Shamanic Reiki can make it easier for you to work through physical, emotional and spiritual challenges.

So what is Shamanic Reiki, exactly? Well, Reiki is energy, just like everything else. Everything is energy in motion. The atoms that make up the clothes on your back, the breath in your lungs, the computer screen you're reading right now — it's all energy in motion. When I work with a client, I'm funneling energy from the Universe to and through their physical, emotional and spiritual systems to help accomplish the goals they're working on. Whether it's relieving physical pain, easing emotional distress, or to help them with a certain part of their spiritual journey, Shamanic Reiki can be immensely valuable and transformative.

The shamanic aspect of what I do comes in to play with how much I pull from various shamanic traditions; basically, if a technique resonates deeply, my intuition approves, and it works — I'm open to working with it.

I work with the elements, rocks, rattles, smudging, drumming and umpteen other tools and techniques that are full of shamany goodness. Yes, I said shamany goodness. I consider the work I help people do to be very powerful, and sacred, and at the same time infinitely simple and accessible.

(If you'd like to learn more about shamanism, I've compiled a list of resources that might be helpful. There are also several practicing shamans in the area that I can recommend, two of whom work at Mystickal Voyage on a regular basis.)

Back to Reiki — Reiki is a japanese word; "Rei" means Universe, or Everything, and "Ki" is energy. You may already know this, but Reiki in general is really simple. In one way or another, everyone can do it; whether they've taken classes and gotten attunements, or whether they just kiss a booboo to make it better. Which is fabulous, because Reiki is also really beneficial. It can help facilitate healing, personal growth, and can be amazingly relaxing.

There can be more to it than that, but there really doesn't have to be.

 

Benefits to the Mind and Body

Reiki is most commonly used as a tool for stress reduction and relaxation, but its benefits seem to extend much further. Scientific studies regarding Reiki are still few and far between, but those that have been done, along with a host of client testimonials, have found that Reiki:

• Helps relieve pain
  
• Eases the symptoms of depression, anxiety and PTSD
  
• Alleviates the symptoms associated with chronic illness
• Supports the immune system
  
• Promotes better sleep
  
• Reduces blood pressure
  
• Instills peace in terminally ill cancer patients
  
• Creates deep relaxation in the body and helps relieve stress
  
• Helps the body to rid itself of toxins
• Helps the body to recover after surgery and chemotherapy,
  and reduces some drug side effects

 

A More “Official” Description of Reiki

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (which is a part of the National Institues of Health) provides more information in their Reiki Backgrounder. I've included some of it here, and encourage you to visit their site to read more.

The following information is from NCCAM Publication No. D315, and is part of the public domain:

REIKI BACKGROUNDER: An Introduction to Reiki

Reiki: a therapy in which practitioners seek to transmit a universal energy to a person, either from a distance or by placing their hands on or near that person. The intent is to heal the spirit and thus the body. Reiki (pronounced "ray-kee") is an energy medicine. Therapies that use energy fields with the intent to affect health. Some fields, such as magnetic fields and light, have been measured while others, such as biofields, have not.

Examples of energy therapies include magnetic therapy and Reiki, a practice that originated in Japan. In Reiki, the practitioner places his hands on or near the person receiving treatment, with the intent to transmit ki, believed to be a life-force energy.

Practitioners also believe that they can treat themselves with Reiki and send ki across short or long distances. In the United States, Reiki is part of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) — a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine.

Complementary medicine is used together with conventional medicine, and alternative medicine is used in place of conventional medicine.. This Backgrounder provides a general overview of Reiki and suggests some resources you can use to learn more about this practice.

Reiki as an Energy Medicine Therapy

The word Reiki is made up of two Japanese words: Rei, or universal spirit (sometimes thought of as a supreme being), and ki.

Thus, the word Reiki means "universal life energy."

In CAM, Reiki belongs to a domain (area of knowledge) called energy medicine. In this domain, therapies are based on the belief that disturbances in energy cause illness. Energy medicine practitioners seek to improve the flow and balance of energy in a beneficial way.

About Energy Medicine

Energy medicine seeks to use, for potential health purposes, forces of two types:

• Forces that scientific instruments can measure (for example, forces associated with electromagnetic fields).
  
• Forces (called biofields or putative energy fields) that some people believe surround and penetrate the human body. Ki, the life-force energy described in Reiki, is in this second category.

