What is Reiki?
Reiki is a Japanese wellness technique which aids relaxation and reduces stress.
How does Reiki work?
Reiki is performed by a practitioner placing their hands on or slightly above their client in a series of non-invasive hand positions. During a session, Reiki energy is channeled by and flows through the hands of the practitioner and into the energy body of the client. As a truly holistic healing method, the whole person is treated rather than specific areas.
Reiki promotes healing by activating the relaxation response which helps the body to heal and balance itself at a deep level. It is important to note that Reiki energy is intuitive and intelligent. It will always flow where it is needed most.
What does Reiki feel like?
Reiki sessions are very individual and each person experiences Reiki differently depending on their needs at that time. Most people experience deep relaxation.
Some experience Reiki as sensations of heat, tingling or may experience seeing colours. You may feel like you are floating or sinking.
Others can have an emotional response, indicating that shifts are taking place, allowing balance to be restored.
Reiki Myths
Myth: Reiki is a Cult or Religion
While Reiki is certainly about spirituality, it has no connections to any religion or cult. Reiki practitioners are not followers but independent thinkers. Even the guiding principles that serve as the foundation of Reiki have no connection to religion.
The guiding Five Reiki Principles are:
Just for Today…
I will let go of anger
I will let go of worry
I will show gratitude for my many blessings
I will do my work honestly
I will be kind to every living thing
Myth: Reiki Can Cure Anything
Reiki isn’t a cure-all for anything. It instead assists to help create a relaxation response and assists to promote a mind-body state conducive to healing. Curing involves alleviating symptoms and treating physical causes of a health condition. Reiki healing involves spiritual, emotional and mental unblocking and re-balancing to help get to the root cause of a condition, get back on track and create an optimal environment in which for the body to heal. Reiki is not a substitute for medical treatment.
Myth: Reiki Requires Physical Touch to be Effective
Many people believe that Reiki always involves physical touch, but this isn’t the case. Reiki healing energy can be channeled either through light touch or simply by placing the hands a few inches above the body. Additionally, Reiki practitioners can conduct distance healing, sending energy across geographical spaces. The potency of Reiki lies in the intent and the ability of the practitioner to channel energy, not in physical contact.
Myth: You Must Believe in Reiki for It to Work
Skepticism is natural, but Reiki does not rely on belief to be effective. Many people who were unsure at first have reported feeling relaxed or noticing positive effects after a session. Reiki works by encouraging balance and relaxation, whether or not the person believes in it.
Myth: Reiki Is the Same as Massage
Both Reiki and massage helps you relax but they are wildly different practices. Massage involves physical manipulation of the muscles, while Reiki works with energy flow. Reiki practitioners place their hands lightly on or above the body, without applying pressure or movement.