Reiki

[Kathy R]

Reiki

 

Do any of you have experience with Reiki?

 

I'm going in later today for a 60 minute session, at the suggestion of my masseuse. She feels that due to the trauma my body went through in the get off that I need this treatment.

 

Years ago a good friend of mine did Reiki on me (or should I say performed?). It was unlike anything I'd ever experienced. Without touching me I was aware of extreme heat wherever her hands hovered over my body.

 

Years ago in another episode at an acupressurist's office I now know he too used this Reiki method with remarkable results. He was able to read my body and tell me where all my injuries were without an xray or ultrasound.

 

The Reiki master that I'm going to see today has her office at our local hospital. That in itself tells me how much acceptance there is for this method. I'm really intrigued and looking forward to seeing what comes of this.

 

 

[lawnchairboy]

their is a practitioner I know who does this at a major academic medical center, patients seem to have good results with pain relief

 

[pbharvey]

I have no experience with it but find it quite fascinating. The human body is really amazing.

[Ken H.]

Donna was really big into it for a couple of decades. It’s kind of fallen by the wayside with her now though. I was skeptical, but decided there was something to it, at least a bit.

 

One of those things that it’s kind of easy to fall into a money trap with though if you’re not carful.

 

[KevinH]

Would like to try Reiki.

 

Have you heard of Watsu? It is a great experience. A relative runs a place in Northern California. Very relaxing.

 

Watsu

 

h2om

 

[elkroeger]

From your Wikipedia link:

 

"The concept of ki underlying Reiki is speculative and there is no scientific evidence that it exists; a 2008 systematic review of randomised clinical trials concluded that "the evidence is insufficient to suggest that reiki is an effective treatment for any condition. Therefore the value of reiki remains unproven."[4] The American Cancer Society[5] and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine[6] have also found that there is no clinical or scientific evidence supporting claims that Reiki is effective in the treatment of any illness."

 

That pretty much sums it up. My opinion would be that perhaps you get some benefit from the massage aspect, or placebo effect. But you can probably get that just about anywhere, and for less money.

[Mister Tee]

For what it's worth, the TEE studied martial arts extensively, including Chi Kung meditation and Tai Chi. Chi Kung is a predescessor to mental Chi meditation, which is used by advanced martial artists in fighting. Both the moving form of Chi Kung and Tai Chi are used for improving health. Most Eastern martial forms are centered on Chi energy usage (advanced Chi Kung) in combat, which is a concept which is misunderstood or not believed by many stateside martial arts instructors.

 

If you watch top level martial artists, you will find that they are concentrating more on accessing (and protecting) critical pressure points which can cause pain and injury to the opponents. Acupressure is the converse of this fighting technique, which is stimulating pressure points (and major Chi meridians) for beneficial effect.

 

I have no doubt whatsoever that this is very effective. I'm not familar with Reiki itself but I believe it is another form of Chi meditation and energy direction.

[Kathy R]

My appointment was postponed until next Wednesday.

 

their is a practitioner I know who does this at a major academic medical center, patients seem to have good results with pain relief

 

That is good to hear.

 

 

I have no experience with it but find it quite fascinating. The human body is really amazing.

 

I agree. I believe what we don't know dwarf's what we do know.

 

 

One of those things that it’s kind of easy to fall into a money trap with though if you’re not carful.

 

Good advice. She charges $60 for an hour. Massage and the like are 1/2 the price here in Western N.Y. as compared to Chicago. I got all giddy when I heard the fees here.

 

 

Would like to try Reiki.

Have you heard of Watsu? It is a great experience. A relative runs a place in Northern California. Very relaxing.

 

Thanks for those links, Kevin. I had never heard of that, but it seems intriguing.

 

 

That pretty much sums it up. My opinion would be that perhaps you get some benefit from the massage aspect, or placebo effect. But you can probably get that just about anywhere, and for less money.

 

Yes, I read that too and am keeping my wide eyes open. As I said, I've had 2 experiences in the past that lead me to take the recommendation of my masseuse. Have you ever had Reiki? If not, it's hard to explain, but you may want to try it for yourself if you haven't already. I remember when all Eastern medicine was "untested" by the West and so that helps me keep my mind open. But I agree, it's best to keep a little skepticism nearby. As for "massage" I never received massage when I received Raiki. The Raiki masters didn't touch me, except one of them pressed areas on the bottom of my feet.

 

 

Acupressure is the converse of this fighting technique, which is stimulating pressure points (and major Chi meridians) for beneficial effect.

 

I have no doubt whatsoever that this is very effective. I'm not familar with Reiki itself but I believe it is another form of Chi meditation and energy direction.

