What is Reiki
At The Lighthouse Centre, we provide holistic and complementary therapies to patients with life-limiting and long-term illnesses. Our therapies often work in conjunction with a patient’s medical treatments and we become a part of their holistic care team.
Reiki is an energy healing technique, the Practitioner or Master places their hands lightly on or near the body, using gentle hand movements, the practitioner will guide the flow of healthy energy through the body, thereby promoting healing. Reiki, pronounced “Ray-Key,” is not a part of a religion or belief system, this healing art was developed by Mikao Usui, in Japan in the early 20th Century. Reiki means universal energy and a Reiki Practitioner will work to balance the energy fields in and around your body to help you physically, emotionally and spiritually.
How Reiki Helps Our Patients
The purpose of Reiki is to balance the patient’s energy fields, prevent levels from becoming low or blocked which Reiki Practitioners believe will hinder the body’s natural ability to heal itself. Many of our patients comment that Reiki helps them to manage some of the side effects of their chronic illnesses, relieving feelings of anxiety, insomnia, pain, depression and sickness. Reiki can:
- Help with relaxation
- Relieve stress and tension
- Induce better sleep
- Help the recipient to cope with difficult circumstances
- Improve general wellbeing
Reiki is particularly effective in a palliative care setting. It is important to remember that Reiki is a complementary therapy, one that works along side medical treatments, it is not an alternative therapy, it should not replace treatment diagnosed by medical professionals.
What to Expect
Before we begin treatment, an initial assessment is done. This is to ascertain the patient’s general health and medical history, as well as discovering if they are undergoing other complementary therapies. From this initial assessment, a treatment plan is then agreed with the patient.
There are no harmful side effects to Reiki treatments, however, it is advisable to drink plenty of water and rest after a session. Therapy sessions usually last between 20 minutes and 1 hour and is determined by the treatment plan.
During treatment we ask you to remove your shoes and if applicable coat. It is important the patient is comfortable and relaxed, it is advisable to wear loose-fitting or comfortable clothes. The treatment can be delivered seated or laying down. The practitioner may dim lights and play relaxing music or sounds. Usually, the Reiki Practitioner will begin at the patient’s head and with heads just above or resting lightly on the patient and work down towards the patient’s feet, focusing, where required on particular areas of the body. The aim of the treatment is to balance the in and around the patient’s body, removing energy blocks.
What Does I Feel Like?
Patient’s experience of Reiki differs, it is not unusual to feel nothing other than deeply relaxed, others experience a warming or tingling sensation and in some, the treatment can evoke an emotional response.
We found this quote that we believe best describes the effects of Reiki:
“As running water smoothes the jagged edges of a rock until it is small enough to roll away, Reiki flows to the areas of need, soothing and supporting the body’s natural ability to heal itself”
How Much Does Reiki Cost
The Lighthouse Centre is a charity, (Registered Charity Number 1148392) we rely upon donations from our community, this allows us to provide our complementary therapies including Reiki, free of charge to those with life limiting, chronic and long term illnesses. We accept referrals from GPs and family members as well as self-referrals. If you, or a friend or family member would like to find out more about the complementary therapies we offer please click here. If you would like to support the work we do, we welcome all levels of help and support to enable us to continue to provide these helpful complimentary therapies, then please click here.
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