What is Reiki?
Reiki is a form of healing that was originally developed in Japan for stress reduction, relaxation, and the clearing of a being’s energy fields. It can be performed in many different ways, and is based on the idea that energy flows through us and is what causes us to be alive. If one's "life force energy" is low, then we are more likely to get sick and allow stress to make us feel heavy, and if it is high, we are more capable of being happy and healthy.
“Reiki as practiced in the United States today was developed by the Buddhist priest Mikao Usui (known as Usui-Sensei) in the 1920s. After three weeks of fasting and meditating on Mount Kurama, a sacred mountain in the north of Kyoto, Japan, Usui claimed to have first experienced feeling the Reiki energy. Though he had been starving and near death from fasting, the burst of intense healing energy gave him a sense of vitality and awareness that he’d never felt before. Shortly after his experience, Usui opened a clinic in Tokyo to practice the healing technique.
Hawayo Takata, a Japanese-Hawaiian Reiki master, began teaching Usui’s modality in Hawaii in the 1930s, and it traveled to the rest of the United States in the 1970s. As early as the mid-1990s, physicians, nurses, and other medical staff who had learned Reiki began using the technique in hospitals around the United States, and Reiki continues to expand as more and more people experience benefits from it. Today, Reiki is used in both hospital inpatient and outpatient settings as a complementary treatment for surgery, cancer, and AIDS.” (https://www.everydayhealth.com/reiki/)
Rei means "God's Wisdom or the Higher Power". Ki means "life force energy". There are different takes on the literal translation of Reiki, but this is a general meaning: "spiritually guided life force energy."
Here is an excerpt from a patient who experienced a Reiki session after researching the modalities provided within Reiki:
A treatment feels like a wonderful glowing radiance that flows through and around you. Reiki treats the whole person including body, emotions, mind and spirit creating many beneficial effects that include relaxation and feelings of peace, security and wellbeing. Many have reported miraculous results.
Reiki is a simple, natural and safe method of spiritual healing and self-improvement that everyone can use. It has been effective in helping virtually every known illness and malady and always creates a beneficial effect. It also works in conjunction with all other medical or therapeutic techniques to relieve side effects and promote recovery. For our Blog on the Importance of Self Care, read here: https://www.healingsolutionsinc.com/post/the-importance-of-self-care-and-regular-massage-therapy
While Reiki is spiritual in nature, it is not a religion. It has no dogma, and there is nothing you must believe in order to learn and use Reiki. In fact, Reiki is not dependent on belief at all and will work whether you believe in it or not.
While Reiki is not a religion, it is still important to live and act in a way that promotes harmony with others. Mikao Usui, the founder of the Reiki system of natural healing, recommended that one practice certain simple ethical ideals to promote peace and harmony, which are nearly universal across all cultures.” (https://www.reiki.org/faqs/what-reiki)
Our Reiki expert, owner and founder of Healing Solutions Inc, Suzette Skidmore, specializes in Medical Massage Therapy, and is also trained in Therapeutic Massage Therapy, Cupping, Raindrop Technique, Reiki, and many other forms of Holistic Therapy. This video explains a bit about Reiki and how it can help you. If you would like to Book a Session with Suzette, Click Here.
Some terms to help you:
Nerve Plexus - A network of intersecting nerves. There are many nerve plexuses in the body. Nerve plexuses throughout the body tend to be named after the area in which the plexus occurs and the organs, limbs, and tissues it serves. Examples include the cervical, brachial, lumbar, sacral, celiac, and coccygeal plexuses. Here are a couple examples of Nerve Plexuses:
Auerbach’s plexus: serves the gastrointestinal tract, is named after the first person to describe this plexus, Leopold Auerbach, rather than the area of the body it serves.
Brachial plexus: A network of nerve fibers, running from the spine, formed by the ventral rami of the lower four cervical and first thoracic nerve roots (C5–C8, T1). It proceeds through the neck, the axilla (armpit region), and into the arm. It also supplies the brachium, the antebrachium, and the hand. The brachial plexus serves the chest, shoulders, arms and hands and is formed by the ventral rami of C5, C8, and T1 spinal nerves, and the lower and upper halves of the C4 and T2 spinal nerves.
