Stepping Stones on the Spiritual Path
by Lynn Claridge @ http://www.facebook.com/l/;mysticalempowerment.com
Here are nine steps to help you on your spiritual path.
Self control - Means not depending on sense experiences or the default influence of past habits, one can exert true free-will and experience the inherent happiness of the soul. Whereas the norm is to act based on what one is accustomed to doing, rather than following one’s true wishes. A spiritually committed person throws out bad habits that offer temporary pleasure before ultimately bringing suffering and chooses the lasting satisfaction of the spirit found through self-control.
Humility - Your spiritual path and your spiritual awakening is cultivated by the willingness to learn and show understanding, striving for the well-being of others and contributing to the environment by setting an admirable example without speaking of one’s greatness. Once one realizes that the self is something far beyond the body, and that the soul is a microcosm of the greater Spirit, one acts with the intention of being a vessel for this benevolent force to express itself. Rather than taking credit for good actions, it is possible to present successes as offerings to the divine aspect of the self, holding gratitude rather than pride for the attributes and achievements. When your thoughts become centered on the welfare of others, you have reached true manifests.
Selfless unconditional love - Love is the driving attractive force that gives life and purpose to existence. Spiritual Master Sri Yukteswar said that ordinary love is selfish and based on personal desires and gratification, while divine love is boundless, changeless, and unconditional. Spiritually brings harmony with nature and other people, loving equally all humanity and holding compassion indiscriminately regardless of creed, nationality, deed, or any other boundary. Love entails great freedom, but comes only when the mind is quiet and selfless. Only love, mercy and goodwill developing in each individual can bring peace and stability at both a personal and global scale.
Calmness and concentration - A spiritually developed person has formed great powers of concentration to accomplish their goals. If one compares the true self to the bottom of a lake, it is only visible when the ripples of thoughts have subsided and the water is tranquil. If the water is muddy or disturbed, the bottom cannot be seen. Events, memories, concerns, and desires all try to intrude ceaselessly throughout a person’s day. If your thoughts are strongly attach to your emotions, they are even more difficult to let go. Concentration and meditation techniques train the mind to prevent restless thoughts from clouding and obstructing the experience of one’s true spiritual path.
Non-attachment - Part of spiritual awakening is mental freedom from possessions. By practicing non-attachment, one can enjoy things and perform material duties with a sense of service rather than of personal gain. The ego wants to cling to objects, ideas, youth, and other aspects of worldly experience; by letting go of these things gracefully when they have served their time, inner peace becomes strengthened.
Intuition - Intuition is a resolute, unfailing source of wisdom and guidance to one who is receptive to its subtle advice. When one taps into this resource by surrender and daily meditation, one is able to hear and trust what the right course of action is to fulfill his or her best interests. Everyone has this quality and with increasing awakening and clarity, it becomes a fountain of growing insight and security.
Self-Knowledge - Those committed to a spiritual path constantly examines themselves in order to make progress and implement necessary changes. Spiritual teacher J. Krishnamurti asserts that without knowing who one really is, there is no starting point for right thought so there cannot be transformation. By being aware in each present moment of one’s thoughts, intentions, and desires, one can begin to chisel away unwanted personal qualities and give life to new traits that lead to triumph over oneself.
Happiness - Everyone strives to be happy. One becomes devoted to the spiritual path ultimately to find an unchanging peace and bliss that is elusive in material things.
Freedom - In the end, one is individually responsible for his or her own habits, mistakes, and resolutions. Once your greater self is found in the soul with devotion and faith, one attains freedom and life is truly beautiful. The Bhagavad Gita says, “Unattached to the sensory world, the yogi experiences the ever-new joy of being. His soul engaged in the union with Spirit, he attains indestructible bliss.
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Thursday, August 20, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Daily Exercise
Bless your enemies.
Everyone who has ever done you harm.
Ignore the resistance that arises.
Do it anyway.
Do it now.
