Healing Reiki: What It Is and Why You Should Try It

You’ve likely heard the word being thrown around in your wellness circles, with myriad definitions further confusing you from the truth. What is Reiki, and should you do it? 

We all know the type. Someone mentions Reiki healing and you picture incense, whale music, and an awkwardly long hug from a stranger in linen. But push past the stereotypes and you’ll find an ancient practice that’s surprisingly grounded, remarkably effective, and quietly radical in the way it helps people reconnect with themselves. 

Reiki 101: A Refresher 

Reiki (pronounced RAY-kee) is a form of energy healing developed by Japanese Buddhist Mikao Usui in 1922. The word itself comes from the Japanese "rei" (universal) and "ki" (life energy).  

Essentially, it’s a ‘laying of hands’. A Reiki practitioner places their hands lightly on or just above your body, channelling energy to help balance and unblock your natural flow. There’s no massage and no cracking of joints; it’s about facilitating flow, not applying pressure. The effects and practice are subtle, but many report feeling warmth, tingling or a gentle release. Others simply fall into a nap-like state that makes a sleep pod look like a Red Bull. 

How does Reiki work? 

Much training goes into the practice of Reiki. Practitioners become attuned to act as conduits of Reiki energy. During a session, they’ll help you set an intention for healing, then place their hands over specific areas of the body in set sequences, usually following a series of positions that correspond to major organs or energy centres (often referred to as chakras). By doing this, practitioners can sense where energy is flowing well or where it’s congested. By hovering, holding or moving their hands around the body, they help to clear stagnation and stimulate balance, like opening the windows so the breeze can circulate. 

They’re not directing the energy in the way a physiotherapist manipulates muscles; instead, they allow the Reiki to flow where it’s needed most. 

Why Try it? 

Let’s start with the obvious: stress. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, one in five Australians experiences high levels of psychological distress. Reiki works by triggering the parasympathetic nervous system, the body’s rest-and-digest mode, which can lead to a deep sense of calm and stability. 

But if stressed and frazzled isn’t what you are, Reiki does other things too. People turn to it for support with chronic pain, anxiety, grief and insomnia. 

But simply, the benefits of healing Reiki extend beyond relaxation. They include: 

Some people experience old memories or feelings resurfacing during a session, which is part of the clearing. You just have to kind of trust that the energy knows where to go.