How Does Reiki Work?
One way to think of a Reiki session is like an old AM/FM radio. There are many different stations transmitting through different frequencies. When you want to access a particular station, you turn the dial...you TUNE in. The Reiki practitioner TUNES into the Reiki energy and the energy is transmitted to you.
In layman's terms please...
...scientifically speaking?
Reiki is energy, so we can attempt to understand how it works in a number of ways.
1. "In physics, energy is a property of matter and space. It can be transferred between objects. It can be converted in its form. It cannot be created or destroyed." (Wikipedia "Energy," n.d. https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy)
​2. Quantum Physics - "the branch of physics concerned with quantum theory." "quantum physics allows for particles to be in two states at the same time" (Oxford Language Dictionary)
3. Based on the E=hv equation, energy and frequency (v) are directly related to each other. If the frequency increases, then energy increases as well.
(Lavelle, Lawrence; Relationship between energy, frequency, wavelength, etc., https://lavelle.chem.ucla.edu/forum, Gushiken,
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4. Energy flows through our physical body system because everything is energy, BUT it is also believed to flow through a system known as the subtle body system. This is a system, that is biologically speaking, unseen. The subtle body system allows energy to flow through the body through "channels," "lines," or "vessels." These vessels are termed meridians in Japan and called nadis in India. The chakras are also part of the subtle body system. Acupuncturists and acupressure practitioners follow the meridian lines to treat various ailments. In Yoga, the different poses and breath-work are used to balance the Chakra system. In a Reiki session, energy flows through the physical body, the meridians and the chakra system.
5. The central nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system of the human body appear to be directly correlated to the subtle body system. These different systems work in conjunction with each other AND have the capacity to affect each system; which is highly evident in Reiki. It is logically safe to say that we cannot have one system without the other or we would not exist. Food for thought: we cannot see sound, but we know there is sound. Even though we cannot see the meridian lines, there are meridian lines. In fact, scientific studies about meridian lines have provided the "proof" we as humans tend to want.
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...in a Reiki session?
In a Reiki session,
1. The energy is emitted from the practitioner's hands to different areas of the client's body and subtle body. Dr. John Zimmerman of the University of Colorado Medical School, showed that the frequency emitted from trained Reiki practitioners' hands ranged from .03 Hz. to 30 Hz. The hertz emitted from healthy organs in the body is 7 Hz. to 8Hz.(1) Another expert researcher, James L. Oschman, Ph.D, states, “the electromagnetic fields produced by a practitioner’s hands can induce current flows in the tissues and cells of individuals who are in close proximity.(2)” We can say then, this concept is part of the science of how Reiki works in sessions.
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2. All energy has a frequency that can be measured. Reiki energy has frequencies that are different than the daily frequencies we feel and function within as human beings. We've all experienced those sounds that actually make us feel very uncomfortable and annoyed. Think of nails on a chalkboard or simply the daily sounds of busyness, we can feel the change within our physical body, then we experience how it affects our mental "body." These are types of aggravating frequencies. Of course, there are other sounds that are soothing; those frequencies resonate with our bodies. The type of frequencies emitted from Reiki energy go far beyond the frequencies here on Earth. This is why people feel SO relaxed immediately after a session, or days later, experience a type of vitality they've never experienced before in their life.
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References:
(1) Reiki Energy Medicine: Enhancing the Healing Process by Alice Moore, RN, BS, Reiki Master Hartford Hospital Dept.of Integrative Medicine, Hartford, CT, https://hartfordhospital.org/file%20library/unassigned/reikienergymedicine.pdf )
(2) Bernadette Doran, BS, RMT, https://serenityattunement.com/index.php/the-science-behind-reiki/
My personal thoughts...
As much as I would like to be able to explain in exact detail, how Reiki works and provide you with all the facts and scientific proof, truth-be-told I cannot. Personally, I believe Reiki energy involves a spiritual component along with the science of quantum physics. There is a lovely and mysterious component to Reiki, just as there still are with many things in our Universe. Part of this mystery component is what keeps me coming back to getting my own Reiki sessions every two weeks!
Every session is different, but so far, after receiving 60+ Reiki sessions, there has not been one session that I was unhappy with or that didn't help me in my life. I cannot explain the science of how I received the Reiki energy during my trainings nor can I truly explain how I am now able to offer Reiki to others, BUT I can physically feel it within my hands and within my own body. I have been witness to the beautiful changes within my own life and the lives of my clients.
