What really is Reiki?

It’s an interesting question. Google it and you’ll get thousands of answers. Some will be glowing, some cynical, some flowery, and some simply in language that doesn’t make sense.

So, I wanted to attempt to put in layman’s terms.

Reiki is universal energy. It can also be called Prana, Chi and many other words. Some people will say some energies, or even some forms of Reiki are stronger than others. But, that’s simply not true - it’s all energy.

You may think that talking about 'energy' is still a bit tenuous. So, let’s explore some examples where you may have experienced energy yourself:

• Have you ever walked into a room where there’s been an argument and you can feel a chill in the air?
• Have you stepped into a woodland in summer, under that green canopy, and felt relaxed or invigorated?
• Have you felt despair until someone simply sat with you and held your hand, and you felt relief?

All of those involve a feeling of energy; a change of energy.

What are the benefits of Reiki healing?

For me, there is a two-fold reason why Reiki works as a therapy.

Firstly, of course, is the Reiki itself. It is universal energy - energy drawn from around us. The Reiki practitioner is simply a conduit for it. They don’t force it into you. You draw it through them.

Think about it for a moment. Have you ever been stressed and anxious and then got a stomach ache or headache? If you make something matter enough, you’ll make it physically matter. Emotions and feelings can affect us physically.

Let’s, therefore, allow the opposite to happen. By using Reiki, you are opening yourself up to allowing positive energy to be drawn by your body to where it needs to go; allowing tension to relax. Energy is vibration. Just because it’s a vibration we can’t feel doesn’t mean it isn’t there.

Secondly, and for me just as importantly, is that during a Reiki session, the practitioner and you are in the same space. I don’t mean physically, hence why Reiki can be done at a distance. What I mean is you are being given time with another person who cares about you. They are there for you and yet they want nothing from you in that moment.  

How often do any of us get that luxury? To sit or be with another human being in a quiet moment, with love and no external demands. How wonderful.

What is having Reiki like?

It’s a tough question to answer, as it can be so different for each person. Sensations can include feeling hot or cold areas, twitching muscles, buzzing, relaxation, tears, and feeling sleepy or energised.

If you are with a practitioner face to face, they may place their hands on you, or have them hover above you, but there will be no massage movements. Hence, Reiki is done fully clothed. Hands-on or off will differ from practitioner to practitioner and, of course, your own preferences.

If Reiki is done at a distance, it can be done purely by agreeing a date and time for both parties to spend that time together or by using a video call, so you can face each other and feel connected.

Lastly, Reiki is not a belief system. You don’t have to believe in it for it to work. You simply need to be open to the experience and relax.

Give it a go today. Spend some time with another human being who wants nothing but the best for you.