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REVIEW ARTICLE
Reiki is a vibrational, or subtle energy, therapy most commonly facilitated by light touch, which is believed to balance the biofield and strengthen the body's ability to heal itself. Although systematic study of efficacy is scant thus far, Reiki is increasingly used as an adjunct to conventional medical care, both in and out of hospital settings. This article will describe the practice and review the history and theory of Reiki, giving readers a context for the growing popularity of this healing modality. Programs that incorporate Reiki into the clinical setting will be discussed, as well as important considerations in setting up such a program. Finally, the research literature to date on Reiki will be reviewed and evaluated, and directions for future Reiki research will be suggested.
Americans increasingly reach beyond conventional medicine to meet their healthcare needs, and research indicates that therapies based in energy medicine are a favorite choice.` Consistent with findings of increased use is the recognition that patients seldom discuss the use of these therapies with their physician, and that the majority of conventional medical providers are unfamiliar with the principles underlying these modalities. In this manuscript, we focus on Reiki (RAY kee), a biofield therapy facilitated most commonly by light touch,3 attempting to evaluate and synthesize what is known about the history, theory, and practice of Reiki, as well as give an overview of the state of Reiki research. We conclude with thoughts about future directions for research and the development of programs that integrate Reiki into clinical care, raising questions and issues that must be considered in these endeavors.
The National Institutes of Health Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) has classified energy medicine therapies into 2 basic categories: biofield therapies and bioelectromagnetic-based therapies. According to the NCCAM classifications, biofield modalities are defined as those therapies intended to affect energy fields that purportedly surround and interpenetrate the human body. These therapies, which include Reiki, Qigong, and Therapeutic Touch, involve touch or placement of the hands in or through biofields, the existence of which have not yet been scientifically proven. Bioelectromagnetic-based therapies involve the use or manipulation of electromagnetic fields (EMFs), invisible lines of electrical force or currents. Although the existence of EMFs has been demonstrated,...