I was recently honoured to be attuned as a level II Reiki practitioner. When I talk to family and friends about Reiki (pronounced Ray-Key), I find that most people have heard of Reiki, but they don’t really know what it is. The more I learn about Reiki, the more I am amazed at its healing power and thought it might be a great idea to provide a bit of an easy explanation!
Reiki, which means ‘universal energy’, is a technique of working with energy that allows your body to clear itself of stress and energetic blockages and promote healing. It was rediscovered by Mikao Usui in Japan at the beginning of the 20th century. It is based on the idea that an unseen “life force energy” flows through us and is what provides life. If one’s “life force energy” is low, then we are more likely to get sick or feel stress, and if it is high, we are more capable of being happy and healthy.
Reiki principles are, just for today:
- do not anger
- do not worry
- be humble
- be honest in your dealings
- be compassionate towards all living things
Reiki is safe for everyone, including during pregnancy, newborns and children, animals and even plants!
In a Reiki session, the client lies on a massage table with clothes on. A blanket is placed over the client and an eye mask over the eyes to ensure the client is able to relax. Treatments are supported by the client setting an intent for the healing. Intent is the very first thing that pops into mind (can be around healing, letting go of grief, being open to whatever healing they need) and sets a process in motion.
The practitioner’s hands and either placed on or above the body (private areas of a client’s body are never touched). Energy flows through the practitioner’s hands into the client’s body to support the client’s healing. The practitioner’s hands are purely a vessel for the Reiki to flow through. A complete Reiki session takes approximately 60 minutes.
Clients may feel coolness, heat, vibration, twitching or movement as the practitioner’s hands are on/over certain points. This generally means that there is a clearing of energy in the body.
Following a Reiki session, the feeling of absolute relaxation and calm is overwhelming. Clients draw on the energy they need to clear energy blocks and balance all levels of the body (physical, mental and emotional).
The benefits of Reiki have been researched across many areas which include depression, stress reduction, management of pain, fatigue and pain in cancer patients, the list is continuing to grow. There is currently a clinical trial underway in the US to determine the benefits of Reiki in surgery, as large-scale case studies have shown that patients who have had Reiki before, during and after surgery tend to need less anesthetic and suffer less pain. Reiki is also commonly used in hospitals in the US, UK and Australia is starting to follow suit with five hospitals currently offering Reiki to patients. This is a really exciting time for Reiki practitioners and clients!
For more information about some scientific evidence for the effectiveness of Reiki please visit the Australian Reiki Connection website.
Finally, when considering Reiki as a healing modality, please ensure that the Reiki healer is registered with a professional association (such as Australian Reiki Connection). This membership provides you with assurance that the healer has completed the appropriate training and attunement and that the lineage has been confirmed (lineage is a direct line back to Mikao Usui Sensei through teachers who taught teachers). My lineage is below:
If you would like to book an appointment with me for a Reiki healing, please click here
Finally, if this blog post has raised more questions for you, please leave a comment and I would be happy to expand further 🙂
Elemental with Lisa 