Reiki Facts: Energy Healing And Its Health Benefits Explained

Sridevi Tolety
Oct 31, 2022 By Sridevi Tolety
Originally Published on Mar 23, 2022
Edited by Jade Scott
Fact-checked by Shreya Yadav
There are many benefits of Reiki therapy. Let us find out more about Reiki facts.
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Age: 3-18
Read time: 6.6 Min

Reiki is a Japanese technique based on the notion that vital energy flows through your body, and Reiki is considered as an alternative medicine subcategory.

A Reiki practitioner guides this energy in a way that promotes balance and healing by using light contact or by placing their hands just above your body. The Reiki practitioner is thought to activate your body's natural healing mechanisms.

Dr. Mikao Usui founded the most widely practiced Reiki today, often known as Usui Reiki, in the early 20th century. It's a supplementary or alternative medicine, and Reiki does not cure diseases or ailments directly. Instead, it is utilized to help people control their symptoms and enhance their overall health conditions.

Meaning of Reiki

Reiki is derived from two Japanese words, 'Rei,' which means 'universal,' and 'ki,' which roughly translates to 'energetic life force'. While there is no evidence that the energy field used in Reiki exists, you could find it calming.

Reiki practitioners serve as an intermediary between you and the universal life force energy source.

One should be mindful that Reiki is a complementary therapy that can be used alongside regular medical treatments. This therapy is not a practice to interfere with or to doubt other medical treatments.

Method of Reiki

Ancient cultures used various techniques to help the body's inherent healing abilities, but they all acknowledged the importance of internal energy.

Reiki therapy or Reiki treatment is a healing approach based on the idea that the therapist can channel energy into the patient's body through touch, activating the body's natural healing processes and restoring physical and emotional well-being.

In this therapy, firstly, the patient is asked to lie down completely clothed on a massage table while a practitioner places their palms on or just over certain body regions that are known to be energy hubs. The practitioner uses up to 15 different hand postures.

They determine how long they should leave their palms in each area based on the flow of energy they detect via their hands.

Although you're lying down on a massage table, the practitioner isn't massaging, pressing, or manipulating your joints. At most, they're utilizing mild contact.

Heat, tingling, or pulsing sensations can be felt in their hands or throughout their body. When the practitioner holds or places their hands above the body, energy transfer happens, and it relieves muscle tension and promotes lymphatic drainage and deep relaxation.

To become a Reiki practitioner, we do not need any education, training, or experience to enroll for Reiki training. During the course, each student receives attunement energy and healing techniques from their master. The majority of students learn about the energies surrounding the body, how to work with healing energy, and how to work with clients ethically.

It is founded on the Eastern belief that living beings have energy fields that maintain their health and vitality, as described in Eastern medicine.

According to research, a single Reiki session can help your autonomic nervous system, which is the part of your nervous system that you don't have to think about or have control over.

Principles of Reiki

There are five basic principles in Reiki therapy to bring balance and perspective to your life. They are as follows:

I am not going to be concerned today: Worry causes anxiety and stress, which leads to an imbalance of the body, mind, and spirit. Hence, we need to stop worrying and approach all circumstances positively, taking them as an opportunity.

I will not be furious today: We often face situations where we get angry. Hence, we need to understand the reason for our anger and regain control of our emotions.

As we have complete control over the situation, we should respond positively. We should start approaching every situation or person with compassion and surround ourselves with positive people, avoiding negative thoughts.

I shall complete my task honestly today only: Doing your job to the best of your abilities. Honestly, sharing best practices will not only enhance you but the people around you.

I am thankful just for today: Every day, we should be thankful for the many blessings we have in our lives. Taking some time out of our busy schedules, we should appreciate what we have and the wonderful things we can give others or be thankful for.

For today, only, I will be kind to all living things: According to Karma, what you give comes back to you. If you have positive thoughts, you will bring positivity to your life and vice versa.

Reiki therapy regularly promotes the free passage of energy throughout the body.

Health Benefits of Reiki

Few Reiki practitioners use chakra healing wands and crystals to protect a home from negative energy or for healing. Reiki practitioners detect energy blocks and shift the energy for the client's best interests.

