Reiki is a relaxation and therapy technique whose practitioners believe all life is actuated by "life force energy." They say low "life force energy" makes people vulnerable to sickness and disease, and that reiki can restore healthy energy levels. The claims that reiki practitioners make are scientifically implausible, and no hard evidence indicates that reiki will benefit your eyesight or help treat any medical condition.
Energy
In physics and the other natural sciences, energy is a quantity often described as the ability to do work. A given mass of water behind a dam, for example, could cause a turbine to rotate if allowed to flow through the dam, so it has a quantifiable amount of potential energy. Reiki practitioners, by contrast, use the word "energy" to describe something that they believe exists, but which cannot be measured and whose existence cannot be independently verified.
Biology
Reiki practitioners say the body is powered by a "life force." This belief was popular among a variety of ancient East Asian cultures, but is implausible in light of modern science. Over the course of the past two centuries, scientists have painstakingly accumulated an increasing store of knowledge about the biochemical pathways the body uses to metabolize food and synthesize important biological material, such as DNA. No evidence suggests an intangible "life force" is involved in any of these processes or plays any role in human biochemistry.
Evidence
A 2008 study in the "International Journal of Clinical Practice" reviewed past clinical trials conducted to evaluate the efficacy of reiki. According to the study, most of the available trials suffered from design flaws and other limitations. The available data, however, was insufficient to show that reiki offered any real benefit. No studies show reiki will benefit patients with eyesight problems or any other disorders of their vision.
Considerations
It is always possible that you might find reiki relaxing, soothing or even enjoyable. If so, it might help you cope with stress and anxiety and lead a more fulfilled life. At present, however, no reason exists to believe that reiki can be an effective way to treat any vision problems or disorders you have. If you're having trouble with your eyesight, it would be best to talk to your doctor, who can give you a referral to an ophthalmologist if need be.
Member Comments