Healing Hands: The Power of Reiki Therapy

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In a world where stress and anxiety seem to be constant companions, the search for holistic healing methods has never been more prevalent. Enter Reiki therapy - a practice gaining recognition for its transformative effects on physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. I'm Dee, a Certified Reiki Practitioner, and together, we're talking about healing hands and the power of Reiki therapy, exploring its origins, the science behind its efficacy, and the countless benefits it offers. Join me and discover the science-backed magic of Reiki therapy and how it could be the key to unlocking a new level of wellness in your life.

Understanding Reiki Therapy

Reiki therapy is rooted in the belief that life force energy flows through all living beings. Practitioners channel this energy and direct it into your body, either using light touch, hovering hands over the body, or beaming it long distance to its intended recipient. Receiving Reiki can restore balance and promote healing if you give it permission. That's right, Reiki is all about consent. If someone sends you Reiki and your heart or mind do not consent, it will not work. Reiki does not force itself on you.

Reiki therapy can occur in person using light touch or hovering the hands over the body. However, in-person sessions and touch are not required, although they can be more potent. Reiki can also be sent using distance healing methods, either by video or by the practitioner using an image or other representation of a person to direct the energy.

This believed to be ancient practice, originating in Japan, has captured the attention of individuals seeking a deeper connection to their inner selves. There are many traditions, or lineages, of Reiki. I was trained in the Usui/Holy Fire III method. Despite the differences in how lineages practice, the results and benefits are the same, and science is starting to understand more about this healing art.

How the Usui Tradition of Reiki Therapy Began

The legend goes that the Usui/Holy Fire lineage started in the 1900s, when Usui Sensei, Mikao Usui, "downloaded" the energy during an extended fasting meditation where he hoped to discover his life's purpose. Where he had been close to death, he now felt full of life and vigor. He ran down the mountain to tell his friends and family what had happened and tripped on an exposed root. He put his hands on his hurt toe and realized that healing energy flowed through them and into his foot. It soon felt better. He intuited that he had somehow downloaded universal life force energy, which he was aware of other healers using. He sensed that he had been given the gift of an ancient art, and his life's purpose was to revive it and share it with the world. And that is what he did.

As we move on to explore the science behind Reiki therapy, we uncover its profound effects on the mind, body, and spirit. Intrigued? Keep reading!

The Science Behind Reiki Healing

Research on Reiki therapy shows that the practice can stimulate the body's natural healing processes by reducing stress, promoting relaxation, and boosting the immune system. Studies indicate that Reiki sessions can lead to a decrease in anxiety, pain, and depression while also improving overall well-being and quality of life. By examining the scientific evidence behind healing hands, we can better understand how this alternative therapy can have transformative effects on individuals seeking balance and harmony in their lives. These findings shed light on the potential benefits of incorporating Reiki into a holistic approach to health and wellness.

While science is still catching up with holistic arts like Reiki therapy, watching it happen before our eyes is exciting.

Benefits of Reiki Therapy

Reiki therapy offers a wide range of benefits for both physical and mental well-being. From reducing stress and anxiety to promoting relaxation and boosting the immune system, the transformative effects of Reiki can lead to an overall improvement in quality of life. Still, it is not a substitute for medical or psychiatric care. Healing hands are a holistic compliment to more "traditional" medicine, not a replacement. (It cracks me up that today's world considers holistic practices new and their medicine traditional. We have it so backward.)

Reiki Therapy Benefits:

Promotes relaxation (and who doesn't need that?!).
Reduces stress and anxiety.
Induces a meditative, Theta brainwave state.
May foster bone and tissue healing after injury or surgery.
Stimulates the body's immune system and natural healing abilities.
It can relieve pain and tension.
Reiki is thought to seek out stagnant or stuck energy and emotions and transmute or release it. In other words, it's a form of somatic release.
It is used in hospitals to support patients receiving chemotherapy, dialysis, radiation therapy, and surgery.

Personal Experiences with Reiki Healing

You may be wondering what a Reiki therapy session is like. While each session is unique, how people feel afterward shows some common themes, including:

Grounded
Peaceful
Relaxed
Refreshed
Safe/Secure
Healthy/Well

My First Experience:

Like so many holistic healing practices I now wholeheartedly believe in, the first time I received Reiki was by accident. As a beginner on my holistic health journey, I often attended a monthly free yoga class at a studio in Carlsbad, CA. This free class was a marketing tactic and a way for yoga newbies to experience the different styles. Each month featured three different practices for 20 minutes each. One time, it was Vinyasa, Kundalini, and Yin. The next was Bikram, Restorative, and a sound bath. Then, weighted yoga, traditional Indian Hatha yoga, and Yoga Nidra.

One month, a teacher offered Reiki during a sound bath. I was skeptical but consented to receive. During the mini-session, I felt waves of peace washing through me, heat emanating from her hands, and tingles that moved around my body even after she moved on to the person lying next to me. I knew right away I wanted more. Each subsequent session has been unique but always a pleasant experience that soothes body, mind, and soul.

My Husband's First Experience:

After years of receiving Reiki at sound baths, yoga classes, and through YouTube and TikTok videos, I decided to get certified to have my own magic healing hands. Below is a picture of me getting my certification along with the other new practitioners in my group.

Soon after, I convinced my majorly skeptical husband to let me practice on him. The following is his experience, in his own words:

"I had my first Reiki experience with Dee. As her husband, I know she is constantly freezing cold, but her hands felt hot during the session. I have some pain issues that are always present, and she focused on those areas. By the end, my muscles felt much more relaxed, and the pain reduced. I felt as though I had a 'reset.'"

An Experience My Reiki Teacher Had:

I received my placements from a woman named Ashley, whom I met at a yoga studio in Santa Clarita, CA, where I currently live. She and her husband lead monthly sound baths infused with Reiki, which I love to attend. During the certification retreat, she told us about recently starting a dietary cleanse based on the Medical Medium method. She shared that initially, she struggled to cut out bread in particular.

So, she started giving herself Reiki with the intention of breaking her bread habit. Doing so made the process much easier than it was up until that point, and it is now easy for her. Now, I'm not saying we should break up with bread. To each their own there. I am saying that Reiki therapy can support breaking habits and inviting them in. So, consider adding Reiki to the mix next time you want to change your habits.

Try Reiki for Yourself

If you're curious about healing hands and the power of Reiki therapy, there's no better way to understand its potential than to experience it firsthand. By trying Reiki for yourself, you open yourself up to the possibility of deep relaxation, emotional healing, and a renewed sense of well-being. I can talk about its magic all day. Still, your Reiki experiences will ultimately reveal its impact on your mind, body, and spirit. So why not take the first step towards healing and discover Reiki therapy's profound benefits? A Reiki session may be the key to unlocking a new chapter of well-being and transformation in your life.

Step into a world of healing energy and experience the magic Reiki therapy can bring to your life. Reiki has the power to enhance your well-being. Don't just take my word for it - try Reiki for yourself and open yourself up to the magic of holistic healing. Embrace the opportunity to heal and grow, one session at a time. As Lao Tzu once said, "The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." Start (or continue) your healing journey by clicking here and booking a distance Reiki session today.

I can't wait to see you on my schedule!

XOXO,