What Is Reiki?
Reiki (Ray-Kee) is a Japanese term meaning “Universal Life Force Energy” which flows through all things living.
Reiki has been known and practiced for thousands of years and is a complementary form of energy therapy. In the early 1900’s a Japanese doctor named Mikao Usui developed the most common form of Reiki treatment used today. Using their hands, a Reiki practitioner will act as a conduit between the client and the life force energy surrounding us. By improving the flow and balance of life force energy your body’s own natural healing abilities are dramatically improved while enabling deep relaxation, pain relief, and reducing symptoms of illness.
What to Expect During A Session
A Reiki session involves laying on a massage table fully clothed while the Reiki practitioner gently places their hands palms down on or just above specific energy points of the body. The length of time spent on each hand position is determined by the flow of energy through the hands at each location. As the Reiki practitioner is only facilitating the flow of energy a client will never receive “too much” energy. A client will only take in as much energy as is needed in a certain location. Some clients report feeling the energy in the form of heat, tingling, or pulsating where the Reiki practitioner has placed their hands. Sometimes clients feel sensations moving through their body while others report no changes at all. Most clients feel very relaxed and peaceful during the Reiki session and many in fact fall asleep.
What Are The Benefits of Reiki?
Reiki promotes relaxation, stress reduction and symptom relief to improve over-all health and well-being. Reiki can:
- Bring on a meditative state
- Promote tissue and bone healing after injury or surgery
- Stimulate your immune system
- Relieve pain and tension
- Support the well-being of patients receiving traditional medical treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, and kidney dialysis
A Few Conditions Reiki Can Treat
- Cancers
- Autism
- Heart Disease
- Chronic Pain
- Infertility
- Digestive Problems
- Psychological distress such as Depression and Anxiety
- Stress-related illnesses
Reiki is quickly becoming a popular alternative therapy for medical practitioners. Many hospitals are now offering Reiki to help their patients with their traditional treatments.
A few local hospitals offering Reiki are:
- The Brigham Woman’s Hospital, Boston
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
- The Children’s Hospital, Boston
- Harvard University, Harvard Medical School Boston and Cambridge
- Concord Hospital in Concord, New Hampshire
- Lowell General Hospital in Lowell, Massachusetts
- St. Joseph Hospital in Nashua, New Hampshire