As a reiki healer, I can talk all day about how I’ve benefited from reiki and how you can too! But, I get it… when the modality seems to be cloaked in mystery, you may want more concrete evidence detailing the benefits of reiki.
Reiki is a form of Japanese energy healing that is scientifically considered as a biofield energy therapy. Practitioners and masters alike are trained and certified in using this modality that blends intuition, energy, and the body. Reiki provides you with feelings of calm and relaxation at its base, but, really, the benefits go much deeper than that. In fact, researchers have been studying the effects and benefits with astounding results. Time and time again, reiki has been tested and documented to alter biological markers of illnesses that undeniably improve quality of life.
Benefits of Reiki Treatments
The benefits of reiki are vast and are catered to your specific needs and energy at the time of your treatment. Below you’ll find proven benefits (backed by researchers) of reiki, along with other benefits hundreds (if not thousands) of reiki practitioners, masters, and recipients have noted experiencing as well.
Proven Benefits
Increase sense of overall well-being
Feelings of safety
Grounding
Improves quality of life
Feeling centered
Inducing calm and relaxation
Pain relief
Improvement in quality of sleep
Decrease in anxiety
Positive mindset
Improvement of mood
Self-efficacy for coping
Reduction in nausea
Healthy appetite
Improvement in shortness of breath
Other Known Benefits
Dissolve energy blockages and tension
Detoxify the body
Stimulates the body’s immune system
Stimulates tissue and bone healing after injury or surgery
Increases the vibrational frequency on physical, mental emotional, and spiritual levels
Increasing intuition
Finding autonomy and authenticity
Improvement in relationships and boundaries
Reiki Reducing Anxiety
27.5% of adults and 9.4% of children are dealing with anxiety in the United States. In fact, anxiety was the reason I decided to try reiki myself. With seemingly nowhere else to turn, I figured, ‘What do I have to lose?” and tried it. To my amazement, my anxiety levels completely took a turn for the better after just one reiki treatment.
In a 2011 study comparing men with prostate cancer receiving radiation therapy, they found patients that received reiki had significantly more positive results in treating their anxiety compared to standard Relaxation Response Therapy (RRT). Proving that even under immensely stressful and difficult circumstances, reiki is able to help. Research continues to show that reiki has aided in reducing anxiety for women undergoing hysterectomy, community-dwelling older adults, and cancer patients.
Reiki Reducing Pain
In the same study mentioned above (Reiki Reducing Anxiety), it was also found that reiki treatments noticeably helped reduce pain levels for cancer patients, community-dwelling older adults, and surgical patients alike. Though the study consisted of two treatments of reiki four days apart, researchers predicted that if they continued the study to last several weeks including more reiki treatments, that patients would be on track to decrease medication usage for pain management!
Reiki Aiding Cancer Patients
In a 3-year study consisting of 118 cancer patients, people received reiki at least once alongside their standard cancer treatments. 22 of the 118 patients received four total reiki treatments, which showed the most significant improvements.
The study found reiki sessions were helpful for cancer patients feeling improvements in:
Well-being
Relaxation
Pain relief
Quality of sleep
Anxiety levels
Positive mindset
Self-efficacy for coping
Who Can Benefit from Receiving Reiki Treatments
In short, anyone! You don’t need to have an official diagnosis or even any ailments at all to receive reiki and the benefits it provides. However, it has been shown to help people that experience:
Burnout
Busy work schedules
Anxiety
Depression
Surgery
Metabolic syndromes like Type 2 Diabetes
High Blood Pressure
Digestive problems
Parkinson’s disease
Autoimmune diseases
Psychological illnesses
Chronic pain
Cancer
Greater intuition
And more!
Reiki Increasing in Popularity Because it Works
Because of the undeniable benefits of reiki, you’ll start seeing it more and more in your community, even in traditional medical facilities. It’s true! Reiki is a treatment option in private practices (like mine!) and at facilities like Yale New Haven Hospital, Cleveland Clinic, NY-Presbyterian Hospital, Harvard Cancer Center and more.
Schedule A Reiki Treatment
Experience reiki for yourself when you schedule your in-person (located in Sioux Falls, SD) or virtual (available anywhere) appointment with Reiki Master Healer Alyssa McDowell.
Sources:
National Library of Medicine, 2, 3, 4
International Association of Reiki Professionals