Practice.
You begin to realize that you have no enemies.
This is the state of mental health.
Everyone who has ever done you harm.
Ignore the resistance that arises.
Do it anyway.
Do it now.
Practice.
You begin to realize that you have no enemies.
This is the state of mental health.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Carrying Pain
Want to let go of something? But it seems no matter how hard you try, you just keep clinging to it? Angry toward someone or something that happened? Can't seem to forgive? Remember the hurt like it just happened?
It helps to consider that you are not alone. It is your nature and you are wired to remember this way. Healing is not synonymous with forgetting. The pain you remember is yours forever. Do not resist it. The beginning of peace is to accept your own pain.
Some people are afraid that the pain they feel will kill them. It will be too much to bear. Remember that it is not the pain that kills you, but trying not to feel it. Think for a moment about what you do to avoid feeling pain.
Rejecting, avoiding and resisting our pain takes a great deal of effort, and is so frustrating that it creates its own additional pain, compounding the problem. You are going to carry this pain. Why fight it?
It is like walking in the rain. Your clothing is soaked and your hair is dripping. What good does it do to wipe of the water? What's the point of shaking your head? I knew a man who was a runner. He lived in a city where it rained most of the time. He said it didn't bother him because "there is just so much water you can carry," he said.
It helps to consider that you are not alone. It is your nature and you are wired to remember this way. Healing is not synonymous with forgetting. The pain you remember is yours forever. Do not resist it. The beginning of peace is to accept your own pain.
Some people are afraid that the pain they feel will kill them. It will be too much to bear. Remember that it is not the pain that kills you, but trying not to feel it. Think for a moment about what you do to avoid feeling pain.
Rejecting, avoiding and resisting our pain takes a great deal of effort, and is so frustrating that it creates its own additional pain, compounding the problem. You are going to carry this pain. Why fight it?
It is like walking in the rain. Your clothing is soaked and your hair is dripping. What good does it do to wipe of the water? What's the point of shaking your head? I knew a man who was a runner. He lived in a city where it rained most of the time. He said it didn't bother him because "there is just so much water you can carry," he said.
Seeing The Soul
Do you believe in something you cannot see? Can you see your feelings? Can you see electricity? But you do believe in these.
Scientists are convinced that the soul is a product of the chemical and electrical activity of the human brain, and as such has no existence in its own right. They do not believe in the soul. They believe in the body and its processes.
I think we can all agree there is nothing eternal or transcendent about the body and its processes, as awe-inspiring and miraculous as they may be. The body comes into being and eventually it ceases to exist. And if you only believe what you can see, then it is difficult to believe in the soul.
Unless you have seen death. If you have seen death, you have witnessed the separation of the soul from the body. At the moment of death, the soul appears as a chimera rising from the lifeless body and floating free. It has the color of mercury, and its fluidity. So if you only believe in something you can see, then look for the soul when you are witnessing death.
In the end, it doesn't matter whether you believe in the soul or not. Your soul will continue to inhabit your mortal body. Until you die, and then it will float free and go on its way.
Scientists are convinced that the soul is a product of the chemical and electrical activity of the human brain, and as such has no existence in its own right. They do not believe in the soul. They believe in the body and its processes.
I think we can all agree there is nothing eternal or transcendent about the body and its processes, as awe-inspiring and miraculous as they may be. The body comes into being and eventually it ceases to exist. And if you only believe what you can see, then it is difficult to believe in the soul.
Unless you have seen death. If you have seen death, you have witnessed the separation of the soul from the body. At the moment of death, the soul appears as a chimera rising from the lifeless body and floating free. It has the color of mercury, and its fluidity. So if you only believe in something you can see, then look for the soul when you are witnessing death.
In the end, it doesn't matter whether you believe in the soul or not. Your soul will continue to inhabit your mortal body. Until you die, and then it will float free and go on its way.
