A Massage Therapist’s Guide to Reiki

Massage therapists by nature are those practitioners who want to help their clients make physical and emotional changes through the natural healing of touch. Reiki is an additional natural system of healing that massage therapists can incorporate into their sessions to more deeply penetrate tissues with healing energy.

So what is Reiki?

It is a form of energy work that originated in Japan over one hundred years ago. Developed by Dr. Mikao Usui, Reiki is administered with very light or no touching throughout different positions of the body with the idea that replacing negative energy with positive energy can influence our physical health. Dr. Usui believed that a “life force energy flows through us,” and when that energy level decreases, we’re more likely to feel sick or stressed.

The Usui Reiki system of healing made its way to the U.S. in 1937, and evolved over the decades as other practitioners added their own styles, including William Lee Rand. He developed Karuna
Reiki with the intention of “relieving suffering.” Both systems are widely practiced in wellness and integrative health settings all across the country.

No matter the style – Usui or Karuna – Reiki is a gentle practice, suitable for anyone, that can offer numerous health benefits when delivered by a professional practitioner. It can:

• reduce stress
• promote relaxation
• improve sleep
• channel inner peace, balance, and harmony
• align mental and emotional states
• help relieve chronic pain and anxiety
• trigger the body’s immune system and natural healing abilities for preventative health.

While no solid scientific evidence exists on the effectiveness of Reiki, clients and practitioners refer to their own personal experiences to endorse the benefits of Reiki. In research studies, clients who received Reiki have had decreased heart rates and diastolic blood pressure.

Want to learn more?

Are you interested in learning more about a healing art that will be a true difference maker in the lives, attitudes, and well-being of your clients? LHAA offers personal development workshops in Reiki, as well as complete massage therapy training programs.