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Scientific Evidence

Most practitioners report physical sensationsof heat and/or tingling in their hands asthey proceed through the gentle placementof hands on a subject during a Reiki session.Some attribute the way they feel whenproviding Reiki in terms of a mystical “oneness with the universe,” a sense of inner peace, and “energizing.” No matterhow it is described, there is no denying thefeelings of well-being in both practitionerand subject during and immediately after asession. But, what is going on scientifically?Can science explain the healing phenomenaof Reiki?Throughout the ages, scientists and spiritualadepts have sought to define Truth fromseemingly opposite directions. The mystic’sexperience of spiritual energy (such asReiki) is quite real to the individualsinvolved, and yet that reality has not beenmeasured or quantified by a mathematicalequation or scientific theory. So, thequestion remains, what is real? Can theReiki energy be explained? Peoplesometimes ask, could Reiki energy be anillusion? Could benefits come from a placeboeffect? What is the scientific basis for suchan energy to exist? Is this Universal LifeForce Energy a metaphysical construct, asymbol, a myth?Our perception of the definition of Truthchanges with enlightenment, education, andexperience. Historically, that perception of truthbattles against established mindsets before a new paradigm can breakthrough. For example, when Galileo challenged the world view of astationary flat earth (Ecclesiastes 1:4–5) and fixed stars, with the sunand moon revolving us (Psalms 104:5), in his 1610 manuscript,Sidereus Nuncius, the Holy Roman Church responded in an uproar.Galileo faced excommunication and damnation for heresy, and wasbrought before the Papal Inquisition to denounce his findings underthreat of torture and probable death. His work was entered into thePapal Index Librorum Prohibitorum (Index of Prohibited Books; in

effect until the 1960s) and the persecution of the Holy Roman Churchcontinued for most of his life.In a few decades scientists went from a conviction that there is nosuch thing as an energy field around the human body to a certaintythat such fields exist and are medically important.Faraday’s Law of Induction is a basic law of electromagnetism. Itstates that when currents flow through conductors such as wire orliving tissues, magnetic fields must be produced in the surroundingspace. It is the basis for a modern science called magnetobiology,which explores the effects of magnetic fields on living systems.Since living tissues are conductors of electricity, the well establishedlaws of physics require that the currents set up by the heart and othermuscles, and the brain and peripheral nerves, will produce fields inthe space around the body. These are called biomagnetic fields.Biomagnetic measurements are a lot more informative about what ishappening inside the body than are the bioelectric measurements.This is an important point for therapists because a magnetic sense, if it exists, will provide much more information on what is going onwithin the body than will measurements of electrical fields fromelectrodes on the skin surface. And there is a good scientific basis forthe existence of a magnetic sense in the human body.The discovery that pulsing magnetic fields can stimulate repair of boneand other tissues led to a whole series of careful studies on how themethods work. As a result, we have a detailed understanding of howenergy fields can jump start the healing process. What is importantabout all of this is that Reiki Practitioners can emit ELF signals fromtheir hands.Dr. John Zimmerman (1990) in the USA and Seto (1992) in Japanfurther investigated the large pulsating biomagnetic field that isemitted from the hands of energy practitioners whilst they work. Theydiscovered that the pulses are in the same frequencies as brainwaves, and sweep up and down from 0.3 - 30 Hz, focusing mostly in 7- 8 Hz, alpha state. Independent medical research has shown that thisrange of frequencies will stimulate healing in the body, with specificfrequencies being suitable for different tissues. For example, 2 Hzencourages nerve regeneration, 7Hz bone growth, 10Hz ligamentmending, and 15 Hz capillary formation. Physiotherapy equipmentbased on these principles has been designed to aid soft tissueregeneration, and ultra sound technology is commonly used to clearclogged arteries and disintegrate kidney stones. Also, it has been

known for many years that placing an electrical coil around a fracturethat refuses to mend will stimulate bone growth and repair.Becker explains that 'brain waves' are not confined to the brain buttravel throughout the body via the perineural system, the sheaths of connective tissue surrounding all nerves. During treatment, thesewaves begin as relatively weak pulses in the thalamus of thepractitioner's brain, and gather cumulative strength as they flow tothe peripheral nerves of the body including the hands. The sameeffect is mirrored in the person receiving treatment, and Beckersuggests that it is this system more than any other, that regulatesinjury repair and system rebalance. This highlights one of the specialfeatures of Reiki (and similar therapies) - that both practitioner andclient receive the benefits of a treatment, which makes it veryefficient.It is interesting to note that Dr. Robert Becker carried out his study onworld-wide array of cross-cultural subjects, and no matter what theirbelief systems or customs, or how opposed to each other theircustoms were, all tested the same. Part of Reiki's growing popularityis that it does not impose a set of beliefs, and can therefore be usedby people of any background and faith, or none at all. This neutralitymakes it particularly appropriate to a medical or prison setting.Hence we have uncovered a major synergy between clinicalbiomedicine and complementary medicine. The basic physics of induction is important because it helps explain some of the effects of Reiki. In essence, the biomagnetic fields produced by a practitioner’shands can induce current flows in the tissues and cells of individualswho are in close proximity.Evidence that this actually can occur is nicely summarized in afascinating paper entitled “

The Electricity of Touch

” and in abook entitled `

Science of the Heart

Following are findings of some researchorganizations on Reiki:

Natural standard and Harvard Medical School released a paper ona study done by scientists on reiki and its effects.The studies werecarried out on small samples and it was found that:Reiki works on the autonomic nervous system, effecting heart beatrate, blood pressure and/or breathing activity.Reiki can help reduce depression and stress.Reiki can help reduce pain.