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Biofield Therapeutics: Reiki Therapy
The secret art of inviting happiness
The miraculous medicine of
all diseases
Just for today, do not anger
Do not worry and be filled
with gratitude
Devote yourself to your
work. Be kind to people
Every morning and evening,
join your hands in prayer.
Pray these words to your
heart
And chant these words with your mouth
Dr. Mikao Usui
By
Allison H. Schwartz
Ø
What is
Biofield Therapy?
Ø
What is
Reiki?
Ø
Origins
of Reiki Healing Therapy
Ø
Reiki
Treatment Sessions: What to Expect
Ø
Reiki
Practitioner Training
Ø
Empirical
Research on Reiki Therapy
Ø
Conclusions
Ø
References
What is Biofield Therapy?
Seeking alternatives to traditional medical treatments,
many individuals are pursuing alternative and complementary methods of treatment
and healing. Biofield therapies are increasing in interest and practice and
include Qigong, Shen, Therapeutic Touch (TT) and
Reiki.
(http://www.alternative-medicine-/info.com)
Biofield Therapy is often referred to as “energy healing” or “laying on of hands” and is described as “one of the oldest forms of healing”. Biofield or energy healing involves the transfer of energy from healer to patient and the manipulation of the human body’s energy fields. The energy field is an active “Biofield” that exists within the human body and within an 18-inch perimeter of the body.
The National Institutes of Health Center for Complementary
and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) classifies Reiki as a Biofield modality “that
involves touch or placement of the hands in or through Biofield, the existence
of which has not been scientifically proven”
(http://nccam.nih.gov./).
Biofield practitioners adhere to holistic philosophies that focus on the emotional, physical and spiritual states of health. Energy healing is considered useful in the treatment of general health and vitality, emotional issues, bodily functions and healing. Reiki is one of the most widely known forms of “energy healing” has emerged as alternative treatment increasing interest and research in clinical settings. (http://www.reiki.org), (http://www.alternative-medicine-info.com).
What is Reiki Therapy?
Reiki is an Eastern healing
practice and the name originates from the Japanese concepts of REI (spirit) and
KI (life force, energy). Reiki is also described as the Japanese word for
“universal energy” and within traditional Eastern healing focuses on the “KI”
or imbalance of the life force energy.
Stress, toxins, addictions, etc. negatively impact the flow of the life
force and Reiki healing involves the re-balancing of the subtle energies, which
increase feelings of well being, reduce stress and promotes good health. (http://www.reikihelp.com/WhatIsReiki.html)
Reiki is described as a healing system or a healing art and it is based on the foundation that “a life force energy” flows through every living thing. This infinite quantity of “life force energy” is accessed through Reiki therapy. Chi or Ki is that life force which is an important factor in emotions, thoughts, health and well-being. If the life force is low, restricted or blocked within an individual there is likely to be an imbalance of health or emotion or spirituality. Reiki heals by flowing or passing through the impacted areas of the energy field and charges them with positive energy restoring harmony. (http://angelreiki.nu/reiki/)
The theoretical concepts underlying “energy healing” and Reiki Therapy have been associated by some researchers with models in quantum physics, bioelectromagnetism and physiology, however, the absence of scientific data in conventional sciences does not support that premise in a medical context.
The absence of a consistent unified theory regarding
Reiki therapy and the lack of specific measurable scientific data subjects
Reiki to critical analysis common to the alternative healing arts. Some critics
suggest there is no evidence that Reiki healing is due to anything other than
suggestion or placebo effect and produces efficacy levels less than or similar
to massage therapy (http://reiki.7gen.com/healing.htm). 
Reiki practitioners and advocates cite a holistic,
“mind-body” paradigm of balance in which healing is a return to a state of
harmony and balance, an intrinsic, universal variable that is not defined or
measured within the framework of western medical science. Healing is not equated with the removal of
symptoms, which characterizes the current medical model. “Reiki is a simple treatment that restores
homeostasis to the body: equilibrium to the mind and fulfillment to the soul” (http://holisticonline.com).
Reiki therapy is appropriate for all ages including
children. All practitioners’ caution: It should be appreciated that Reiki is a
holistic, complimentary therapy and that it is not a substitute for
professional medical treatment.
The most commonly reported benefits from Reiki include:
Ø
Stress reduction
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Pain relief
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Relaxation
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Increased energy and stamina
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Reduction of anxious feelings
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Increased feelings of well being
(http://reiki.7gen.com/index.html)
Origins of Reiki Healing Practice:
Mikao Usui (1865-1926) is identified as the originator of
Reiki as a healing art in the last centuries.
Devoted to the practices of Tendai Buddhism, Mikao Usui also studied
martial arts, medicine, philosophy, religion and traveled extensively. 
