WHAT IS REIKI?

Reiki is a Japanese healing method that promotes well-being, personal growth, and quality of life.

 

Healing means bringing our mind, body, heart, and environment back into a state of balance and harmony. A state of balance and harmony is what allows the body to restore its natural rhythm and equilibrium to heal itself.

 

 The system of Reiki does not involve any physical manipulation or the ingestion or application of any substances. The practice empowers our Self by reminding us of our divine essence, our inner light that is our true nature. Practicing Reiki helps us clear and free our minds, leading us to be more deeply in touch with our full potential as human beings and to live a more authentic, compassionate, and meaningful life. The more we practice Reiki, the more we feel naturally connected with ourselves,  others, and the world, and the more easily we flow with life, living mindfully in balance and harmony. From that state of balance, we can also better support the healing of others and of the world around us. Reiki is essentially a way of being in life. Reiki is natural and universal; the practice does not involve any religious beliefs. 

 

BENEFITS

Physical - Mental - Emotional - Spiritual

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Relieves tension and stress

Balances emotions and mood

Strengthens immunity and vitality

Improves sleep and rest

Restores harmony and overall well-being

Cultivates compassion and inner peace

Expands clarity, focus, and creativity

Supports personal and spiritual growth

Deepens connection with life

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ORIGINS

Usui Mikao, a Buddhist lay practitioner and spiritual aspirant, developed a healing method known as Shin-shin Kaizen Usui Reiki Ryōhō in Japan in 1922. The name translates as “Usui’s Healing Method for the Improvement of Mind and Body,” and is now commonly known simply as Reiki. Emerging as an innovative system of healing, Reiki is rooted in traditional Japanese spiritual practices and oriented toward restoring wholeness and well-being. At the heart of Reiki lies the principle of self-cultivation: as we heal and refine ourselves, we naturally support the healing of others and the world around us. While Reiki draws from several Japanese traditions—including Buddhism, Shinto, Zen, and Shugendō—it is grounded in universal principles rather than any single religion or belief system. For this reason, the practice remains accessible to people of all backgrounds and faiths. As Reiki spread to the West, the system evolved significantly. It came to be understood primarily as a hands-on healing practice, adapting to Western cultural contexts and perspectives of the time. Today, hundreds of lineages and approaches exist worldwide, each reflecting the diversity and ongoing evolution of Reiki while preserving its essential intention: to support healing, balance, and connection.

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HOW DOES REIKI WORK?

Reiki (from the Japanese rei “universal” and ki “life energy”) is the subtle universal energy present in all living things. It flows through and around us, connecting us to our True Self and inner light. In hands-on practice, Reiki awakens the body’s natural healing ability, releasing tensions and restoring balance and flow. Through this gentle energy, we experience greater harmony, wellness, and connection within ourselves and with life.

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WHAT IS THE SYSTEM OF REIKI?

The practice of hands-on healing is the most commonly known element of the system of Reiki. However, traditionally, the system of Reiki is more comprehensive. It includes five main elements:

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Reiki Precepts

Hands-on Healing

Breathing Methods and Techniques

Symbols and Mantras

Spiritual Blessing or Reiju

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It is through regular personal daily practice that the effectiveness of Reiki increases over time and transforms our life. 

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REIKI IN HEALTHCARE

The hands-on healing practice of Reiki is often offered as a complementary health approach to Western medicine, Chinese medicine, chiropractic, chemo, counseling, and other treatments. The National Center of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) has classified Reiki as a "bio-field therapy" based on its positive health effects and its therapeutic uses. More specifically, the practice has been found beneficial at maintaining physiological homeostasis through a subtle vibrational field without physical manipulation or the ingestion or application of any substances.

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Introduced in the USA in 1938, the practice of Reiki has now become a common healing model that is offered in the West to help people feel better. According to the 2007 National Health Interview Survey, which included a comprehensive survey on the use of complementary health approaches by Americans, more than 1.2 million adults have experienced an energy healing therapy, such as Reiki, in the previous year (NCCAM). 

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Reiki is presently being offered in over 800 institutions all over the United States in treatments for heartbreak, anxiety, OCD, grief, PMS, migraines, allergies, joint and muscle pain, diabetes, constipation, addiction recovery, insomnia, colds, asthma, heart conditions, and also cancer. Hospitals such as the California Pacific Medical Center, the Memorial Sloane Kettering Hospital, and the Tucson Medical Center offer Reiki treatments to their patients. For more information, please visit the Reiki Research Abstracts. 

 

For any questions about Reiki in hospitals, please feel free to contact Veronique. She worked as a Reiki volunteer at Elmhurst Memorial Hospital for a few years and will be more than happy to share her experience with Reiki and how it helps in the hospital setting.

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REIKI RESEARCH

Reiki Medical Papers 

 

LEARN REIKI

Reiki is fundamentally a self-practice healing lifestyle. Regular Reiki practice supports healthy and conscious living as well as personal growth and quality of life. ​Reiki is easy to learn; level I provides the foundation to practice Reiki for oneself and others. For more information, please feel free to contact us.

 

DISTANCE HEALING

Many are surprised to learn that distance Reiki can be just as effective as hands-on healing. It works by deepening our awareness that all beings are energetically connected through the web of life. This understanding grows with regular practice, not just study.

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Disclaimer: Reiki is not a substitute for medical care. No medical claims are made. Those with health concerns should consult a doctor.