Alternative Therapy
Energy Healing with Reiki
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Reiki, a type of energy healing, is considered a form of complementary and alternative medicine. It is based in vital energy or Qi, a term used in Chinese medicine that means “life force” (Ki in Japanese). Historically, Hawayo Takata is credited with pursuing Reiki from Mikao Usui while in Japan. She brought it to Hawaii where she trained 22 Reiki Initiates who then passed it down.
Some people, says Reiki Master Dr. Allyson Gracie, believe Reiki is a spontaneous healing, although that’s not entirely true. Dr. Gracie points out that Reiki is a bit like a spiritual ritual – like taking Communion or being given a blessing – and is on a spectrum of healing that doesn’t involve the use of tools, surgery or props. The technique is invisible and results in either visible, invisible or both types of healing.
Some people, says Reiki Master Dr. Allyson Gracie, believe Reiki is a spontaneous healing, although that’s not entirely true. Dr. Gracie points out that Reiki is a bit like a spiritual ritual – like taking Communion or being given a blessing – and is on a spectrum of healing that doesn’t involve the use of tools, surgery or props. The technique is invisible and results in either visible, invisible or both types of healing.
Karen Shan, co-associate editor, spoke with Dr. Allyson Gracie, a licensed acupuncturist and Reiki Master in Grand Island, New York, about the healing practice of Reiki.
How does Reiki work?
Reiki acts on subtle energy systems to help reorganize the cellular matter. It will work by degrees, over which the practitioner has little control. The results can range from imperceptible to the complete healing of an injury or illness. I have experienced both. It seems that the Reiki practitioner is a channel or instrument for healing, like a bridge between two pieces of land. My understanding is that the patient always has free will to accept or reject the healing. The job of the Reiki practitioner is simply to make that bridge to healing available. The best part is that the healing that takes place is not one-sided. The energy travels from the Reiki practitioner to and through the client and back into the Reiki practitioner, energizing both parties.
Reiki works in degrees. Usually, a practitioner will put her hands on or near a patient, but a session can be done remotely, if that’s more acceptable and for the sake of location. It’s like mediation with intention or prayer with a request. Nothing can be forced to happen. A Reiki practitioner is a channel for the patient, whose body will use the energy for its best interests, regardless of why the practitioner sends it.
What does Reiki treat?
Everything. The Reiki treatment supports the whole person. If a person comes to me for Reiki saying she has breast cancer and asks for me to help her, I’m not going to treat the cancer. I’m going to treat the person because the whole person has more strength and ability to fight the cancer. It’s also considered unethical for anyone outside a western medical system to treat cancer in the United States.
The practitioner will use intention to direct the healing toward a particular complaint – such as a headache, back pain, chronic illness or depression. But the body has its own intelligence and inner wisdom. It will use the energy for its highest good. There’s no way to control or direct it. The patient is part of the practice. It’s not like I, as a practitioner, am doing something to my patient. It’s experiential. So, a treatment could outwardly appear to be a ‘failure,’ but deep healing always takes place, even if it is not visible to the naked eye.
How does Reiki work?
Reiki acts on subtle energy systems to help reorganize the cellular matter. It will work by degrees, over which the practitioner has little control. The results can range from imperceptible to the complete healing of an injury or illness. I have experienced both. It seems that the Reiki practitioner is a channel or instrument for healing, like a bridge between two pieces of land. My understanding is that the patient always has free will to accept or reject the healing. The job of the Reiki practitioner is simply to make that bridge to healing available. The best part is that the healing that takes place is not one-sided. The energy travels from the Reiki practitioner to and through the client and back into the Reiki practitioner, energizing both parties.
Reiki works in degrees. Usually, a practitioner will put her hands on or near a patient, but a session can be done remotely, if that’s more acceptable and for the sake of location. It’s like mediation with intention or prayer with a request. Nothing can be forced to happen. A Reiki practitioner is a channel for the patient, whose body will use the energy for its best interests, regardless of why the practitioner sends it.
What does Reiki treat?
Everything. The Reiki treatment supports the whole person. If a person comes to me for Reiki saying she has breast cancer and asks for me to help her, I’m not going to treat the cancer. I’m going to treat the person because the whole person has more strength and ability to fight the cancer. It’s also considered unethical for anyone outside a western medical system to treat cancer in the United States.
The practitioner will use intention to direct the healing toward a particular complaint – such as a headache, back pain, chronic illness or depression. But the body has its own intelligence and inner wisdom. It will use the energy for its highest good. There’s no way to control or direct it. The patient is part of the practice. It’s not like I, as a practitioner, am doing something to my patient. It’s experiential. So, a treatment could outwardly appear to be a ‘failure,’ but deep healing always takes place, even if it is not visible to the naked eye.
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What is involved in a Reiki treatment?
Reiki can be performed remotely – over Zoom, for instance. This is known as Distant Healing, which is not any more or less beneficial than receiving a Reiki treatment in person; however, the act of being on the practitioner’s table in a space that’s regularly used for healing can emphasize the treatment. Sessions take about an hour. The Reiki practitioner will put her hands on or above the client’s body. The patient will often feel heat emanating from the Reiki practitioner’s hands, and some clients have a visual experience as well, seeing colors and waves of light while her eyes are closed. The Reiki practitioner may be stationery or move around the client throughout the session. I like to start at the center of the body with my hands over the heart center and solar plexus, then move outward. I also like to place my hands under the person’s skull and allow the client to feel supported, the way an infant is supported with love and care. I always ask the client for permission to place my hands on or near her, as this builds trust. Distant or Remote Healing is just as powerful as ‘hands on.’ |
Photo Courtesy: Allyson Gracie
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It’s like a prayer. It may look like a massage, but there’s no manipulating. The practitioner stays present with her hands over the patient and feels the person’s energy floating or static. The practitioner may leave her hands in one place for a while. During a session, sometimes my hands get locked in a spot – they are no longer mine.
