How it works (the theory)
Reiki is founded on the concept that the body has an energy field (the biofield) that can become stagnant or unbalanced due to stress, trauma, illness, or negative emotions. Practitioners believe they act as a conduit for universal life-force energy, channelling it through their hands into the recipient's body to clear energy blockages, rebalance the chakras (energy centres in the body), promote the body's natural ability to heal itself and calm the nervous system
Usui and Tibetan Reiki
Reiki (pronounced ray-key) is a Japanese energy healing practice based on the idea that a universal life-force energy flows through all living beings.
Originating in Japan (1920s) Reiki was developed by Mikao Usui, a Japanese Buddhist monk and spiritual teacher, following a 21-day meditation retreat on Mount Kurama in 1922. During this retreat, he reportedly experienced a moment of deep spiritual awakening in which the knowledge and ability to heal using life-force energy was revealed to him. He went on to develop a formal system, founding a healing society called the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai in Tokyo.
The word itself is a combination of two Japanese words: Rei (universal or spiritual wisdom) and Ki (life energy, equivalent to Chi in Chinese medicine or Prana in Ayurvedic tradition). When this energy is blocked or depleted, practitioners believe illness, stress, and emotional imbalance can arise. Reiki aims to restore its flow.
It is considered a complementary or holistic therapy — most practitioners and recipients use it alongside conventional medicine, not as a replacement for it.
Benefits of Reiki Healing
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Reiki is most widely used for its effects on wellbeing and stress, and is increasingly offered in clinical settings. Reported and studied benefits include:
Mental & emotional benefits include reduced anxiety and stress, a sense of calm and emotional balance, improved mood and reduced symptoms of depression, feelings of being heard and cared for (therapeutic presence) and being supported during grief, trauma and life transitions.
Physical benefits include reduced perception of pain (particularly in palliative and cancer care), improved sleep quality, reduced fatigue and increased energy levels, support for recovery after surgery or illness and lower blood pressure and heart rate in some studies.
Spiritual / holistic benefits include a greater sense of connectedness and purpose, improved feeling of clarity or insight and support for personal or spiritual growth.
Reiki and The Chakra System
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The Chakra system is a framework from ancient Indian spiritual traditions, particularly yoga and tantra, describing seven main energy centres running along the spine from the base to the crown of the head.
Each chakra is associated with specific physical, emotional, and spiritual functions:
The Root Chakra with security and grounding
The Sacral Chakra with creativity and emotion
The solar plexus with confidence and willpower
The Heart Chakra with love and compassion
The Throat Chakra with communication
The Third Eye Chakra with intuition
The Crown Chakra with spiritual connection
In this framework, when energy flows freely through all seven centres, a person is said to experience physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing; when a chakra becomes blocked or imbalanced, it's believed to manifest as illness, emotional distress, or a general sense of being "stuck."
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Practitioners often work through the seven chakra points in sequence, believing that directing this energy to a blocked or depleted center helps clear obstructions and restore a natural flow. The intention behind a Reiki session is to support the body's own capacity for balance and relaxation.
What Chakra is affecting you?
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​An out of balance Chakra can affect us in differing ways.
Why not take our Chakra quiz to see what is affecting you today?