Perhaps you are unfamiliar with reiki but have heard of it. Maybe you're thinking about trying reiki but aren't sure if it's right for you. Alternatively, perhaps reiki has been recommended by your physician as an additional therapy to your current medical procedures.

Whatever your questions, we'll  go through the basics of reiki and discuss what this safe and non-invasive form of healing can do for your health and body.

So What is Reiki?

With the use of gentle touch, the energy healing method known as reiki helps people relax and manage their stress and anxiety. The flow and balance of your energy are improved by the reiki practitioners' hands to support healing by delivering energy to your body.

Reiki was first developed by Mikao Usui in the early 20th century. It is derived from the Japanese words for “universal” and “life force.” The word rei means “life force” and the word ki means “life energy.” Today, reiki is widely used in hospitals and hospice settings to supplement other forms of health care.

Benefits of Reiki

Reiki helps you relax, reduce stress, and relieve pain and symptoms to improve your overall health and wellbeing.

Reiki can:

• Bring you into a meditative state
• Help restore tissue and bone health after injury or surgery
• Strengthen your immune system
• Encourage self-healing
• Help relieve pain and tension
• Help support the health and wellbeing of people undergoing traditional medical procedures such as chemo, radiation, surgery, and kidney dialysis

Also, reiki treatment may create feelings of peace, security, relaxation, and wellness.

What does reiki treat?

Because reiki incorporates universal life force energy, treatment with reiki may be successful in healing all types of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual conditions.

Reiki doesn't just treat a specific disease or condition but may help people with:

• Chronic pain
• Digestive problems
• Cancer
• Parkinson's disease
• Infertility
• Depression and anxiety
• Illnesses due to stress

Reiki can been used to prepare for an upcoming surgery which may help boost post-surgery recovery.

So How Does It Work?

Practitioners of reiki act as a conduit between you and the source of the universal life force energy. This energy reaches you through the hands of the practitioner. What is interesting with this energy flow is that the patients only receive the energy they need so the amount of energy they receive should not be a worry to the patient.

What is a Traditional Reiki Session?

A typical reiki session lasts around 50 minutes. During this session the patient will usually lie on a massage table fully clothed and the practitioner will place their hands palms down above the body over specific energy locations. The practitioner may gently touch the body or hold their hands just above the body. The practitioner will go through around 12 to 15 different hand positions holding the position based on the amount of energy flow at that position.

Note: During reiki there is no pressure, massage, or manipulation like those used in other therapies.

Will I Feel Anything?

Many times and from my own personal experience, you will feel a warmth where the hands are positioned. Also you may feel tingling or vibrations there and also throughout your entire body. The session is usually very relaxing and peaceful.

Does Reiki Replace Traditional Treatment?

No, reiki does not replace traditional treatment and your normal medical practitioner should always be consulted when dealing with health issues. Reiki is used in addition to normal medical treatment and may improve the effectiveness of that treatment. In addition, for those currently in good health, reiki treatment can be used as a preventive measure and also help you with managing your stress.

In the next article we'll talk about another form of reiki called Angelic Reiki.