We say "Beautifully!"
Reiki is a form of energy healing. Energy healing is all about accepting that you are an energy being. A being that is much more complicated than just a physical body. Accepting and understanding this, we can then utilize various techniques to restore your energy flow to the optimum balance across all dimensions. Energy healing is a broad term for any therapy that stimulates the energy flow in or around the human body to restore balance on all levels, thereby enabling the physical body to heal itself. Some of the more well known therapies that fall under the heading of "energy healing" include: Reflexology, Kinesiology, Pranic Healing, Thought Field Therapy (aka Tapping Therapy), Acupuncture, and Yoga.
I've received interesting comments concerning Reiki from people who let me know that they are Christian. This is the way they express disinterest in engaging with something they think will take them away from their prescribed religious practice. My response to such a comment is, "Great, so am I!" Reiki is not a religion. However, it helps spiritual growth and with emotional cleansing, which is important to the physical, emotional and energetic component of our bodies. Thus, Reiki is a technique that promotes healing to the mind, body, and spirit. It also addresses the whole person, rather than targeting individual symptoms. Please allow me to explain further what this "Reiki thing" is all about.
Our body is one amazing machine. Think about it, not only does it automatically take care of all your breathing, circulation, digestion and other vital processes without you even lifting a finger, but it has this phenomenal ability to bounce back and heal itself when faced with certain amounts of stress.
Most of the time, at least…
There may come a time in your life when your body has simply had enough. Perhaps you’ve been subjected to a constant barrage of ongoing stress; the "life happens" part of living, experienced a particularly sudden and intensely stressful situation or have come to accept negative beliefs and thoughts that are bogging down your entire being. In such cases, the body’s self-regulating mechanisms can no longer do their jobs, resulting in a decline in the health of your body, mind and soul.
You may become irritated or angry and prone to outbursts, suffer from headaches that can be a symptom of dealing with hypertension, stomach aches, muscle tension and pain; feel anxious or experience anxiety attacks, restless and depressed; or even start overeating, under-eating or reaching for alcohol or drugs for relief.
How Does Reiki Work?
The short answer to “How Does Reiki Work?” is “beautifully!"
The longer answer requires a bit of explanation. The spiritual healing art of Reiki works by channeling positive energy into your body. This is accomplished with Reiki masters and practitioners typically placing their hands on the affected areas of the body that need a boost. The Reiki Practitioner is offering this special energy and your body takes in the energy where it is most needed. It's common for the Reiki Practitioner to work with your 7 basic Chakras throughout the session.
Chakra is Sanskrit (originating from an ancient language) meaning wheel. it refers to all energy centers throughout your Aura, all energy bodies, and your physical body. Chakra energy centers regulate the flow of energy throughout our entire being.
This powerful flow of positive energy may bring a near immediate sensation of relief as it releases tension, lessens the impact of stress and replaces negative energy with the positive. Some refer to this positive Reiki energy as the life force, and indeed it can bring new life to a stressed-out, tired body. It is administered by "laying hands on, " either by physically laying hands on the body, or by hovering above certain areas of the client if the client is uncomfortable with physical touch. The client remains fully clothed during the session.
Reiki is a wonderful compliment to conventional medicine and therapeutic treatments and helps relax patients on the levels of the mind and physical body. People sleep much better and are calmer following Reiki treatments. It is safe to use if you have medical conditions such as epilepsy, diabetes, thyroid, auto-immune or heart conditions. It is even used in medical practices, hospitals and hospices alike and referred by medical professionals. You may also receive Reiki treatments if you are undergoing chemotherapy to relieve side effects & promote faster recovery. Reiki works for clients who are dealing with the effects of PTSD by helping to heal the symptoms after trauma and assist the body in creating new responses. Pregnant woman can have Reiki treatments to support them through all stages of the pregnancy as well.
One of my clients has described it as a retreat for the mind, body & soul! That retreat that our physical body needs to balance and replenish ourselves, that's slowly becoming more mainstream. I like that way of looking at it!