Picture by James Wheeler
My mom thinks everything I do is a little ‘woo woo”. Energy work, meditations, etc. is not really her thing.
She always wiggles her fingers at me like cartoon witch when she talks to me about Reiki.
She is the perfect non- bias and uninterested source to ask honest questions about Reiki and help me explain what Reiki is to the average person.
Let’s start off with the biggest question.
What is it?
Reiki is a holistic system for natural healing. It is a Japanese technique with no religious affiliation. Rei- means universal wisdom and Ki- means life force energy.
Her next question, of course, was…
what the heck is life force energy?
She didn’t say heck but I thought I’d keep it PG.
Science and traditional spiritual beliefs all agree that energy flows though and connects every living thing. Life force energy is the energy in all living things.
Everyone feels and detects energy all day every day. Some examples are, when we feel someone in our bubble or when you walk into a room and feel a bad vibe. That is us just detecting different energies and deciding if they complement us. Feeling energy or vibes are just part of the human experience, no matter what you believe in.
My mom understood life force energy best when we talked about when someone passes away. You can see they no longer have life in their eyes. What gives us the life in our eyes is life force energy.
Why is it trendy now?
Picture by Antonika Chanel
She is referring to seeing magazine articles like one from women’s health, Dr. Oz doing a segment on it and a few of her friends are in love with it.
I think part of the reason you hear about Reiki more now than in the past is because as a society we have become more accepting of holistic practices.
But also the accessibility of Reiki has improved by miles in the last 30 years
Reiki was brought to the west in the late 30s by a Hawaiian woman named Hawayo Takata. She was the only teacher in the country. When she had passed away in 1980 she had only trained 20 other Reiki Masters/ teachers. Since then the volume of teachers and types of Reiki has expanded a lot.
How do I get it? / What does a session look like?
There are 2 types of private sessions, in person or a distance session. There is no difference in the benefits from doing one over the other. Today I’ll stick to an in-person session.
Before starting, you and your Reiki practitioner will talk about any questions you have, what you are looking for from the session, and will ask you to take off your shoes. You will lay on the massage table or couch fully clothed.
There will be dim lights and soft music in the background to help you relax. The practitioner will place their hands onto or just floating above specific areas of the body and will never touch any private areas. What you can do during this time is, close your eyes and relax. Some people don’t feel comfortable with closing their eyes and that’s okay, you can do a soft gaze instead. You don’t have to do a thing during a session but lay there and receive.
Is it safe?
In all the studies that have been done about Reiki there has been no evidence of any contraindications. It has no negative side effects and is good for all age groups.
What does it feel like during a session?
When I receive Reiki, it feels like cool water from the hose touching your lips on a hot summer day. It’s completely gentle, refreshing and flowing.
Most people agree Reiki feels incredibly relaxing, peaceful and calming. Some clients will feel heat or tingling during their session. Some areas of the body might feel cold after the practitioner’s hands are moved.
Emotions might come to the surface, it’s okay to laugh or cry if you need to. It’s also okay, if you start to fall asleep or your muscles jerk. Your body will react in different ways to the stagnant energy being released.
If you are ready to try Reiki
Find your right Reiki practitioner like you find your right massage therapist. Look for recommendations and credentials, make sure their space is clean/safe, and find someone you click with.
Energy work is a gift that heals and balances us from the inside, out. Go to someone you trust and see what everyone has been talking about.
Click here to book a Reiki with me.