Friday, August 7, 2009
Quote
I like this so much, I want to preserve it by posting it here:
When hope is not pinned wriggling onto a shiny image or expectation, it sometimes floats forth and opens like one of those fluted Japanese blossoms, flimsy and spastic, bright and warm. This almost always seems to happen in community.
Anne Lamott
"The Impossible Will Take a Little While," Plan B
When hope is not pinned wriggling onto a shiny image or expectation, it sometimes floats forth and opens like one of those fluted Japanese blossoms, flimsy and spastic, bright and warm. This almost always seems to happen in community.
Anne Lamott
"The Impossible Will Take a Little While," Plan B
Thursday, August 6, 2009
The Four Agreements
1. Be Impeccable With Your Word
Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.
2. Don't Take Anything Personally
Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victim of needless suffering.
3. Don't Make Assumptions
Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.
4. Always Do Your Best
Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse and regret.
Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.
2. Don't Take Anything Personally
Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victim of needless suffering.
3. Don't Make Assumptions
Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.
4. Always Do Your Best
Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse and regret.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Natural Standard Research Collaboration March 08, 2007
I found this research report about Reiki. It is interesting.
Synonyms
Distant healing, energy medicine, group healing, Karuna ReikiTM, Medicine Buddha, self healing, Tara Reiki, Tera Mai ReikiTM, Traditional Japanese Reiki, Western Reiki.
Background
Reiki is a Buddhist practice that is approximately 2500 years old. The name "Reiki" is derived from two Japanese words: rei meaning universal spirit and ki meaning life energy. Mention of Reiki can be found in the Tibetan sutras and in ancient records of cosmology and philosophy.
Hichau Mikao Usui, a Japanese physician and Buddhist monk, revitalized the practice of Reiki in the 19th century. It is said that after 21 days of fasting, Reiki was presented to Usui on Mt. Kurama, a Japanese mountaintop near Kyoto during a spiritual experience. By this account, light struck him upon the forehead, opening up a "third eye" possessing the highest source of power in the human body. Usui passed down his teachings, and Hawayo Tokata, a Japanese Hawaiian, introduced Usui Reiki to the West in 1930.
In modern times, multiple styles and historical accounts of Reiki are taught and practiced. In general, there are three levels of certifications/attunements associated with the practice of Reiki. A Level I degree often involves a weekend course which teaches the potential practitioner to transfer "universal life energy" to him/herself and to others. Students are trained in the concepts and hand positions of Reiki. Four ceremonies (attunements) are performed with the goal of opening students' inner healing channels to engage them in the flow of energy. The Level II degree includes an initiation ceremony that aims to enhance the practitioner's ability to interact with the flow of energy. Other training may include distant healing, teaching of symbols, and enhancement of mental/emotional/spiritual healing. In some cases, practitioners receive a Level II degree after 'intuitively' receiving Sanskrit symbols from spirit guides that are believed to increase their healing powers. The Reiki Master degree (Level III) takes years of close training with a Reiki Master, and allows the practitioner to teach Reiki to others.
Reiki practitioners conduct sessions with the intention to heal specific maladies or to improve overall well being. Treatments involve the systematic placing of hands in 12 to 15 varying positions. Hand positions are held for approximately 2 to 5 minutes each. Hands may be placed directly on a clothed patient, or held 1 to 2 inches above the skin. The practitioner's hands are positioned palm-side down with the fingers and thumb extended. The standard positions may be modified if deemed necessary by the practitioner. The timing of the hand positions may be cut short if the practitioner believes that he or she senses energy flow. All of the body systems can be covered with the hand positions within 30 to 90 minutes. The number of sessions varies from patient to patient based on the judgment of the practitioner. Acute issues may be treated faster than chronic conditions.
Patients have reported feeling different sensations during Reiki sessions such as warmth, tingling, sleepiness, relaxation, or invigoration. Practitioners have reported tingling in their fingers, heat, cold, or pulsing while administering Reiki.
