"I don't think I have ever been this relaxed. I do feel really, really calm and my pain has gone completely - I constantly tense my stomach but I found that I didn't at all during the session. I'm definitely coming back for more!" 

Mandy Parson, Client, Edinburgh

Frequently Asked Questions About Reiki 

What does "Reiki" mean? 

"Reiki" is Japanese for "spiritually guided life force energy". "Rei" translates as universal/spiritual and "Ki" as life force, the natural energy which flows with varying strength and vitality through all living things.

What is Reiki?

As we have learnt from the ancient texts of India, the Vedas, it has been known for thousands of years that everything is composed of energy vibrating at different frequencies.  Modern science has now confirmed that what we see as solid is in fact largely space and that what we see as solid matter is actually energy vibrating slowly.  Our thoughts are also energy, vibrating much more quickly.  When we understand that everything in the universe is simply energy vibrating at different levels, then we can begin to develop a new, holistic understanding of health and well-being.  Simply explained, Reiki is understood as energy vibrating at a very high level, and when it is used to treat a lower level of energy, it appears to raise the frequency of it.  A simple analogy is the way a flat car battery is boosted when it is connected to a fully charged car battery. Illness, pain, depression, chaos, fear, and indeed any negative thought or experience are all simply forms of energy vibrating at a lower frequency that are pulling us down and impairing normal healthy function.  They appear to benefit from contact with energy vibrating at a higher rate.

Light is energy; everything is energy. Gaining enlightenment is understanding that everything around us is energy. Our consciousness is also energy. And we, the living light energies, are constantly influencing the energies around us and being influenced by those energies. When we learn to create thoughts and feelings based on joy, wisdom and love, that energy has a positive influence on everything and everyone around us. We become light-workers, living in the light and spreading light into the world.

What are the origins of Reiki?

Reiki was developed as a popular and widespread holistic therapy in Japan about 100 years ago by Mikao Usui, who was born in 1864 and died in 1926.  Usui's philosophy had its roots in Japanese Shinto and ancient Buddhism and at the time he simply referred to it as "my method for health and happiness". 

Usui was a deeply spiritual, well educated and highly respected businessman. He spent a lifetime studying spiritual matters, with regular periods of prolonged fasting and meditation in the Buddhist tradition, and was also highly proficient in martial arts. Usui was honoured by the Meiji Emperor both for his dedication to the health and well-being of his fellow human beings and for his compassionate contribution to his country in working tirelessly to help survivors of the devastating Kanto earthquake.  

Reiki was considered to be such an effective healing method in Japan in the first half of the 20th century that the Japanese Navy used it as a form of medical treatment while at sea, both before and throughout the second world war, as a way of avoiding the need to carry and store extensive medical supplies. There were also a number of 'Reiki stations' in Japanese ports. 

Reiki therapy was introduced to the West in the 1940s by a Japanese lady, Mrs Hawayo Takata, who was born and lived her life in Hawaii and learned Reiki on an extended visit to Japan.  Japanese Reiki and Western Reiki developed separately during the second half of the 20th century, the one not knowing about the other.  In recent years, however, many Western Reiki practitioners have been seeking to draw from both traditions and integrate the two, to meet the needs and beliefs of people in the West today most effectively.  This is my approach.

How does Reiki work?

There are many theories as to how it works, but no one knows for certain.  The belief that an unseen universal energy flows through all living things, and is intimately connected to quality of health, has been part of the wisdom of many cultures across the world for thousands of years.  The existence of this life force energy has now been verified by scientific experiments, and scientists are investigating the role it plays in the process of healing. The practice of Reiki therapy draws on this universal energy to help support the mind and body.

The Reiki practitioner holds the intention to serve as a loving channel for natural energy from the universal field, which the recipient absorbs at whatever level of support is needed (physical, mental, emotional or spiritual). Many people say that Reiki treatments give them greater clarity and insight, inner peace and well-being, help them in their relationships, and generally improve their quality of life in many different ways. 

One explanation is that Reiki therapy appears to boost and rebalance the recipient's energy field, relieving tension, inducing profound relaxation and enabling energy to flow more freely throughout the body so that the recipient can adjust, heal and change in the best possible way.

What can I expect from a Reiki Treatment?

A Reiki treatment takes place with you full clothed, either sitting down, reclining or lying flat, whichever you prefer. During the treatment I may sometimes speak, but will not engage you in dialogue unless I need to know something. If you have questions, I will suggest that you wait until the end of the treatment. You are free to simply close your eyes, relax and let go. I will either touch you lightly on different parts of your body, or hover my hands a few inches above it. You can choose a hands-off treatment if you prefer. You can let me know at any point during the session if there is anything you are not comfortable about. 

Many people report that Reiki brings them relief from anxiety and stress, emotional and physical pain, injury, illness, trauma and personal concerns. The results can sometimes be dramatic, as the loving, relaxing support of Reiki can boost the auto-immune system and stimulate the body's own natural healing process. As the body becomes stronger and more in balance, it is then better able to restore itself. 

You will feel the benefit of one Reiki session, but most people need more, depending on their circumstances.

"You have powers you never dreamed of. 
You can do things you never thought you could do. 
There are no limitations in what you can do 
except the limitations of your own mind."
Darwin P Kingsley

"I think you've done some really wonderful work with the Reiki, the workshop and the sessions, which I'm SO glad I could have.  All this has led me to many discoveries - I shan't go into them all because it would take all night.  Clearly, I'm very happy about all this!  Many thanks and warmest regards."

A. Lees, Client, Spain