During a session, you'll lie on a fully clothed massage table, while your Reiki practitioner gently places your hands, palms down, on or just above your body in specific energy locations. They use a series of 12 to 15 different hand positions. A typical Reiki session will last approximately one hour (however, the composition of the session can vary greatly depending on the professional). Reiki practitioners should have worked in person with a qualified Reiki teacher in order to effectively administer treatment, Miles says.
The gentle nature of Reiki therapy can have a calming effect on patients who feel overwhelmed by invasive therapy, fear, and stress. Bodner, who has practiced Reiki at the Cleveland Clinic for about 10 years, has seen interest in Reiki grow. The role of the Reiki practitioner is to facilitate the healing process, not to diagnose or determine where there may be energy blockages. Towards the end of her session, tears were streaming down her cheeks and, although she reported a decrease in her pain, what most impacted her about the treatment was “an overwhelming sense of pure love.
The Reiki practitioner should always spend time with the client before the session confidently explaining what it is, how it works and how the treatment will proceed. While most people feel the effects of Reiki right away, others may feel the impacts after the session. Reiki is a form of complementary and alternative medicine; there is evidence that it can reduce daily stress and help manage some chronic diseases. There is little scientific evidence to explain exactly how Reiki works, but studies have found that Reiki can have measurable benefits when it comes to lowering blood pressure, improving sleep, decreasing anxiety, and reducing pain.
While these are normal responses, it is also completely common to “feel nothing during the session, but still be left with a feeling of deep relaxation, general well-being and inner peace. People who have experienced Reiki healing from a distance know the impacts of healing that occurs, even from afar. Because Reiki is a holistic form of energy healing that helps create balance in mind, body and spirit, it is possible that while the client seeks relief from knee pain, deep emotional release will occur. Although Reiki is growing in popularity, there is little evidence that it provides any clinical benefit.
Research suggests that Reiki helps the body return to a state of relaxation, allowing it to better heal from damage caused by stress, injury, or illness. Although this can be an abstract concept for many people, people who experience a session often understand it more thoroughly after the session is over. Researchers found that heart rate variability was higher after the Reiki session, suggesting (using a highly quantifiable physiological measurement) that Reiki can help relax the stressed nervous system.
