Reiki is awesome. Reiki is totally the best. Oh man, Reiki helps me to feel calm, centered, and balanced. Despite my love of this healing technique, it is hard to describe what Reiki is. Here is the description as listed on my website:
"Reiki is an ancient healing technique, originating in Japan, that promotes the flow of energy through the body. Reiki is based on the belief that there is a life force energy that runs through all of us. If that energy becomes stuck or stagnant, then illness can result. Reiki works on all levels: physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual."
All of this is true. Completely accurate. But do you feel like you understand what Reiki is just by reading that description? Probably not.
Let's try it a different way. Everything is energy. You are being bombarded by energy all day long. You are affected by the type of energy you are around. For example, have you ever walked into a room, felt the tension, and knew that people were upset or fighting with each other? Have you ever been in a crowded event and felt completely overwhelmed? On the flipside, have you ever walked into a room and felt very calm and comfortable? Like you were truly home. Or maybe you have noticed that when you spend time with a certain person, just being around them, you feel happy and centered?
This is all energy. (This is physics.) There is no such thing as good or bad energy but we could say that some energy has positive effects on you while other energy has negative effects.
Just as there is energy floating around you all the time, you also have energy within you. Your own personal energy system. Just as the energy around you can make you feel fantastic or unsettled, the same is true of your personal energy system. It energy becomes stuck or stagnant, which means it is not flowing smoothly through you, this will create negative effects on you. You will feel this as physical complaints, but also you might feel it emotionally, mentally, or spiritually. All in all, you will not feel fantastic. Eventually, this can lead to disease.
Reiki is a system of energy that promotes positive effects. Remember how you feel when you are around those special people in your life? Reiki is that...but to the power of one zillion. During a Reiki session, a Reiki practitioner channels this energy and surrounds you with it. The practitioner does not even need to be in the same room as you! (Again, I refer you to physics and quantum entanglement to explain that one.) The Reiki energy will move into your body. Because I am a scientist, I like to think of Reiki as surrounding every single cell and taking up all of the space in my body. By doing so, Reiki helps the internal energy to flow smoothly. It removes any un-optimal energy and takes its place.
The result? You will feel uplifted, cheerful, calm, and balanced. Sometimes it eliminates physical issues right away and other times it brings clarity to what is causing those issues. Even if it does not magically eliminate every single physical and emotional problem that you have, it will start to work on those issues, moving the energy that is causing them.
Reiki energy is cumulative. This means that the more often you receive Reiki, the more it will build up in your system and the more changes you will notice in your life.
I discovered Reiki when life hit a low point, I started having panic attacks, and western medicine was unable to help me. While I believe in the power of western medicine, I now realize there are also other viable options out there as well. Reiki is a daily practice for me and my life. For me, I give myself daily Reiki while also having an official Reiki session from another person every month or so. Whether you choose to have regular Reiki sessions or you decide to train in Reiki, I do very much believe you will be happy with that decision!