Few treatments divide opinion like Reiki. Sceptics dismiss it as nonsense, and some enthusiasts claim it can heal almost anything. Neither view helps much if you’re trying to decide whether to book a session. I offer Reiki at The 5 Realms, so I think you deserve a straight account from me: what it is, what the research has found, and why I still think it has a place.
What Reiki is
Mikao Usui developed Reiki in Japan in the early twentieth century, and most Reiki practised today traces back to his teaching. The name joins two Japanese words, usually translated as “spiritual” or “universal” and “life energy”.
A session is simple. You stay fully clothed and lie on a couch, or sit if that’s more comfortable. The practitioner rests their hands lightly on your body, or holds them a few inches above it, in a series of positions that usually move from the head towards the feet. They don’t press, rub or manipulate anything. Sessions generally last somewhere between 20 minutes and an hour.
People describe different sensations during a session: warmth, coolness, tingling, deep relaxation, and sometimes nothing in particular.
What practitioners believe
Reiki practitioners describe their role as channelling a universal life energy through their hands to support the body’s own healing. The idea sits close to the Chinese concept of Qi, which runs through all of my work, so I understand its appeal.
Science hasn’t demonstrated this energy. The US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) states that there is no scientific evidence for the existence of the energy field that practitioners believe Reiki works through. I don’t think that makes Reiki worthless, but it does mean I won’t present the energy explanation to you as established fact. It is a traditional way of describing what people experience.
What the evidence shows
Researchers have tested Reiki for pain, anxiety, depression and other problems, and the overall picture is weak.
- The NCCIH concludes that nobody has clearly shown Reiki to be effective for any health-related purpose, and that most studies have been of low quality, with inconsistent results.
- A 2015 Cochrane review by Joyce and Herbison looked for trials of Reiki in adults with anxiety or depression. It found only three small studies and concluded that there was insufficient evidence to say whether Reiki helps.
- One of the more rigorous trials, published in 2008 by Assefi and colleagues, randomly assigned 100 adults with fibromyalgia to real Reiki from Reiki masters or imitation Reiki from actors, given either by touch or at a distance. Neither Reiki nor touch improved symptoms, and the results were nearly identical across all four groups.
That last trial matters because it compared real Reiki with a convincing imitation and found no difference between them. It suggests that the relaxation people report after Reiki comes from the experience itself: an hour of stillness, light touch and someone’s full attention.
Researchers call these non-specific effects. They come from expectation, attention and a calm setting, they appear in every kind of treatment, conventional medicine included, and they can bring real relief. They also explain why a good imitation can match the real thing in a trial. When I offer Reiki, I’m offering those conditions as deliberately and as skilfully as I can.
On safety, the news is reassuring. The NCCIH says studies haven’t shown Reiki to cause harm, and Cancer Research UK says there are no reports of harmful side effects. The main risk is indirect: someone using Reiki in place of medical care they need.
Why it still has a place
I offer Reiki because relaxation, comfort and feeling cared for have value in their own right, especially for someone going through illness, grief or a major change in their life.
Cancer Research UK notes that some cancer centres and hospices in the UK offer free or low-cost Reiki to people with cancer, and that some people with cancer say they feel more relaxed after it. The same page states clearly that there is no scientific evidence that Reiki can prevent, treat or cure cancer or any other disease. That combination seems right to me. I use Reiki for support and comfort, and I won’t tell you it treats anxiety, depression, pain or any illness.
Rest and kind attention are worth having for their own sake, even when no blood test can measure them.
Reiki also suits people for whom other treatments feel like too much: someone who finds massage too intense, feels wary of needles, or simply wants an hour to stop. Nothing about it is physically demanding.
Deciding whether to try it
Reiki may suit you if you want help to relax during a stressful period, or if you feel curious about it and comfortable with the uncertainty. It isn’t the right choice if you’re looking for treatment for a specific condition. In that case, start with your GP.
After a session you may feel calm, heavy or sleepy, so allow a little time before you rush back into a busy day.
If you do have Reiki, keep your GP informed about it as you would any complementary therapy, and never stop or change a prescribed treatment because of how a session felt.
When choosing a practitioner, look for one on a register you can check. The Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC), which holds an Accredited Register from the Professional Standards Authority, includes Reiki among the professions it registers.
I think Reiki has a reasonable place in a clinic like mine, as long as everyone involved is clear about what it is. Offered that way, it gives people something useful: a calm hour that asks nothing of them.