Traditional stories and myths have
attributed Reiki to ancient Tibetan practices that Dr. Mikao rediscovered while studying ancient sutras (Buddhist
Teaching written in Sanskrit) during a lengthy fast and meditation on Mount
Kurama. Other sources suggest Mikao
Usui; a gifted educator adopted and integrated ideas, beliefs and knowledge
from a vast background of Chinese Medicine, Chi Gong, Kiko, and western healing
systems.
(http://holisticonline.com/Reiki/hol_Reiki_home.htm)
Initially, Dr. Usui’s practice of Reiki was linked to very
strict practices of meditation, service and spirituality. Consequently, one of
his students, C. Hayahi (1878 – 1940) suggested a more practical, applicable
practice of healing. The 
technique was called Hayashi
Shiki Reiki. The Hayashi Shiki form of Reiki focused on vibrational
energy therapy facilitated by touch, which is believed to balance the Biofield,
ultimately resulting in improved health and functioning. The accessibility of
Reiki healing through clinics, the exchange of compensation for healing and
availability to the public expanded and integrated Reiki therapy into more
traditional medical treatment formats. (http://www.thedawn.co.uk/usui_reiki.htm).
In 1936, Mrs. Hawayo Takata introduced Reiki to the United
States. An American citizen of Japanese descent living in Hawaii, Mrs. Hawaya
Takata had struggled with chronic health issues including a lung condition,
gastrointestinal problems and “a nervous breakdown”. Seeking an alternative
cure in her parent’s homeland of Japan, she sought treatment at the Hayashi
Reiki Clinic and after several months 
was free of symptoms. Devoted to
Reiki, she stayed on at the clinic for training. Exporting her training to
North America, Mrs. Takata promoted Reiki as an energy healing art and
introduced Reiki energy healing into
western culture (http://reiki.7gen.com/history.htm).
Reiki
Treatment: What to Expect:
Traditional Reiki Healing is a hands -on application of
light touch to a fully clothed recipient.
The healing recipient is either seated in a chair or lying on a
treatment table in a quiet setting. The
treatment session typically lasts 20 minutes to 60 minutes; however it can last
longer if necessary. Reiki can be
performed during surgery or if an individual is unconscious. 
A full Reiki treatment consists of placing the hands on 12 positions on the head, and on the front and back of the body either directly on or very near the body of the person being treated. Reiki is a non-invasive therapeutic technique with few documented side effects.
During and following a Reiki treatment some people report
a sense of warmth, gentle tingling sensation and a deep sense of
relaxation. 
(http://reiki.7gen.com/index.html)
Some individuals report their experience as follows:
"I didn't even realize just
how stressed I was! My back feels better than it has in months." --J.R.
(http://www.marthatierney.com/index.html)
“I
climbed up on the padded table wondering... what this would be like. I really had nothing to
compare this experience with but I guessed it would be something like a
"relaxation" therapy. Martha put her hands on my shoulders as I lay
on my back. She didn't move her hands. I could only feel the warmth. In a few
moments, I felt myself calming. It was predictable.”
“As she moved her hands to my elbows, I started to feel
more comfortable with the whole experience and could sense a goodness surround
me that was safe and protective. Suddenly and unpredictably, tears were
streaming down my face and a sadness that I had been keeping well hidden poured
out. For several minutes this continued - totally pure feeling without a clue
as to the cause or how long I was carrying these feelings around! Then, just as
suddenly, it stopped. The calm returned.”
“She passed her hands back and forth just above my body
and it felt like cleansing waves. I felt pain simply "float off" into
the universe. It was remarkable and so effortless on my part.”
(http://www.marthatierney.com/index.html)
A
number of Reiki practitioners believe that energy can operate outside the
limits of time and space, and remote healings are an effective form of Reiki
treatments. During a remote healing
treatment, the recipient is “sent energy” through the process of visualizations.
To experience a remote healing at no charge visit: http://reiki.7gen.com/healing-requests.html.
Reiki Practitioner
Training:
Reiki is taught and practiced within the First Degree, Second Degree and Master levels. Each level specifies training and limits of practice. Unique to Reiki Training are a process of initiations referred to as attunements or empowerments. The goal of attunement is to explore and connect with a level of consciousness, which is the source of the subtle Reiki vibrations.
·
First Degree:
3 months minimum practice. Trusting the wisdom of energy, the student
focuses on the “energy” and change begins.
First Degree can be used for self, pets, food, water & environment
and non-local (distant) healing. 8 hours of classroom training
·
Second Degree: trained in the use of symbols to
access Reiki mentally for distance healing. Further attunement allows the
student to increase the flow and healing power of Reiki. 8-12 hours of classroom training. Through more reliable intuition, the student
becomes a compassionate, effective energy healer.
