Balancing your mind, body, and spirit.
Maybe you’ve heard of Reiki, but you don’t quite know what it is. Maybe you’re considering Reiki, but aren’t sure whether it’s right for you. Maybe your doctor, or a friend has suggested Reiki to you as a form of therapy complementary to your existing medical treatments. Whatever your questions, Reiki Master Tammy Vance-Eagleson RMT, is here to help. She walks you through the basics of Reiki — a safe, gentle, non-invasive form of natural hands-on or hands-off, energy-based healing — and what it can do for you…your mind, body, and spirit.
What is Reiki?
What is Reiki? Reiki is natural healing using the universal life force energy. Reiki, an abundant, and gentle spiritual energy is not tied to any specific religion or nationality.
Reiki is a healing technique for stress reduction and relaxation that helps promote healing. It is a form of energy healing in which hands are placed just above the body. Reiki is a gentle, non-invasive, non-manipulative, and non-intrusive.
Reiki therapy is based on an Eastern belief that vital energy flows through your body. That energy flows through every living thing. Reiki practitioners place their hands just above your body — to help guide this energy in a way that promotes balance and healing.
A Japanese man named Mikao Usui developed Reiki in the 1920s. The term comes from two Japanese words: “Rei,” which means universal, and “ki,” which loosely translates to a life force of energy. You may find it very relaxing. Reiki has been studied for conditions like pain, anxiety, and depression. More than 60 U.S. hospitals have adopted Reiki as part of patient services, according to a UCLA study, and Reiki education is offered at 800 hospitals in the US. It is used in the following and many more:
- Emory University, Atlanta
- Cleveland Clinic, Ohio
- Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Illinois
- Johns Hopkins Integrative Medicine Digestive Center, Maryland
- Hartford Hospital, Connecticut
- The Bramson Cancer Center, Pennsylvania
- Winchester Hospital, Massachusetts
- Northwest Hospital and Medical Center, Seatlle
It is also available at the top three cancer hospitals in the US:
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York
- MD Anderson Cancer Center, Texas
- Mayo Clinic, Minnesota
It’s a complementary treatment, which means you use it along with proven traditional medical treatments. It doesn’t cure or get rid of any health conditions by itself.
Reiki is not a religion. It is indeed spiritual in nature. It is not a religion because it has no dogma and because there is no conflict between Reiki and any belief system. This is like prayer, it is a spiritual practice but it is not specific to a religion, nor is it its own religion.
Reiki is a combination of two Japanese ideologies – spiritual wisdom and Ki is life energy. The kanji of Rei actually depicts the heavens, the earth, and between the two there are three stones – meant to symbolize the three parts of a person: body, mind, and spirit. This goes by many names such as spiritual consciousness, the universal mind, God, the Supreme Being, the third heaven and so forth.
Ki means chi (Chinese), prana (Sanskrit), ti or ki (Hawaiian), or scientifically speaking, bio-field energy. What it means is life energy. Most healers work with ki energy in some form, but not all healer use combine spiritual wisdom with this life energy work.
Studies show that reiki treatment may create feelings of:
- Peace.
- Relaxation.
- Security.
- Wellness.
Can Reiki replace traditional treatments?
NO. Reiki treatment should not be used as a substitute for the consultation of a physician or a psychotherapist. Reiki complements other types of medical and therapeutic treatments, and it can increase the efficacy of other types of healing. If you’re already in good health, though, regular Reiki treatments can enhance your ability to respond to stress and serve as a form of preventive medicine. Reiki is so wonderful at reducing stress, and anxiety…it’s a great way to have an overall sense of well-being and calm.
What happens during a Reiki session?
Reiki sessions typically last about 50 to 60 minutes. During a session, you’ll lie on a massage table fully clothed, as your Reiki practitioner gently places their hands, palms down, just above your body in specific energy locations. They use a series of 12 to 15 different hand positions.
“The length of time that the practitioner leaves their hands in each position is determined by the flow of energy through their hands at each location,”…Reiki differs from other therapies in that there is no pressure, or physical manipulation involved. This makes it especially wonderful for those with fibromyalgia. It’s also helpful for clients with dementia, clients going through cancer treatments, those with RA, and anyone who wants to feel a sense of calmness, and relaxation. Reiki can be very rejuvenating as balancing your energy creates an amazing sense of well-being…which for some…it may have been a good bit since they have felt so at ease. It can take several sessions to feel the effects, and adding chakra balancing in addition to Reiki is often suggested depending on the client.
