San Diego Reiki​ 858-333-5988
  • About
    • What is Reiki?
    • About Dr. Danilychev
    • FAQ
  • REIKI SESSIONS
  • Classes
  • CONTACT
    • Help
  • BLOG

Reiki is nonsense!

12/1/2018

0 Comments

 
This is not an uncommon statement to come across. I've heard it many times in person and seen it online many times. Here is my response to that notion:

"What makes you so sure? Y
our view may be based on something that you've read from a reputable source. However, just because something has been published, it does not mean it has been adequately studied. As a medical doctor and clinical researcher, I’ve been observing and studying Reiki for years, and I can tell you that when Reiki is done properly, the results can be quite dramatic (and it is not just a placebo effect).

I swear by science, and the only reason I even learned Reiki originally was for educational and research purposes. If at any point I would have found evidence that Reiki does not work, or if there was even a shred of suspicion in my mind that it only works as a result of a placebo effect, I would not have been able to do it in good conscience. So trust me, Reiki is not nonsense.

To clarify, there are numerous forms of Reiki in existence, and I can’t speak for all of them. I can only speak for the traditional Reiki style (Jikiden Reiki) which has been preserved in Japan, its country of origin. Many spin-off forms of Reiki have been created since the last century and not all of them utilize the most essential and the most important Reiki techniques that were used by the founder of Reiki Mikao Usui.

So I cannot guarantee that the newer Reiki styles work (some of them may only be "Reiki" in the name, but could be something else entirely). All I can say, that in my observational research as a medical scientist, the original Reiki method 心身改善臼井靈氣療法 (Shin Shin Kaizen Usui Reiki Ryoho) as passed on directly through the Jikiden Reiki lineage is most definitely a remarkable healing art.


Current clinical research in Reiki is very limited and of low quality for the most part - there are numerous design flaws and biases in most of the studies that I’ve read. So the scientific perspective (which is based on CURRENTLY AVAILABLE data) is that Reiki is neither harmful nor helpful. The issue here is that we have very little that is currently available on Reiki that’s not flawed in one way or another.

Just because current clinical research in Reiki is very limited (and of low quality for the most part) and just because at this point science does not have a clear understanding or a clear definition of what Reiki even is, it does not mean that Reiki is “nonsense”.

When you think of Reiki, don’t think ‘snake oil’, think of Reiki (the traditional form) as ‘acupuncture minus the needles’. That’s the best parallel I can draw for you. Not that long ago, scientists did not think much of acupuncture either, but now with better and more extensive research, acupuncture has been demonstrated to be effective for a number of indications.

I have no doubt in my mind, that properly designed and conducted clinical trials would be able to easily demonstrate the effectiveness of Reiki vs. placebo. I have not published any of my own observations yet, but repeatedly seeing and hearing "Reiki is nonsense" makes me want to get into high gear and just get it all out on paper, as well as get funding and staff for proper large scale clinical trials in Reiki. It is so long overdue. I think it’s time to put the scientific doubts about Reiki that are based on inadequate research to rest!"


Who is with me? Time to assemble a research team!

Do you have clinical research experience? Are you open- and scientifically-minded? Grant writer?

Post your comments below. Let's make this happen!
0 Comments

What's the difference between Usui and Jikiden Reiki? Should I learn Jikiden Reiki if I am already an Usui Reiki Master?

2/1/2018

1 Comment

 
Since Mikao Usui created his Reiki method, all styles of Reiki ultimately have Usui-sensei as a part of their lineage. That however, does not mean that all Reiki styles are the same. 

What makes Jikiden Reiki different is that Jikiden Reiki has remained preserved in Japan in its original tradition for all these years. It was passed on directly and unmodified from Dr. Hayashi, one of Usui-sensei's students, to Chiyoko Yamaguchi, who later on, established the Jikiden Reiki Institute in Japan, which is dedicated to preserving the original Reiki tradition. Dr. Hayashi also taught Reiki to Mrs. Takata in Hawaii, and it was Mrs. Takata's students and their students, who decades later developed new Reiki styles, including Usui Reiki. 

Naturally, because of language and cultural differences, Reiki has changed quite a bit outside of Japan. Many concepts have been added and removed overtime. So the main difference between Usui Reiki and Jikiden Reiki is essentially that Usui Reiki is more westernized and Jikiden Reiki is more traditional and more Japanese. There are lots of other differences, such as the symbols used in each style, the actual Reiki techniques, and so on. 

When comparing Jikiden and Usui Reiki styles, it is important to remember that there is no right or wrong way, but the two are just different.

I am often asked by Usui Reiki Masters about Jikiden Reiki. Many of them are wondering about why would someone, who is already a Reiki Master of Usui Reiki would want to take a Reiki class in a different style. Well, there are two ways of looking at it. Of course there is no need to take a class if you have no interest in it. On the other hand, if you are curious about the Japanese Reiki tradition, preserved virtually unmodified from the original way Usui sensei used to practice it, then you may find Jikiden Reiki very informative and interesting. If you are interested in learning techniques that have disappeared in all westernized schools of Reiki, then Jikiden Reiki training may be of interest to you. 

