Quote by Dr Rachel Naomi Remen Physician and Pioneer in the Mind/Body Holistic Health Movement USA
And the power to help … healing … is not dependent on the power to cure.”
Summary: Healing and curing are sometimes viewed as the same thing – they are not. Some illnesses cannot be cured, but everyone can heal. It needs to be stated honestly that Reiki Energy Healing may not always cure… and that Reiki is never an alternative to conventional medical treatment. Yet belief in Reiki healing is evident in the fact that holistic therapy is being offered to in-patients in some NHS (UK) hospitals. Also, the International Association of Reiki Professionals provides information on their website which include the benefits that Reiki offers, including quicker recovery from surgical procedures. Although sceptics may question the emerging field of Biofield Science, research is being published at an increasingly rapid rate. Measurable outcomes such as improved blood pressure and heart rates can be documented, but less easy to scientifically prove are the likes of spiritual connection, chakra balance and enhanced self-esteem. A factor negatively influencing the credibility of Reiki Healing is that “the vast majority of reports still appear in popular rather than scientific literature”. (ScienceDirect).
Read time: 10 minutes
Reiki practitioners claim to “channel” universal energy to heal themselves or a client. The subject of healing is a deep philosophical one and one which, I believe, is unending. Wikipedia describes Reiki as being a “pseudoscientific practice based on metaphysical concepts … prone to bias” and yes, there is still relatively little scientific evidence as to exactly how Reiki works, nonetheless numerous studies have proven many measurable beneficial outcomes. (Some examples of this can be read in the ScienceDirect link in resources below.)
Dreaded diseases constantly stare us in the face in these modern times and although they often don’t have the promise of a cure, this is changing all the time. A case in point is cancer, which has become so prolific that the NHS (UK) statistic of 1 in 2 people developing some form of cancer during their lifetime, means we have or will come into direct contact with sufferers. Reiki is being used in a wide variety of settings to support cancer patients worldwide. Alzheimer’s, HIV/Aids and strokes also enter the mind and faith and hope are placed in the sciences for cures. Just recently, a drug to slow down Dementia has hit the news. So “cures” do happen, as do wonderous, sometimes “inexplicable” recoveries that, as mere mortals, we often can’t quite place readily into a box. The vast research in the money-rich pharmaceutical industry is well documented and overshadows biological field science, which is an emerging field of study covering “energy medicine”. Reiki or Universal Energy Healing fits nicely into this model.
Glob Adv Health Med (2015) cites Reiki, together with other holistic healing modalities, as an “energy medicine”. Often mentioned is the healing source of energy emanating from therapist’s hands. The question often asked is if Reiki is a religion. It is not. In fact the “laying on of hands is one of the oldest forms of healing known to mankind and, apparently emerged independently amongst ancient cultures of the world”. Indeed, the authors (four doctors) quote Hippocrates, father of modern Western medicine, referring to this energy medicine as “the force which flows from many people’s hands”. Touch is healing and without going into this now, one just needs to think of gestures used to console those who are upset… a hug, a rub on a child’s bumped knee, a hand gently placed on a shoulder or back… This reference also mentions other studies relating to energy healing and the main take-away message is that scientific research is happening in this field and we can look forward to many more papers with concrete proof of Reiki healing. (Third on the Resources listed below and an interesting, but intense read.)
If one’s ponders the question in our heading, the starting point would probably be to define the disease… that is find the source of the pain or discomfort from which one is seeking some relief! Only then can we begin to unpick the source of that pain and then plot a course of action to address it appropriately. Is it an injury? Some pulled muscle or ligament tearing away from where it should be settled and still, hitting those nerves and sending messages to the brain that make you writhe with every slight movement? Or is it that equally hurtful, heart-wrenching pain of emotional trauma? Pain that seems to tear your insides apart even though there’s no physical signs of injury. Use that as a starting point to investigate further, with a medical or holistic practitioner, or both. If you have read this far, you may be in yet another group – the “self-help” group. For those using “Dr Google” a word of caution – Check your SOURCE. There is a lot of good free and affordable information out there and it could be very useful. Of course common sense must prevail. You will generally know if you need to consult a doctor, so then just do so!
Where the impact is more serious and one finds oneself in hospital, the illness can more readily be pin-pointed by tests and specialist input and, at this stage, it will most likely result in surgery. People are increasingly reaching beyond conventional medicine to meet their healthcare needs and the good news is that Reiki is a complementary therapy and can be used successfully alongside traditional medicines to boost recovery, with no harmful side effects. (The only caution is not to have Reiki in surgery.) More and more research studies are focussing on Reiki sessions given before and/or after medical treatment and offer proof of numerous benefits to patients and these include:
- Improved Quality of Sleep
- Reduced Stress
- Reduced Anxiety and Depression …before and after surgery
- Reduced Sensations of Pain Providing Relief from Chronic Pain
- Enhances Healing of Inflammation and Infection
Most of the benefits mentioned will be familiar to those who have experienced Reiki and it is satisfying to see them come up repeatedly in Reiki Energy Healing articles and studies.
The quotation above comes from a medical doctor, Dr Remen, who started out as a paediatrician in the States and was one of the first Western trained physicians to combine traditional medicine with holistic healing. Now in her 80’s, she is still involved in lecturing at the University of California. If one reads about her, her spirituality shines through her work and writings. It is not often one has the privilege of consulting a Western doctors that have also been trained in a complimentary healing field. Alas, most often this is seen as incompatible.
We’ll probably agree that doctors are there to diagnose and treat patients. As a patient, we expect to be channelled in the direction of a “cure” to our ailment, or at least the best medical option available. Referrals to specialists or other disciplines is also a reasonable expectation to have as a patient. The emphasis for doctors still though remains to be a focus on the physical body with an emphasis on pharmaceutical remedies. In Western medicine, if healing concepts don’t incorporate physics, it generally gets filed under “woo woo”. Some referrals from GPs to mental health practitioners may occur – sadly this seems to be only after some physical aliments present. So, ignoring financial restraints, lack of Medical Aid (USA) or just lack of resources (NHS), traditional medicine should take care of our physical medical needs. But, the body cannot easily be separated from our mind and spirit in real life. This is the reason, I believe, more and more people are turning to complementary therapies.
As said before, Reiki practitioners do not diagnose, but they do use their intuition and Reiki training to guide healing. Their source of healing is energy; specifically, universal energy. Reiki energy healing can bring immense calm and relaxation, which has all sorts of health spin-offs. You have the potential for self-healing. You are pivotal to your own healing and a Holistic Practitioner can help you find inner peace or focus to lead you to better wellbeing. I invite you to have a Reiki Treatment and experience “Energy Medicine” for yourself.
Resources
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/energy-healing#
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22557593/#
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4654789
Can Reiki Help Speed Healing After Surgery?
https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics-for-the-UK#
https://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/what-does-research-say-about-reiki#