Researchers have been interested in detecting and describing the physical properties of biofields. Some, using certain sophisticated tools, have claimed to detect or photograph differences in study participants before and after energy treatments. However, it is not clear what is being detected or photographed.

Others have claimed to detect energy interactions between healers and people they treat.

A Description of Reiki

Reiki is a therapy that the practitioner delivers through the hands, with intent to raise the amount of ki in and around the client, heal pathways for ki, and reduce negative energies. Reiki can be practiced in several ways: on its own, along with other CAM therapies, and along with conventional medical treatments.

When a practitioner performs Reiki, usually the client sits or lies comfortably, fully clothed. The practitioner places her hands on or slightly above the client's body, using 12 to 15 different hand positions, with the intent to transmit ki. The hands are positioned with the palms down, fingers and thumbs extended.

Each hand position is held until the practitioner feels that the flow of energy has slowed or stopped, typically about 2 to 5 minutes. Some Reiki practitioners believe they are helped by "spirit guides" for proper flow of the energy.

Practitioners perform Reiki most often in offices, hospitals, clinics, and private homes. The practitioner and client determine the number of sessions together. Typically, the practitioner delivers at least four sessions of 30 to 90 minutes each.

Depending on their level of training, people can perform Reiki on themselves as well as on people who are either close by or at some distance away (even at a long distance). In the latter case, Reiki is a type of "distant healing."
For more on this topic, see NCCAM's Backgrounder "Energy Medicine: An Overview."

More About Ki

People who believe in the existence of ki hold that ki:

• Is spiritual in origin.
  
• Makes up and moves through all living things.
  
• Is available in infinite quantities, positive in nature, and important to all aspects of health.
  
• Is present both inside the body and on its surface.
  
• Flows throughout the body in specific channels.
  
• Has its flow disturbed by negative thoughts or feelings.

They also believe that if ki's flow is disrupted, the body's functioning becomes disrupted, and health problems can occur. The concept that sickness and disease arise from imbalances in a vital energy field is the foundation not only of Reiki but of some other CAM therapies, such as traditional Chinese medicine, awhole medical system that originated in China. It is based on the concept that disease results from disruption in the flow of qi and imbalance in the forces of yin and yang. Practices such as herbs, meditation, massage, and acupuncture seek to aid healing by restoring the yin-yang balance and the flow of qi.

In traditional Chinese medicine, the vital energy or life force proposed to regulate a person's spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical health and to be influenced by the opposing forces of yin and yang. or chi) and homeopathy, a whole medical system that originated in Europe. Homeopathy seeks to stimulate the body's ability to heal itself by giving very small doses of highly diluted substances that in larger doses would produce illness or symptoms (an approach called "like cures like"). (vital force).

Use for Health Purposes

People have sought Reiki treatment for a wide variety of health-related purposes.
Some examples include:

• Effects of stress.
  
• Chronic pain.
  
• Recovery from surgery and anesthesia.
  
• Side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy for cancer.
  
• Lowering heart rate.
  
• Improving immunity.
  
• Mental clarity.
  
• Sense of well-being and/or spirituality An individual's sense of purpose and meaning of life beyond material values.
  
• Enhancing the sense of peace in people who are dying.

A recent national survey on Americans' use of CAM found that 1.1 percent of the 31,000 participants had used Reiki in the year before the survey.

Effects of Reiki

Clients may report a deep feeling of relaxation after a Reiki session. Relaxation in and of itself may have beneficial health-related effects, such as reducing pain, nausea, and fatigue. A client might also experience warmth, tingling, sleepiness, refreshment, and/or the easing of one or more other symptoms after treatment.

Reiki appears to be generally safe, and serious side effects have not been reported. Some practitioners advise caution about using Reiki in people with psychiatric problems.

Sometimes a Reiki client experiences what practitioners call a "cleansing crisis." The person may have symptoms such as a feeling of weakness or tiredness, a headache, or a stomach ache. Reiki practitioners believe that these are effects of the body releasing toxins. They advise the client on how to deal with such symptoms if they occur, such as by getting more rest, drinking plenty of water, or eating a lighter diet.

Some Other Points to Consider About Reiki as CAM
(Complementary Alternative Medicine)

If you are considering or using Reiki as CAM:

• Do not use Reiki as a replacement for conventional care or to delay the time it takes you to see a doctor about a medical problem.
  
