University of Iowa Health Science Relations and
Nicole Nisly, MD
Associate Professor of Internal Medicine
First Published: 2004
Last Revised: January 2004
Peer Review Status: Internally Peer Reviewed

Although you may not have heard of it before, Reiki has earned a reputation as an alternative medicine that promotes good health and healing with a spiritual touch.

Reiki, a Japanese word, literally means universal life force and is believed to have been practiced for thousands of years in Tibet before its rediscovery in the mid to late 1800s in Japan. It is believed that Reiki helps to maintain one's health through awareness of energies in and around the body.

Followers of Reiki use a hands-on approach to manipulate this flow of energy. The person performing Reiki stimulates a current of energy to the person receiving the treatment.

"Reiki practitioners believe that this flow of energy gives your body's own natural healing the ability to work," says Nicole Nisly, MD, head of UI Hospitals and Clinics Complementary and Alternative Medicine Clinic. "Reiki may also aid the body in releasing stress and tension by creating deep relaxation."

Reiki is based on the belief that the body is made up of seven main energy centers known as chakras. According to Nisly, those who practice Reiki believe that the energy flow through these chakras should be continuous; otherwise you may feel ill or weak or have pain.

When energy flow is not blocked, the body is free to become spiritually, physically, and emotionally healthy. Reiki is believed to be helpful in decreasing pain, relieving sleeplessness, soothing muscle tension, and increasing healing time.

To learn more about Reiki, consult a library or bookstore or contact your health practitioner.