Coccygeal plexus: A plexus of nerves near the coccyx bone. Serves a Small Region over the Coccyx. The coccygeal plexus serves a small region over the coccyx and originates from S4, S5, and Co1 spinal nerves. It is interconnected with the lower part of sacral plexus. In addition, the celiac plexus serves the internal organs, and Auerbach’s plexus serves the gastrointestinal tract.
Frequency and Vibration- The terms “frequency” and “vibration” are often used interchangeably. However, there’s a very important distinction to make here. We know now that frequency is the cycle of waves that are measured in a sequence. So, think of vibrations as the contraction of the energy within that frequency (oscillation would be the expansion of the energy). The vibrations per minute, for instance, make up the entire frequency sequence.
To answer the question of what is frequency?
Let’s use a real-life example of frequency and vibration by considering the way guitar strings emit sound. The thicker, larger guitar strings move more slowly, and have a low frequency when plucked, while the thinner strings vibrate at a higher frequency. The vibratory waves of the thick strings move more slowly, giving the string’s natural frequency a lower frequency, and the vibratory waves of the thinner strings move quickly, emitting a higher overall frequency.
As frequency rate increases matter becomes lighter and lighter. Therefore, when we’re vibrating on a high frequency, our bodies can become lighter as a result. Energy frequency patterns affect our very makeup, raising our consciousness and allowing us to reach levels beyond our comprehension.
Energy Field- the spiritual energy that is produced by a particular being. You may also hear this referred to as ‘biofield’ or ‘electrical field’, depending on the person you are speaking with. The human energy field, also called the aura or the energetic body, is created by the trillions of cells of DNA in your body that each contains a tiny electrical charge. DNA contains biophotons, or tiny photons of light and light is energy.
Each of the body’s organs generates energy. The biggest energy producer in the human body is the heart. The heart’s energy can be measured using an electrocardiogram machine. The brain’s energy is measured using an electroencephalogram. The human aura can be seen by some with the naked eye. It can also be photographed using specialized equipment.
To learn more about Energy Fields from a scientific, reputable source, read here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6396053/
Block- a build up of negative energy, negative thoughts, actions, bad experiences and stress all can cause an energy block. Think of a shallow stream, always flowing. There is a rock in the stream that catches a stick, then that stick catches leaves and trash until the buildup makes the stream change course. It is not flowing optimally. This is what is happening to cause an energetic block in a person or other being.
The secret art of inviting happiness
The miraculous medicine of all diseases
Just for today, do not anger
Do not worry and be filled with gratitude
Devote yourself to your work. Be kind to people.
Every morning and evening, join your hands in prayer.
Pray these words to your heart
and chant these words with your mouth
Usui Reiki Treatment for the improvement of body and mind
The founder,
Usui Mikao
(https://www.uclahealth.org/rehab/workfiles/urban%20zen/research%20articles/reiki_really_works-a_groundbreaking_scientific_study.pdf)
How Does Reiki Heal?
Reiki can:
Accelerate healing
Assist the body in cleansing toxins
Balance the flow of subtle energy by releasing blockages
Better Sleep
Improved Mood
Pain Relief
Lower Blood Pressure
There has been a recent surge in practicing techniques that fall under the umbrella of self-care. Improving your diet, implementing an exercise regimen, starting a regular meditation practice, and partaking in holistic health sessions like Massage, Acupuncture, and Reiki have become of higher and higher importance in modern life. These modalities assist in deepening awareness of the mind-body connection, and the flow of subtle energies within and around the outside of the body. This can be a huge benefit to physical, mental, and spiritual health. Allowing energy to flow freely through the body is the specialty of a great Reiki practitioner. This has become recognized, recently, by health care practitioners and scientists.
Processing thoughts and emotions is important to our overall health. Not allowing the time and space to do this is one of the many ways that we allow stress to overtake our body. Opening chakras, or energy centers in our bodies, allows energy to flow through the body, and assists us in reducing the physical effects of stress.
