Everything You Need To Know About Reiki Therapy
You might have heard of reiki through a friend or maybe you read about it briefly online. Before trying out reiki for yourself, it’s normal to have questions about this form of therapy.
In this article, I share everything you need to know about reiki therapy. Whether you’re wondering where reiki originated or if reiki therapy presents any dangers, we’ll cover it all in this post. Let’s start with the simple definition of the word “Reiki.”
What Does “Reiki” Mean in Japanese?
The term “Reiki” comes from the Japanese words “rei”, which means universal spirit, and “ki” meaning vital life force or energy. Reiki is based on the idea that a “life force energy” flows through us and gives us life. If your “life force energy” is low, then you’re more inclined to feel lethargic or stressed, and if it’s high, you’re empowered to be more happy and healthy.
Reiki Originated in 1920s Japan
Reiki’s origin story dates back to the early 1920’s in Japan, where it was first practiced by spiritual aspirant and Buddhist monk, Mikao Usui. Drawing from Japanese spiritual influences and his own spiritual experiences, Usui discovered “Usui Reiki Ryoho,” which is the most current form of reiki therapy. However, many experts suggest that reiki is an old spiritual practice that’s been around for thousands of years.
Usui went on to travel around Japan during the last four years of his life, teaching 2,000 students and training 16 Reiki masters. Eventually, the practice of reiki was brought to the US in 1937 by a patient named Hawayo Takata who experienced restored health at a reiki clinic in Tokyo. Today, reiki is a widespread and popular form of therapy used to lessen pain in the body, help with emotional distress and to help the nervous system calm.
Even though reiki is well known, many individuals still have questions about how reiki works or if it’s effective. Now that you know the history of Reiki, let’s take a deep dive into the basics of Reiki therapy in practice.
What is Reiki Therapy and How Does it Work?
To successfully perform reiki, a practitioner has to be trained by a reiki master. Training involves “reiki attunement,” or undergoing a powerful spiritual experience that opens energetic pathways in a trainee’s body. After training, students practice reiki therapy on themselves, friends, family, and/or clients.
Reiki therapy (or reiki meditation) is a healing experience that helps the receiver to be in a rested state of mind. The reiki practitioner will become attuned to the universal life force energy and act as a conduit between the patient and their energy. A reiki therapist can choose to use gentle touch or no touch at all.
If using a gentle touch, the practitioner will delicately place their hands, palms down on, or slightly above, the clients body in specific non-invasive locations where energy is felt. Traditionally, about 12 to 15 hand positions are used during a reiki session.
If a practitioner uses a hands-off approach to reiki, the reiki therapist knows how to let the universal energy flow to the client without directly touching the patient. If you’re interested in reiki but don’t feel comfortable with the thought of gentle touch, a non-touch reiki session may be a great fit for you.
What Are the Benefits of Reiki?
Reiki helps with a vast range of physical, emotional, and spiritual struggles. Here are a few positive effects of reiki:
Deepens sleep and reduces insomnia symptoms
Lessens stress
Improved pain management
Boosted mood
Decreases anxiety
It’s common for clients to feel sleepy, deeply relaxed, or restored to heightened energy levels after a session. The patient may feel waves of life-force energy throughout their body or perhaps sense nothing at all.
How Long Does Reiki Last?
A reiki therapy session usually lasts anywhere from 15 to 90 minutes, but on average a reiki session will take one hour. As for how long the benefits of reiki last, it’s on a case-by-case basis for every individual. Reiki’s healing qualities can last for days to weeks, depending on the patient and the frequency of sessions. Generally, if you’re more consistent with sessions, the rewards will stick around for quite some time.
If a client is experiencing deep emotional pain, more frequent sessions will likely be needed. However, if a patient is feeling fairly healthy, reiki sessions can be spaced out to fit their preferences.
Top 3 FAQs About Reiki Therapy
There’s always more to learn about reiki therapy and how it works. Take a look at these top 3 frequently asked questions regarding reiki therapy:
1. Is Reiki Dangerous?
According to Ann L. Baldwin, a Reiki researcher and professor of physiology at the University of Arizona, “There are no reported significant dangers in undergoing Reiki. [In general], Reiki can do no harm and has no side effects.”
The one thing to consider with Reiki is to make sure to find a trained Reiki practitioner who’s been educated by a Reiki master. Continually, patients need to have an open dialogue with practitioners about emotional disorders or overall experiences during a reiki session to guarantee comfortability.
2. Is Reiki Covered by Insurance?
Reiki is only covered by health insurance if it's part of treatment such as physical therapy or massage, or if it’s performed by a licensed health professional as part of a care routine in the hospital.
That being said, it's best to plan on paying out of pocket when attending a reiki therapy session. Reiki sessions can vary in cost depending on the experience and training of the practitioner.
3. Where Can I Find a Trained Reiki Practitioner?
It’s important to find a trained and professional reiki practitioner when first trying out reiki therapy. Here are a few things you can do to find a trusted reiki practitioner:
Ask friends for a recommendation
Google for reiki practitioners in your local area
Find a healthcare professional or nurse who offers reiki therapy
Before you book a session with a reiki therapist, you may want to ask some non-invasive questions such as, “what was your training like?,""what level of training have you received?,” or “how often do you practice Reiki?.”
Try Reiki Healing in Utah!
I have a decade of experience in holistic health practices like reiki and other forms of healing therapy. I’m a reliable and personable reiki practitioner helping residents of Salt Lake City, UT and surrounding areas. If you want to discover greater inner peace, book a reiki therapy session with me today.
