Reiki is an energy-based therapy that uses gentle touch to promote overall well-being and relaxation, while supporting your body’s natural healing processes.
But holistic therapies should not replace conventional medical care; rather they can complement other forms of therapy to support overall wellbeing.
1. Relieves Stress
Reiki is a form of energy healing that utilizes spiritually guided life force energy to reduce stress, promote relaxation and enhance overall health. This natural therapy can be performed safely by anyone.
An increasing body of research supports the beneficial effects of Reiki for treating various conditions. For instance, cancer treatment patients often report significant decreases in pain, anxiety and fatigue as a result of using Reiki therapies.
Although more research needs to be conducted, reiki may also help reduce stress levels. One review of randomized trials demonstrated that participants who received distant reiki as part of their cancer treatments experienced reduced levels of pain, anxiety and fatigue compared with those who didn’t receive its energy.
Yoga Body Elements in Chicago owner Cindy Huston says it can be an effective way to relax and unwind, boost energy levels and strengthen immune systems.
Reiki involves hands-on healing techniques designed to harness your own body’s natural ability for self-healing. A trained professional or you yourself can perform Reiki sessions.
This technique involves channelling life force energy from within all corners of the universe into the practitioner’s palms and fingers, which then can be distributed throughout.
Reiki can be an effective tool to relieve stress, but you should always consult your physician prior to trying this or any alternative therapy. Reiki should be used alongside conventional medicine as well as complementary therapies like acupuncture, massage therapy and counseling for maximum effect.
If you want to learn more about Reiki, the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health website offers information and links for trials and meta-analyses related to Reiki.
The Natural is another excellent source of information regarding the effectiveness of Reiki. With articles covering its many uses as well as anecdotal stories of its benefits, The Natural can provide valuable information.
Many have experienced profound peace and well-being after receiving an attunement to their own ‘life force energy’ through Reiki. This meditation experience allows one to connect with their inner power while becoming more aware of how energy flows throughout our universe.
2. Improves Sleep
Sleep is essential to human life; it helps repair tissues, build immunity and regulate our emotions. Without enough restful restorative sleep, we may become fatigued, irritable and lethargic.
Reiki can help improve sleep by placing the practitioner’s hands above or on your body, allowing energy to flow, and using techniques like dimming lights or soothing music to further enhance the experience.
Studies published in Biological Research for Nursing revealed that Reiki therapy helped participants relax and increase the quality of their sleep, with increased heart rate variability and body temperature as an indication that Reiki stimulated the natural relaxation response of subjects, providing one of the most noninvasive means for improving quality sleep.
There can be many causes of insomnia, including stress, anxiety, autoimmune conditions and depression. Unfortunately, insomnia is a debilitating condition with long-term repercussions.
As an excellent starting point, the ideal way to treat insomnia is by listening to and adhering to your own body clock when sleeping. Doing this will set up for an uninterrupted night’s rest and lower your risk of insomnia in future.
Your chances of sleeping soundly can also be increased through regular massages and facials, which not only leave your skin glowing but can reduce stress and improve blood circulation as well.
Similar to how acupuncture sessions can reduce pain, boost mood and provide more energy, massage therapy with pressure point techniques can also be an excellent way to alleviate tension in shoulders and back areas.
Finally, essential oils like lavender, chamomile or patchouli can help bring relaxation. You can even create your own aromatherapy spray by mixing several drops into a glass of water and inhaling.
3. Enhances Immunity
Reiki is a Japanese energy healing technique that involves channeling healing energy directly into the body through practitioners’ hands. Reiki practitioners use this approach to treat various health conditions related to immunity.
The immune system plays a pivotal role in protecting against infections and diseases by neutralizing foreign invaders that enter our bodies through bacteria, viruses or other means. Furthermore, its presence is essential to overall health and well-being, but prolonged stress could erode its efficacy over time.
Studies have demonstrated the ability of Reiki to reduce stress and promote relaxation, potentially strengthening immune function. Reiki has also been found to increase production of white blood cells – essential components of fighting infection – as part of this system.
Reiki can also improve the functioning of other immune systems in the body by encouraging them to work together more efficiently. Studies have indicated that Reiki promotes a healthy balance between autonomic nervous system and endocrine systems – two major contributors to immune regulation – which play a significant role in immune regulation.
Immune system disorders are incredibly prevalent and can have profoundly damaging effects on an individual’s health and quality of life. Therefore, it is imperative to address their cause in order for treatments to be successful.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is also essential, which includes getting regular physical activity, eating well and sleeping soundly.
As part of an overall healthy immune system, having a positive mental attitude and engaging in social activities can contribute to maintaining an effective defense mechanism. Spirituality and caring towards others should also be prioritized.
Reiki can also strengthen the immune system by encouraging energy flow throughout the body, which in turn can boost lymphatic, respiratory, digestive systems – which all play important roles in supporting immunity.
Reiki can also encourage the creation of new immune cells. A study published in Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medicine demonstrated this. For example, Reiki appears to stimulate growth of macrophages – white blood cells known for fighting infection that form as part of your immune system.
4. Decreases Pain
Reiki, an ancient healing technique from Japan, is an energy healing approach based on the belief that there exists a universal life force energy within us all and can be harnessed to heal ourselves.
Reiki Masters use their hands as conduits to direct this energy, which is said to increase the body’s natural healing powers and offer relief from chronic pain and other illnesses. It may even assist people who are recovering from injuries sustained through injury.
Reiki derives its name from two Japanese words rei (meaning “God” or “Universal Spirit”) and ki (meaning “life force energy”). Originally it was known as Kirodoshi which translated to healing touch.
As it’s considered a complementary therapy, Reiki should only ever be used alongside conventional medical treatments such as conventional medication. Reiki should never replace seeing your physician or taking prescribed medication and must always be used carefully and with care.
Many individuals who suffer from pain or other health conditions report feeling better following a Reiki session; usually their feeling of discomfort has either subsided significantly or disappeared altogether.
Reiki sessions also helped patients suffering from chronic pain to experience better sleep and relaxation, two key components in relieving pain according to neuroscientist Natalie Dyer, Ph.D. She calls for further high-quality research on reiki to ensure its efficacy.
According to a 2014 report from the Institute of Medicine, chronic pain is one of the primary reasons people seek medical treatment, costing an estimated $635 billion each year in healthcare system costs.
Reiki has been shown to reduce pain in both healthy and unhealthy patients, possibly by helping rebalance the autonomic nervous system – the part responsible for heart rate, breathing, blood pressure and digestion.
Amy Bodner, an instructor of Reiki at the University of Colorado Denver, says this practice improves your body’s ability to respond to stress and increase overall wellbeing. Reiki may also reduce anxiety levels while improving mood which may reduce pain levels.
For maximum effectiveness during your reiki sessions, set aside time each day to treat yourself. Aim for two 20-minute self-treatments each day–preferably first thing in the morning and again at night. These sessions should preferably take place either in a quiet room or home and ideally repeat themselves each time so as to create a habitual practice.
