What is Reiki Energy and How Does It Work?

As you may or may not be aware, Reiki is an alternative healing practice which has been practiced for over a hundred years. The belief is that Reiki energy is often spoken of as an essence which symbolizes power, a transcendental spirit and a universal positive.

What makes this concept different from many other forms of alternative healing is that those who supposedly possess this power use their hands in transferring enery in hopes of curing someone of an illness.

Even Reiki "masters" cannot fully explain how this transfer of energy from themselves to another actually works. They can only describe it somewhat as "linking with a cosmic radiant energy" that is then capable of being applied by the practitioner to plants, animals, even themselve, and to other human beings even over a great distance.

As best it can be described, this Reiki energy is drawn through a sort of channel and not just sent to the master. In fact, it is postulated that we all have the ability to tap this cosmic energy already within us and all we have to do is experience an "attunement process" in order for us to be able to heal ourselves or others.

Once you have attained the first level of Reiki mastery, you hopefully will be able to detect energy problems that can tell you if there is an organic problem in your body or within someone else. The belief is that as your level of experience goes up, your power becomes stronger and those who want to teach to others what they have learned over time and by experience will become Reiki masters.

One difficult thing to understand about Reiki energy is that, despite its ability to be transferred from one to another, it cannot be controlled by the mind. If this were the case, it could only be done by those who practice it to the point of mastery. However, many who are not really "masters" seem able to channel the Reiki energy to a person in need.

It seems that those who practice this alternative healing method believe that their healing power comes from Ki, Chi, or Qui. This energy is a force which flows within each of us, and, by letting it come in contact with the affected part of the body, that part will begin to heal because it has been energized by this contact.

It also seems that the strength of the Reiki energy is dependent upon one’s thoughts and even lifestyle. Negative thoughts will not be able to improve the health of the person in need, so, the Reiki master must think positively in order for this to work. The personal lifestyle choices of the Reiki master will also have an effect on the outcome, so, the individual who chooses to live a healthy life without stress and free from pollutants will be even stronger in his or her abilities.

Most "knowledge" about Reiki energy is anecdotal, and the scientific community still wants to conduct more formal research to learn what is really happening. There seems to be a definite rate of success among those who are practicing it. Some studies have shown, for example, that Reiki seems to be able to calm a patient before an operation and even speed the healing afterwards...but no one can say exactly why this is so.

Some explain that how and why it works is because of the power of suggestion. The mind-body connection is very strong, and how a person thinks does have a very real effect on the physical well being of a person...or even a negative one in the case of the witch doctor who condemns a true believer to death. In such cases, the true believer often DOES die or at least become very ill.

It is believed that Reiki energy works from the outside in so as to restore balance and order to the body. However, it should not be confused with plain spiritual healing because its effectiveness does not seem to have anything to do with faith. This is another reason why some question the idea that it operates through the power of suggestion.

However, any first year medical student can explain the value of a positive bedside manner as an aspect of a successful treatment, and the well-known "placebo effect". In the latter, patients recover after having been given an inert non-medicine simply because they believe they have received an effective medical treatment.

If Reiki energy is real, it is important to understand what this energy really is. Such a force, which some believe is part of a person's "aura", or a force of the mind, could be of great benefit to mankind if fully understood and put to use. Even if not "real" in the sense of a detectable, measureable force, it can still be of value in helping the ill achieve ease for their condition.

However, those who place their belief in Reiki energy should remember that it is not expected by most that it will replace traditional medical treatment. It can only do so much to help a patient already in need, but can possibly be very powerful in helping the individual achieve better mental and physical health.

Reiki energy seems to be based on belief, while most traditional medicine is based on scientific fact. However, it is nice to know that there are less intrusive and more "natural" means of achieving a better life.

If you have a headache, are fighting stress or trying to break free of an addiction, Reiki energy can help you deal with the problem. Always remember, however, even a simple headache may actually be caused by a deadly tumor, and no amount of alternative healing will be able to deal with that.