Quote from the The Reiki Association UK
We live in a world of energy that nourishes and maintains all living things“
Summary: A brief outline of Energy Healing and what you could expect to get out of a Reiki treatment. The word Reiki is made up of two Japanese characters, rei (meaning universal), and ki (meaning life energy). In essence, a Reiki treatment should bring deep relaxation with spin-off benefits which could include emotional and physical healing in varying degrees.
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Read more: REIKI – ENERGY HEALINGYour Reiki treatment is completely non-invasive and will do you no harm. You may feel some heat or tingling emitting from the practitioner’s hands and this may be soothing and relaxing. You may on the other hand feel nothing at all. This is all perfectly fine. Hand placement may follow a systemic sequence from head to feet or the practitioner may be guided towards specific areas.
The practitioner is not calling on ‘magical powers’ to transform you in any way, but has been trained to, shall I say, harness universal energy and direct this to help balance, heal and/or remove blockages. This process may restore and maintain balance and harmony within your body. Although to some this may sound very esoteric, we can all relate to moods or energy levels: feeling down, listless, sometimes for no real reason… or being on an emotional high. If energy healing is not new to you, you will have heard about or be aware of Chakras. This Eastern traditional terminology refers to “psycho-energetic centres in the nonphysical body” and although there are many of these energy centres, seven are usually mentioned more often and are familiar to those aware of alternative and complementary disciplines. It is not necessary to know about chakras to benefit from Reiki Treatments.
Your practitioner will always check if you are comfortable with “hand-on” treatment and will place their hands on your body, usually starting from the head and moving down the body to the feet. [Don’t worry, they will avoid the intimate areas of the breasts and pelvic area.] Also, if you are uncomfortable with touching, you can request “hands-off” treatment, where the practitioner will place their hands slightly above your body. Both methods work equally as well, but “hands-on” treatment is more traditional.
You will remain fully clothed , bar taking off your shoes, and perhaps have a blanket or sheet to cover you for comfort. Your treatment may take place on a treatment bed or in a chair and will last typically between 40 and 90 minutes and this is usually pre-determined and discussed. You may find Reiki Practitioners giving “tasters” at certain events. These may be 10-15 minutes and be offered for free or for a nominal payment. Payment for treatment is transparent and you should be aware of this beforehand.
It is recommended to drink water before and/or after Reiki treatments. As the Human Body is made up of at least 55-65% water, any health regime will encourage the intake of liquids. In the UK (NHS) an intake of 6-8 cups of water per day is usually recommended There is an optimum intake for each individual under their unique make-up and do take into account that an excessive intake of water is not healthy. (A pinch of unrefined salt added to each tall glass of water will help to keep electrolytes in balance.) Also recommended, is to refrain from alcohol and caffeine for at least the day before your treatment. That said, responses to Reiki treatments can vary from person to person and on very rare occasions you may experience dizziness, nausea or stomach upsets, but this is usually temporary and most clients report calmness and a sense of deep relaxation. It is common to feel sleepy afterwards and to have a very good night’s rest as a consequence. Some clients may experience heightened sensory reactions, like bright coloured visions or heightened smell and/or hearing, during treatment, but the lack of this does not indicate Reiki is not working within. More subtle results may manifest afterwards and a day or so later some clients have said they suddenly had the energy to complete a task they had been putting off for ages or managing schedules with new enthusiasm.
Healing and curing don’t necessarily mean the same thing and these concepts can be further researched. (See Blog Is Curing Healing?) Reiki is not a diagnostic treatment and although many clients report healing on many different levels, Reiki does not replace certain medical treatment/s and your practitioner may even suggest you consult a GP as a precaution if they feel symptoms warrant this. Your relationship with the practitioner is confidential and medical conditions may be shared before the start of treatment. This may be recorded with adherence to data protection compliance. Practitioners will follow up with a brief discussion on how the treatment felt for you. This may be directly after, the next day or so, or at your next treatment if you choose to have a course of more than one. Some clients prefer to have treatments on a “needs only” basis and others may feel a course of between 3 to 6+ to be more beneficial. This is entirely a matter of personal choice.
Reiki “happens” in various ways and energy flows where it’s needed. You may be keen to try out a treatment or get further information. If so, please “Contact Us”.
Resources
https://www.yogaandbeyond.co.uk/chakras/
https://www.reikiassociation.net/home
