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The Benefits for You & Your Practice
Like other complementary modalities, relatively little research has been done on the mechanisms and efficacy
of reiki. To date, research on reiki consists of case studies, case reports, descriptive studies and randomized controlled trials with a small number of subjects.
In her recent book Reiki: A Comprehensive Guide,
Pamela Miles1 summarizes the research evidence to date, and her analysis suggests that reiki is associated with:
- overall enhanced well-being and vitality.
- decreased levels of stress hormones.
- improvement in immune indicators.
- improved blood pressure.
- decreased heart rate.
- subjective improvements in anxiety and pain.
- improvement in mood and functioning of depressed patients.
Miles1 highlights the challenges in doing credible reiki research, given the enormous variation in reiki training.
She suggests that one way to overcome those challenges is to work with reiki practitioners trained by one reiki teacher (perhaps as part of the research project) and focus on assessing the impact of self-reiki on a group of patients who have the same condition.
Despite the limited research to date, increasing numbers of hospitals are welcoming reiki practitioners, as clinical experience is showing that patients are recovering faster and feeling better with the use of reiki. As more clinicians of all types become aware of reiki’s value in treating various health conditions and for general wellness, the demand for people with dual training is likely to increase.
Pilot Study
Personally, I’ve had several clients receiving reiki treatment after back and heart surgeries who report requiring less pain medicine than their doctors expected.
I’ve also seen cancer patients who were experiencing negative side effects of chemotherapy have those symptoms ease once they started reiki treatments.
Since I’ve seen it work in my practice, I decided to do my own pilot study. A convenience sample of reiki practitioners in the Boston area—many of whom are also massage therapists—revealed consistent themes about the value of reiki for self-care and client care.
I sent a questionnaire to 40 former reiki students (out of a population of about 300), and asked them how long they have been practitioners, what made them decide to learn reiki, whether or not they were a massage therapist, what impact self-reiki has had on them, and why—if at all—they thought massage therapists should learn reiki. Most of the 30 respondents were massage therapists.
In terms of self-care, people spoke about reiki’s capacity to help them feel more grounded, relaxed, focused and peaceful, as well as its ability to alleviate specific physical discomfort (e.g., sore backs and necks).
Several reported using it in the morning before getting out of bed, at bedtime to help them sleep or to help prepare them for doing massage.
“I find it very relaxing,” says survey responder and reiki practitioner Trish Murphy. “It grounds me and empowers me to think positively about myself and decisions. In a world that leaves you little control, I know that I have a tool to regain some of that control.”
Reiki practitioners who are also massage therapists are important sources of information about how reiki
is or is not helpful as an adjunct clinical tool. Ulrike
ettling teaches reiki classes with her massage therapist
husband in the Boston area. Dettling says that besides
being a tool for self-care, reiki is also beneficial for
therapists to know for cases when circulatory massage
is contraindicated for their clients.
“I find that reiki helps with envisioning what’s
the crux of my clients’ issues,” says Lisa Santoro, a
massage therapist and reiki practitioner who does a lot
of myofascial release and scar work. “WHen I’m at the
deepest levels of fascia, reiki helps give me some answers
on what’s pulling on what.”
Several respondents to my pilot study also spoke
strongly about the value of combining massage and reiki
to help clients feel calm and balanced—especially when
clients come in with anxiety, stress or pain.
“Massage therapists should learn reiki because it is a
great way to start and finish a massage session,” says
Clara Soto, a reiki practitioner and a massage therapist.
“It helps calm peoples’ nerves about getting a massage,
especially if it is the person’s first time seeing you. It
brings comfort to the environment.”
REFERENCES
1. Miles P. Reiki: a comprehensive guide. New York:
Tarcher/Penguin Group, 2006.
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American Massage Therapy Association®
