A healing and spiritual practice that draws on the universal life force, reiki was developed in the 1920s by Japanese Buddhist Dr Mikao Usui. The word reiki is made of two Japanese characters – rei, meaning universal, and ki, meaning life force energy.


Reiki aims to tap into the universal life force to get the body’s own life force moving freely. It is believed that though our life force should flow freely, it often becomes blocked by strong emotions such as fear, anger, sadness, worries and stress. Physical pain may be felt as a result of these energetic blockages as well as fear, negative thoughts or other blockages that prevent us from reaching our full potential.

How Does Reiki Work?

Reiki is a non-invasive form of energetic healing and does not involve any physical manipulation, so you remain clothed during the treatment. You can sit in a chair or lie down on a massage table. The reiki practitioner then places his or her hands in a series of positions on or just above the body and channels the energy of the universe through their body and into the receiver. In this way, this universal energy not only benefits the receiver, but also the therapist.

This energy is said to shift energetic blocks, assisting the body’s natural healing processes.

What Can Reiki Do For Me?

Reiki is said to illuminate the consciousness, making you more relaxed, peaceful and balanced. By changing your energy you make positive differences in all areas of your life.

The Law of Attraction states that like attracts like, so by changing your own energy through reiki, everything around you changes.

Find a reiki practitioner in your local area.