So what on earth is reiki?!
Our reiki practitioner Katharine O’Callaghan is fed up of people dismissing reiki as out there! Here is her down-to-earth, straightforward explanation of what exactly reiki is and what her treatments entail
Reiki is quite difficult to describe to people without sounding a bit ‘woo woo’. But I’m going to try to answer some of the most common questions I’m asked about reiki treatnent.
Q: What is reiki?
A: Reiki (pronounced ‘ray-kee’) is a completely natural, ancient Japanese relaxation technique that treats the whole person on a physical, emotional and spiritual level, promoting the body’s own relaxation response and natural healing abilities. Reiki is a completely non-invasive holistic treatment that can do no harm, only good.
Q: How does it work?
A: The treatment is carried out either lying down or seated. The reiki practitioner first scans the body for any areas that need attention, working through the ‘chakras’ – the body’s energy centres which can be likened to depleted batteries that need charging. These range from the top of the head (crown), to the middle of the forehead (called the third eye), to the throat, heart and solar plexus (around the stomach, kidneys and liver), to around the navel (sacrum), to the base of the spine (known as the root or base). The practitioner uses a series of hand positions and intention to channel positive energy to the chakras to help rebalance and revitalise them. The word ‘chakra’ means ‘wheel’ in Sanskrit and the practitioner aims to help all the ‘wheels’ spin smoothly. A positive, soothing energy flows from the hands, promoting relaxation, releasing tension and helping the body to rebalance itself.
Q: Do I have to take my clothes off?
A: No! Just wear loose, comfortable clothing and all you need to do is lie down and relax. Reiki is practised either hands-on or hands-off, depending on the client’s preference.
Q: How will I feel after my treatment?
A: Benefits reported by clients vary widely but include feeling deeply relaxed, nurtured, rejuvenated, revitalised, more balanced physically and emotionally, energised, less tense/stressed and more positive and able to cope with life. Reiki continues to work on the body in the days and weeks following treatment.
Q: Why would I book a reiki treatment?
A: Reiki is very simple but extremely effective and powerful. Here are some of the reasons people come to me for reiki treatments:
- Stress and anxiety
- Insomnia
- Lack of energy
- Inability to relax and switch off
- Recuperation from illness
- Bereavement (recent or past)
- Headaches
- Feeling ‘out of balance’ and depleted
- Low immune system
- Poor digestion
- To complement medical treatment and other alternative therapies
- Anger management
Q: How often should I have reiki?
A: Ideally, once every 4-6 weeks to keep your body’s chakras in balance and to encourage your own body to restore itself.
Q: What should I do after my reiki treatment?
A: It’s important to drink plenty of water after your treatment and to avoid alcohol and caffeine. Ideally, you should rest as much as possible afterwards.
Q: I’m really interested in reiki. What can I do to learn more?
If you feel drawn to explore the world of reiki there are plenty of opportunities to do so. There are three levels of reiki and once you have completed reiki level 1 you will be able to practise self-reiki. Please contact me for more information; I can put you in touch with an excellent Reiki Master teacher, Richard Ellis, who runs regular reiki courses in the New Forest area.
Katharine offers reiki treatments here at The Natural Health Hub between 10.30pm and 3.30pm on Thursdays, with an introductory offer of £10 off on your first reiki session. To book click here or give us a call on 01590 670955.
If you would like to chat to Katharine about her reiki treatments do not hesitate to give her a call on 07951 960898 or visit her website, www.forest-reiki.co.uk, or Facebook page @NewForestReiki