Reiki
Background: Where does this technique come from?
Definition: A 19th/20th century healing technique, reportedly based in ancient texts. “The Reiki healing energy is transferred to the client through the healer’s hands, which are placed directly on the body or clothing of the client… Healer’s hands are placed in a series of static positions… [and held] motionless for a few minutes, and then moved to another position. A full Reiki healing session usually lasts between 45 minutes to one hour.” (Batie, 46)
Source: Essential Reiki by Diane Stein. Freedom,
CA: Crossing Press, 1995. (Note that Stein is not a Traditional Reiki teacher
or master, so her interpretation might diverge from the more traditional
schools.) Manual. A Reiki I workshop led by Rosa Redtail and Susan Sanford at
Women or Wisdom conference in
Finding out more: There are several books on Reiki, and workshops are easily accessible. www.reiki.org is a good website, and there are others with varying quality of information.
Origin of Method / History: Traditional Reiki story
begins in the mid-1800s with Mikao Usui, who was searching for the answer to
how Jesus and Buddha healed. In a Buddhist monastery in
Theory: What is energy? What is energy healing?
What energy is being worked with? Reiki – universal life force energy. Energy derives from the source of life itself. (God, Goddess, Creator, whatever term you use.)
What is illness? “The source of any physical dis-ease is probably more than physical, and the nonphysical causes must be healed to heal the body pain.” (Stein, 18) “A person may develop a disease as a way of facilitating a needed learning. (Stein, 19)
What is the mechanism for healing? When a healer works, she does not pull energy from herself. She simply places her two hands down to heal, and “the ki energy does the rest, without any direction, flowing through the healer’s hands… the energy has an intelligence far beyond human, and will go where it is needed.” (Stein, 18) “Healing affects not just physical body, but also emotional, mental, and spiritual bodies.” (Stein, 16)
Symbols: “Reiki healers often use Japanese symbols (drawn by hand motions through the air). These symbols are said to give greater power to both local, hands-on healing and distant healing.” (Gerber, 390)
Role of practitioner: Channel energy, connecting universal life energy from the Divine Energy Source to the client.
Who can heal? Training? Stein, as a non-traditional teacher, believes anyone can learn to heal, and the more people who learn the better. Traditional masters are more restrictive, and may charge large sums of money for training.
Practice: How does a healing session work for this technique?
Practitioner preparation: Attunement. This sets Reiki apart from other healing systems. Attunement must be passed directly from a master/teacher to a student. Attunement connects the receiver directly with the source of all universal Ki. The teacher begins by standing behind the receiver drawing the symbols. She then repeats the process in front, and stands behind again to complete it. A practitioner needs to be attuned to each level. Level 1 is physical healing, level 2 adds power to healing and adds in distance healing, level 3 is master’s level which allows you to teach and to pass on attunements.
Beginning a session/During a session: Ask for divine assistance with healing, opening to a connection with the Source.
Assessment: Asking client what areas of concern are.
Process: Quick treatment: You can do a brief Reiki treatment on one area of concern. You lay your hands there, feeling the sensations (heat, cold, water flowing, vibration, color, sound, trembling). Sensations increase to a peak, then fade away. When they fade, the treatment is complete on that spot.
A typical Reiki session: There are a series of traditional hand positions, starting at the head, and working down through the chakras, and then the back. Stein also recommends including legs and feet to help the client re-ground after a healing session. Stein describes about 20 positions. In each position, the practitioner lays both hands on the client’s body (or can work just off the surface of the body if this seems necessary), palms down, fingers and thumb together (as if you have a sock on your hands, not a mitten). Arms should not cross over each other.
As soon as both hands are laid on the client with a healing intent, Ki energy flows. In each position, hold for approximately 5 minutes, or until energy has peaked and subsided.
What does client feel: A stereotypical element of Reiki is the client’s sense that heat is radiating from the practitioner’s hands toward the client; however, the practitioner’s hands remain cool to the touch.
Ending a session: End with doing Reiki with one hand on each foot to re-ground client. Afterwards, give client a drink of water.
Uses: When is this Technique useful?
Duration: A complete session is about an hour. “The number of Reiki sessions that would be required would depend on the nature of a client’s symptoms and how long they have persisted.”(Batie, 46)
What do healers say it is useful for: Most things. Rapidly relieves aches, pains, and effects of stress.
Contraindications: “Reiki is totally positive and can never cause harm to any living thing, whatever their condition… If anyone is ill, in pain or in emotional distress, Reiki helps. For the person or pet that is healthy, Reiki relaxes and rejuvenates. The positions balance the left and right hemispheres of the brain, and balance all the chakras and the energy field.” (Stein, 23)
“Reiki energy is always safe for the client, and will only accelerate the return of damaged cells or weakened systems to a state of natural health.” (Batie, 46)
Other uses: Can heal plants, pets, machinery, etc. Distance healing after level 2. Can be combined effectively with most other hands-on healing techniques, massage, etc.
Studies done: Benor cites 4 studies of Reiki. Bucholtz (1996) observed decreases in arthritis pain following treatment, but not to a statistically significant level. Dressen and Singg (1998) found statistically significant improvements in pain, anxiety, and depression in chronically ill patients after Reiki. Wetzel (1989) found that participating in Reiki training raised hemoglobin and hematocrit levels compared to a control group. Schlitz and Braud (1985) examined distance-healing based on Reiki and other methods, results indicated consistent calming effects on subjects’ skin resistance response.
Spiritual Component: Reiki is about channeling divine energy. Can be adapted to most belief systems.
Emotional component: Can aid with emotional
healing as well as physical.
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