Reiki: An Energy Healing Modality

As my integrative medical practice grows, I am loving being able to bring in other healing modalities to help our patients on all levels – physical, emotional and spiritual. One of those modalities is Reiki. Reiki is a Japanese relaxation and healing technique. It is a form of hands-on energy work that is safe, non-invasive, and can bring amazing results. Having heard such positive feedback from individuals who have had sessions with our Reiki practitioner Amanda Dahl, I decided I needed to experience it for myself, and so I had a session with her this past weekend.

Reiki in this setting is done lying down on a massage table, although it is certainly not limited to that. I went and Amanda explained a little more about the technique. She was trained in the Usui system of Reiki. I want to add here that Reiki is not a religious-based modality. I think many people have that misconception about it, and as a Christian myself, I needed to ask those questions to feel comfortable that I was not signing up for a therapy that was not in line with my personal beliefs about healing and ultimately where the energy was coming from.

Reiki promotes healing by activating the relaxation response and helps the body to balance itself from a very deep level. It has been scientifically shown to decrease pain levels, speed healing, and relax the mind and body. Reiki can only do good and can never cause harm. I can vouch for the relaxation part – I was on the table for over an hour but time was suspended – I was in such a deep state of relaxation, one that I very rarely can achieve. It was very pleasant, and by the end I felt like I’d had the most refreshing nap of my life! I have spoken to other people who find relief from pain and other symptoms as well.

The practitioner places their hands over the energy centers of the body and uses quantum energy to replenish and balance the body and mind. This can also be done remotely, and is a wonderful option for those that are unable to travel. As I said, Reiki does not have a religious affiliation, and people of all faiths and beliefs enjoy it. It is not to be used as a substitute for conventional medicine, but is a perfect compliment to it!

Many of our chronically-ill patients incorporate some kind of energy-balancing modality into their health regimen, and I’m a strong advocate of that. I think that anything we can do to balance ourselves energetically is a positive thing, and Reiki is certainly a valuable therapy for helping to release emotions as well – and emotional blocks that might be holding back healing. I also think that part of the value of Reiki is helping us shift out of the chronic “fight or flight” response we live in. In that state, the body is always in “emergency” mode. We need to get back into parasympathetic nervous system response, also known as “rest and digest”, which is where most healing can occur.

If you have the chance to experience Reiki, I highly recommend it. For our local San Diegans, Amanda is an amazing practitioner, but I’m sure there are great practitioners worldwide too.