Reiki therapy is based on an Eastern belief that vital energy flows through your body. The idea is that a person who specializes in reiki treatment, referred to as a reiki therapist, uses gentle touch – or places their hands just above your body – to help guide this energy in a way that leads to balance and healing.

Reiki has been studied for conditions like pain, anxiety, and depression. It is now used in Hospital as a Complementary Holistic therapy, which means it is used along with proven traditional medical treatments. It doesn’t cure or get rid of any health conditions by itself.

History of reiki

The reiki healing system, founded by Mikao Usui in the early 1900s, said that people should practice certain standards or values that bring about peace and harmony – ideals that most cultures practice. It was brought to the Western part of the world by Hawayo Hiromi Takata and become popular in the U.S. quickly.

The term comes from two Japanese words: “rei,” which means universal, and “ki,” which loosely translates to a flow of a lifeforce of energy that happens in all living things.

Is reiki a religion?

No, it's not a religion. Those who practice reiki treatment are free to follow their own beliefs and religious practices and make decisions based on these things.

During a reiki therapy session, you lie on a massage table while a practitioner places their palms on or just over body parts that are thought to be zones for energy.

How Does Reiki Work?

Reiki practitioners act as a middle ground between you and energy forces. Energy travels from their hands to you, and more specifically the areas of focus. During a session, you would take only the energy flow that you need instead of what the reiki practitioner might think you need.

How long is a reiki session?

Reiki sessions usually last about 75 minutes to make time for relaxing deeply and energy flow.

How many reiki sessions are needed?

While the number of treatments can depend on your condition and personal goals, three to five treatments 1 to 2 weeks apart is generally recommended.

Reiki Benefits

Studies show that reiki therapy may be useful for reducing stress and anxiety, easing pain, and even improving your quality of life.

It can bring about symptom relief and other improvements, like:

• Help with meditation
• Balance to your immune system
• Post-surgery healing of bones and tissues
• A natural form of healing one's self
• Support healing in those who have other medical conditions

Does reiki help with anxiety?

It might. A review of studies found that hands-on reiki was better than a placebo (a “fake” treatment that researchers use to compare with results of a real treatment in a study) at doing things like lowering resting heart rate and blood pressure. The researchers said that reiki has also been found to be more effective than a placebo at easing anxiety, pain, and depression and at boosting quality of life and self-esteem in people with long-term health conditions.

What conditions can reiki sessions help with? 

Because reiki is considered a universal life force energy, it can be useful in helping with many conditions, including:

• Trouble with digestion
• Infertility (a hard time having children)
• Chronic pain
• Parkinson's disease
• Conditions caused by stress
• Cancer
• Depression
• Anxiety

Reiki Techniques

During a reiki therapy session, you lie on a massage table, fully dressed, while a I place my palms on or just over areas of your body that are thought to be zones for energy. I may position my hands in up to 15 ways. I decide how long to leave my palms in each spot based on the flow of energy that I think you’re feeling through my hands at that given spot. 

What Are the Side Effects of Reiki?

In general, reiki seems to be safe, but it should not be used as a substitute for traditional treatments provided by your doctor or other specialists. Reiki is meant to add on to therapy you may already receive. If you're healthy, regular reiki therapy session may be able to prevent certain conditions and increase your means of responding to stress.

Reiki Session: What to Expect

• Where the session takes place. The setting can be anywhere in your home, but a quiet place free of interruptions is usually preferred.
• What sound is present during the session. Soft music or silence can be options for sound; you can request either option before your session.
• Forms or details to provide before the session. I will ask you to complete an online form about your health after booking.
• How long the session takes. On average 1 h 15 mins

You can take a few other steps to provide comfort before your session, like asking me to give you some examples of hand placement and letting me know your needs or previous or current medical conditions that may affect the session (such as digestion problems, pregnancy, or scarring).

During the session

Even though you’re resting on a massage table, I won't be giving a massage, using pressure, or moving your joints around, making reiki special compared to other touch-based treatments. I'll be simply using gentle touch at most.

You might feel sensations like heat, tingling, or pulsing where my hands are, or throughout your body. Or you might not notice any changes. Some people get so relaxed that they fall asleep.

What Should I Expect After Reiki?

You might feel more relaxed or less stressed. If you’re getting reiki for a health condition, you’ll still need to follow your treatment and see your doctor as you usually do. Reiki doesn’t replace your regular medical care.

How Much is a Reiki Session?

A treatment at your home usually costs €75 for those living in the South Dublin area. If you live further away, then additional travel costs will be charged by prior arrangement.

After you book an online Reiki treatment I will be in touch with you by phone so you can send me your address and I can deal with any other questions you may have about the details of me coming to your home.

Its best to schedule some down time after your Reiki session at home to reap the benefits! Try and leave an hour free in your schedule to relax and not have to "get busy".