Many people are turning to Reiki to help with their emotional, mental, and physical issues. Reiki uses gentle touch or laying of hands over various parts of the body. The Reiki practitioner starts at the head and works their way down the body focusing on various areas for various amounts of time. Should you get a Reiki session? Will it help you or hurt you? Can you do it yourself or learn how to do it? This article addresses those questions.
How Does Reiki Work?
There are three different thoughts on this:
- Many people believe that Reiki works to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which basically means that the body rests and experiences the benefits of that, such as dampening the stress response and being able to repair and regenerate. It works to reduce anxiety and stress, focus on pain, and promote the feeling of well-being.
- After someone is attuned to channel Reiki, they are connected to the universal energetic source. Then they can transfer that energy through their palms into someone else and promote energetic balance and wellness in that person’s body. They can clear energetic blockages, which is said to be the cause of many ailments. Because Reiki is about energy transfer and manipulation, some Reiki practitioners (2nd degree or higher) don’t even need to be in the same room as the person they are working on. They can do distance Reiki because energy has no limits.
- Nobody knows.
What Is Reiki Good For?
Everything. Whether you believe that Reiki is working to activate the parasympathetic nervous system or to remove energy blockages and get everything flowing smoothly, it will beneficial to any ailment you are dealing with.
For example:
- Reiki is used as a complementary therapy for cancer.
- This study found that people receiving Reiki had significant improvements in a number of things, including pain, nausea, anxiety, and depression.
- A story about ovarian cysts being shrunk quicker than one gynecologist has ever seen gives credit to dealing with cysts.
Everything can benefit from deep relaxation.
Moreover, if you believe in energy blockages and issues that occur with those blockages, then moving stagnant or stuck energy can help you overcome many ailments resulting from stuck energy. The energy centers, or chakras, are said to be responsible for a number of things in the body.
Can Reiki Be Harmful?
Reiki is a therapy that is suitable for everyone. Even the most fragile patients can receive Reiki, which is why it used as a complementary therapy in many hospitals around the world.
- It doesn’t hurt.
- It’s relaxing.
- It helps the mind and body relax and reset.
If you are experiencing anxiety, you may worry about feeling anxious during a Reiki session. This is understandable. However, Reiki is extremely relaxing, which is beneficial to anxiety. Focusing on what is being done, taking deep slow breaths, and staying present as the Reiki is performed can all help lower your anxiety and even demolish it.
If you are experiencing physical ailment, Reiki can give you a break from the ‘what’s wrong and what’s going to happen’ phase, which can be very relaxing. Many people find that this small break from worry can help lessen the overall worry they are feeling going forward.
Finally, Reiki can be a form of action that you can take when you feel a loss of control over your health. For instance, when you are waiting for test results or waiting for an appointment, getting a Reiki session done can help you feel like something is in your control as you take action on your health.
Is Reiki A Placebo?
How does Reiki work?
Placebo theatre + a breakdown in critical thinking + wishful thinking + relaxation = embrace of causal illusion!
Almost always supported via testimonials. pic.twitter.com/c82rNiy3fF
— Timothy Caulfield (@CaulfieldTim) March 8, 2020
Obviously, through this tweet, this person thinks Reiki is a complete hoax! There are a lot of people out there who do not believe in anything energetic or alternative for healing. But, that doesn’t mean you should let them sway you from making a decision as to whether or not Reiki can benefit you.
Even if Reiki is based on the placebo effect, that’s still beneficial to people who receive it AND believe in its power to heal.
There are plenty of stories out there that give credit to the placebo effect. Stories of people healing solely through believing they would heal.
Moreover, studies have shown that Reiki is better than a placebo for creating a relaxed state, reducing anxiety, improving self-esteem, improving quality of life, reducing depression, and reducing acute pain during medical procedures.
How To Do Self Reiki?
Technically, Reiki is supposed to be done by someone who has been attuned. This is why, if you can’t go to a Reiki session in person, you should look into long-distance Reiki sessions or get attuned yourself.
However, doing a Reiki treatment for yourself without attunement can have some benefits. It can stimulate relaxation and focus on healing as you move from hand position to hand position.
Here is a good article that talks about how to perform a self-treatment of Reiki.
Where To Learn Reiki?
You may want to check out Rob Fellows Reiki and learn about reducing stress through Reiki, including how to do it on yourself and others. He also works with Reiki and animals, which may be appealing to you. You can also get distance healing from him for you and your pets.
