Reiki is a Japanese form of hands-on healing that trains the practitioner to quiet the mind, and embrace compassion and non-judgement. Reiki has slowly been gaining increased recognition in the medical field thanks to nurses, patients, and more recently doctors, who have experienced the value of this simple yet profound therapy. Many cancer units across the country have established programs where patients can receive Reiki, and currently, there is a growing trend for hospitals and doctors to offer Reiki for pre and post surgery patients, mothers and babies in delivery rooms, and people suffering from pain, asthma, anxiety, chronic illnesses, and acute infections or illnesses.

I was introduced to Reiki, a Japanese word meaning "universal life force energy", after graduating from massage school. I had injured my left knee in a snowboarding accident and the pain was excruciating, especially when trying to sleep, ride a bike (my only mode of transportation at the time) or climb stairs. During my first Reiki treatment, I felt the pain in my knee melt like wax and move down my leg and out my foot. It was a bizarre experience unlike anything I had ever felt, and I would not have believed it, had I not experienced it first hand. That night I slept straight through pain free, and within three days my body was back to normal.

I began my Reiki training a few weeks following this event. What touched me most about Reiki, is the emphasis upon compassion, and a dedication to continued self growth as a practitioner. I grew up with a strong religious influence and had admired most the stories of Jesus that demonstrated compassion, non-judgement, and unconditional love. Reiki followed right along with these teachings, and sometimes when I am in session with a client experiencing the outpouring of love, I feel I am indeed doing my best to follow in the footsteps of this great master teacher.

During a Reiki session, the client comfortably lies on a massage table fully clothed. The practitioner places their hands on specific areas of the client and allows healing energy to flow. Very often, clients will sense this energy as heat, tingling, or in certain cases, movement as I did. These sensations are similar to those experienced during acupuncture treatments, as energy is released, revived, and renewed. Reiki helps the body to release areas of blocked energy often associated with disease and stress, thus allowing the natural processes of the body to function more optimally.

Over the past sixteen years of practicing massage and energy healing, I have been continuously amazed at how the simplicity of Reiki and its focus through compassion, has such profound results. People from many backgrounds and experiences, walk out of a session feeling peaceful, relaxed, rejuvenated, and often pain free. Through the deep sense of peace and relaxation Reiki provides, the bodies own healing abilities are increased, and clients receive an ease in their daily life stressors.

A study conducted by Professor Adina Goldman Shore, which appeared in the Alternative Therapies in Health & Medicine journal (2004), showed significant results in the use of Reiki to help depression and anxiety. The study participants were placed in three categories: a control group that received hands-on touch, a distance Reiki group, and a hands-on Reiki group. Both the distance and hands-on healing groups rated as having significantly less depression and anxiety after six sessions, and continued to show a great reduction in these symptoms after a one year follow-up, even though treatment had stopped. The control group showed no change until given treatments after the study. Prior to this study, the researchers wondered whether Reiki really made a difference, or was it simply the human touch which created results. Due to the fact that the control group received hands-on touch and showed no change in symptoms, and the distance Reiki group received no touch, but showed significant change, it is clear that Reiki, and not simply touch was the key ingredient that helped bring improvement. I hope to see more scientific studies in this area so that more people will open to the simplicity and effectiveness of Reiki. As the word spreads, Reiki will continue to grow in popularity among doctors, medical centers, and therapists as a safe and effective complementary treatment to decrease medical side effects, decrease pain, increase relaxation, speed healing, and help mental well being.

References:
Shore, A. (2004). Long-term effects of energetic healing on symptoms of psychological depression and self-perceived stress. Alternative Therapies in Health & Wellness, 10 (3). 42-48.