Reiki therapy is a form of Japanese medicine that uses hands-on therapy to harness what believers call the "universal life force" to help the healing process. "Rei" means "spiritually guided" and "ki" means energy. Reiki can be a complementary way to treat asthma that goes with traditional Western and Eastern medicine. However, critics don't believe enough research exists to suggest that it is a credible way to treat asthma.
The Basics
The patient lies comfortably on a table in a calm and relaxed setting to prepare for the treatment. The Reiki practitioner then holds his hands above the patient in 1 of 12 positions. This is designed to bring energy to the body. No massage or other physical pressure is exerted on the body. In a 2004 Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Regional Hospital report, the hospital's head Reiki practitioner, Patricia Alandydy, says the practitioner receives the energy by altering hand positions and transfers it to the patient. This form of medicine was rediscovered by Dr. Mikao Usui in Japan in the 1880s and brought to the West by Hawayo Takata in Honolulu. Reiki offers therapy for many illnesses, including asthma.
Reiki For Asthma
Reiki requires the practitioner to use hand signals while working with the client to draw energy, according to Reiki For Holistic Health. The hand signals appropriate for asthma include Cho Ku Ray, which is the power symbol in Reiki. The practitioner is required to make the Cho Ku Ray signal over the patient three times while uttering the words "Cho Ku Ray." Reiki practitioners believe stress is the underlying cause of asthma, and Cho Ku Ray is one of the most powerful Reiki tools for reducing stress.
Alternative Medicine
Reiki is considered alternative medicine. It is not recognized by traditional medical practitioners, nor is its practice covered by insurers. However, Alandydy is leading an effort to recognize Reiki therapy as a legitimate course of treatment for asthma and other conditions. The Alliance for Integrative Medicine of Northern New England hopes to establish standards for treatment that will give Reiki legitimacy in the eyes of insurance companies.
Research
Much of the research on Reiki's effectiveness in treating asthma and other maladies is inconclusive. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, or NCCAM, has not come to any conclusions about the specific positives or negatives from Reiki therapy. The NCCAM says no licensing or professional standards are in place for the practice of Reiki. As a result, if you are being treated by a physician for an asthmatic condition, you should not eschew traditional medicine for Reiki therapy. You should continue accepting traditional medical treatment and taking all prescribed medicines.
References
- ReikiMedicine.org: Reiki at Portsmouth Regional Hospital
- ReikiForHolisticHealth.com: Reiki Healing Health Benefits
- ReikiForHolisticHealth.com: Reiki Symbols
- Reikifed.org: Alliance for Integrative Medicine of Northern New England
- NCCAM: Reiki -- An Introduction
- Asthma -- An Alternative Approach: Ron Roberts and Judy Sammut
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