Reiki

Reiki (ray-kee), a practice that originated in Japan in the mid-19th Century, means "universal life energy." In Reiki, the practitioner places his hands on or near the person receiving treatment, with the intent to transmit qi, believed to be vital life energy. Practitioners also believe that they can treat themselves with Reiki and send qi across short or long distances. The therapeutic goal is to raise the amount of qi in and around the client, heal pathways for qi and reduce negative energies.

A Reiki practitioner places her hands on or slightly above the client's body, using 12 to 15 different hand positions, to transmit qi. The hands are positioned with the palms down, fingers and thumbs extended. Each hand position is held until the practitioner feels that the flow of energy has slowed or stopped, typically about two to five minutes. Some Reiki practitioners believe they are helped by "spirit guides" for proper flow of the energy. People have sought Reiki treatment for a wide variety of health-related purposes. Some examples include stress reduction, pain relief, slowing of the heart rate and immune support.

(SOURCE: NCCAM, National Institutes of Health)