Reiki is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing.
What is Reiki?
The awareness that an unseen energy flows
through all living things and directly affects
the quality of a person’s health has been part
of the wisdom of many cultures since ancient
times. This life energy goes by many names:
qi in China, ki in Japan, and prana in India.
The ancient Hawaiians called it ti or ki. It has
also been called orgone energy and élan vital,
and science refers to it as biofield energy.
When your life energy is low, it is more
difficult to deal with stress; you may not sleep
well, and you’re more susceptible to illness.
When your life energy is strong, you feel
strong, can more easily deal with stress, and
are less likely to get sick. Reiki is a technique
that increases a person’s supply of life energy
What is a Session Like?
Reiki is administered through the hands of a
Reiki practitioner with the client lying fully
clothed on a massage table. A session usually
lasts between 45 minutes to an hour and a
half and shorter sessions are also possible.
helps patients heal faster with less pain,
reduces stress and improves mental attitude,
improves appetite, and reduces the negative
side effects of chemotherapy, radiation and
other medical procedures.
History
Reiki was developed in Japan in 1922 by
Mikao Usui and was brought to the West in
1937 by Hawayo Takata. The popularity of
Reiki has grown exponentially in the past few
decades. A survey conducted in 2007 indicates
that in the previous year, 1.2 million
adults and 161,000 children in the U.S.
received one or more Reiki sessions.
The Reiki practitioner places his or her hands
at locations around the head and shoulders,
the abdomen and on the legs and feet.
Tissue is not manipulated. The practitioner’s
hands are simply held at each location, lightly
touching or slightly away from the body. Reiki
energy flows from the practitioner’s hands
and into the client’s body and energy field. A
Reiki session feels like a wonderful glowing
radiance that surrounds and fills the client
and includes feelings of relaxation, peace and
well-being that also promote healing.
Benefits
Reiki energy allows muscles to relax and
increases blood flow to treated areas, which
in turn quickens the healing process.
Practitioners and clients report help with
stress, headaches, insomnia, upset stomach,
sprains and other minor conditions.
Occasionally, miraculous results are reported.
Reiki also promotes psychological healing,
including release of anger, fear, worry, sadness
and other unhealthy feelings, and
replaces them with self-worth, confidence
and tranquility
