Reiki is an energy healing modality that, according to its practitioners, creates ideal conditions for the body to heal itself by working in the energy field or aura. Although reiki's mechanics are unproven by science, preliminary studies into its effects show that it effectively relieves pain. If you suffer from back pain, you might benefit from a reiki treatment as a complement to conventional medical therapies or other alternative modalities. Reiki is not a replacement for conventional medical care. Be sure to consult your doctor if you have severe or persistent pain.
Theories
Reiki works according to an understanding of the body as made up of both physical and energetic layers. Reiki healer and teacher Sukhdeepak Malvai theorizes in his book "Natural Healing With Reiki" that people draw energy quite naturally through food, breath and interactions with nature. Stress, poor diet and too much time spent in artificial surroundings limit the amount of energy available to us. These factors also drain our energy more quickly. A reiki healing session works to recharge our energetic system and clear away any negative energy blocks, allowing us to draw what we need once again.
Techniques
In a typical reiki session, the practitioner follows a protocol that involves placing her hands over or on each of your chakras, seven key energy points on the body. In addition to this standard protocol, there are some techniques dedicated to clearing the spinal column. Katalin Koda, reiki practitioner and teacher, notes in her book "Sacred Path of Reiki: Healing as a Spiritual Discipline" that practitioners can balance the energy of the spine by placing one hand over the neck and the other over the sacral chakra while the client is on his stomach. According to Koda, the spine carries a lot of physical and energetic information about the whole person. If you have back pain, you might ask your practitioner to focus on spine balancing to give your treatment an extra boost.
Causes
According to an energetic understanding of the body, back pain can have several different causes. If you don't think your back pain is caused by injury illness, or postural habit, a reiki practitioner may have other answers for you. According to the book "Reiki Systems of the World: One Heart---Many Beats," ancient Shinto beliefs view the spinal column as the place in the body that records karma. In clearing the spinal column of any negative energy, you remove the traces of any issues that are preventing you from moving forward in your life.
Benefits
Reiki is a noninvasive form of treatment that is completely safe to use as a complement to conventional therapies. A 2010 study by Nancy E. Richeson, Judith Spross, Katherine Lutz and Cheng Peng demonstrated that older adults who received reiki treatments experienced significant improvement in pain, depression and anxiety. They also reported enhanced relaxation and mood.
Considerations
Combine reiki with other modalities to enhance its pain relieving effects. An exercise program like yoga or tai chi can help you stretch the spine and further perpetuate the positive effects of a reiki treatment. Nina L. Paul, science and health writer and reiki master, writes in her book "Reiki for Dummies" that combining the energy work of reiki with a physical treatment protocol like massage or physical therapy is excellent for working through "deeply held patterns of strain or pain."
References
- "Natural Healing With Reiki"; Sukhdeepak Malvai; 2004
- "Sacred Path of Reiki: Healing as a Spiritual Discipline"; Katalin Koda; 2008
- "Reiki Systems of the World: One Heart---Many Beats"; Oliver Klatt, Don Alexander, Christine M. Grimm, Phyllis Lei Furumoto; 2006
- "Research in Gerontological Nursing"; Effects of Reiki; NE Richeson et al; June 2010
- "Reiki for Dummies"; Nina L. Paul; 2005
