Reiki is a form of spiritual healing that is thought to have evolved from Tibetan Buddhist healing practices. A Japanese scholar and Christian minister named Mika Usui is said to have rediscovered and reinterpreted these principles in the late 1800s, creating the practice of reiki.
Although reiki is a spiritual practice, it is also considered to be an alternative therapy. Reiki sessions usually involve the individual lying down as the reiki practitioner places his or her hands on or above various parts of the body. Reiki practitioners channel "ki" life force energy to the individual to replenish and rebalance areas in the body that are depleted. According to reiki, the practitioner's own energy blockages are also cleared during a session when administering reiki.
The ability to perform reiki is largely passed on during "attunements" given by a "Reiki master," which allows the student to access life force energy and send it to their clients.
Although some people experience an increased sense of well-being after a reiki session, there is a lack of scientific evidence showing that reiki is effective at treating illness.
