Frequently Asked Questions About Reiki Sessions
Reiki energy is a subtle, universal energy. It is the life force that we all have within and around us. Reiki practitioners help enhance this life force energy by directing Reiki to your whole body. The person receiving Reiki absorbs what their body needs to heal during the session.
A Reiki session can be performed anywhere, at any time, as no special equipment is needed. The Reiki session process is a very easy one. The recipient simply lies or sits down in a comfortable position. There’s no need to remove any clothing, as Reiki will pass through anything.
The practitioner gently places his or her hands non-intrusively in a sequence of positions, which cover the whole body, with each position held for several minutes. The practitioner is a conduit, through which the energy is drawn. Reiki flows to the areas of need, helping to soothe pain, support the body’s natural ability to heal itself, and restore one’s balance. A full session usually takes 1 to 1 1/2 hours, but can also be shorter.
Reiki can help with all manner of illness and conditions, from minor ailments like head or stomachaches, bee stings, colds, flu, and tension to more serious conditions like heart disease, cancer, and leukemia. It also can help improve the effectiveness of other types of therapy and reduce side effects of treatments. Reiki has also been known to improve healing rate and reduce time in the hospital. However, while some have experienced miracles, they cannot be guaranteed. Stress reduction with some improvement in one’s physical and psychological condition are what most experience.
No. If one has a medical or psychological condition, it is recommended that one see a licensed health care professional in addition to receiving Reiki sessions. Reiki energy works in harmony with all other forms of healing, including drugs, surgery, psychological care, and alternative care methods and will improve those results.
If you are considering Reiki while under treatment of a physician, it should be discussed with your physician. See the disclaimer for more details.
Generally after a Reiki session a person feels relaxed. However, sometimes during a session a person will have a large release on one or more levels. This is called a healing crisis. When this happens, a person may get a headache or feel weak. If this happens, I find for myself it is a good idea to drink plenty of water, get more rest, and take care of you. It is part of the healing process.
Reiki is considered alternative treatment. Check with your insurance company for details.
Frequently Asked Questions About Reiki Training
Reiki is a very simple technique to learn and is not dependent on one having any prior experience with healing, meditation, or any other kind of training. Over one million people from all walks of life, both young and old, have successfully learned it.
The reason it is so easy to learn that it is not taught in the way one might expect. The ability to do Reiki is simply transferred from the teacher to the student through a process called an attunement that takes place during a Reiki class. As soon as one receives an attunement, they have the ability to do Reiki, and after that whenever one places their hands on themselves or on another person with the intention of doing Reiki, the healing energy will automatically begin flowing.
A Reiki class is typically taught over a weekend in New York City. The class is typically two days, and at least six to seven hours a day. Along with the attunement, it is necessary that the student be shown how to give sessions and also to practice giving sessions in class.
A Reiki attunement is the process by which a person receives the ability to give Reiki. The Reiki Master administers the attunement during the Reiki class. During the attunement, the Reiki Master will touch the student’s head, shoulders, and hands and use one or more special breathing techniques. The attunement energies will flow through the Reiki Master and into the student. These energies are guided by the Higher Power, make adjustments in the student’s energy pathways, and connect the student to the source of Reiki. During the attunement, some students feel warmth in the hands; others may see colors or have visions. However, it is not necessary to have an inner experience for the attunement to have worked. Most simply feel more relaxed.
Yes, once you have received the attunement, you can treat yourself. This is one of the unique features of Reiki.
This depends on the tradition the Reiki Master/practitioner and follows. I follow the Usui System of Reiki: Usual Shiki Ryoho and Tera Seichem Reiki.
In the Usui system, there are three levels or degrees: first, second and third or Master. In the Tera Seichem there are two degrees: first and second.
When giving a Reiki session, the Reiki energy flows through the practitioner before leaving the hands and flowing into the client. Because of this, the practitioner also receives a session. As the Reiki energy flows through the practitioner, she/he will feel more relaxed and uplifted. Spiritual experiences sometimes take place. The practitioner sometimes receives insights about what the client needs to know to heal more deeply.
If you are looking for a Reiki teacher, you’ll want to find a Reiki Master. You can do this by visiting the Reiki Alliance website and searching by country or state. Good questions to ask a potential Reiki Master include:
- How long have you been working with Reiki?
- What training have you had?
- How often do you teach?
- How do you personally use Reiki?
- What is your lineage?
- What qualifications are required to take Reiki training?
- What do you cover in your classes? What is the structure of the classes?
- What are the specific things I will be able to do after taking the training?
- What are your fees, and will I get a certificate and a manual?
- Can I take notes and tape record the class?
- How many symbols will I learn?
- Will you openly support me in being a successful Reiki practitioner or Master?
- Do you have a positive, respectful attitude toward other Reiki practitioners and Masters regardless of lineage or affiliation?
Be aware of how you feel about their answers and if they are responding in a loving manner that is supportive and empowering. Listen to your heart and you will be guided to the right teacher or practitioner.
Once receiving a Reiki attunement, it lasts your whole life. And yes, you can have more that one attunement. Usually this happens when you are studying with other teachers. For example, if you are studying another form of Reiki, you will be receiving other attunements.
Frequently Asked Questions About Reflexology
Many confuse reflexology with massage, Reiki, or acupuncture, but there are essential differences between these therapies. Massage therapists manipulate larger areas of soft tissue in the body while reflexologists apply pressure to specific points on the feet, hands, and ears. Unlike either massage or reflexology, Reiki does not involve any physical manipulation or pressure, but instead uses light touch to work with the subtle vibrational field thought to surround the body. Finally, while acupuncture and acupressure, like reflexology, use reflex points on the body to influence other parts of the body, the points are not the same and acupuncture uses points over the entire body.
While these are different practices entirely, one thing they all have in common is that they are sometimes used to help manage symptoms associated with stress.
Although reflexology is not used to diagnose or cure disease, millions of people around the world use it to complement other treatments when addressing conditions like anxiety, asthma, cancer treatment, cardiovascular issues, diabetes, headaches, kidney function, PMS, and sinusitis.
Insurance billing privileges and laws vary state by state. You would need to check with the massage licensing board in your state (if reflexology is governed by the massage board) or the reflexology licensing board (if reflexology is licensed as a separate healthcare practice). If reflexology is exempt from licensing in your state, check with the individual insurance companies to see if they cover reflexology and if it is covered when offered by a reflexologist. (Some plans require that the service be provided by another professional.) Check also to see what sort of credentials they would require of you in order to be reimbursed. Although this article was written for massage therapists, you might find some of the information pertinent to your question: http://bit.ly/2pD9P81