·
Third Degree:
3- 10 years of Reiki practice and discipline and an apprenticeship of
one year. Empowered with the master symbol, the student becomes a Reiki Master
and can teach others (http://reiki.7gen.com/whatis.htm#practitioner).
None of the traditional Reiki trainings include training
in professional treatment or the limits, dynamics and factors of a therapeutic
relationship. Currently, there are no professional standards in the practice of
Reiki and practitioners are not governed by licensing laws (http://www.sacredpath.org/html/reiki/legal/mtlstateleg.html).
Empirical
Research on Reiki Therapy
Is
There a Biological Basis?
Reiki masters and treatment
recipients report physiological changes identified
as increased blood flow, reduction of muscle tension, and increased energy associated
with the application of the therapy.
Pain reduction and accelerated healing were initially documented by
Kreiger (1979) as an increase in hemoglobin levels as a result of touch therapy
(TT). Adopting a similar perspective, Wetzel (1989) hypothesized that Reiki
therapy enhances and improves the
oxygen-carrying capacity of blood. Establishing a sample group of 48 patients
receiving first degree Reiki training and a comparison group of 10 individuals,
the researcher collected hemoglobin and hemocratic values pre and post Reiki treatment. Notable and significant changes in
the blood measures of the
treatment group suggest a correlation
of physiological response associated with Reiki therapy. Similar changes
were not observed in 
the control group.
In a recent study conducted by Wardell and Engebreston (2001) the researchers hypothesized that biological and physiological changes occurring during Reiki treatments would approximate physiological responses observed in relaxation and stress management applications . The research design included a 30 minute Reiki session directed on the eye and abdominal area of the body. Researchers specifically focused on the measure of blood pressure, temperature and skin conductance, as well as concentration of secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) in saliva, cortisol samples, muscle tension and subjective reports of anxiety levels before, throughout, and after the treatment application. Salivary measures provide a measure of patient stress. Data analysis evidenced reduced levels of blood pressure, reduction of reported anxiety levels and a reduction in measured electromyography (EMG) which supports the proposed stress reduction hypothesis. Additionally, measured increases in skin temperature throughout the treatment may provide preliminary evidence for the development of a relaxation hypothesis. Methodological alterations coupled with measures obtained from repeated therapeutic sessions in a less artificial setting would be most useful for future research. Although the concepts remain in the initial stages of research, the significant biological and physiological changes occurring in a short period of time warrant future investigation.
Supporters of Alternative Healing…
The
implementation of Reiki therapy within the public health sector is an
increasingly common practice. Many treatment centers that combine Reiki therapy
with more traditional forms of medicine report a wide range of patient benefits
including significant reductions in the use of pain medication, a decline in
reported anxiety levels as well as diminished feelings of abandonment,
emotional upheaval, and stress. Although Reiki proponents propose that the therapy is effective in the treatment of physiological,
psychological and stress related pathologies of differing severities;
preliminary scientific investigations and clinical observations present ambiguous and contradictory findings.
Various
researchers have noted a relationship between touch therapy and the reduction
of anxiety and pain in the clinical population. Data presented by Ferell-Tory
and Glick (1993) suggests the utility of therapeutic touch therapy in order to
assist cancer patients while coping with anxiety and pain related to the onset
of illness. Similarly, Simington and Laing (1993) note the importance of
implementing ancient healing therapy for the reduction of anxiety within the
elderly population.
In
a more recent study, HIV patients suffering from an array of disease-related symptoms such as anxiety, pain, and
severe sleep disturbance were
trained to practice first degree Reiki healing as a method of symptom relief (Miles, 2003). Researchers obtained
standardized measures of pain and anxiety from the thirty patients through the administration of
questionnaires, pre and post Reiki application.
Results indicate a reduction in the pain and anxiety symptoms received from participants, independent of the mode of Reiki application. Although conclusions
remain relatively limited, the observed differences suggest the importance and
benefits of the integration of alternative healing treatments in the clinical
setting.
As additional studies begin to highlight the potential benefits of Reiki healing, questions concerning longevity and long-term impact of treatment become more relevant. Addressing the issue in a recent dissertation article, Goldman and Shore (2002) examined fifty patients over a six week period. Participants were placed in one of the three treatment protocols: a traditional hands-on therapeutic setting; participation in remote or distance healing and one group was maintained in the absence of any type of treatment. Clinical data obtained through the administration of standardized inventories suggest an increase in positive affect. Subsequent analyses of questionnaires administered a year later to the same patients indicated the patients had maintained the benefits of improved affect which suggests long-term maintenance benefits of Reiki healing.
The
Evidence Refuting the Benefits of Reiki Therapy
A review of
studies focusing on the efficacy of Reiki Healing are predominately
descriptive, anecdotal studies with significant limitations in sample size and
randomized control studies suggest conflicting, inconclusive results. A pilot study conducted by Shiftlett et al.
