Q: "What is Reiki?" A: Reiki is a (non-religious) spiritual practice that involves the laying on of hands with light touch to channel energy through the Reiki Practitioner to various parts of a patient’s fully-clothed body, or allowing the hands to hover close to the body, which stimulates the body’s ability to heal itself. It is useful as a preventative therapy for holistic well-being, and a valuable complementary therapy for the treatment of physical injuries, disease, mental illness and emotional struggles. It commonly provides a general sense of peace to patients. One of the most wonderful aspects inherent in Reiki is its diversity in application so patients can benefit from a variety of styles and approaches.
Q: "Who can benefit from Reiki?" A: In short, anyone! People who have aches and pains, a chronic illness, stress, mental illness, addiction, and injury have been known to experience relief from Reiki. Reiki can be great for prenatal care and childbirth. Reiki assists patients with the healing process before, during, and after any surgery. Many Practitioners administer to hospice patients to make their end-of-life transition as peaceful as possible. Cancer patients sometimes seek Reiki to alleviate side effects from chemotherapy. Even animals benefit from Reiki for the same purposes as people. Hand on Heart specializes in assisting clients with mental and emotional issues such as stress, grief, anxiety, and depression -- all kinds of heartaches. Whatever your ailment, we're here to help.
Q: "Is Reiki a religion?" A: No, Reiki is not a religion nor affiliated with any religion. It is a spiritual practice, like meditation or yoga.
Q: "Is Reiki the same thing as massage?" A: No. Massage is "the rubbing and kneading of muscles and joints of the body with the hands, especially to relieve tension or pain," and requires specific training and licensing. Reiki is a light-touch therapy where we simply place our hands on the body or hover slightly above the body without manipulating any muscles or joints. Reiki requires specific training, attunement, and certification, but is not governed by the same entities as massage practice.
Q: "Are Reiki sessions covered by insurance?" A: Most insurance companies do not cover Reiki or many light-touch therapies yet, but this is likely to change. You can always inquire with your insurance company.
Q: "I suffer from __________. Can you help me?" A: Many people have described feelings of relaxation and relief from a variety of issues after a Reiki session or from similar energy therapies. Your results may not be exactly the same and I cannot guarantee any particular outcome, but many have experienced a positive difference.
Q: "Can you cure me?" A: Reiki and other energy therapies help the body and mind to heal themselves and create a holistic sense of well-being and balance. While I cannot guarantee a specific outcome, these healing modalities at least do no harm.
Q: "Should I go to a conventional Western medicine doctor?" A: I do not diagnose or treat any condition or disease. If you have any concerns or questions about your health, you should seek the advice and care of a licensed healthcare professional. If your ailment is immediately life-threatening, you should seek emergency medical attention.
Q: "Are your services a replacement for my doctor (or licensed healthcare professional) or his/her recommendations?” A: It is your decision whether to continue with your doctor/healthcare professional. I never recommend that you stop going to a licensed healthcare professional or not follow their treatment plan.
Q: “Can I stop taking my medication(s)?” A: I do not recommend that you stop taking any medications without first seeking the advice of your licensed healthcare professional. Some clients may find that after sessions their symptoms/conditions improve. After discussion with your licensed healthcare professional, he/she may decide with you to decrease or discontinue medication.
Q: "Are there any risks or side effects associated with Reiki or similar healing modalities?" A: Reiki and similar energy therapies cannot do any harm. The worst possible outcome is that you experience no change in your condition or well-being. In rare cases after a session some clients may feel sleepy, light-headed, emotional, nauseous, or they may experience mild discomfort. Typically these are the results of precipitated clearings of energy blockages and will pass soon after, especially with rest and after drinking extra amounts of water. Think of a metaphor of your ear popping after you get over a sinus infection. The most common experiences clients state they get from a session are feeling energized, balanced, restored, serene, comfortable, and pain-free, and that the symptoms they sought to alleviate steadily improve.
Q: "Where can I find more information about Reiki?" A: The International Center for Reiki Training has a substantial amount of information, including their comprehensive Q&A page. Additionally, more and more studies are being published every day to measure Reiki's benefits on a variety of physical and mental issues.