Reiki is a Japanese word for Universal Life Force.  A Reiki treatment is essentially the “laying on of hands,” also known as therapeutic touch, an ancient technique common to many spiritual traditions. In a typical Reiki treatment, the client lies down (fully clothed) on a padded treatment table. Energy is transferred to the client through the hands of the practitioner in a sequence of standardized positions where the hands are placed. Treatment starts with the client’s head, then covers the abdomen from just below the ribs to the lower belly. The client turns over, and the practitioner then works gradually from the top of the back to the tailbone. In each position, the hands are simply rested on the client for 3 to 5 minutes. A full treatment usually takes about an hour. A Reiki treatment is a spiritual practice because it works directly with energy or “spirit.” There is no pressure applied and no manipulation of tissues (as in massage, for example). Most often during a treatment the energy is experienced as warmth. Others feel a mild tingle, throbbing, or pulsing sensation.

Clients have found Reiki effective to:

Reiki should be used as a supplement to, not a substitute for, conventional medicine. Reiki alone is not appropriate to treat serious medical disorders. If you suffer from a serious illness or injury, Reiki can become part of an overall treatment approach that includes traditional therapies administered by a licensed medical doctor or chiropractor. REIKI IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR APPROPRIATE MEDICAL OR EMOTIONAL TREATMENT.

Our natural energy level is affected by our state of health or disease. We can all relate to the feelings of low energy or depletion that occur when we are trying to heal, whether from physical distress (illness or injury) or from mental difficulties (such as grief or anxiety). A Reiki treatment under these circumstances can be compared to jump starting a car. When the car’s battery can’t quite provide enough energy to start the car, we attach jumper cables from another battery to add more energy. Reiki is a means of adding more energy to our “life force” battery to help “jumpstart” the healing process. The process does not exhaust the practitioner, because the practitioner is trained to channel energy from the outside environment, not from their own personal “battery.” Practiced in this manner, the energy available is virtually limitless. The amount of energy transferred depends on the client’s ability to use it and willingness to receive it. When no more energy can be used, the transfer ceases to occur. A skillful practitioner can usually sense when this happens

...deeply relaxing, resulting in a sense of calmness or peacefulness.

The session is a collaboration between the client and the practitioner, wherein the practitioner does not so much "heal" the client as facilitate the client's own healing processes, by gently manipulating the body's energy flow.