Sometimes a technique called "sweeping" is used prior to starting the formal healing session. Sweeping involves the practitioner aiming to pass hands through the patient's energy field. This technique is said to allow the practitioner to more easily detect areas of energy disruption, imbalance or blockage, and to cleanse patients of negative feelings, emotions, or physical burdens.
Principles taught in Reiki include: "just for today do not worry," "just for today do not be angry," "just for today give thanks for your many blessings," "honor your parents, teachers and elders," "earn your living honestly," "be kind to your neighbors and every living thing," and "show gratitude to everything."
Types of related therapies include distant healing, self-healing, group healing, Tera Mai ReikiTM, Karuna ReikiTM, traditional Japanese Reiki, Tara Reiki, and Western Reiki. There are numerous schools and professional Reiki organizations. The International Association of Reiki Professionals maintains a list of practitioners who have pledged to uphold a Code of Ethics developed by the group.
Reiki is also used on animals, including horses. Reiki Masters believe that all living beings are affected by the "universal life energy" flow around them, and animals may be treated in the same manner as humans.
Theory
Reiki practitioners believe that therapeutic effects of this technique are obtained from a "universal life energy" that provides strength, harmony, and balance to the body and mind. Life energy is thought to be transferred to patients when practitioners place their hands on or directly above treatment areas. This life energy is thought to vitalize organs and cells, and to release trapped negative energy. Practitioners do not view themselves as the sources of life energy.
Reiki practitioners believe that human energy flows through meridians (or pathways) in the body that can be sensed by trained individuals. A disturbance in the flow of this energy may be caused by physical illnesses or negative emotions. Reiki practitioners aim to channel life energy to problem areas where the patient's energy flow is sensed as being disrupted.
Practitioners believe that Reiki can treat symptoms and enable patients to feel enlightened with improved mental clarity, well-being, and spirituality. Reiki is sometimes administered to patients who are dying with the goal of instilling a sense of peace.
It has been proposed that Reiki can lower heart rate and blood pressure, boost the immune system and endocrine (hormonal) systems, stimulate endorphins, or affect skin temperature and blood hemoglobin levels. However, these properties have not been well studied or clearly demonstrated in scientific studies.
Evidence
Autonomic nervous system disturbances
One randomized trial suggests Reiki may have an effect on autonomic nervous system functions such as heart rate, blood pressure, or breathing activity. Large, well-designed studies are needed before conclusions can be drawn.
Grade: C
Depression and stress
There is evidence that Reiki can reduce symptoms of distress when compared to placebo. More information is needed before a conclusion can be drawn.
Grade: C
Medical illnesses
Reiki has been used or suggested for the management of many conditions. However, Reiki is not well studied scientifically. There are several challenges to conducting high quality research on techniques such as Reiki: there are different styles of practice with variation from practitioner to practitioner; it is challenging to design studies with "placebo" Reiki; and there is not widespread agreement on how best to measure outcomes. Better research is needed before a recommendation can be made either for or against the effectiveness of Reiki for any specific condition.
Grade: C
Pain
Patients in a preliminary ("phase II") trial of Reiki in combination with standard pain medications (with opioids) were reported to experience improved pain control. Further research is needed to confirm these findings.
Grade: C
Stroke recovery
In a randomized controlled trial, Reiki did not have any clinically useful effect on stroke recovery in patients receiving appropriate rehabilitation therapy. Selective positive effects on mood and energy were noted.
