Submitted by: Abigail Hall MSN, RN, HNB-BC, OHNA Secretary
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“I feel so much more grounded”.
“I have a sense of calmness and feel more connected to
myself”.
“I feel like I have been cleansed and I can operate at a
higher level.”
“It was like restful sleep.”
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These are just some of the quotes I received when I was asking my friends who are Reiki practitioners what their clients say. There were many more statements but all the people I spoke to expressed that they love Reiki and the effects it can have on people, pets, plants, and the world. Reiki is an energy system, it is spiritual energy, and it is a word. Roughly translated, Reiki means universal life force energy. As an energy system, Reiki promotes a way of living with universal energy and love, alongside positive thoughts and mental attitude.
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The origins of Reiki are set around the 1920s in Japan. It came to the West in the 1980s and 1990s and was adopted in many different circles. There are four levels of Reiki practitioners from Level 1 to Level 4, and Level 2 and above use symbols. A person progresses through and is attuned to each level. Attunements are when a master passes on the ability of a student to be a channel for Reiki energy. Reiki treatments happen when a person is fully clothed and laying on a massage table or seated in a chair. The practitioner places their hands on or near the person’s body and they offer or conduct universal energy. There is no pressure or massage with a Reiki session, and it can even be done over distances.
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The treatment is holistic and can have effects on the mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual aspects of a being. Reiki can be delivered by itself or as a support to other forms of treatment. The act of bringing spiritual energy into a person’s own energy field is a way of clearing blockages, enhancing innate energy flow, reducing tension, promoting the qualities of love, and increasing relaxation. Reiki helps the body’s own healing response, while fostering a state of bliss, wellness, and peacefulness. Energy blockages impede the innate flow of energy, and as we know everything is made of energy, so blocks can cause health problems, relationship troubles, spiritual distress, or even financial concerns.
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As a Reiki 2 practitioner, I have integrated Reiki into intentional moments when I am with my family, my patients, my colleagues, and even passersby who I sensed were struggling. I view it as a beautiful gift to be a channel that can steer positive, loving energy towards people for them to use as they need. I have integrated it into my healing practice and use it to feel out and direct energy. I have seen it used after traumatic events, during a time of growth and expansion, to settle and ground, for general emotional and spiritual maintenance, and in times of an acute health crisis. People have reported a tingling, buzzing, warmth, or calmness in their bodies after sessions. If you are interested in learning more about Reiki or becoming a practitioner, choosing a Reiki Master and the type of training is extremely important. If you are looking to experience Reiki, choose a practitioner who can speak about their training, attunements, practices, and professionalism.
