What is Reiki?
I get asked this a lot, the term Reiki comes from two Japanese syllables “ray key” meaning “ Universal Life Energy”. Rei represents the source of this energy, and Ki represents the energy’s movement within and around you.
Reiki is an energy healing art derived from ancient healing practices. It intentionally channels ki energies to promote balance and well- being.
Every living thing exists because of ki; without ki, there is no life. When a person, animal, tree or any living thing is in poor health, it’s an indication that ki is not functioning as well as it could be meaning the ki energy in the body is blocked in some way.
Reiki practitioners assist the recipient by channeling pure ki energies into the body to break through blockages.
It’s important to remember the reiki practitioner does not “heal” the recipient but rather helps the recipient to heal themselves. A reiki practitioner is simply a channel for energy the recipient uses.
For reiki to work the recipient simple has to have an acceptance that they are willing to move from a painful experience into a less painful experience.
It can be difficult to describe what reiki is to someone who has not come in contact with it. Think of reiki like the wind, you can not actually see it but you can feel and see it’s effects.
Reiki is a very gentle energy it’s suitable to use on all ages. It’s healing power is limited only by your self-made boundaries. As you open up to reiki energy you will discover the myriad of benefits it offers.
Benefits & Uses Of Reiki
Did you know that people use Reiki to relax and strengthen their wellbeing; reduce pain, anxiety and fatigue; help manage symptoms; reduce side effects of medications; and support recovery after injuries or surgery? Always remember reiki is not a replacement treatment but a complementary treatment to modern medicine.
Conditions that Reiki has been used to help and assist treatment for are anxiety, depression, chronic pain, infertility, autism, neurodegenerative disorders, Crohn’s disease and fatigue syndromes.
Reiki helps to restore balance which means different things at different times. If you are tired, you’ll feel refreshed. If you are anxious, you’ll feel serene. If you are distressed, you’ll feel comforted. Instead of feeling overwhelmed, you’ll discover a renewed clarity and purpose. And these subjective changes come with physical changes associated with deep relaxation, such as a slower heart rate and easier breathing.
The first session usually brings improvement, and the benefits grow with repeated sessions.
So as you can see there are many uses for reiki and there are many wonderful benefits of Reiki.
Reiki is a very simple process, but usually produces quite profound effects.
Reiki pronates balance and healing by enhancing the body’s natural healing ability whilst energising and promoting overall wellness. Reiki works directly on restoring balance on all levels and works directly on the problem and condition instead of just masking or relieving symptoms.
It creates deep relaxation and helps the body release stress and tension. What many people enjoy about a reiki treatment is it allows them time to themselves where they aren’t ‘doing’ but just ‘being’. Clients have reported feeling more clear, peaceful, relaxed and lighter in themselves. Regular Reiki treatments can bring about a calmer and more peaceful state of being, in which a person is better able to cope with everyday stress. This mental balance also enhances learning, memory and mental clarity.
Reiki can assist to heal mental/emotional wounds and can help alleviate mood swings, fear, frustration and even anger.
Reiki assists the body in cleansing itself from toxins and supports the immune system
We spend so much time in the stress-reactive fight/flight phase that it becomes our ‘norm’ and our bodies literally forget how to return to balance. Reiki reminds our bodies how to shift into a parasympathetic nervous system (rest / digest) self-healing mode. Rest/digest doesn’t mean you have to stop being active and productive or ‘do nothing’. It allows you to sleep better and digest better which is important to maintaining health and vitality. The more you are in this space, the more you can be active and productive without being stressed, exhausted or burn-out.
It also helps to relieve pain and supports the physical body healing.
Reiki Aids better sleep. The number one outcome of receiving a Reiki session is relaxation. When we’re relaxed, we sleep better, our bodies heal better, we think more clearly, and we relate to each other more genuinely. Often clients will experience deep relaxation during their Reiki session and sometimes a deep sleep during the session as well. Compliments medical treatment & other therapies
Reiki is a wonderful compliment to conventional medicine and treatments and helps relax patients on the levels of the mind and physical body. When a patient is relaxed the healing process is accelerated. People sleep much better and are calmer after reiki. The beauty of Reiki is that it is non invasive and is administered in a very gentle manner. The Reiki practitioner can give Reiki without touching the body in cases where patients have burns or major injuries.
Reiki is safe to use if you have medical conditions such as epilepsy, diabetes or heart conditions. You may receive Reiki treatments if you are undergoing chemotherapy.
Pregnant women can have Reiki treatments to support them through all stages of the pregnancy. Reiki is for everyone!
What does Reiki feel like?
Well reiki feels different for everyone. When reiki is applied, healing energy flows out of my body through the palms of my hands as they touch the recipient's body. The energy flow varies with speed, depending on a number of things, such as the extent of the recipient's illness, degree of their ki blockage, and their readiness to accept healing.
Reiki works like a thermostat that regulates the body. Reiki will flow slowly or rapidly as needed to dispense balancing energies. You may feel heat, warmth, cold or sensations of subtleness. The fact that you can feel reiki energy flowing, is verification that the energy is being welcomed. During a reiki treatment my hands will often heat up as a result of the flow coursing through my palms. My hand temperature can also change during the treatment ranging from burning hot to icy cold. Sometimes what I feel is not the same as what you the recipient feels. For instance I may feel like I’m burning up but you may only feel warmth. Or you may feel warm hands but my hands feel cool. Sometimes the recipient may even feel like they have additional hands placed somewhere on their body, this is not uncommon and it’s believed that helping hands or spirit guides are present or that the reiki finds its own flow and goes where it needs to be. You may also feel sleepy as incoming reiki energy soothes and calms pent up emotional tension and stress. It’s very common for the recipients to fall asleep while receiving reiki, I say don’t try to fight it, don’t apologise because your body needs the rest, just go with it.
Reiki enters the body through one chakra or a combination of chakras. Also known as energy vortexes or wheels of light.