Grade: D
No Evidence
AIDS, addiction, adjunct in surgery, alcoholism, allergies, anemia, anger, anxiety, arthritis, asthma, bone marrow transplant support, breast cancer, brain damage, broken bones, cancer, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, cardiovascular risk reduction, carpal tunnel syndrome, cellulitis, cervical dysplasia, chemical burns, chronic pain, diabetes, diabetic neuropathy, diabetic wound healing, drug withdrawal, emotional problems, emphysema, epilepsy, fatigue, fibromyalgia, gallstones, grief, guilt, Guillain-Barre syndrome, headache, heart attack, hemophilia, hemorrhoids, hernia, herpes zoster, hiccough, high blood pressure, hysterectomy, impotence, labor, mental problems, migraine headache, multiple sclerosis, muscle spasms, nervous system function, nosebleeds, neuropathy, post-operative pain, post-traumatic stress disorder, pregnancy, promoting healing, prostate problems, psoriasis, radiation sickness, rash, recovering from anesthesia, reduction of adverse effects of chemotherapy and radiation, reflex sympathetic dystrophy, relaxation, rheumatoid arthritis, sickle cell anemia, sinus congestion, suicide prevention, systemic lupus erythematosus, trauma, tremor, ulcers, varicose veins, venereal diseases, warts, wound healing.
Safety
Reiki is not recommended as the sole treatment approach for potentially serious medical conditions, and should not delay the time it takes to consult with a healthcare professional or receive established therapies. Serious adverse effects have not been reported in association with Reiki. Some practitioners believe that Reiki should be used cautiously in individuals with psychiatric illnesses due to a risk of bringing out underlying psychopathology, although this risk has not been formally reported in the published literature.
Attribution
This information is based on a professional level monograph edited and peer-reviewed by contributors to the Natural Standard Research Collaboration (www.naturalstandard.com).
Bibliography
Alandydy, P. and Alandydy, K. Using Reiki to support surgical patients. J Nurs.Care Qual. 1999;13(4):89-91.
Astin, J. A., Harkness, E., and Ernst, E. The efficacy of "distant healing": a systematic review of randomized trials. Ann.Intern.Med 6-6-2000;132(11):903-910.
Brewitt B, Vittetoe T, and Hartwell B. The efficacy of Reiki hands-on healing: improvements in spleen and nervous system function as quantified by electrodermal screening [abstract]. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine 1997;3:89.
Kennedy, P. Working with survivors of torture in Sarajevo with Reiki. Complement Ther Nurs.Midwifery 2001;7(1):4-7.
Krucoff, M. W., Crater, S. W., Gallup, D., Blankenship, J. C., Cuffe, M., Guarneri, M., Krieger, R. A., Kshettry, V. R., Morris, K., Oz, M., Pichard, A., Sketch, M. H., Jr., Koenig, H. G., Mark, D., and Lee, K. L. Music, imagery, touch, and prayer as adjuncts to interventional cardiac care: the Monitoring and Actualisation of Noetic Trainings (MANTRA) II randomised study. Lancet 7-16-2005;366(9481):211-217.
Mackay, N., Hansen, S., and McFarlane, O. Autonomic nervous system changes during Reiki treatment: a preliminary study. J Altern.Complement Med. 2004;10(6):1077-1081.
Mansour, A. A., Beuche, M., Laing, G., Leis, A., and Nurse, J. A study to test the effectiveness of placebo Reiki standardization procedures developed for a planned Reiki efficacy study. J Altern.Complement Med. 1999;5(2):153-164.
Olson, K. and Hanson, J. Using Reiki to manage pain: a preliminary report. Cancer Prev.Control 1997;1(2):108-113.
Olson, K., Hanson, J., and Michaud, M. A phase II trial of Reiki for the management of pain in advanced cancer patients. J Pain Symptom.Manage. 2003;26(5):990-997.
Scales, B. CAMPing in the PACU: using complementary and alternative medical practices in the PACU. J Perianesth.Nurs. 2001;16(5):325-334.
Schlitz MJ and Braud WG. Reiki-plus natural healing: an ethnographic/experimental study. PSI Research 1985;4:100-123.
Shore, A. G. Long-term effects of energetic healing on symptoms of psychological depression and self-perceived stress. Altern.Ther.Health Med. 2004;10(3):42-48.
