Reiki

Not all body treatments require de-robing and pummelling to get a result. Reiki is an ancient Japanese belief-related therapy. Your therapist lightly places their hands on, or just above, your body in order to influence the flow of qi (life energy) through your body.

To find out more, The Good Spa Guide talked to David Pike, resident reiki expert at Ragdale Hall Health Hydro:

What is the historical significance of reiki?

"Makao Usui discovered this ancient Buddhist technique of healing while on a Buddhist retreat in 1922. He used it to heal the poor and earthquake victims.

He set up a school and over 2,000 people attended, including 16 at master's level. Through the influence of some of these masters, Reiki has been simplified and standardised and has become popular here in the west."

What are the basic principles of reiki?

"Reiki (pronounced RAY-KEY) uses universal life energy to re-balance and heal the body. Reiki has no association with religion, faith or belief systems and is purely energy-based, although it comes from Buddhist teachings. The practitioner receives attunements to open their energy centres or chakras ; there are 7 main chakras. These attunements allow healing earth energy to flow through the hand to the person being treated."

What is reiki good for?

"Reiki is good for stress, relaxation, rebalancing, grounding self-confidence and promotes the body's natural healing process because of its re-balancing effects on the mind, body and spirit."

Talk us through a reiki session at Ragdale Hall Health Hydro

"Each session lasts about an hour.

The session is carried out on a couch or sitting in a chair, whilst wearing loose comfortable clothes. After a consultation, asking about health and lifestyle issues and anything causing concern, we then explain the treatment: how it works and what the guest may experience. This is usually deep relaxation; some experience heat and tingling around problem areas, others see colours. Many people going through stress, depression, bereavement and so on often have an emotional release such as crying or expressing anger.

The treatment starts with laying hands onto the head and reek symbols are drawn to direct the healing energy. The hands are then placed on specific positions on the body, working from head to toe concentrating on problem areas of the body.

Many think that reiki is done without touching the body; there may be parts of the treatment when we work with the aura or energy field around the body but the nurturing gift of touch is far more effective. After two sweeps of the body, the energy centres are closed down to protect the person from other energies and the treatment ends."

How is reiki different from other mainstream therapies?

"Reiki is a non-invasive treatment, totally safe for anyone. It is totally energy-based and the body will only take the energy is needs so you can't over-treat. No faith system is needed, just an open mind and an open heart to being treated."

What do you wear for a reiki session?

"We like people to wear loose comfortable clothing; we also allow our guests to wear their dressing gowns, too."

Who is reiki particularly suitable for?

"Stressed people and people going through traumas and emotional processes: divorce, bereavement, stress and depression."

Who should avoid reiki?

"People closed to healing and people who have broken bones that haven't been repaired or set."

What other treatments are influenced by reiki?

"Many of the other energy-based holistic therapies use energy, chakras (energy centres) and energy pathways (meridians) and all are working to re-balance the body's energy movement to bring the body back to health and restore equilibrium."