(2002) examined multiple variables including the reduction of depression in 
stroke patients receiving Reiki
therapy. Experimenters assessed a non-treatment “historical comparison group”
of 20 individuals gathered from past hospital records and 50 stroke patients.
Controlling for the possibility of a placebo effect, patients were placed in
three different conditions. Data analysis revealed no significant reductions in
depressive state among the treatment groups. However, small detections of
favorable moods and positive energy were detected. The use of a larger sample
larger sample population may have emphasized this finding. Additionally, the
possibility of an unreliable comparison group may account for the absence of
significant findings. These research
designs and findings are characteristic of many of the studies involving
Complementary and Alternative Medicine treatments.
Directions
for Future Research
In addition to the mentioned design
limitations, the absence of significant results in the realm of Reiki research
is also attributed to lack of appropriate research models. While examining the
relaxation response, some investigators contend that research focusing
exclusively on the quantitative aspects does not provide a comprehensive
explanation. 
Consequently, data collected by
Engerbreston and Wardell (2002) involved qualitative data obtained from
post-Reiki session standardized clinical interviews as well as quantitative
measures similar to those employed by Miles (2003). After completing a
thirty-minute session with a Reiki master, twenty-three participants were
interviewed. Subsequent analysis of the descriptive interview data reveals
significant changes in the participant’s orientation of place and time, the
establishment of reciprocal relationships with the Reiki master as well as
intensified perceptions of sound and temperature, especially warmth and
feelings of comfort. Overall, patient’s descriptions indicated a liminal state
most frequently linked to ritual healing processes often associated with religiosity.
Quantitative measures were similar to those reported by Miles (2003) and were
ultimately predicted operating under the investigation of Reiki and the
presence of a relaxation response.
Conclusions
Within the scientific community no single theory presents a comprehensive description of Reiki function or successfully identifies the biological mechanisms responsible for the experiential components of treatment. Overall, current research is plagued by methodological limitations including small sample sizes, few randomized, controlled studies, and limited case reports. Similarly, inconsistencies in experimental results may result from therapeutic sessions placed in the artificial setting of a research laboratory as well as the presence of an unfamiliar experimenter. Due to similarities among the practice of Reiki, Therapeutic Touch (TT) and distant healing, the alternative therapeutic techniques are often studied together within a single study. The development of research designs isolating one type of therapy would provide the most useful data concerning its effects and function. Ultimately, the construction of an ideal theoretical perspective would integrate findings from descriptive studies or interviews and quantitative results or precise scientific measures.
Increasing numbers of
people are exploring Complementary and Alternative Medicine and researchers in
medicine, social sciences and research are recognizing the concept of health as
a multi-dimensional evolving construct of mind, body and spirit. Reiki therapy is a non-invasive, low risk
treatment that is currently being used in hospices, nursing homes, hospitals,
and provides benefits for chronically ill patients with cancer and HIV/AIDS.
There are ongoing clinical trials of Reiki Healing techniques for diabetic
peripheral vascular disease, stroke rehabilitation and traumatic brain injury,
which may yield substantive data in the future. It appears that Reiki Therapy
may be an important and valuable adjunct to traditional medical treatment (http://www.reikimedresearch.com/).
References
Engebreston, J. &
Wardell, D. (2002). Experience of a Reiki Session. Alternative Therapies in
Health and Medicine,8, 45.
Ferrell-Torry, A.,
& Glick, O. (1993). The use of Therapeutic Massage as a Nursing
Intervention to Modify Anxiety and Reduction of Cancer Pain. Cancer Nursing,
16, 93-101.
Kreiger, D. (1975).
Therapeutic touch: the imprimatur of nursing. American Journal of Nursing,
75, 784-787.
Miles, P. (2003). Preliminary
report on the use of Reiki for HIV-related pain and anxiety. Alternative
Therapies in Health and Medicine(9)2, 36.
Shiflett, S., Nayak,
S., Bid, C., Miles, P., & Agostinelli, S. (2002). Effect of Reiki
treatments on functional recovery in patients in poststroke rehabilitation: A
pilot study. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (6) 8, 755-763.
Shore, A. & Goldman, L. (2002). The long-term effects of energetic healing on symptoms of psychological depression and self-perceived stress. Dissertations Abstracts International, 63(3-B): 1575.
Simington, J. &
Laing, G. (1993). Effects of Therapeutic Touch on Anxiety in the
Institutionalized Elderly. Advanced Clinical Nursing Research, (4), 2, 438-450.
Wetzel, W. (1989).
Reiki Healing: a physiologic perspective. Journal of Holistic Nursing, 7, 147- 154.
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