Reiki is a non-invasive, complementary therapy which aims to work on re-balancing the recipient’s natural energy. It can be given to the whole body or specific areas. The practitioner’s hands are placed on or near various body parts and the client may feel deeply relaxed, sometimes feeling sensations of warmth and tingling, amongst a variety of responses experienced by those receiving reiki. The client can remain fully clothed throughout the treatment.
Reiki is handed down by Reiki Master Teachers to their students. It was developed in Japan by Dr Mikao Usui and was taught to his students, who, in turn, have passed the tradition to their students. It is now practised in many countries throughout the world and is a very popular therapy to both receive and learn. The reiki practitioner creates a specific therapy session for their clients with the aim of detecting the individual requirements of each person’s energetic system. They then aim to restore energetic balance to a person, in turn restoring well-being to the person on all levels, emotionally, physically, mentally and spiritually.
The term ‘Reiki’ is used to describe ‘Universal Life Energy’ which is worked with in therapeutic disciplines of natural energy balancing. This energy has been given different names, including ‘prana’ (often referred to in India, for example in yoga and chakra therapy) and ‘chi’ (the energy cultivated and balanced in Tai Chi, acupuncture, Shiatsu, and other Eastern therapies). From all these energy based, healing traditions comes the belief that - if the energy system of a person is restored to balance or natural harmony, with the body’s energy flowing correctly within energy channels (meridians) and energy centres (chakras), then well- being is restored to the individual.