Scientific Research and Reiki

When it comes to energy healing work, many people are skeptical.  Reiki and other natural modalities are often not accepted as legitimate healing methods.  While there are some people who are willing to take a leap of faith and give Reiki a chance to see for themselves what it can do, others want to know if science can get behind Reiki.  Can Reiki be proven, with scientific experiments, to work?  While the benefits of Reiki have still not been definitively proven by research due to a lack of large scale and long-term studies, there have several small studies that do indicate that there are scientifically measurable benefits. 

In 2017 Professor Maria Kuman, Ph.D. published the study MEASURING REIKI HEALING - MYSTERY, PLACEBO, OR REAL ENERGY HEALING?  Dr. Kuman used a patented High Sensitivity Energy Meter to measure the biofields of both Reiki practitioners and recipients before and after Reiki sessions.  The results showed that only was energy transferred from the hands of the practitioner to the recipients, but that the energy level of both the practitioner and the recipient was raised during the sessions (Kuman, 2017).  This not only gives evidence of Reiki’s ability to raise our vibrations, but also gives the indication that the energy does not come directly from the practitioner but is being channeled from another source. 

Mark S. Rosenbaum, PhD, and Jane Van de Velde, DNP, RN published a study of 150 patients in June of 2016 entitled The Effects of Yoga, Massage, and Reiki on Patient Well-Being at a Cancer Resource Center.  The patients were  asked to rate their personally perceived well-being in the areas of stress, pain, anxiety, mood, overall health, and quality of life before and after receiving services (Mark Rosenbaum, 2016).  Their study found yoga, massage, and Reiki all helped to lower stress and anxiety, improve the mood, and increase the health and quality of life of the patients.  Reiki was found to decrease the pain levels to a greater extent than yoga or massage.   

Most recently, a small study was done by Ann Baldwin PhD, Department of Physiology, University of Arizona, and Reiki Medic-Care to test the effectiveness of Reiki to treat burn-out in healthcare workers during the Covid 19 Pandemic.  The study included 20 female healthcare workers with an 85% retention rate. Distance Reiki was sent to the healthcare workers by licensed and insured Reiki practitioners for 20 minutes a day for four consecutive days.  The research showed that Reiki appeared to be helpful in reducing stress, anxiety, and pain, and in increasing wellbeing of healthcare professionals.

Although these studies were small, the results were promising.  I believe that with the growing acceptance of alternative and complementary healthcare modalities that we will see larger studies confirming these findings in the future. 

Fear of the Highest Good and What Can Trigger It

I had someone reach out to me wanting Reiki sent to a specific situation for a specific outcome.  I told them I would send Reiki for their highest good and that of the situation.  They asked me not to do this and expressed fear of their highest good.  At first this may seem a strange fear, but it is not an uncommon one. 

There are three common reasons this fear of a person’s highest good may manifest.  One is that they do not believe they deserve to experience good things.  If a person believes that they do not deserve the very best in life, they may fear that their highest good isn’t going to be very enjoyable.  There may be a sense of wanting to set low expectations so as not to be disappointed.  This is belief of not deserving good things is a faulty belief that will keep a person out of alignment with their higher-self and block their highest good.  Reiki may relieve the block temporarily, but in order to facilitate lasting change, the person will need to recognize their true worthiness.  Raising their confidence and level of self-love will be necessary. 

Another reason one may fear aligning with their highest good is a belief that it means being the best version of themselves and that maybe the best version of themselves will not be the most fun or enjoyable version.  They may fear the responsibility of always having to be the best they can be.  They may need help to realize that being in alignment with our highest good will always feel good.  They need to know that when something is in their highest good, the responsibility will come naturally and feel right to them once they let go of resistance they hold due to faulty beliefs.  They may also need some guidance in discovering what their higher self is trying to tell them, through their emotions, that their highest good is. 

A third reason a fear of one’s highest good may present itself is if, at least on some level, the person knows that what they want is not in their best interest.  This may happen when a person is in a situation that causes a pleasure response but is unhealthy for them.  For example, a drama heavy relationship, drug and alcohol use, or eating junk foods can all have this effect, as well as many other things.  What people need to learn in this situation is that the joy that can result from aligning with their higher good will far outweigh the pleasure they find in these unhealthy things.  Letting go can be hard and painful but is worth the effort. 