It’s mainly about being. A lot of people are unconscious, unaware. The goal is to be in the world with people and to use good judgement.
Is it best to do a series of Reiki treatments?
A course of treatment should always be in the best interest of the client. Reiki is gentle and can be received in a single session or on a regular basis. It’s a great modality to de-stress, get calm, and become centered. A client needing healing for a specific injury or illness will likely benefit from a series of treatments over a period of time, which would be determined by the Reiki practitioner.
What does a Reiki session feel like?
In person, the client will feel heat emanating from the Reiki practitioner’s hands. I had a client who reported feeling cool water rushing through her torso when I treated her fibroids. That made sense, as she experienced the relief that comes with enjoying a cool stream on a hot day.
Some clients report visual episodes of seeing auras, flowing lights, or waves of light. Every client has her own, unique experience. Most clients experience a deep sense of calm and relief. They feel supported enough to fully let go and ‘float.’ Many clients drift into sleep, which is extremely restorative.
Are there any side effects or aftereffects of a Reiki session?
Again, this is case by case and everyone reports something different. Clients have not reported negative side effects as a result of a Reiki session to me. Some clients feel ‘nothing’ or think they have ‘nothing to report’ – it may seem like a non-event. Others have reported a dramatic outcome, such as a fibroid’s disappearance, a migraine’s dissolution, a back pain’s dissipation, a decrease in anxiety, or a healed injury. Some people feel the effects of Reiki a few days after treatment or experience subtle synchronicities. Many clients report sleeping very deeply the evening after a treatment or feeling more grounded to themselves and their lives.
Can Reiki be applied with other traditional and non-traditional modalities?
Absolutely! I teach yoga and Pilates, and I believe my students benefit from my experience as a Reiki Master because I direct my focus onto them. I’m also an acupuncturist, and I incorporate Reiki into those sessions. I encourage clients to take responsibility for their health and well-being and to always pursue medical treatment when injury or illness disrupts their lives.
Reiki can support the client who is undergoing chemo or fertility treatments. It can assist the client who is about to undergo surgery and assist with healing after surgery. Reiki is holistic and will help support the client who is in withdrawal from addictive substances or on medications for anxiety or depression. Reiki will help improve mood, increase awareness, and encourage the client to make choices for themselves. It will also support the client’s immune system, thereby reducing the impact of illness or injury.
It’s mainly about being. A lot of people are unconscious, unaware. The goal is to be in the world with people and to use good judgement.
Is it best to do a series of Reiki treatments?
A course of treatment should always be in the best interest of the client. Reiki is gentle and can be received in a single session or on a regular basis. It’s a great modality to de-stress, get calm, and become centered. A client needing healing for a specific injury or illness will likely benefit from a series of treatments over a period of time, which would be determined by the Reiki practitioner.
What does a Reiki session feel like?
In person, the client will feel heat emanating from the Reiki practitioner’s hands. I had a client who reported feeling cool water rushing through her torso when I treated her fibroids. That made sense, as she experienced the relief that comes with enjoying a cool stream on a hot day.
Some clients report visual episodes of seeing auras, flowing lights, or waves of light. Every client has her own, unique experience. Most clients experience a deep sense of calm and relief. They feel supported enough to fully let go and ‘float.’ Many clients drift into sleep, which is extremely restorative.
Are there any side effects or aftereffects of a Reiki session?
Again, this is case by case and everyone reports something different. Clients have not reported negative side effects as a result of a Reiki session to me. Some clients feel ‘nothing’ or think they have ‘nothing to report’ – it may seem like a non-event. Others have reported a dramatic outcome, such as a fibroid’s disappearance, a migraine’s dissolution, a back pain’s dissipation, a decrease in anxiety, or a healed injury. Some people feel the effects of Reiki a few days after treatment or experience subtle synchronicities. Many clients report sleeping very deeply the evening after a treatment or feeling more grounded to themselves and their lives.
Can Reiki be applied with other traditional and non-traditional modalities?
Absolutely! I teach yoga and Pilates, and I believe my students benefit from my experience as a Reiki Master because I direct my focus onto them. I’m also an acupuncturist, and I incorporate Reiki into those sessions. I encourage clients to take responsibility for their health and well-being and to always pursue medical treatment when injury or illness disrupts their lives.
Reiki can support the client who is undergoing chemo or fertility treatments. It can assist the client who is about to undergo surgery and assist with healing after surgery. Reiki is holistic and will help support the client who is in withdrawal from addictive substances or on medications for anxiety or depression. Reiki will help improve mood, increase awareness, and encourage the client to make choices for themselves. It will also support the client’s immune system, thereby reducing the impact of illness or injury.
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Allyson Gracie, DACM, LAc, Reiki Master, is a New York State Licensed acupuncturist, certified to treat vision conditions using the MA48 System, Herbal Therapy and other therapies. She runs a private wellness practice in New York City and Grand Island, NY, as well as remote sessions. She is a Reiki Master of 25 years of the Usui Lineage that she studied and was initiated through Reverend Anna Jedzrewski in New York City, who is several degrees from Hawayo Takata, the person credited with bringing Reiki from Japan to the west. Follow Allyson on: FACEBOOK, LINKEDIN, INSTAGRAM and YOUTUBE. |
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: Online: The Biofield & Relationship to Other Integrative Therapies (University of Minnesota) General Information and Benefits (Cleveland Clinic) Books: Essential Reiki: A Complete Guide to an Ancient Healing Art, by Diane Stein The Original Reiki Handbook of Dr. Mikao Usui, by Mikao Usui |