In general, I think that learning something new is never a bad thing :) (only if you are drawn to it, of course). So if learning Jikiden Reiki sounds like a waste to you, then I would not recommend investing you energy, time, and money into it. If learning Jikiden Reiki sounds exciting, then I would certainly recommend taking the class and learning Reiki in its original tradition.
1 Comment

What to Do If You Are Not Sure About Performing Reiki Correctly

6/1/2017

0 Comments

 
There could be a couple of reasons why you feel that you might not be able to do Reiki correctly:
  1. You may simply need more supervised Reiki practice. If this is the case, do your best to attend the Reiki practice meetings (sometimes referred to as Reiki shares) hosted by your Reiki teacher. Repeating the training is also a great idea. (I personally, take a refresher course at least once a year, and in spite of the fact that I am already a Reiki teacher, I derive tremendous benefit from it.)
  2. You may have learned Reiki in a style that has been modified from the original to the point of being purhaps less effective*, especially if you’ve learned Reiki online or through a quick course without enough hands-on practice. In that case, I would encourage you to find another Reiki class.
  3. You may be overthinking it. Giving Reiki is a very simple and natural process, and sometimes all we have to do is let go of the idea that we are ‘healing’ someone, and allow Reiki to work on its own, so to speak. When we come from a deeper place, and let go of our regular ‘conscious, ego-based mind’ approach, Reiki often works much better. So sometimes all we have to do is ‘let it happen’. (When you experience it, you will know exactly what I mean.)
* Reiki was originally developed in Japan, and spread in the West by Mrs. Takata. For a long time it was believed that there was no one left in Japan who knew and practiced Reiki, and most of the Reiki classes today come from Mrs. Takata’s lineage. Unfortunately, since there was no communication between the Japanese Reiki practitioners and their Western counterparts, some of the newer Reiki styles have been progressively modified to fit the Western mindset, and a lot of information and important aspects of Reiki teaching and practice have been either skipped, lost in translation, mixed with other healing modalities, or diluted, in some cases to a significant degree. Reiki is Reiki, so it doesn’t mean that if you learn a Westernized version of Reiki that it is not going to work, but if you are noticing that you are not feeling 100% about your Reiki ability, then going to the source and learning traditional Reiki the way it was originally taught and practiced, may be the answer. As it turns out, Reiki was actually preserved in Japan in its original tradition all along, with the authentic Japanese style Reiki currently taught by the Jikiden Reiki Institute. I did an extensive research in different Reiki styles, and based on that extensive research, it appears that Jikiden Reiki is the closest to the original tradition out of all the Reiki styles that are available for us to learn today. I would highly recommend Jikiden Reiki (it is incredible that it is now so easily accessible to us!) if you are looking for an effective Reiki technique in its original form for your own wellness as well as to help others.
0 Comments

    Author

    Dr. Maria Danilychev, MD is a hospice doctor, clinical research physician, and a Jikiden Reiki Shihan (master/teacher).

    Archives

    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017

    Categories

    All
    Benefits Vs. Harm
    Boundaries
    Chiyoko Yamaguchi
    Choosing Reiki Style
    Choosing Reiki Teacher
    Choosing The Right Class
    Consent
    Dedication
    Ethical
    Ethics
    Free Resources
    Gendai Reiki
    Gokai
    Hawayo Takata
    Hayashi Sensei
    Hiroshi Doi
    Holly Fire Reiki
    How To Start A Reiki Practice
    Hyakuten Inamoto
    Is Reiki Always Appropriate
    Japanese Reiki
    Jikiden Reiki
    Jikiden Reiki Institute
    Karuna Reiki
    Komyo Reiki
    Learning Reiki
    Medical Reiki
    Mikao Usui
    Misunderstandings In Reiki
    Nurses
    Nursing
    Okuden
    Patients' Autonomy
    Patients' Rights
    Patricia Lee
    Permission To Do Reiki
    Placebo
    Practicing Reiki
    Professionalism
    Reiki Ability
    Reiki And Law
    Reiki And Medicine
    Reiki And Science
    Reiki And Spirituality
    Reiki Benefits
    Reiki Books
    Reiki Classes
    Reiki Consent
    Reiki Effectiveness
    Reiki For Animals
    Reiki From The Medical Perspective
    Reiki History
    Reiki In Medicine
    Reiki In Nursing
    Reiki Is Amazing
    Reiki Is Nonsense
    Reiki Levels
    Reiki Lineage
    Reiki Master
    Reiki Meaning
    Reiki Practice
    Reiki Principles
    Reiki Research
    Reiki Resources
    Reiki Schools
    Reiki Styles
    Reiki Teacher
    Reiki Training
    Reiki Treatment
    Rika Tanaka
    Self Referral
    Shihan
    Shinpiden
    Shin Shin Kaizen Usui Reiki Ryoho
    Shoden
    Special People
    Starting A Reiki Practice
    Tibetan Reiki
    Traditional Reiki
    Usui
    Usui Reiki
    Usui Sensei
    Usui Shiki Ryoho
    What Is Reiki
    William Lee Rand

    RSS Feed

Just for today, don't get angry, don't worry, be grateful, do your best, be kind...
Privacy policy
  • About
    • What is Reiki?
    • About Dr. Danilychev
    • FAQ
  • REIKI SESSIONS
  • Classes
  • CONTACT
    • Help
  • BLOG