Reiki is a Japanese energy-healing practice in which a practitioner channels universal life energy through their hands to support relaxation and well-being. Gentle and non-invasive, it has become one of the most popular complementary therapies in the world.
The word Reiki comes from two Japanese words often translated as 'universal' and 'life energy,' together meaning something like 'universal life force.' The practice is built on the idea that an unseen energy flows through all living things, and that supporting its free flow encourages health and balance. A Reiki practitioner acts as a channel for this energy, directing it to the recipient through gentle touch or hovering hands. It is understood as working with the body's own capacity to relax and restore itself.
In a typical Reiki session, the recipient lies fully clothed and comfortable while the practitioner places their hands lightly on or just above the body in a series of positions. The atmosphere is calm and quiet, often with soft music, and a session usually lasts around an hour. Recipients frequently report warmth, tingling, deep relaxation or a sense of peace as the energy is channelled. Nothing is manipulated physically; the practitioner simply holds space for the energy to flow.
Reiki is a complementary practice meant to support relaxation and well-being, not a replacement for medical care. It is founded by Mikao Usui in early twentieth-century Japan and has since spread worldwide in many lineages. While science has not confirmed a measurable energy, many people find genuine benefit in the deep relaxation and calm it provides. Approached as a gentle, supportive practice alongside conventional care, it offers comfort to a great many people.
Reiki works with the body's energy centres. Explore the seven chakras to understand the energy system that healing practices like Reiki aim to balance.
Chakra Guide