We are more likely to get sick or feel down if we have blocks present in the body. Our physical body lacks perfect continuity, meaning that signals sent from the brain to parts of the body to create movement will be slowed or interrupted. This dampens our feelings of well-being. If our body-mind connection is not properly working, we have a natural feeling that something is wrong, or off. This causes us to experience more stress and anxiety.
Stress can be caused by many things, doubt, anger, fear, worry, anxiety, feelings of inadequacy, and the list goes on and on. When we feel stress, we are allowing the natural flow of energy through our bodies to be weakened or slowed. Medically backed research has proven that consistently feeling stress will block our natural ability to repair and protect the body.
The American Institute of Stress estimates that 75%-95% of all visits to doctors are the results of reaction to stress. The effects of unreleased stress range from minor aches to major health concerns, such as heart disease, digestive disorders, respiratory and skin problems.
Reiki is a useful tool in aiding the reduction and release of stress because it creates deep relaxation, releases tension in the physical and energetic bodies, promotes healing, restores balance, and creates a sense of calm. It does this by relieving emotional and physical effects of stress and by encouraging the body to release that stress altogether.
Reduction of stress in this way allows the body to sleep better, which improves your mood. Reduction of stress can also help management of chronic diseases. Results from Reiki are most easily seen when it is used as complementary medicine, meaning that it is used in addition to what is recommended for you by your medical doctor in instances of chronic disease or injury.
Although there is not much scientific research on Reiki, and therefore, very little scientific evidence of how the benefits of Reiki actually happen, studies have shown that there are many measurable benefits to the therapy, including those mentioned above.
Is there scientific evidence that Reiki works?
There is little scientific evidence that explains exactly how reiki works, but studies have found that Reiki can have measurable benefits when it comes to lowering blood pressure, improving sleep, lessening anxiety, and reducing pain. (Some of those studies have been done in specific groups, like people recovering from surgery, and others have been done in healthy individuals.) Keep in mind, however, that Reiki is a complementary therapy intended to be used alongside standard medical treatments — not in place of them.
How do I Prepare for a Reiki session?
Wear loose, comfortable clothing. It will benefit you not to wear tight or restrictive clothing. You want to be as comfortable and relaxed as possible, and you will want to continue in your deep relaxation when you leave. You may want to dress in layers if you tend to get cold or hot. Show up with your full authenticity, try to be as open as you possibly can to enjoy the full benefits of your Reiki session. If you would like to book a Reiki Energy Healing Session, click here.
What happens during a Reiki session?
During a Reiki session at Healing Solutions Inc, you will stay fully clothed. You will start on the massage table face up, laying in a comfortable position. You may be asked to roll on to your stomach at some point during the session. Our Reiki healers will begin by evaluating where your energy may or may not be blocked. After this assessment is completed, the session will start.
Your healer will move their hands above you, close to you, or may gently touch certain points of your body gently in a series of meaningful positions. Each of the hands will be positioned deliberately near different parts of the body and held there for 3-10 minutes. The position of the practitioner’s hands and the length of time they spend in each area of the body will vary vastly depending on the needs of each individual. Sessions will last 60 or 90 minutes, and there is very little or no talking during your session.
You could feel or see many different things, none of which will be unnecessarily uncomfortable. Reiki is a very safe healing modality. If you are injured or have low mobility, etc. you may want to start here. There are no risks involved with Reiki healing. Your healer will guide energy through your body to promote and stimulate your body’s self-healing abilities.
You may fall asleep during your session. You may also daydream or see colors during your session. You may fall into a deep, meditative state. This is normal, and useful for restoring your nervous system. Don’t feel bad if you fall asleep during your session, however, this is not the goal. If you would like to read more about Meditation, visit our Blog here.
We offer many styles of healing at Healing Solutions Inc. If you would like to book Reiki Energy Healing sessions, Therapeutic Massage or Cupping sessions, or virtual Meditation or Yoga sessions, you can do that here!
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