The idea of laying hands on someone as a way of healing often sounds strange to Western ears. When first introduced to Reiki, most people want to know how it works. After all, Reiki isn’t medicine you swallow or even a massage, which can make you feel better by easing tension and soothing sore muscles. Yet Reiki has been shown to help with a variety of physical ailments, including heart disease, skin problems, cuts, bruises, broken bones, headache, colds, flu, sore throat, sunburn, fatigue, insomnia, impotence, poor memory, lack of confidence, and more.
What is Reiki?
Reiki is an ancient Japanese healing method, a way of transferring energy. Rei is Higher Intelligence that guides the universe while Ki is the non-physical energy in living things. As we talked about previously, someone performing a Reiki treatment may lightly touch and press your skin. Or, he or she may glide hands over you just above your skin, without touching. During this time, the practitioner is sending life energy through you.
How Does Reiki Heal?
Our life force energy, Ki, flows through us; if our energy is low, we feel stress and may be more likely to get sick. If it is high, we are healthy and more likely to be happy, feel confident, and ready to take on life’s challenges. We can increase our Ki through meditation and breathing exercises.
A Reiki practitioner will use his or her life force to help guide yours, but it’s not the same as simple life force energy. Our minds have tremendous power over our bodies and our physical health, and our negative thoughts can restrict our Ki in its flow, limiting your body’s processes, and later resulting in illness.
Reiki will flow through unhealthy areas, washing away negative thoughts or feelings in your body, which allows the normal Ki flow to resume. Those experiencing Reiki feel a glowing radiance. The effects are relaxation, feelings of peace, security, and wellbeing.
People undergoing Reiki treatment often feel as though they are awake, but hovering in a deep, sleeplike state. During the first session, people may find the experience uneventful, yet find they often report feeling better afterward. Some people say the practitioner’s hands feel hot; others comment that they are very cool. You might feel tingling in some areas or pulsating — even when the Reiki guide is simply hovering his/her hands above you.
If you have questions about how Reiki might help you, contact us to learn more or schedule a session.