1. Reiki is relaxing, and relaxation has many health benefits.
As we relax, the muscles in our body become less tense, our blood pressure levels out, and our heart and respiratory rates lower. Other benefits of relaxation listed by The Mayo Clinic include improved digestion, normalization of blood sugar levels, reduction in the activity of stress hormones, increased blood flow to major muscles and organs, reduction of chronic pain, improved concentration and mood, improved sleep, lowered fatigue, a reduction in anger and frustration and an increase in self-confidence. This one benefit of Reiki branches out into so many other health benefits it’s easy to see why Reiki is worth trying!
2. Reiki helps break down energy blocks, and rebalances the mind, body, and spirit.
Reiki is an energy healing that involves working on the body’s biofield. So, what is the body’s biofield you ask? Described as an energy field surrounding all living, biological objects, the term “biofield” – or biological field - was coined in the early 1990’s by a panel of scientists at The National Institute of Health. This energy field - sometimes referred to as chi, ki, qi, prana, life force etc. – is engaged in the generation, maintenance, and regulation of homeostasis (balance) in biological organisms. Reiki therapists believe pain (whether physical, emotional, spiritual, or psychological) is an indication that the body’s energy flow is blocked or hindered in some way. By working to break down these energy blocks, Reiki therapist help to restore equilibrium and balance to the body, mind, and spirit.
3. Reiki can help reduce stress and improve your mood which enhances your quality of life.
We’ve already seen how Reiki can be very relaxing and help break down energy blocks and rebalance the body, mind, and spirit. When our body relaxes, and things start functioning and flowing efficiently and correctly we are better able to respond to stress. Chronic stress not only affects health, it can also take a toll on well-being. Everyone experiences stress. Stress is the emotional and physical reactions our bodies go through in response to a challenge or demand. Stress serves an important purpose—it enables us to respond quickly to threats and avoid danger. Stress can be more positive in nature (“eustress”) – like getting a promotion or having a baby – or more negative (the types of things we typically think about when we hear the word “stress”). Whichever type of stress we experience, has an effect on the body. And lengthy exposure to stress may lead to mental and/or physical health difficulties. Eliminating stress therefore can help us be more balanced and healthy, which leads to improved mood and overall quality of life.
4. Reiki can help with chronic pain. and quality of life in the patients with chronic health problems.
Dealing with chronic health problems or pain is draining. By helping to encourages optimal functioning of all of the body’s systems (breathing, digestion, sleep etc.) Reiki can help to reduce pain and foster a return to a more homeostatic state, allowing the body to heal and pain to dissipate. More and more clinical case studies on the subject are revealing that Reiki is an affective form of pain management. Across North America hundreds of hospitals are now integrating Reiki! From Emergency Rooms to pre-op and post-op Operating Rooms, Oncology, Cardiology, Orthopedics, Internal Medicine and more, many hospitals, medical offices, clinics, and wellness centers are embracing the undisputable benefits of Reiki and incorporating it into their healthcare models.
5. Reiki aids the body’s natural healing process.
A study out of The Cleveland Clinic claims the benefits of Reiki include that it “stimulates tissue and bone healing after injury or surgery.” There are many other research studies that support this notion. A research study at Hartford Hospital in Hartford, CT for example showed that Reiki patients had: “Need for less anesthesia, experienced less bleeding during surgery, used less pain medications and had shorter stays in the hospital”. Reiki is a wonderful complement to conventional medicine. As we’ve already discussed, Reiki helps the body to relax, reduces stress, and returns the body to a natural state of healing. In more clinical terms, the body moves into a state wherein the parasympathetic nervous system becomes dominant. This state of parasympathetic nervous system dominance is casually referred to as the “rest and digest” or “rest and repair” state, and it is when the body’s natural ability to heal itself occurs. In contrast, the sympathetic nervous system is in control when we are feeling stressed, and in a state of go-go-go (or, the “fight or flight” response phase). It is important for the body to experience this “rest and repair” state in order for it to regulate, regenerate, rebalance and restore.
6. Reiki helps improve sleep.
The body’s parasympathetic nervous system is most active when we are sleeping. Good sleep leads to good parasympathetic response. The better the parasympathetic system dominates during sleep, the better able your body is to repair and recover. The better repair and recovery your body undergoes while sleeping, the better able you and your body are at functioning the following day. It’s no secret that sleep does a body good. Good sleep does a body even better. One common result of Reiki is good sleep. Reiki = good sleep = good parasympathetic recover = overall goodness for you and your body.
7. Reiki is no contact and non-invasive.
Reiki is generally regarded as very safe, even for those with underlying health conditions. It is a noninvasive therapy and is quite comfortable to receive. During a treatment your Reiki practitioner typically lays their hands on your body with a very light touch. But you can receive Reiki without touch as well. Reiki is an excellent choice for anyone who prefers minimal or no touch, such as those recovering from burns or surgery. Also, unlike massage there are no oils or lotions used in Reiki, eliminating the need for post-treatment shower or bathing, making it a great treatment to receive during an afternoon break from work, or before other plans.
And of course, Reiki allows for a physical distance between client and therapist to be maintained throughout treatment. If you're thinking of a massage, or other hands-on therapy, but are wary of the proximity of your therapist, now is a great time to try Reiki.
8. Reiki is low to no-risk.
Reiki is a non-invasive relaxation technique that energizes the body and brings it into balance. Reiki is not affiliated with any particular religion or religious practice, it is not massage, nor is it based on belief or subconscious suggestion. It is a subtle and effective form of energy work that relies on the body’s innate ability to heal itself. Reiki Practitioners understand that everyone has the ability to connect with their own healing energy within, and they use Reiki to help unblock and strengthen their client's energy, helping them to reconnect with the universal lifeforce energy, and thus promote healing. Reiki practitioners act as a conduit to reconnect the body to its natural unity with chi/qi/ki/prana/life force energy.
9. Reiki feels gooooood!
Reiki relaxes the body, and that feels good. And with no known side effects, Reiki can easily be combined with other therapies to foster even deeper relaxation and reap greater benefit from all therapies. Not to mention in our fast-paced lifestyle, even thirty minutes to stop, reconnect and rejuvenate ourselves is a welcomed pleasure that your body and mind will thank you for.
10. Reiki has been practiced for over 100 years.
Reiki as practiced in the West today was developed by Sensei Mikao Usui in Japan in the early 1920s (although there is evidence that other styles of Reiki were being practiced in Japan before this, these earlier styles were not as widely known). Hawayo Takata, one of Master Usui’s first students, brough Reiki to North America shortly thereafter, teaching Reiki to her students in Hawaii. Since then, Reiki has travelled so quickly and garnered so much interest that now it is widely practiced in homes and hospitals, hospices, and clinics worldwide. This abundance of practice only goes to show the effectiveness of this wonderous modality.
But alas, dear reader, don't just take my word for it. If you've never had reflexology, you really must try it. With all the many health benefits, not to mention the amazing feeling of bliss, you may just fall in love.
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