Perhaps you have heard of Reiki, the gentle practice that fosters deep rest and healing, and wondered what the magic is all about.
I was first introduced to Reiki in a New York spa trying to recoup from a few weeks of international travel (aka post Fashion Week exhaustion).
I remember saying to the therapist who was suggesting Reiki, “look, if you just take my cell phone, turn off the light, and let me lie quietly here in the dark for an hour, I will still tip you, so do whatever you like,” I was that depleted.
I have since learned that Reiki is so much more than a novelty spa service, and I have happily offered this service and taught this technique for several years.
Reiki is a favorite among my clients whose overworked, spinning minds, need a rest and they want to feel better without having to try too hard.
It feels marvelous, but, like many non Western forms of care, Reiki can still perplex people, so I was amused when I read the title of this recent article in The Atlantic, “Reiki can’t possibly work. So why does it?”
The skeptical author was trying to understand Reiki’s growing popularity and acceptance in some of the most respected American hospitals (Memorial Sloan Kettering, Cleveland Clinic, New York Presbyterian, the Yale Cancer Center, the Mayo Clinic).
As the article notes, while research has yet to explain exactly how:
“over the past two decades, a number of studies have shown that Reiki treatments help:
- diminish the negative side effects of chemotherapy
- improve surgical outcomes
- regulate the autonomic nervous system
- dramatically alter people’s experience of physical and emotional pain associated with illness.”
In a VA hospital “the effects were startling…Veterans who complained that their body had ‘forgotten how to sleep’ came in for Reiki and were asleep on thetable in minutes. Others reported that their pain declined from a 4 to a 2, or that they felt more peaceful”
“The ailments that Reiki seems to treat most effectively are those that orthodox medicine struggles to manage: pain, anxiety, chronic disease and the fear of facing the suffering of treatment.”
And significantly, in an era where the side effects of medical treatment can be as concerning as the original condition, “The practice has no known negative side effects”.
The author’s healthy skepticism arrives at the essential conclusion: Reiki is simple, safe, and effective.
It’s simplicity makes it accessible to everyone, and at its heart, it is also a rejuvenating self care practice.
It’s part of my daily self care, rescuing me whenever my brain fogs or my energy sinks, and I will happily teach you how this holistic practice can help you.
If you are curious to learn more about Reiki, please reach out to book a session or inquire about on-going training dates.