• Tell your health care providers about any complementary and alternative practices you use. Give them a full picture of what you do to manage your health. This will help ensure coordinated and safe care.
  
• Ask the Reiki practitioner about his training and experience (see also the NCCAM publication "Selecting a CAM Practitioner"). Ask about any costs as well, for these can vary from fees to donations to no charge.
  
• Reiki has not been well studied scientifically, but you can find and read research studies published on its use for various health conditions.

References

Sources are drawn primarily from recent reviews in English on Reiki in the PubMed database, selected evidence-based databases, and Federal sources.

Barnes PM, Powell-Griner E, McFann K, Nahin RL. Complementary and alternative medicine use among adults: United States, 2002. CDC Advance Report #343. 2004.

Chu DA. Tai chi, qi gong and Reiki. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America. 2004;15(4):774-781.

DiNucci EM. Energy healing: a complementary treatment for orthopaedic and other conditions. Orthopaedic Nursing. 2005;24(4):259-269.

Engebretson J, Wardell DW. Experience of a Reiki session. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine. 2002;8(2):48-53.

Healing touch: hands-on help for the heart? Touch therapies are reaching growing numbers of patients. Harvard Heart Letter. 2005;16(2):3.

International Association of Reiki Professionals Web site. Accessed at http://www.iarp.org on March 30, 2006.

LaTorre MA. The use of Reiki in psychotherapy. Perspectives in Psychiatric Care. 2005;41(4):184-187.

Miles P, True G. Reiki-review of a biofield therapy history, theory, practice, and research. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine. 2003;9(2):62-72.

National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Energy Medicine: An Overview.
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine Web site. Accessed at http://nccam.nih.gov/health/backgrounds/energymed.htm on March 30, 2006.

National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Expanding Horizons of Health Care: Strategic Plan 2005-2009. Bethesda, MD: National Institutes of Health; 2005. NIH publication no. 04-5568.

Nield-Anderson L, Ameling A. Reiki: a complementary therapy for nursing practice. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services. 2001; 39(4):42-49.

Reiki. Natural Standard Database Web site. Accessed at http://www.naturalstandard.com on March 30, 2006.

For More Information

NCCAM Clearinghouse

The NCCAM Clearinghouse provides information on CAM and NCCAM, including publications and searches of Federal databases of scientific and medical literature. The Clearinghouse does not provide medical advice, treatment recommendations, or referrals to practitioners.

Toll-free in the U.S.: 1-888-644-6226
TTY (for deaf and hard-of-hearing callers): 1-866-464-3615
Web site: nccam.nih.gov
E-mail: info@nccam.nih.gov

PubMed®

A service of the National Library of Medicine (NLM), PubMed contains publication information and (in most cases) brief summaries of articles from scientific and medical journals. CAM on PubMed, developed jointly by NCCAM and NLM, is a subset of the PubMed system and focuses on the topic of CAM.

Web site: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez
CAM on PubMed: nccam.nih.gov/camonpubmed/

CRISP (Computer Retrieval of Information on Scientific Projects)

CRISP is a database of information on federally funded scientific and medical research projects being conducted at research institutions.

Web site: www.crisp.cit.nih.gov

ClinicalTrials.gov

ClinicalTrials.gov is a database of information on federally and privately supported clinical trials (research studies in people) for a wide range of diseases and conditions. It is sponsored by the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Web site: www.clinicaltrials.gov

Acknowledgments

NCCAM thanks the following people for their technical expertise and review of this publication: Joan Fox, Ph.D., and Didier Allexandre, Ph.D., The Cleveland Clinic; Karen Prestwood, M.D., University of Connecticut Health Center; Gala True, Ph.D., Albert Einstein Healthcare Network; and Morgan Jackson, M.D., and Shan Wong, Ph.D., NCCAM.

NCCAM has provided this material for your information. It is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your primary health care provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with your health care provider. The mention of any product, service, or therapy is not an endorsement by NCCAM.

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To schedule your Shamanic Reiki session with me, Eleanor Justice,
call Mystickal Voyage at 410.663.8333

Tuesdays and every other Saturday at Mystickal Voyage | 410.663.8333
8601 Walther Blvd, Nottingham MD 21236 | MystickalVoyage.com