Reiki – When Hands Simply Stay Still

1. What Is It Actually?

Reiki is not a powder and not a juice. It is a treatment in which one person quietly places their hands on another person. You lie clothed on a couch or on a mat, your eyes may be closed, and you do not have to do anything at all. The hands remain in different places for a while, for example on the head, on the shoulders or on the feet. It is not pressed and not rubbed. It is quiet, and sometimes soft music plays. Some people almost fall asleep during it. Others feel warmth or a slight tingling. Still others feel nothing special and find it nice anyway to just lie there for a while. Because Reiki does not need any devices and no tools, it can also take place in a hospital room. And important: Reiki does not hurt. If something is unpleasant for you, you can say so at any time.

2. Where Does It Come From?

Today you encounter Reiki in more places than you might think. In some hospitals and clinics someone comes to the bed and places their hands on you. People who are very exhausted sometimes receive it too – for example care staff who themselves hardly get any rest. Researchers look closely at where Reiki is used: in adults with pain, in people who are very tired after cancer treatment, and in nursing. One study examined how Reiki affects heart rate, body temperature and a stress hormone. You see: Reiki is offered not only in quiet rooms but also where people are ill or very exhausted.

3. What Do Researchers Investigate?

There are many studies on Reiki. Researchers have compiled 133 papers, 108 of which were conducted with people, and 73 of those were controlled. Controlled means: one group receives Reiki, another group receives something else – for example only rest – and then the results are compared. These papers looked at fatigue after cancer treatment, pain and anxiety in adults, and the heart. Some studies examine only the moment immediately afterwards, others over a longer period. Some results are clear, other questions remain open, and on some points researchers do not yet agree. That is why research continues. A good study needs many people, a comparison group and someone who checks the results independently.

4. An Experiment to Think About

Think of a day when you bumped your knee. It hurts, you sit down – and then someone places their hand exactly on the spot. Many children find that it feels a little better afterwards. Now the question: was it the warm hand? Or that someone stayed with you and you no longer felt alone? Researchers ask exactly these questions. You can try it once: place your hand on a small ache and once just sit beside it. What feels different?

For adults and professionals: the detailed page on Reiki.