The use of Reiki in medical settings: personal journeys of Reiki practitioners

Reiki is an energy healing or biofield therapy (BT) growing in popularity and developed in Japan at the end of the 19 ^th Century by Mikao Usui of Kyoto (1). It is a non-invasive treatment whereby the practitioner gently places their hands on or close to a client’s body in a sequence of positions that correlate with the major organs and energy systems of the body (2). It is believed energy can be transferred to promote self-healing and restore balance. It is not affiliated with any religion or belief system and is used to complement not replace medical care.

The practice of Reiki is gaining traction in medical settings, with growing evidence it may benefit a range of problems. However, Reiki is an alternative Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) treatment, a Biofield Therapy that is incongruent with the mainstream biomedical paradigm. As such, obstacles to its integration may be expected. This study aimed to explore the subjective experience of Reiki Practitioners (RPs) delivering Reiki in medical settings, using qualitative research methodology of reflexive thematic analysis.

The main topics and themes to emerge were: (1) Positive experiences of practicing Reiki for Reiki practitioners and patients, (11) Negative experiences of practicing Reiki in these settings sometimes due to negative attitudes towards Reiki from other staff and sometimes due to the practical and emotional challenges of delivering Reiki in a medical setting, and (111) Changes needed to promote Reiki in medical settings, in particular training for staff and Reiki practitioners.

It is recommended that when implementing Reiki in a medical setting this is accompanied by an education program using clear consistent language for both staff and Reiki practitioners. This should include information about Reiki research, it’s on-site use and effectiveness, and how to deliver Reiki ethically and consistently while providing support for Reiki practitioners.