what is reiki?
Reiki practitioners use a hands-on technique to transfer universal energy through the palms to the client in order to encourage physical, emotional, or spiritual healing.
The Reiki practitioner is not the healer—you are the healer. The practitioner can channel and offer you Reiki energy, but your body, mind, and spirit decide what to do with the energy and use it for your highest best.
Century-Old Healing
Reiki is perfectly safe for people of all ages and animals. There are no negative side effects whatsoever. Reiki is a wonderful way to reduce stress and aid in the healing of a variety of conditions.
There are different systems of Reiki, which are ways to structure how practitioners use the energy and offer it to others. The most common type of Reiki is Usui Reiki, which was developed by Japanese Buddhist Dr. Mikao Usui in the early 20th century.
NEW TO REIKI? WHAT TO EXPECT
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Animals love Reiki, too. They seem to have a natural understanding of what Reiki is and its benefits. Once a pet has received a Reiki treatment, they will often let you know that they want more. Because Reiki always honors free will, animal Reiki treatments are given a little differently than to people so that the animal can consent to receiving the energy. If you are seeking Reiki healing for an animal, make sure you choose a practitioner who has experience so that your animal will be at ease.
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In a standard treatment, Reiki energy flows from the practitioner's hands into the client. The client is usually lying on a massage table, but treatments can also be given while the client is seated or even standing. The client remains fully clothed.
Though Reiki is often given using hands-on touch, The Space Within is a trauma-informed practice. In our sessions, the practitioner will place their hands near, but not on, the client's body in a series of hand positions. These include positions around the head and shoulders, the torso, and the feet. (Clients may request hands-on touch, if preferred.) Other, more specific positions may be used based on the client's needs. Each position is held for three to ten minutes, guided by the practitioner’s intuition. The whole treatment usually lasts between 20 and 45 minutes.
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What one experiences during a Reiki treatment varies somewhat from person to person. However, almost everyone experiences feelings of deep relaxation. In addition, many feel sensations of energy moving through their bodies or other physical sensations and internal experiences. As the Reiki energy encourages the client to let go of all tension, anxiety, fear, or other negative feelings, they experience feelings of peace and well-being. Some drift off to sleep or report floating outside their bodies. Some have visions and other mystical experiences. At the end of the treatment, almost everyone feels refreshed with a more positive, balanced outlook.
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Most of the time, a person will feel relaxed and uplifted by a Reiki treatment. However, sometimes a person can have what is called a healing crisis. As a person’s vibration goes up, toxins that have been stored in the body will be released into the blood stream to be filtered by the liver and kidneys and removed from the system. When this happens, sometimes a person can get a headache or stomach ache or feel weak. If this happens, it is a good idea to drink more water, eat lighter meals, and get more rest. The body is cleansing itself as part of the healing process, so this is a good sign. Though Reiki itself has no side-effects, it is important to remain aware of how you feel after a session. There should be nothing severe that may necessitate medical attention, but listen to your body. If something happens that causes you concern, act accordingly.
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Reiki energy is a subtle energy. It is different from electricity or chemical energy or other kinds of physical energy that we can easily feel or see. Reiki energy comes from Source energy, which exists in a higher dimension than the physical world we are familiar with. When experienced intuitively, Reiki energy seems to come down from above and to enter the top of the practitioner's head, after which it flows through the body and out the hands. However, the true source of Reiki energy is within us. This does not mean that we use our personal energy when we do Reiki; rather, the energy is coming from a transcendental part of ourselves that is connected to an infinite supply of healing energy through Source.
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Although Reiki energy is spiritual in nature, Reiki is not a religion. Practitioners are not asked to change any religious or spiritual beliefs they may have. They are free to continue believing anything they choose and are encouraged to make their own decisions concerning the nature of their religious practices. Practitioners may refer to Source, a Higher Power, God, or use other language to describe where the energy comes from, but these are all words for the same thing–everyone’s experience and understanding of Reiki is rooted in their own religious or spiritual practices.
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Reiki can have a positive effect on all forms of illness and negative conditions. This includes minor things like head or stomach aches, bee stings, colds, flu, tension, temporary feelings of anxiety or depression, as well as helping with symptoms of serious illnesses and conditions like heart disease, cancer, chronic anxiety or depression, and with recovery from serious injuries, surgery, or other physical and mental/emotional trauma. The side effects of regular medical treatments have also been reported to be reduced or eliminated using Reiki. This includes the negative effects of chemotherapy and post-operative pain and recovery, as well as improving healing and reducing hospitalization time. Reiki always helps, and, in some cases, people have experienced complete healing, confirmed by medical tests before and after the Reiki treatments. However, while some have experienced miracles, they cannot be guaranteed. Stress reduction, with some improvement in one's physical and psychological condition, is what most experience.
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No. Reiki works in conjunction with medical or psychological treatment. If one has a medical or psychological condition, it is recommended that one see a licensed healthcare professional in addition to receiving Reiki treatments. Reiki energy works in harmony with all other forms of healing, including medications, surgery, psychological care, or any other method of alternative care, and it will improve the results, may mitigate side-effects, and will likely shorten healing time.
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Since Reiki comes from Source energy and is guided by the higher self of the person receiving the energy, Reiki will automatically adjust appropriately for the recipient’s conditions. Reiki can only do good. Many pregnant women have received treatments with great benefit to them and their unborn children. It has also been used during childbirth, during postpartum recovery, and to help ease the newborn’s transition into this world. Babies love Reiki, both in utero and after birth.
*Adapted from Reiki: Questions and Answers by the International Center for Reiki Training at reiki.org.
