Reiki is an energy healing technique. This noninvasive alternative therapy has been found to effectively reduce both pain and stress; however, before making your decision to try Reiki it is wise to consult your physician first.
Reiki should be avoided by those suffering from severe mental illnesses as it can exacerbate symptoms. Also, those wearing pacemakers should exercise caution as Reiki could interfere with their heartbeats.
Reiki is a form of energy healing
Reiki is a noninvasive, hands-on healing therapy practiced noninvasively that practitioners believe can address physical, mental, and emotional health concerns. Practitioners say they tap into “universal energy,” which flows through your body to speed healing processes faster. They claim it reduces anxiety, depression and pain for people living with chronic illness – yet no evidence exists to back these claims; only limited studies have been conducted with limited quality data available.
Reiki, Japanese for “life force energy”, is founded on the idea that there exists an invisible energy flow throughout all living things, including you. If this energy becomes blocked or unbalanced, illness and pain result; when restored, healing occurs naturally in the body.
There are various forms of Reiki therapy, but most sessions consist of the practitioner placing their hands over your body or placing specific spots with their hands, such as on specific areas. People often report feeling warmth or tingling sensations while experiencing deep relaxation – it shouldn’t be painful or dangerous but should be kept in mind that other forms of healing therapies may provide better results than Reiki alone.
One study demonstrated how Reiki improved sleep, mood, and stress levels among college students. Another found it effective at alleviating symptoms of burnout among healthcare workers; furthermore it was associated with reduced fatigue and anxiety as well as enhanced feelings of overall well-being.
Other research indicates that Reiki therapy may ease digestive issues as well as assist with conditions like fibromyalgia and lupus. Reiki may also enhance medication efficacy while decreasing side effects; however, before trying Reiki for yourself it’s essential to consult your healthcare provider first and share any complementary therapies you use so they can get an accurate picture of your overall health status.
Reiki has been proven to improve quality of life among those receiving palliative care, but may also prove useful for other health issues, including cancer. While evidence supporting its efficacy remains limited and further research should be conducted before making conclusions based on it.
It is a spiritual practice
Reiki is an alternative medicine based on belief in an eternal life force. Created by Mikao Usui in the early 1900s and practiced worldwide since, Reiki does not refer to itself as a religion but advocates adherence to certain ethical ideals which promote peace and harmony – these ideals transcend cultures.
Some spiritual healers believe they may expose themselves to malevolent entities by opening themselves up to energy, so they take precautions such as visualizing bubbles of light around themselves and closing off chakras at the end of a session. Reiki practitioners do not feel it necessary to take these measures since the energy itself seems protective enough.
Two Reiki practitioners from Western countries were traveling from house to house offering free Reiki treatments in an Indian Himalayan tea producing village, offering their services. When they entered a room where an elderly man lay still on a bed, the men slipped quietly beside him without wanting to disturb anyone who may be dying of cancer.
Reiki practitioners applied their hands to his head, neck, and upper body. Although he didn’t move or speak during this process, he appeared asleep. They did not say anything further to him but held onto his hand for 20 minutes before departing.
Although reiki practitioners do not claim their treatment works, many report an out-of-body experience and help people relax. Some studies have demonstrated its efficacy at decreasing anxiety and improving quality of life among terminal illness patients; however, none are of sufficient quality to make Reiki mainstream medical therapy.
Witte and Dundes10 conducted a randomized controlled trial which revealed Reiki to be more effective than placebo in inducing physical relaxation than receiving no treatment, placebo therapy or relaxing music as control group options. It should also be noted that participants in this study were all in palliative care settings which differs greatly from healthier participants.
It is a noninvasive complementary therapy
Reiki is a noninvasive, complementary therapy which has been scientifically linked with improved sleep, reduced anxiety and pain relief in clinical studies. Reiki has been successfully employed in treating various health conditions including cancer and AIDS as well as helping individuals manage stress and depression. Reiki works by stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system which promotes relaxation while alleviating pain; helping restore equilibrium within your body so you can heal yourself more quickly.
Studies have demonstrated the efficacy of Reiki therapy as an alternative treatment versus placebos (fake treatments used by researchers to test against real treatments) for lowering resting heart rate and blood pressure, alleviating anxiety, pain and mood disorders as well as increasing quality of life and self-esteem for people living with long-term health conditions. Reiki may even enhance chemotherapy/radiation treatments used to combat certain cancers.
Reiki may help relieve negative energy from its patients and replace it with positive, healing energy that strengthens immunity and speeds recovery. Regular sessions may also assist patients in dealing with emotional challenges associated with serious illnesses or surgeries.
At each session, the practitioner will use hand positions considered energy hubs on parts of your head, neck, and torso that serve as energy channels. There can be as many as 15 distinct hand positions used during sessions that usually last 3-10 minutes each and are conducted in private settings seated with light clothing worn. Patients may request soft music or silence; forms must also be completed beforehand in order to receive therapy services.
Reiki may be covered by insurance if it’s provided as part of hospital stay or provided by licensed care professional during a doctor visit; however, most clients typically pay directly for sessions themselves and Bodner has only seen rare instances where insurance covers it.
It is not a cure
Reiki may not be a cure for every illness or condition, but it may help alleviate its symptoms. Reiki activates the parasympathetic nervous system to promote deep relaxation that boosts natural healing capabilities in your body and can reduce side effects from medications prescribed conventionally. When considering alternative or complementary therapies such as Reiki it’s always wise to consult your healthcare provider about any such practices that could potentially help.
Reiki practitioners have reported many advantages from practicing their healing technique, yet its efficacy can be difficult to measure. Some research has demonstrated, however, that Reiki can have positive impacts on patient’s mood and heart rate variability that researchers use as metrics for measuring whether Reiki has clinically significant outcomes for patient treatment.
Researchers have experienced difficulty creating an effective placebo for hands-on Reiki, since its application involves human touch. To standardize this effect, a group of scientists came up with “sham Reiki.” This technique allows researchers to control for human touch as well as any other variables that might interfere with research results and establish reliable results from Reiki research studies.
Studies have shown that those receiving Reiki experience reduced fatigue and pain than those who don’t, although its exact mechanism remains unknown. More research needs to be conducted into how it impacts immune function as well as other aspects of health in general.
Studies on Reiki as an adjunctive treatment for fibromyalgia and other chronic health conditions have been conducted under stringent conditions, using double-blind, randomized clinical trials with controlled placebo arms. Each of the studies involved at least 20 participants who could report their outcomes; researchers evaluated participant adherence to prescribed treatments before making adjustments accordingly.
Catlin and Taylor-Ford14 conducted a research study comparing Reiki therapy with both placebo treatment and standard care for outpatient cancer patients receiving chemotherapy treatment. Each group saw greater improvements in pre- and post-comfort and well-being measures than did its control counterpart group.