 

Very interesting. The first time I experienced Raiki it was something like meditation in that I was aware of my body in a different way. It's so hard to explain. I will say that there was an intense "energy direction". The Raiki master didn't touch me, but she was at the bottom of my feet, with her hands about 5-7 inches away from my skin. I felt a rush of pressure entering the bottom of my feet. If you can imagine a garden hose with the water coming out smoothly, but in a quick current, that was the sensation. It was a remarkable experience. She wasn't fixing any complaint on my part, but she was doing something that I cannot to this day explain. Your words "energy direction" made a lot of sense to me.

 

 

Anyhoo, all that was a long time ago. I'm looking forward to Wednesday. Maybe it will be real or maybe it will be all in my head? I don't know. This time I have a reason to have a treatment and I'm very interested in any result that brings me comfort from pain.

[yabadabapal]

Kathy

Reiki is a very powerful practice. I have practiced it for the last 15 years, not as a practitioner but most often used on my dogs when they would get sick. My dog of over 100 pounds lived to be 14 years old. It falls into the category of when you can believe in something that you can't prove, and it works, then you have something worth continuing. Try it a few times and then if it works for you, then consider taking some classes to be a reiki therapist and you can do the work on yourself or people you care about. I am a level 2 reiki and I paid about 200 dollars to be trained on level one and level two, about 10 years ago. It falls along the line of taking the responsibility of realizing how powerful you are as a human being and using that power for good purposes, much like a prayer of sorts.

[Kathy R]

Bobby, that's fascinating.

 

You reminded me of a "test" that happened long ago. My dog at the time, Guinness, was older and obviously not his young spry self. My friend who was a Reiki Master offered to perform Reiki on him. The proof that something good was happening was how he treated her when she visited. He would go to her at the door and give her one lick on her hands, walk to the middle of the room and lay down on one side. She would then do Raiki on him. When she had finished he would stand up and give her one lick on her hands and then lay back down on the other side! She'd do it again and he'd repeat the hand lick afterwards. Every time after that, when she came to the house, he would repeat the whole process. He treated her differently than anyone else who came to my house. He was very pleased to see her, but he was serene about it. He was obviously getting something out of this. She never touched him during the Raiki, but he got something from it?

[yabadabapal]

That a great story about your dog Kathy. Let us know what you think after your sessions. I have confidence you will get some benefit.

[doc47]

Best of luck with this, Kathy! You deserve anything good that happens to you.

[Kathy R]

Aw, Doc, you are too kind. Thank you.

 

 

One hour of Reiki later....and I feel good, interesting, alert, and younger. Those are the words that come to mind.

 

Good - I've gotten very little sleep in the past few days (medical issues for Dad) and feel pretty good right now.

 

Interesting - During the session, after about 20 minutes, I had what felt like too much electricity in my body. I had some muscle quivering. My breathing was jumpy with occasional deep exhalations. After about 40 minutes I felt a sudden wave in my head. It was as if a single wave, made of pudding, rolled from the back of my head forward. It felt as if (something) exited me via my ears.

 

Alert - My mind feels very clear.

 

Younger - In so much as I feel as I used to, before I came off the bike. My body isn't continually talking to me "Ouch", "Watch It", "Don't move that way". Maybe it's my mind that also isn't talking to me right now; "Careful with that. Slowly."

 

She didn't touch me, as a masseuse does. Most of the time she wasn't touching me at all. She never manipulated me. Her comments to me are hard for me to report, because I'm not sure how to talk Reiki. When she first saw me, not knowing of the damage inside, she said "You protecting your body. I can see it in your posture". She pointed out how I was cockeyed, when I thought I was standing straight. She mentioned that most people come to her years after such trauma, not realizing they need this work to rid their body of the chemicals and trauma held inside.

 

Her prescription was that I need to drink 1/2 gallon of water before bedtime and I'm already through the first 12oz glass. This is the same script my masseuse gives me; "to flush the toxins" after a massage. She said the benefits of this session will carry over a few weeks time.

 

Immediate benefit:

As I walked out to my car I felt it right then. I was walking freely. By that I mean that I noticed what was gone. I didn't have impediments to my movement. This is a subtle feeling. I'm not sure an untrained eye could see it in my before and after gate, but I FELT it. It FELT GREAT! It gave me the feeling that I am younger and taller. For me, the younger feeling is anything pre May 25. I don't feel older than my years right now.

 

That thing that happened in my head was really odd, cool and memorable. It's as if my brain moved or something moved through it. As soon as I laid down and said I was comfortable she had her hands cupped near my head and I felt that warmth, the intense heat, that I remember from the few Raiki sessions I've experienced long ago.

 

She works on animals too. My neighbor has a dog that would be a great candidate...