Reiki is a spiritual healing method that involves using hand movements to guide energy through the body, aiming to enhance emotional, spiritual, and physical well-being. It’s often used alongside regular medical treatments as a complementary therapy to support health and wellness.
Although there’s no solid scientific evidence proving Reiki can cure or treat specific health conditions, some studies suggest that it can enhance relaxation, which might help alleviate pain, reduce stress, and decrease anxiety.
Originating in Japan thousands of years ago, Reiki became widely recognized in the early 1900s when Mikao Usui developed a method called the Usui System of Natural Healing. This has become the most widely practiced form of Reiki worldwide. The term “Reiki” translates to “spiritually guided life force energy” from Japanese, with “rei” meaning “universal life” and “ki” meaning “energy.” The core belief of Reiki is that every living being has a life force energy that can be directed through the body to promote healing. While it has roots in spiritual practices from Shingon and Tendai Buddhism, Reiki itself is neither a religion nor a religious practice, making it accessible to individuals of any faith.
Practitioners of Reiki believe it can channel healthy energy through the body, promoting healing on physical, spiritual, and emotional levels. This energy is typically manipulated through light touches or by hovering hands over the body. The exact nature of this energy and how it works isn’t clearly understood, and some suggest it could activate the parasympathetic nervous system to induce relaxation or act as a placebo effect. Notably, though, Reiki has sometimes shown better results than mere placebo treatments.
Typically, a Reiki session lasts between 45 to 90 minutes, and practitioners recommend drinking water before and after to stay hydrated. During the session, you’ll usually lie fully clothed on a massage table, although some sessions might involve sitting or standing. The practitioner moves their hands over areas like the head, torso, arms, and legs, or focuses on the body’s seven main energy centers, known as chakras, especially if there’s an injury or illness.
During the session, people might experience sensations like warmth, coolness, tingling, or sometimes nothing at all. Reiki helps with relaxation, which can contribute to lowering stress and pain levels. However, there isn’t enough high-quality research to definitively prove Reiki as a treatment for health conditions due to inconsistencies in study sizes and methodologies, and the lack of a proven mechanism for how Reiki might work.
Despite these uncertainties, Reiki is used in some hospitals and healthcare settings to help manage stress and pain. For instance, studies have shown Reiki can aid in handling cancer-related pain and managing pain post-surgery. A small study found that patients undergoing knee replacement surgery experienced less pain, anxiety, and lower blood pressure with Reiki than with placebo treatments. Additionally, in an academic cancer center program, around 82% of participants reported reduced distress, anxiety, depression, pain, and fatigue, though the effects were short-term.
While research on Reiki’s effects on anxiety and depression is mixed, it seems to help with relaxation and stress management, potentially benefiting those with these mood disorders. Some studies report improvements in quality of life, better sleep, and a sense of calm among people with cancer, with some experiencing pain relief during sessions. However, more extensive research is needed to substantiate these findings.
Reiki is generally considered safe, with few reported adverse effects like weakness, stomach aches, or headaches post-session. Some people might feel emotionally unsettled afterward. As a complementary therapy, Reiki involves using gentle touch to channel energy through the body for healing purposes. Although it shows potential for helping with relaxation, pain perception, and stress reduction, more high-quality research is necessary to confirm its benefits. It’s important to continue consulting with healthcare professionals for the treatment and management of depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders.
