(Andrey_Popov / Shutterstock.com)
Reiki is a type of alternative energy healing originating in Japan over two thousand years ago. Based on the belief that everyone has a subtle life force energy in and around them, reiki, according to The Health Site, unblocks and redirects this energy, allowing for emotional, physical, and spiritual healing.
The Japanese word explains its meaning succinctly; rei means higher power, while ki denotes life force energy. In the 1930s, a Japanese-American woman called Hawayo Takato brought this complementary health practice to the West, according to Forbes.
While there are 30 kinds of reiki, the best known is called Usui. Usui reiki involves sensing energy blocks and moving the energy throughout the body to promote healing and a sense of wellbeing. A session may begin with a meditation followed by the practitioner simply moving their hands on or above the client’s body.
Anyone can learn to do reiki and it can be practiced almost anywhere, with positive results. As it gains popularity, many hospitals in the US are offering reiki as a complementary therapy, according to Planet Meditate. Here are five areas in which reiki may offer healing.
May Reduce Stress and Help Improve Mood
Since reiki opens blocked energy pathways or chakras, it can also release barriers caused by negative thoughts, according to The Health Site. When you feel stress, or have a negative thought or feeling about yourself, it can unsettle your life force energy flow. In turn, this may affect your organs, resulting in gastrointestinal issues, irregular heart rhythm, or a mood disorder.
A study published in Evidence Based Complementary Alternative Medicine showed that people who received reiki had improved moods and as well as decreased stress compared to the control group.
(Microgen / Shutterstock.com)
May Improve Metabolic Syndrome
People with metabolic syndrome may be at risk of developing type 2 diabetes or cardiovascular disease and may have high blood pressure, high blood sugar, obesity, and other issues. A study published in the Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism showed that mind-body therapies, like reiki, may improve metabolic syndrome by offering feelings of calm as well as improvements in cardiovascular health.
Reiki Could Increase Mobility
Reiki has been shown to be as effective as physical therapy when it comes to improving range of motion, especially in shoulder injuries. A study in Evidence Based Complementary Alternative Medicine showed improvements in people who experienced painful shoulder pain. A ten-minute session of reiki was compared to manual manipulation by a physiotherapist and had similar results.
(Andrey_Popov / Shutterstock.com)
Helps With Emotional Wellbeing
Again, it is about increasing that life force flow. People who receive reiki often have feelings of expansiveness, plus an improved ability to love and feel empathy, according to The Health Site. They may also feel an enhanced connection to others as well as inner harmony.
This improved sense of inner peace may also lead to improved health, according to By The Way Health. The premise here is that a strong, unimpeded inner life force may make one less susceptible to illness.
(Monika Wisniewska / Shutterstock.com)
May Enjoy Better Sleep
Since reiki induces feelings of relaxation, it lessens stress and improves sleep, according to the International Association of Reiki Professionals. Insomnia and difficulties falling asleep may have underlying factors such as stress or anxiety. As reiki addresses stress, this may result in healthier heart-rate variability and body temperature.
Experiencing reiki also imbues people with a sense of having control over underlying issues. This may offer renewed confidence and a better night’s sleep. People who have reiki treatments may also feel a sense of connection with others, which could result in happiness and improved sleep.
(Motortion Films / Shutterstock.com)
