In Episode 35, I mentioned clinical studies done on the effectiveness of Reiki. Tonight, we’ll do a deeper dive into what Reiki is, and dispel some myths about it.

<music>

Welcome to the PEEP Podcast! I’m your host Nicolle Morock, and this episode will be all about Reiki! I’ll give you a brief history of the healing modality and talk about what it is and what it isn’t. This topic stems from questions I’ve been asked in person recently, and I encourage you to ask questions or suggest episode topics through the contact form at peeppodcast.com.

Before we get started, I just want to share a quick reminder that you can find me on Ream! Just go to reamstories.com/nicollemorock. Follow me for writing updates and occasional free content. Or you can subscribe to any of my tiers there to follow along as I write “Daughter of the Mystic Moon,” a fantasy novel about a young healer who learns the truth about her family as she searches for her kidnapped mother. There’s a lot more to it than a rescue, but I don’t want to spend my podcast waxing on how I inject my own knowledge of healing into my main character’s story line. (hint hint!)

In case you haven’t heard of Ream yet, it’s a subscription platform created specifically for fiction! It launched in 2023 and has a growing number of authors in a huge variety of genres, so if fantasy isn’t your thing, check it out anyway. Between sci-fi, cozy mysteries, steamy romance, and more, you’re sure to find something that interests you. Following is free, but similar to Patreon, you can subscribe at different levels to get access to and perks from authors. Check it out at reamstories.com. That’s R-E-A-M-stories.com

Okay, let’s get back to this episode’s topic: Reiki!

When people ask me what Reiki is, my short answer is that it’s a Japanese technique for healing and stress reduction. And before I go any farther, I’m going to dispel the first myth about Reiki: it’s not an ancient practice.

Master Mikao Usui discovered Reiki in March 1922. So, it’s literally almost 102 years old as I record this. For some reason, many people assume that it’s an ancient healing technique, but it’s really not.

Energy healing is ancient. Reiki is relatively new.

Reiki is often administered by the “laying on of hands” like many other energy healing modalities. It can be learned by anyone and does not require specific religious beliefs. In fact, once it’s learned, Reiki can always flow!

The word Reiki comes from combining two Japanese kanji, Rei and Ki. Rei generally means “universal,” and the kanji shows additional layers of meaning. In an abstract way, it shows a spiritual connection between the wisdom of the Universe – or God, Supreme Being, or however you want to refer to the Source – and the earth. The healer is the bridge between the two.

Ki means “life energy. It’s the non-physical energy that animates all living things, and in science, it’s called biofield energy. Chinese and Japanese cultures believe there are many different kinds of ki, including healthy and unhealthy. Ki is the foundation of all life, and when it flows freely, it can help you live a healthier life. It can be influenced by the mind and guided by your intentions.

So, Reiki simply translates to “universal life energy.”

Reiki is a special kind of Ki because it is guided by consciousness and is defined as spiritually guided life energy. Reiki can guide itself with its own wisdom rather than requiring the practitioner to direct it. Which, in all candidness, makes practicing Reiki pretty easy!

To be clear, not all energy healers use Reiki, but they do channel some form of Ki. Reiki is a specific form that most people who practice need to be attuned to.

If you take a Reiki 1 course, your Reiki Master will go further into the history of Reiki and how it has been handed down through masters over the last century. You’ll be able to trace your line of Reiki Masters back to Master Usui.

Reiki 1 is when you receive your first attunement, allowing you to start channeling the energy that can help you (and others that you work with) relax, enabling your body to start healing itself.

The Reiki attunement is a powerful spiritual experience. It connects you to the Source of Ki, and it’s different for each individual. Some people have mystical experiences, others experience their own healing, and some find increased intuitive awareness and clarity.

During the attunement, Reiki will provide exactly what you need to become the practitioner you’re meant to be.

After a Reiki 1 attunement, you will be able to feel the Reiki flow from your palms and use it to help others by either gently touching them or hovering your hands a few inches above them.

As you become more advanced in Reiki and experience additional attunements, you can learn to send distance Reiki across space and time to people, animals, places, and intentions. It can become a very powerful tool in helping yourself and others live healthier, happier lives.

So, that’s a little about what Reiki is. Here is a little more about what it is not.

Reiki is not a form of witchcraft, spell casting, or anything like that. Once you learn to channel Reiki, all you have to do is put your hands on or above a person, and they’ll feel the energy flow.

Reiki, like all healing, comes from God, the Creator, Universe, Greater Consciousness, Divine Source or whatever you prefer to call it. Just because a human doesn’t understand how it works yet, doesn’t mean it’s evil. Evil does not heal. Reiki does.

Reiki cannot cause tumors to grow. That’s actually one myth I was mistakenly told when I first learned Reiki in 1999. It always knows what a person needs for their highest good. It is always helpful and safe. Because the practitioner doesn’t direct the Reiki, there’s no need for them to decide what to work on. From experience, I can tell you that the Reiki tells me where to place my hands. When I’m in the right space, I can feel it flow easily. My palms get warm, and the recipient can feel it flowing, too.

Reiki does not deplete your energy. In fact, I often feel better after practicing it because both the practitioner and the receiver get its benefits.

As a Reiki Master, I’ve used Reiki to help friends and family, near and far away, deal with emotional trauma, physical ailments, and spiritual difficulties, and all report a higher state of relaxation at the very least. It’s that ability to relax that allows your body, mind, and spirit to start healing. That’s why Reiki is considered a gentle, healing modality, and is often practiced by massage therapists and nurses.

Like I mentioned in Episode 35, “Emotions, Their Physical Effects, and Alternative Healing Modalities,” there have been studies on the effectiveness of Reiki on patients, but more need to be done. Eventually science will catch up to what the rest of us already know – Reiki and other forms of energy healing can be wonderful complements to modern medicine.

If you’re interested in learning Reiki, let me know. Once I get settled into my new home, I’m going to plan my first Reiki 1 class. If you’re not local to the Triangle area of North Carolina, USA, and want to learn Reiki, a Google search may be helpful in finding a local practitioner.

Thank you for listening!  

If you are interested in sharing your own personal paranormal experiences, or if you have an idea for an episode topic, please reach out through the contact form at peeppodcast.com. That's P-E-E-P Podcast.com. Remember that stands for People Experiencing Everyday Paranormal.

While you’re there, subscribe to my newsletter to keep up with the podcast and all my creative and energetic endeavors. I only email it once a month. You’ll receive briefs on recent episodes, information on any upcoming appearances, and some additional fun stuff, including occasional drawings for free books.

If you enjoy the podcast, please give it some rating love on your favorite podcast app, share it with friends, and subscribe so you don’t miss an episode. Ratings, reviews, and shares help platforms like Apple Podcast and Spotify know it’s worthy of surfacing to new listeners. A huge thank you to everyone who has given the show some love for helping it grow!

No matter how you support the show – listening, telling others about it, financial support through the donate button on the website, or any other way, I absolutely appreciate your being here.

Thanks again for listening! Stay safe and be well!