Thornton LM. A study of Reiki, an energy field treatment, using Rogers' science. Rogerian Nurs Sci News 1996;8:14-15.
Wardell, D. W. and Engebretson, J. Biological correlates of Reiki Touch(sm) healing. J Adv.Nurs. 2001;33(4):439-445.
Weze, C., Leathard, H. L., Grange, J., Tiplady, P., and Stevens, G. Evaluation of healing by gentle touch. Public Health 2005;119(1):3-10.
Wirth DP, Brenlan DR, Levine RJ, and et al. The effect of complementary healing therapy on postoperative pain after surgical removal of impacted third molar teeth. Complementary Therapies in Medicine 1993;1(3):133-138.
Witte D and Dundes L. Harnessing life energy or wishful thinking? Reiki, placebo reiki, meditation, and music. Alternative & Complementary Therapies 2001;7(5):304-309.
©2007 Natural Standard Research Collaboration
Synonyms
Distant healing, energy medicine, group healing, Karuna ReikiTM, Medicine Buddha, self healing, Tara Reiki, Tera Mai ReikiTM, Traditional Japanese Reiki, Western Reiki.
Background
Reiki is a Buddhist practice that is approximately 2500 years old. The name "Reiki" is derived from two Japanese words: rei meaning universal spirit and ki meaning life energy. Mention of Reiki can be found in the Tibetan sutras and in ancient records of cosmology and philosophy.
Hichau Mikao Usui, a Japanese physician and Buddhist monk, revitalized the practice of Reiki in the 19th century. It is said that after 21 days of fasting, Reiki was presented to Usui on Mt. Kurama, a Japanese mountaintop near Kyoto during a spiritual experience. By this account, light struck him upon the forehead, opening up a "third eye" possessing the highest source of power in the human body. Usui passed down his teachings, and Hawayo Tokata, a Japanese Hawaiian, introduced Usui Reiki to the West in 1930.
In modern times, multiple styles and historical accounts of Reiki are taught and practiced. In general, there are three levels of certifications/attunements associated with the practice of Reiki. A Level I degree often involves a weekend course which teaches the potential practitioner to transfer "universal life energy" to him/herself and to others. Students are trained in the concepts and hand positions of Reiki. Four ceremonies (attunements) are performed with the goal of opening students' inner healing channels to engage them in the flow of energy. The Level II degree includes an initiation ceremony that aims to enhance the practitioner's ability to interact with the flow of energy. Other training may include distant healing, teaching of symbols, and enhancement of mental/emotional/spiritual healing. In some cases, practitioners receive a Level II degree after 'intuitively' receiving Sanskrit symbols from spirit guides that are believed to increase their healing powers. The Reiki Master degree (Level III) takes years of close training with a Reiki Master, and allows the practitioner to teach Reiki to others.
Reiki practitioners conduct sessions with the intention to heal specific maladies or to improve overall well being. Treatments involve the systematic placing of hands in 12 to 15 varying positions. Hand positions are held for approximately 2 to 5 minutes each. Hands may be placed directly on a clothed patient, or held 1 to 2 inches above the skin. The practitioner's hands are positioned palm-side down with the fingers and thumb extended. The standard positions may be modified if deemed necessary by the practitioner. The timing of the hand positions may be cut short if the practitioner believes that he or she senses energy flow. All of the body systems can be covered with the hand positions within 30 to 90 minutes. The number of sessions varies from patient to patient based on the judgment of the practitioner. Acute issues may be treated faster than chronic conditions.
Patients have reported feeling different sensations during Reiki sessions such as warmth, tingling, sleepiness, relaxation, or invigoration. Practitioners have reported tingling in their fingers, heat, cold, or pulsing while administering Reiki.
Sometimes a technique called "sweeping" is used prior to starting the formal healing session. Sweeping involves the practitioner aiming to pass hands through the patient's energy field. This technique is said to allow the practitioner to more easily detect areas of energy disruption, imbalance or blockage, and to cleanse patients of negative feelings, emotions, or physical burdens.