Although all of these things must be overcome in order to come into alignment with one’s greatest good, that can only happen if they are ready.  In a healing practice, there may be times that we will work with people who are struggling with these sorts of faulty beliefs.  Although we may recognize them, it is good to try to guide those struggling to their own conclusion of where this fear of the highest good is coming from and how they can best overcome it while supporting them with Reiki and love. 

A Brief History of Usui Reiki

Much of the true history of Usui Reiki is still unknown in the West.  It was passed down without written documentation in an effort of preserve the sacredness of the practice. 

There are many versions of the history of Reiki available online and in books.  First, I’m going to tell you a little bit about the verified history of Usui Reiki as I have learned it.  Then I’ll give you a brief summary of the history of Reiki as related by Master Takata. 

I would love for you to read the detailed account of the history of Reiki by William Lee Rand.  It can be found at  https://www.reiki.org/faq/historyofreiki.html.  He gives the best researched history of Reiki I have been able to find so far (more research is being done all the time).  In contrast to many other accounts, examples of Reiki practices that predated Usui are given mention. 

A Summary of Usui Reiki According to William Lee Rand

  Mikao Usui was the founder of the Usui Shiki Ryoho Reiki system.  Usui was a Buddhist scholar born in 1865 that seemed to have dedicated his life to helping others.  He was a spiritual man and in 1922, when facing some personal and financial difficulties, he decided to go on a 21-day retreat on Mt. Kurama seeking spiritual awakening. 

While meditating on the retreat he had a miraculous spiritual experience that gave him his ability to heal others and to pass this gift on to others through attunement and led him to create his style of Reiki. 

He used this knowledge to establish the Usui Reiki Healing Society. Mikao Usui believed an important part of living a good and healthy life was following certain ethical principles.  Inspired by Emperor Meiji, Usui established the five principles, which I will discuss more later. 

Usui is believed to have had thousands of students before his death in 1926, but only 16 of these reached the Master level. 

After Usui’s death, one of his Master students, Chujiro Hayashi, became Usui’s successor and began his own Reiki society.  He simplified the Reiki healing process and created many detailed hand positions for treating various ailments.  He also simplified the attunement process. 

In 1940 Master Hayashi committed suicide to keep from being forced to give intelligence and fight in WWII.  Before his death he asked Madam Takata, who he had trained and attuned, to be his successor.

Hawayo Takata, a Japanese Hawaiian born in 1900, had become very ill and had gone to Japan for healing.  She was preparing to receive surgery when she believed she heard a voice telling her not to have the surgery and to find another way. 

She asked the doctor about an alternative healthcare option and he sent her to Hayashi’s clinic where she was treated and became well.  She convinced him to teach her Reiki, though it was never meant to leave Japan. 

Hawayo Takata was eventually attuned to the Master Level.  She brought Reiki to the West and trained many people, attuning 22 Westerners to the Master Level.  From those 22 Masters, Reiki spread throughout the Western world.

Hawayo Takata’s Reiki History Story

The story that has been passed down as Hawayo Takata’s teaching by the Masters who came after her has been found to be mostly fabrication. 

As the story was told, it succeeded in gaining acceptance in the Western world and facilitating the growth of the healing system here. Had a more accurate account of the origin of Reiki been spread, it may never have expanded throughout the world the way it has. 

 The story that was passed down from Takata, and that was widely accepted until fairly recently, was that Usui was a Christian professor challenged by a student to find a way to heal as Jesus did. 

In his efforts for find a healing system comparable to that of Jesus, Usui went on the 21-day fast on Mt. Kurama.  On the 21st day he received a spiritual awakening and had visions of many symbols.  Afterward, he stubbed his toe on his way down the mountain.  Upon grabbing his toe with his hand, he discovered his healing abilities. 

Usui went to the poor and offered them healing, but they kept coming back needing more healing because they didn’t change the way of life that was making them sick.  He then decided that for Reiki to be lastingly effective there must be some sort of exchange. 

At that point he began charging money for healing sessions and attunements and opened his clinic. 

This is only a very brief summary of Madam Takata’s story as I have learned it.  More detailed versions can easily be found with an online search engine and in numerous books about Reiki. 

Continued Reiki History Research

There are many Reiki scholars who are endeavoring to collect a more complete and accurate history of Reiki. As more information is uncovered, this article will likely become outdated. I encourage you to look for up-to-date resources from reliable sources for the most accurate information.

It’s interesting to learn about the history of this healing modality that has done so much to change my life.  I hope you will continue to educate yourself as more information is made available to us.