pleasant, rejuvenating experience. The therapy is whole-body oriented rather than disease or symptom focused. So even without a specific health condition, one can benefit from Reiki by receiving more life force energy.
Reiki treats the whole person to reinforce their system’s natural tendency toward balance and stability. It is often used as a complementary healing modality alongside other therapies and medicines. Hospitals have even started offering Reiki to help patients manage pain and side effects better. Reiki is known to enhance mental clarity, harmony and deep healing.
What Happens During a Reiki Session?
In a typical full-body Reiki session, the recipient lies down comfortably on their back with eyes closed. The practitioner’s hands sweep slowly over all sections of the body, often touching lightly or holding positions over areas where energy blockages may be concentrated like the head and abdomen. Every practitioner develops their own style, with some doing a 15-minute “spot treatment” focused on a specific area instead of the whole body.
Sessions can last from 15 minutes to more than an hour based on an individual’s needs. The transmitter passes life force energy through their palms according to where it is most required by the recipient. With eyes closed and soothing music playing softly in the background, many drift into a blissful slumber, releasing pent up mental and physical stress. As the energy flows powerfully, one might see colors or experience powerful emotions surfacing to be released.
Does Reiki Therapy Really Work?
While clinical research into Reiki’s effectiveness is still evolving, several studies document benefits like enhanced mind-body awareness, positive emotions, relaxation and reduced heart rate, anxiety and pain. A 2021 meta-analysis combining data from 18 studies demonstrated Reiki’s positive effects on various heart and circulatory parameters. Another 2021 meta-analysis found Reiki to be valuable in improving common menopause symptoms.
Many healthcare settings now integrate Reiki to complement patient care based on a wealth of glowing testimonials about its advantages. Those who receive Reiki mention improvements in numerous areas – physical pain relief, emotional balance, dealing with anxiety or sadness, addressing insomnia and more. Even brief sessions can promote deep rest, stress release and mindfulness. Ultimately, your own experience determines whether Reiki works for your needs or not.
Potential Risks and Side Effects
Reiki is very safe and can be received by anyone who wants to experience it including the elderly, pregnant women, babies and even pets! There are no known dangerous side effects. Since there is no actual manipulation of body tissues and no medications involved, the risks are minimal to nonexistent. Mild side effects could potentially include feeling jittery or tearful as suppressed energies come to the surface. To avoid emotional disturbance, mental health issues must be disclosed beforehand.
Reiki cannot replace medical treatment but works alongside it quite well. Make sure any professional diagnosis and therapies for injuries or disorders continue, using Reiki as a valuable supplement. While it can significantly relieve pain, injury rehabilitation should follow doctors’ instructions. If new symptoms appear during or after a session, a physician should examine it just in case.
A Brief History of Reiki
In 1914, a Japanese Buddhist and spiritual seeker named Mikao Usui embarked on a 21 day period of fasting, prayer and contemplation atop Mt Kurama in Kyoto. He was trying to attain enlightenment and also discover how spiritual masters like Jesus could transmit healing power. On the final day, Mikao experienced an overwhelming flow of life force energy through his body and attained insight into how to pass it on using the hands.
He then spent years developing and refining this hands-on healing technique, establishing the Usui Method of Natural Healing. By the mid 1920s, many students would gather to experience Reiho, the “miraculous medicine of the universe”. Over time, various teachers formulated their own schools of Reiki based on this foundation. A Japanese-American intuitive named Hawayo Takata introduced Reiki to the Western world starting from the 1970s by training new masters.
Takata charged large fees and instituted the idea of multiple increasing master levels which was unknown in Reiki’s country of origin. After her death in 1980, taking Reiki outside Japan became more inexpensive and widespread. Today, millions around the planet benefit greatly from this profound art of energy healing, whether through self-treatment or going to a practitioner.
Reiki Training- How to Learn Reiki
To learn Reiki, one must receive an “attunement” where their energy field is recalibrated to work with Reiki energy and symbols. Traditionally, Reiki masters went through years of disciplined spiritual practice but today most Reiki classes condense training into a weekend program. These classes still confer enough basic competency for initiating healing processes in oneself and others. Some key components of Reiki training involve:
Learning Reiki Symbols and Mantras: Students learn sacred sounds and symbols used for tapping into Reiki energies for healing different aspects like mental tension, emotional blocks or physical organs.
Receiving Attunements: Ritualized energetic activations performed by the teacher allowing seamless flow of life force through the student’s body and hands.
Practicing Hand Placements: Positions and techniques for transmitting energies to self and others through light touch.
Additional Training: Some courses have added components like breathwork, crystals, aura reading and clearing energetic attachments.
Upon completing training, the new practitioner can provide Reiki treatments to clients, friends and family. One’s ability to channel Reiki improves continually with daily self practice. Many even report psychic enhancements like telepathy or intuitive visions eventually. Undertaking additional levels of “Mastership” will qualify one to train others in Reiki.
In Summary
Reiki works with innate healing energies to restore balance physically and psychologically. While clinical results are still forthcoming, experiential accounts overwhelmingly detail powerful benefits from this gentle technique. Reiki treatments involve lying down fully clothed and relaxing as the practitioner’s hands pass over the body transmitting warm, tingling energy waves wherever required.
One can learn Reiki through attunements conferred by a Reiki Master during training sessions going from level one basics to advanced mastery. Whether considering Reiki treatments for therapeutic use or exploring the process of becoming a healer, this subtle energy practice clearly has tremendous transformative potential. If you feel drawn to experience Reiki yourself, honor that intuition!
Here are five fascinating facts about Reiki, each accompanied by a link to the source for more detailed information:
- Levels of Reiki Training: Reiki involves three levels of training – the first degree focuses on self-treatment, the second degree on treating others, and the third degree prepares students to become Reiki masters.
- https://reikigalore.com/facts-about-reiki/
- Variety of Reiki Types: There are over 20 different types of Reiki, each with the same goal of promoting healing and balance. These include Usui Reiki, Jikiden Reiki, Karuna Reiki, Lightarian Reiki, and Sekehem or Seichim Reiki.
- https://nutra.blog/posts/10-interesting-facts-about-the-healing-art-of-reiki/
- Reiki Symbols and Mantras: Reiki utilizes symbols and mantras, such as Cho Ku Rei (power symbol), Sei He Ki (emotional and mental healing symbol), and Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen (distance healing symbol), which serve as mnemonic devices rather than sources of power themselves.
- Holistic Benefits of Reiki: Reiki aims to bring harmony to the mind and body, providing benefits that are both physical and emotional. It can help reduce symptoms of various health issues, from depression to multiple sclerosis.
- Lifetime Effect of Reiki Attunement: Once a person receives a Reiki attunement, they will have Reiki for the rest of their life, as it cannot be lost. Reiki attunements allow individuals to channel healing energy for themselves and others, regardless of their intellectual capacity or spiritual knowledge.
- https://www.thesecrethope.com/blogs/blog/solve-your-problems
Additional Resources:
For those wanting to explore Reiki further, here are some book and website suggestions to consider:
“The Reiki Manual: A Training Guide” by Kajsa Krishni Borang – A comprehensive introduction and instruction book for using Reiki to heal oneself and help others.
Reiki.org: The official website of the International Center for Reiki Training. Contains articles, research summaries, practitioner listings and events/classes.
“Reiki: The Healing Touch” by William Rand – One of the pioneers of Reiki in the Western world shares history, techniques, scientific studies and insights into Reiki’s essence.