Principles taught in Reiki include: "just for today do not worry," "just for today do not be angry," "just for today give thanks for your many blessings," "honor your parents, teachers and elders," "earn your living honestly," "be kind to your neighbors and every living thing," and "show gratitude to everything."
Types of related therapies include distant healing, self-healing, group healing, Tera Mai ReikiTM, Karuna ReikiTM, traditional Japanese Reiki, Tara Reiki, and Western Reiki. There are numerous schools and professional Reiki organizations. The International Association of Reiki Professionals maintains a list of practitioners who have pledged to uphold a Code of Ethics developed by the group.
Reiki is also used on animals, including horses. Reiki Masters believe that all living beings are affected by the "universal life energy" flow around them, and animals may be treated in the same manner as humans.
Theory
Reiki practitioners believe that therapeutic effects of this technique are obtained from a "universal life energy" that provides strength, harmony, and balance to the body and mind. Life energy is thought to be transferred to patients when practitioners place their hands on or directly above treatment areas. This life energy is thought to vitalize organs and cells, and to release trapped negative energy. Practitioners do not view themselves as the sources of life energy.
Reiki practitioners believe that human energy flows through meridians (or pathways) in the body that can be sensed by trained individuals. A disturbance in the flow of this energy may be caused by physical illnesses or negative emotions. Reiki practitioners aim to channel life energy to problem areas where the patient's energy flow is sensed as being disrupted.
Practitioners believe that Reiki can treat symptoms and enable patients to feel enlightened with improved mental clarity, well-being, and spirituality. Reiki is sometimes administered to patients who are dying with the goal of instilling a sense of peace.
It has been proposed that Reiki can lower heart rate and blood pressure, boost the immune system and endocrine (hormonal) systems, stimulate endorphins, or affect skin temperature and blood hemoglobin levels. However, these properties have not been well studied or clearly demonstrated in scientific studies.
Evidence
Autonomic nervous system disturbances
One randomized trial suggests Reiki may have an effect on autonomic nervous system functions such as heart rate, blood pressure, or breathing activity. Large, well-designed studies are needed before conclusions can be drawn.
Grade: C
Depression and stress
There is evidence that Reiki can reduce symptoms of distress when compared to placebo. More information is needed before a conclusion can be drawn.
Grade: C
Medical illnesses
Reiki has been used or suggested for the management of many conditions. However, Reiki is not well studied scientifically. There are several challenges to conducting high quality research on techniques such as Reiki: there are different styles of practice with variation from practitioner to practitioner; it is challenging to design studies with "placebo" Reiki; and there is not widespread agreement on how best to measure outcomes. Better research is needed before a recommendation can be made either for or against the effectiveness of Reiki for any specific condition.
Grade: C
Pain
Patients in a preliminary ("phase II") trial of Reiki in combination with standard pain medications (with opioids) were reported to experience improved pain control. Further research is needed to confirm these findings.
Grade: C
Stroke recovery
In a randomized controlled trial, Reiki did not have any clinically useful effect on stroke recovery in patients receiving appropriate rehabilitation therapy. Selective positive effects on mood and energy were noted.
Grade: D
No Evidence
AIDS, addiction, adjunct in surgery, alcoholism, allergies, anemia, anger, anxiety, arthritis, asthma, bone marrow transplant support, breast cancer, brain damage, broken bones, cancer, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, cardiovascular risk reduction, carpal tunnel syndrome, cellulitis, cervical dysplasia, chemical burns, chronic pain, diabetes, diabetic neuropathy, diabetic wound healing, drug withdrawal, emotional problems, emphysema, epilepsy, fatigue, fibromyalgia, gallstones, grief, guilt, Guillain-Barre syndrome, headache, heart attack, hemophilia, hemorrhoids, hernia, herpes zoster, hiccough, high blood pressure, hysterectomy, impotence, labor, mental problems, migraine headache, multiple sclerosis, muscle spasms, nervous system function, nosebleeds, neuropathy, post-operative pain, post-traumatic stress disorder, pregnancy, promoting healing, prostate problems, psoriasis, radiation sickness, rash, recovering from anesthesia, reduction of adverse effects of chemotherapy and radiation, reflex sympathetic dystrophy, relaxation, rheumatoid arthritis, sickle cell anemia, sinus congestion, suicide prevention, systemic lupus erythematosus, trauma, tremor, ulcers, varicose veins, venereal diseases, warts, wound healing.
