How And Why Reiki Works

You wanted to know how and why Reiki works. Before I begin this blog and all the subtopics that deal with the answering of this broad question I feel it is my duty to stress that all the reading and studying of this topic will NEVER give you the full understanding of Reiki and energy therapies in general. Reading about this topic to “learn” how Reiki works is analogous to reading about how to ride a bike. Just as you still will not know how to ride the bike until you actually get on it and attempt to ride, you need to experience Reiki to fully understand what it does and how it works.

To begin it is important that you know and understand the basic terms and ideas used in Reiki healing. Reiki works with the physical as well as the subtle body’s energy levels. It’s probably safe to say that if you are reading this blog you understand what the physical body is but just what is the subtle body?

The subtle body is an energetic psycho-spiritual body that all beings with a conscious mind possess. The subtle body is alongside, within and around the physical. Barbara Brennan the former NASA physicist, refers to the subtle bodies as "layers" in the "Human Energy Field" or aura, and gives the following sequence:

• Physical body
• Etheric body
• Emotional body
• Mental body
• Astral body
• Etheric template
• Celestial body
• Ketheric template or Causal

The energy travels from the Reiki practitioner’s hands to the client through nadis which are channels through which, in eastern medicine, the energies of the subtle body flow into the nervous/endocrine system. The nervous/endocrine system affects the entire body, mind and spirit.

The physical body also known as the tangible body has hundreds of energy centers. In Reiki we focus on seven of these centers referred to as chakras. Chakra is a Sanskrit word that means “circle of movement” and can be translated as “vortex of spinning energy” or “wheel”. Our earliest stages of human development take place in the cerebral-spinal system. It is in this system where the body receives life force energy. The seven major Chakras associated with Reiki are close to this system.

The Reiki practitioner acts as a channel for this energy to flow to the seven major chakras. The energy is neither the practitioner’s nor the client’s. It is Universal Life Force Energy that is being channeled.

If you would like to see some examples of what the subtle body’s field looks like there is a machine that can capture the subtle body or electromagnetic body, on film. It is called the Kirlian high voltage camera. I have seen some first-hand before and after shots from this machine and they are quite interesting.