What does Reiki feel like?
You may experience the energy in the form of sensations like heat, tingling, or pulsing where the Reiki practitioner has placed their hands above you. Sometimes, people feel sensations moving throughout the body, while other people do not perceive any change at all. Some people experience sudden tears, crying, joy, an overall lightness physically and emotionally, and some experience no physical symptoms at all.
Most people feel very relaxed and peaceful during Reiki sessions. Many clients fall asleep during the process. Every experience is unique to each individual. You never need to worry if reiki is going to the right area/areas for you…Reiki always goes where it is needed.
What are some health benefits of a Reiki?
According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, people use reiki for relaxation, stress reduction and symptom relief, in efforts to improve overall health and well-being. A reiki treatment may do the following:
- Help bring about a peaceful, and deep state of relaxation.
- Help dissolve energy blockages.
- Help detoxify the body.
- Help in supporting the wellbeing of a person receiving traditional medical treatment.
- Help supply universal life force energy to the body.
- Help to relieve pain.
- Help relieve tension, and stress.
- Increase the vibrational frequency on physical, mental emotional, and spiritual levels.
- Help bring on a meditative state.
- Help foster tissue and bone healing after injury or surgery.
- Help stimulate your body’s immune system.
- Help in promoting natural self-healing.
- Help support the wellbeing of people receiving traditional medical treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation, surgery and kidney dialysis.
- Help to quiet your mind.
- Reiki helps in promoting relaxation, stress reduction, and symptom relief to improve overall health and wellbeing.
Reiki, which is used all over the world including in many hospitals. It aids in healing by helping people become more balanced physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.
What conditions can be helped/treated with Reiki?
Reiki is not specific to any particular type of disease or condition. Because it works on the entire self, mind, body, and emotions – it may be successful in all types of physical, emotional, mental and spiritual healing.
Our Reiki practitioners at Reiki Rejuvenation and Relaxation Center help patients to prepare for surgery, which may help boost recovery afterward.
Our Reiki practitioners see clients for the following conditions, among others:
- Cancer
- Chronic pain
- Infertility
- Digestive problems
- Parkinson’s disease
- Stress-related diseases
- Psychological disorders
- Dementia
- Pre and Post surgical patients
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
- Autism Spectrum
- Anxiety
- ADD/ADHD
- Hospice patients
- Nursing home residents
- Fibromialgia
- Lupus
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
Can I benefit from Reiki if I’m in good health?
YES. If you are in good health already, regularly applied reiki treatments (about once to twice a month for maintenance) enhances your ability to respond to unhealthy elements in your environment, and help you to handle stress better. This is done by promoting the harmonious distribution of energy, Reiki is an excellent form of alternative medicine.
Lastly, I’d love to share some of the benefits of Reiki healing sessions:
- First and foremost, a Reiki session offers an incredibly relaxing experience that aids in a positive state of consciousness and spiritual experience.
- It is a great addition to most forms of therapy. This is why I do offer a spiritual direction and Reiki combo session. The Reiki and spiritual direction work with one another for an enhanced experience and further spiritual healing.
- Historically Reiki has been used to help aid in the healing of every illness and injury imaginable.
- We use it in our home for allergies, common colds, teething babes, headaches, bruises, sunburns, and sore muscle.
- We also use it to help reduce anxiety, and depression – which has been highly effective.
- A Reiki session can provide clarity, a sense of grounding when you are feeling like you have no control, and help in balancing your mind, body and spirit.
CURIOUS IF I CAN HELP YOU WITH WHAT’S BEEN BOTHERING YOU?
Reach out and ask! I’d love to chat with you about Reiki, and if it is right for you. I am so grateful to everyone who has been coming to me with questions. I love that this is a community of beautiful souls, looking for answers, healing, and overall sense of wellbeing. It’s truly an honor to be a part of it. So keep questioning, keep exploring, keep seeking.
Be kind to yourself,
Tammy Vance-Eagleson
RMT, DMETA, D.D.
Thanatologist
Life Coach
Ordained Minister
Spiritual Coach
Shamanka