What is Reiki?
One of the questions I am frequently asked is how I became involved with Reiki. To some I know it sounds somewhat mysterious and perhaps a bit out there. But Reiki is for everyone and it has been beneficial in all areas of my life including deep relaxation, improved concentration, and enhanced creativity.
If you are not yet acquainted with Reiki (Ray-Key) allow me to introduce you.
Reiki consists of two Japanese words: Reiki=universal and Ki=life force energy and is a holistic technique that aids the body in releasing stress and tension by creating deep relaxation. Reiki has been known to assist in relieving pain, stress, anxiety, and emotional distress.
In 2010 when my ten-year-old son Joey was diagnosed with his second brain tumor and we were presented with the treatment plan and options, I vowed that I would try everything both traditional and untraditional. I remember thinking at the time that I would research every holistic therapy, foods that heal, and even sound therapy as long as it was safe and would not interfere with his traditional treatment. I did this not only to help save him but for myself. If he did not make it, and I understood that the odds were not in his favor, I wanted to be certain in my heart that I truly did everything possible for him.
There was no time to delay traditional treatment however I quickly began to research other alternative methods that I could incorporate into his care. The practice of Reiki showed up again and again in my research and while I had heard of Reiki, I had never experienced it first hand or even knew of anyone that had a session. My sister-in-law who is in the nursing management field and worked at a hospital that had a healing arts center said she knew of two practitioners that might be able to work with Joey.
From there, my journey with Reiki began. For two years I sat quietly at the bedside while one of the practitioners we were introduced to would practice Reiki on my son. He soon began to ask for them and would refer to them as the healing ladies. I would watch with deep gratitude at the transformation as his face went from pain to deep relaxation and then mercifully, to sleep.
Honestly, I did not know what to think of the practice itself or if it was even a real thing. I was told that I did not need to believe in Reiki for it to work or even understand it, but only be willing to have the treatment so I stuck with it. The only thing I knew for sure was that my son felt better during and after a session and that he was asking for it.
I feel it is important for me to stress that in no way am I implying that my son was cured by Reiki. He did however report to me that he felt less pain, slept better, and would not only look forward to his sessions but soon began to ask for them.
After a few years, I began my own study of reiki so that I could continue the sessions with not only my family and friends but as a volunteer for my nonprofit called The Healing Nest.
(The Healing Nest offers free services such as massage, facials, and reflexology to women with cancer) I received my Reiki master attunement and certification in 2016 and continue to find new ways to share what I have learned.
What can you expect during a Reiki session?
The person receiving Reiki is fully clothed and can be in a chair or laying on a table. Personally, I prefer to both receive and give reiki laying down as it is a deeply relaxing experience and I love for my client to be able to melt into the table.
The practitioner’s hands either lightly touch you or rest just above your body. You may feel the heat from their hands as they continue to work on you. There is nothing that you need to do or think about during your session. I tell my clients to think about their happy place and simply close their eyes.
Some clients report seeing colors, some fall deeply asleep, and some even have a sort of release in the form of tears. It is different for everyone however everyone has reported to me, whether or not you believe in reiki, is that they leave feeling totally relaxed.
Are there anti-aging benefits of Reiki?
Reiki utilizes a universal life force energy that balances, replenishes, and soothes your body, mind, and spirit. For years now, reiki has been used for pain, stress, and anxiety relief which makes sense when you think about how harmful stress is to your body. Many hospitals and cancer centers now offer reiki for their patients along with other holistic services, and now there is a new trend which has estheticians bringing reiki into the facial room.
The connection between our diet and using skincare products that offer the best that nature has to offer has already long been established, however, it has only been recently that we started to look at the emotional side of things. Not sure there is a tie between how we are feeling and how our bodies react? Think about how your face may blush when you are embarrassed or how your palms sweat when nervous.
Stress, anxiety, and lack of proper sleep play havoc on our skin and reiki helps calm the mind so that it can deeply relax promotes the body’s own self-healing ability.
Reiki increases the flow of energy in your chakras (the energy centers in your body) and eases blockages that can manifest in our bodies and on our skin. Some have reported relief from joint pain and stiffness after a session and others have an all-over feeling of well-being.
I have a passion for helping women age well and love the skin they are in and now Reiki is a big part of this. I began offering it as part of their skincare consult and it has become extremely popular.
Is Reiki for you?
Personally, I feel that everyone can benefit from Reiki. You do not need to understand how it works or anything about it in order to benefit from treatment. A typical Reiki session has my client lying fully clothed on a massage table, the room lit by a few of my favorite candles, and beautiful healing music softly playing. I suggest they close their eyes and go to a happy place and explain that they need not do anything other than relaxing.
The most common reaction expressed by my clients is how surprisingly relaxed they feel and some even fall asleep. For others, they said they were finally able to slow down their brain that always is going in several different directions at once. I have others that see colors, some have had visions and several had shed tears as a form of release.
The best way to see if Reiki is something that may benefit you is to simply give it a try. There are no negative side effects or possible medication interactions and if nothing else, it will give you some quiet, relaxing time. There is a great book called Reiki For Beginners that introduces you to Reiki and shows you how you can add Reiki into your selfcare routine.
Find a certified Reiki Practitioner in your area for a private session or even better, an esthetician that also practices Reiki. That way you can get the benefits of both services at once.
