Reiki is a form of alternative healing derived from Buddhism that incorporates modalities which teach a user how to transfer healing energies into a patient. Often, reiki massage is incorporated into a reiki practice, and uses various pressure points and chakras to help heal an ill body. A reiki massage is only one of the many components in a reiki practice, yet it is a very important therapeutic tool which has been shown to be helpful in relieving pain and stress in many individuals. Using a reiki massage has not been exclusively proven to help heal or cure an illness, but it is definitely a good alternative therapy which anyone can utilize alongside a traditional medical approach to healing.
The practice of reiki originated in Japan and draws upon ideas that teach of a spiritual life force that can heal the body and awaken the mind. As it uses the energies of the body and the universe, it isn't necessarily a practice that has been extensively studied in scientific settings. Reiki practitioners utilize a holistic approach to healing, and are said to draw forth healing energies from the universe or higher power to help heal an injury or an illness. A practitioner draws this energy in through his hands and onto the areas in which an individual received an injury or ailment.
With reiki massage, the same principles apply in regards to drawing forth energy into the hands and into the body of an individual. However, when massaging certain pressure points, a practitioner can help move the energy into different chakras of the body, opening them and releasing blocked energy. Chakras are known to be energy centers in the body in many teachings, and blocked or negative energy can result in illness and pain in the body. Therefore, when a chakra is worked on through reiki massage, the chakra can be unblocked and pain can cease.
Reiki massage is not widely accepted by the conventional scientific community as a sole treatment option for any disease due to its lack of study and evidence. Massage in general, however, has been studied and proven to help relieve stress, pain and anxiety, common aspects of any illness which can suppress the immune system. Other components of a reiki practice might also include meditation and deep breathing, other exercises that have been shown to be beneficial for relaxing the nervous system and calming the mind. Overall, a reiki treatment can be a good alternative approach to healing, especially when used alongside good medical advice and the proper precautions by a licensed medical doctor.