What is Reiki?
Reiki is a Japanese technique that promotes relaxation and a sense of calmness. It may also promote healing.
Directly translated “Rei” means “universal” and “Ki” means energy. In the treatment, energy is transferred through therapeutic touch. It is used throughout hundreds of hospitals in the USA to improve patient reports of pain, anxiety and stress.
Dr. Lee practices Holy Fire®III Karuna Reiki®, and is an Affiliate Member of the International Center for Reiki Training. Despite the implications of its name, Reiki is not affiliated with any religion or belief system. “Karuna”, translated from sanskrit, means “compassionate action” – that is, any action that is taken to diminish the suffering of others.
During treatments, Dr. Lee places her hands over the patient, and focuses on channeling energy through her, to the patient. The patient’s own body draws in energy from the environment & surroundings, and distributes it to the organs and tissues that need it for healing. Reiki supports the patient’s own natural healing ability, to address physical, mental and emotional concerns.
The Benefits of Reiki
Patients receiving Reiki can experience improvements in physical symptoms, such as pain, range of motion in joints, and symptoms associated with cancer treatments (e.g. nausea, fatigue, anxiety, pain). Emotionally & spiritually, patients may notice reduced tension, improved stress management, feeling more “grounded”, & improvements in anxiety, depression and overall mood.
Reiki with Dr. Vanessa Lee, N.D.
Reiki is not specific to the scope of naturopathic medicine. Dr. Lee, N.D. sought additional training and has been practicing it since 2002. She underwent the intense Holy Fire® Reiki Master level training in 2019, and then the Holy Fire® III Karuna Reiki® Master class with William Rand in July 2020. Dr. Lee is passionate about applying Reiki in her practice to support patients in their healing journey, especially in regards to emotional blockages. Dr. Lee will frequently combine it with other modalities such as stress management, acupuncture and guided meditation. Reiki helps patients relax during acupuncture, and augments the healing effects.
Some patients who find treatments very calming and balancing schedule Reiki-only sessions between their regular naturopathic appointments. During these sessions, Dr. Lee may walk patients through guided meditation for a deeper relaxation. Learning meditation this way gives patients a skill that they can implement themselves at home.
What does it feel like?
During treatments, patients may feel a pleasant and calming warmth from the practitioner’s hands. Dr. Lee can feel a tingling in her hands when providing treatments. Over areas of the body that need more energy, the tingling she feels increases, then usually subsides as the body becomes more balanced.
Most commonly, patients report feeling more relaxed, less tense, less pain, and generally feeling “lighter” after Reiki sessions. Some patients can feel the energy flowing through their bodies, which may feel like tingling. Occasionally patients may experience an emotional release (e.g. crying), which is very conducive to healing.