Most patients feel quite relaxed and tranquil during Reiki treatment, and many fall asleep.

Reiki brings your internal body levels back into balance, allowing you to return to a more natural state. Blood pressure, heart rate, breathing, circulation, and other body systems will improve.

As per research, Reiki and other forms of energy therapy may help cancer patients manage their pain and anxiety.

Reiki assists in relieving physical pain, fatigue, and anxiety. It is also said to treat depression, improve the quality of life, boost mood, and may help with some symptoms and circumstances.

According to the International Center for Reiki Training, a treatment might cost anywhere between $25 and $100, depending on where you live. According to the center, some practitioners treat clients for free or for a donation.

FAQs

Is touch used in Reiki?

Reiki is most usually given through non-invasive, light contact, with the practitioner's hands positioned on various parts of the body, including the head, front, and back.

What does Reiki focus on?

Reiki is a meditative practice that uses light touch to encourage relaxation, relieve stress and anxiety, and promote a happy mental state. Reiki self-treatment allows you to receive the benefits of the therapy in the comfort of your own home.

What Is Reiki therapy?

Reiki is an energy healing practice that uses gentle touch to promote relaxation and alleviate stress and anxiety. Reiki practitioners use their hands to send energy to your body, promoting healing by increasing the flow and balance of your energy.

What happens in a Reiki session?

During a Reiki session, a Reiki practitioner will move their hands in a sequence of hand positions above or on the client's clothed body. The hand's position is kept for 3 to 10 minutes, depending on the client's needs, and focuses on the head, shoulders, stomach, and feet.

How does Reiki work?

It is said that Reiki treatment helps to reduce the impact of stress by releasing tension throughout the entire body system. The person achieves their unique balance in body, mind, and spirit. The body's inherent healing systems frequently begin to function more efficiently, depending on the level of physical health at the time Reiki is initiated.

How long do the effects of Reiki last?

The length of time the effects of a Reiki healing session lasts is relative to the amount of healing required for a person, and it usually differs from person to person.

Is Reiki beneficial?

Reiki is an energy healing concept for reducing anxiety and stress. It is beneficial as it is a method for managing symptoms and improving overall health.

Are Reiki and energy healing the same thing?

Reiki is a Japanese energy healing practice that falls under complementary and alternative medicine.

How many Reiki sessions are needed?

Four sessions are the common advice as this allows you to assess the benefits you're receiving. Consulting your practitioner about the best way to space your sessions to meet your needs and schedule is advisable.

What does Reiki focus on?

Reiki is a meditative practice that uses light touch to reduce stress, depression, anxiety and promote a happy mental state.

Is it good to learn Reiki?

In a small 2016 study, researchers discovered that Reiki could assist women with cancer to improve their quality of life. Sleep patterns, self-confidence, and depression levels improved in women who received Reiki.

How many levels of Reiki are there?

There are three levels involved in Reiki, attunement (a ceremony of empowerment), education, and practice.

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Written by Sridevi Tolety

Bachelor of Science specializing in Botany, Master of Science specializing in Clinical Research and Regulatory Affairs

Sridevi Tolety picture

Sridevi ToletyBachelor of Science specializing in Botany, Master of Science specializing in Clinical Research and Regulatory Affairs

With a Master's degree in clinical research from Manipal University and a PG Diploma in journalism from Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Sridevi has cultivated her passion for writing across various domains. She has authored a wide range of articles, blogs, travelogues, creative content, and short stories that have been published in leading magazines, newspapers, and websites. Sridevi is fluent in four languages and enjoys spending her spare time with loved ones. Her hobbies include reading, traveling, cooking, painting, and listening to music.

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Fact-checked by Shreya Yadav

Bachelor of Arts specializing in Psychology

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Shreya YadavBachelor of Arts specializing in Psychology

Shreya has developed a diverse set of skills through her experience in client servicing, email marketing, content and e-commerce management, digital marketing, and creative content writing. Her educational background includes a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Indira Gandhi National Open University, Delhi. Shreya's passion for ongoing learning and development is a testament to her commitment to excellence.

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