Safety
Reiki is not recommended as the sole treatment approach for potentially serious medical conditions, and should not delay the time it takes to consult with a healthcare professional or receive established therapies. Serious adverse effects have not been reported in association with Reiki. Some practitioners believe that Reiki should be used cautiously in individuals with psychiatric illnesses due to a risk of bringing out underlying psychopathology, although this risk has not been formally reported in the published literature.
Attribution
This information is based on a professional level monograph edited and peer-reviewed by contributors to the Natural Standard Research Collaboration (www.naturalstandard.com).
Bibliography
Alandydy, P. and Alandydy, K. Using Reiki to support surgical patients. J Nurs.Care Qual. 1999;13(4):89-91.
Astin, J. A., Harkness, E., and Ernst, E. The efficacy of "distant healing": a systematic review of randomized trials. Ann.Intern.Med 6-6-2000;132(11):903-910.
Brewitt B, Vittetoe T, and Hartwell B. The efficacy of Reiki hands-on healing: improvements in spleen and nervous system function as quantified by electrodermal screening [abstract]. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine 1997;3:89.
Kennedy, P. Working with survivors of torture in Sarajevo with Reiki. Complement Ther Nurs.Midwifery 2001;7(1):4-7.
Krucoff, M. W., Crater, S. W., Gallup, D., Blankenship, J. C., Cuffe, M., Guarneri, M., Krieger, R. A., Kshettry, V. R., Morris, K., Oz, M., Pichard, A., Sketch, M. H., Jr., Koenig, H. G., Mark, D., and Lee, K. L. Music, imagery, touch, and prayer as adjuncts to interventional cardiac care: the Monitoring and Actualisation of Noetic Trainings (MANTRA) II randomised study. Lancet 7-16-2005;366(9481):211-217.
Mackay, N., Hansen, S., and McFarlane, O. Autonomic nervous system changes during Reiki treatment: a preliminary study. J Altern.Complement Med. 2004;10(6):1077-1081.
Mansour, A. A., Beuche, M., Laing, G., Leis, A., and Nurse, J. A study to test the effectiveness of placebo Reiki standardization procedures developed for a planned Reiki efficacy study. J Altern.Complement Med. 1999;5(2):153-164.
Olson, K. and Hanson, J. Using Reiki to manage pain: a preliminary report. Cancer Prev.Control 1997;1(2):108-113.
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©2007 Natural Standard Research Collaboration
Basic REIKI
REIKI works on the spiritual, mental, emotional and physical bodies.
REIKI brings balance and harmony back into the body including balancing the chakras as well as the auric and etheric fields.
REIKI supports the body's own natural abilities to heal itself.
REIKI promotes a state of relaxation.
REIKI is a gentle, subtle energy that works at the core level to promote healing at that level so, it can begin to bring wellness to the whole body.
With Reiki the practitioner facilitates the healing by channeling the energy so the body CAN HEAL itself.
REIKI brings balance and harmony back into the body including balancing the chakras as well as the auric and etheric fields.
REIKI supports the body's own natural abilities to heal itself.
REIKI promotes a state of relaxation.
REIKI is a gentle, subtle energy that works at the core level to promote healing at that level so, it can begin to bring wellness to the whole body.
With Reiki the practitioner facilitates the healing by channeling the energy so the body CAN HEAL itself.
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