Reiki has its origins in the Japanese culture. The name itself translates as “universal life energy.” It is often offered at salons that offer massage, like Soul City, but it’s not the typical massage treatment. Practitioners do lay hands on a patient, but not in the same way that they would with a hot stone massage or another treatment. There is no muscle manipulation in reiki. Patients do not ingest any substances, and practitioners do not use any substances, like oils, during the treatment.

Instead, in this spiritual practice, a therapist trained in reiki works with the individual’s vibrational field, and applies light, non manipulative touches to the client’s clothed body. Many say that reiki is good at promoting balance throughout the body. Many find that this form of alternative medicine compliments their traditional therapies well.

Some call it pseudoscience and dismiss it, although the National Institutes of Health’s National Center for Complimentary and Integrative Health has, in the past sponsored clinical trials to explore this form of therapy and its effectiveness. The NIH has said that there is no evidence that reiki has specific pain relieving benefits, but individuals who have these treatments believe otherwise.

There are many variations on the origins of reiki, but the common story is that Mikao Usui, Japanese man brought reiki to the masses after a spiritual event that affected him profoundly in 1922.

What can I expect?

In a reiki session, a practitioner will place their hands on a client, or hold their hands just above the individual’s body. They will use closed fingers, and treat different areas.

Depending on a practitioner’s level of comfort and training, and on what a client needs, there can be nearly two dozen different positions that a practitioner will use, and a treatment can include anywhere from 2-5 minutes dedicated to each position. These positions go from the top of the head to the bottom of the feet and include the throat, the ears, eyes, and around the jaw, as just a few of the different hand placements that a client might experience during a session. Often, people can expect a reiki session to include anywhere from two to five minutes of work in each position that the practitioner uses on the client.

If you’re interested in booking a reiki massage at Soul City, contact us today and we’ll get you started!