Do you want to heal with Reiki? Reiki is a complementary health practice originating from Japan, combining the words "rei" (universal) and "ki" (vital life force energy). It involves placing hands on or above different body areas to tap into the body's energy fields.
Can you really heal with Reiki? Find out whether you can really heal with Reiki and how you can heal your life with Reiki.
Can you really heal with Reiki? Find out whether you can really heal with Reiki and how you can heal your life with Reiki.
How Does Reiki Work?
Reiki Practitioners believe that energy blocks hinder the natural flow of energy, leading to health issues and negative life circumstances. Reiki aims to address these blocks to promote well-being and balance. This approach is often compared to acupuncture without the use of needles.
Reiki practitioners not only work with humans but also extend their healing practices to animals and plants, focusing on identifying and moving energy for the client's benefit.
Reiki practitioners not only work with humans but also extend their healing practices to animals and plants, focusing on identifying and moving energy for the client's benefit.
How You Can Heal Your Life With Reiki?
When it comes to whether one can heal with Reiki, numerous studies have revealed the effectiveness of this complementary health practice in various ways:
Helps Relax
Reiki has garnered extensive documentation highlighting its ability to induce the relaxation response, which practitioners assert stimulates the body's innate healing process.
Dr. Rachel Lampert, M.D., a distinguished professor of medicine at Yale School of Medicine, and her colleagues conducted a study involving 37 patients who had recently experienced a heart attack [1]. These patients were randomly divided into three groups:
The researchers assessed the activity of the autonomic nervous system (ANS), responsible for regulating heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, and digestion.
Of particular interest to Lampert's team was heart rate variability (HRV), a measure of the rhythmic pattern of heartbeats controlled by the ANS. Lampert explains that higher HRV following a heart attack indicates a more favorable prognosis for the patient.
The Yale study revealed that patients who received Reiki treatment exhibited increased HRV and experienced improved emotional well-being.
Dr. Rachel Lampert, M.D., a distinguished professor of medicine at Yale School of Medicine, and her colleagues conducted a study involving 37 patients who had recently experienced a heart attack [1]. These patients were randomly divided into three groups:
- One group rested without any intervention,
- Another received a single Reiki session administered by a trained nurse, and
- The final group listened to soothing music.
The researchers assessed the activity of the autonomic nervous system (ANS), responsible for regulating heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, and digestion.
Of particular interest to Lampert's team was heart rate variability (HRV), a measure of the rhythmic pattern of heartbeats controlled by the ANS. Lampert explains that higher HRV following a heart attack indicates a more favorable prognosis for the patient.
The Yale study revealed that patients who received Reiki treatment exhibited increased HRV and experienced improved emotional well-being.
Enhances Mood
A group of researchers from Harvard Medical School conducted a study involving 99 patients across multiple locations to investigate the impact of a single Reiki session. Published in 2019 in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine [2], this study, which followed a single-arm effectiveness design, revealed noteworthy enhancements in anxiety and depression symptoms, as well as reductions in pain and nausea.
Further research indicates that Reiki has potential benefits for individuals dealing with depression and insomnia. In a 2012 study featured in the Indian Journal of Positive Psychology, 40 women experiencing depression and anxiety were examined [3]. Half of the participants received Reiki treatment twice a week for a duration of 10 weeks, while the other half received no treatment. The findings demonstrated that the women who underwent Reiki experienced substantial improvements in their depression symptoms and quality of sleep.
Further research indicates that Reiki has potential benefits for individuals dealing with depression and insomnia. In a 2012 study featured in the Indian Journal of Positive Psychology, 40 women experiencing depression and anxiety were examined [3]. Half of the participants received Reiki treatment twice a week for a duration of 10 weeks, while the other half received no treatment. The findings demonstrated that the women who underwent Reiki experienced substantial improvements in their depression symptoms and quality of sleep.
Alleviates Physical Discomfort
Numerous studies have explored the potential of Reiki in relieving pain following knee surgery, restoring range of motion in injured shoulders, aiding in post-cesarean section recovery, managing hypertension, and improving the quality of life for patients with rheumatoid arthritis or those undergoing various cancer treatments.
A research team led by Portuguese scholar Zilda Alarcao conducted a study to examine the effects of authentic Reiki treatment compared to sham or placebo Reiki in two groups of patients with blood cancer.
Each group consisted of 58 patients who received one-hour sessions of treatment once a week for four weeks, with one group receiving genuine Reiki from a trained practitioner and the other group receiving sham Reiki from an individual pretending to perform Reiki.
Using the Portuguese version of the World Health Organization's Quality of Life survey (WHOQoL-Bref), a reputable research tool that assesses pain and other aspects of quality of life following an intervention, the researchers discovered that patients who received genuine Reiki exhibited significantly greater improvements than the sham group in overall, physical, environmental, and social dimensions of their quality of life. The results of this study were published in 2016 in the European Journal of Integrative Medicine [4].
A research team led by Portuguese scholar Zilda Alarcao conducted a study to examine the effects of authentic Reiki treatment compared to sham or placebo Reiki in two groups of patients with blood cancer.
Each group consisted of 58 patients who received one-hour sessions of treatment once a week for four weeks, with one group receiving genuine Reiki from a trained practitioner and the other group receiving sham Reiki from an individual pretending to perform Reiki.
Using the Portuguese version of the World Health Organization's Quality of Life survey (WHOQoL-Bref), a reputable research tool that assesses pain and other aspects of quality of life following an intervention, the researchers discovered that patients who received genuine Reiki exhibited significantly greater improvements than the sham group in overall, physical, environmental, and social dimensions of their quality of life. The results of this study were published in 2016 in the European Journal of Integrative Medicine [4].
Conclusion
Reiki practitioners emphasize that Reiki should not be perceived as a panacea or a universal remedy, but rather as one intervention among many. Nevertheless, it is considered safe and potentially effective to a significant extent, leading to a growing number—currently 15%—of hospitals in the United States offering specialized Reiki healing services [5]. Esteemed institutions such as the University of Minnesota, Harvard, the University of Arizona, Yale, UCLA, and others now incorporate Reiki as a complementary approach alongside conventional medical treatments. So, you can heal with Reiki.
For those who want to heal with Reiki and seek reputable Reiki practitioners and teachers who approach the practice and training with dedication, professional associations can be valuable resources. The International Reiki Association, the Reiki Alliance, and the International Association of Reiki Practitioners all provide online tools to help locate practitioners in specific regions. These associations ensure that individuals can find qualified and committed Reiki professionals.
For those who want to heal with Reiki and seek reputable Reiki practitioners and teachers who approach the practice and training with dedication, professional associations can be valuable resources. The International Reiki Association, the Reiki Alliance, and the International Association of Reiki Practitioners all provide online tools to help locate practitioners in specific regions. These associations ensure that individuals can find qualified and committed Reiki professionals.
References:
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0735109710025258?via%3Dihub
- https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/acm.2008.0068
- https://www.researchgate.net/journal/Indian-Journal-of-Positive-Psychology-2229-4937
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1876382015300664
- https://www.forbes.com/health/body/what-is-reiki/