Science vs. Reiki

Science & Reiki

One thing a lot of people - especially in the academic and professional community - want to know is, "What does the research say about the effectiveness of Reiki?" The answer to that question, at least right now, is "Not much."

Does this mean that modern scientific enquiry has proven, beyond a reasonable doubt, that Reiki is ineffective? Not at all. Issues have compromised the effectiveness of current research; sample sizes have been quite small, which means that it's rather difficult to generalize the results to the larger population; reporting methods have also been quite poor, as has the research design.

A larger issue - and the focus of this post - is that it often takes time for science to catch up, and even when it has caught up, there tends to be a significant disagreement between what the general population "knows" to be true and what scientific research has demonstrated to be true.

*It often takes time for science to catch up*

In psychology - and, I suspect, science in general - terrible fallacies perpetuated treatment of the mentally ill, at least until scientific enquiry proved them wrong. We, as a society, used to believe that mentally ill could not get better (asylums), that modern intelligence testing should be used to identify the mentally or racially inferior, and that they should be removed from society (Terman, founder of the Stanford-Binet IQ test ; Margaret Sanger, Planned Parenthood founder http://blackgenocide.org/sanger.html; John Harvey Kellogg - yes, the inventor of Corn Flakes), that lobotomies could be used to cure mental illness, that using a spinning chair treatment cured one of mental illness, or that forced electroshock therapy could cure mental illness. To this list, we could also add the ineffectiveness of antidepressants (http://healthland.time.com/2012/01/18/new-research-on-the-antidepressant-versus-placebo-debate/), but that's a whole new ball of wax.

One good example of science taking time to catch up to a beneficial practice that people already knew for years concerns the benefits of mindfulness meditation. Long before scientific enquiry looked at benefits of meditation - long regarded by many skeptics as New Age-y, fluffy, and worthless - people practiced it for the benefits. Now, research has documented the benefits of mindfulness meditation (see http://www-psych.stanford.edu/~pgoldin/Buddhism/MindfulnessMeditationSummary.doc.)

People vs. Science
Suppose a plethora of research studies came out today proving that Reiki is a viable, effective option. Would our favorite angry skeptics (http://scienceblogs.com/whitecoatunderground/2009/03/11/reiki-still-stupid-after-all-t/, http://mikesweeklyskepticrant.blogspot.com/2008/09/stupid-reiki-bullshit-among-other.html) become overnight fans? I'm inclined to doubt it.
 Here's the thing: we, as ego-driven humans, love to know that we are right - even when, you know, we're not. We all know, for example, that our memories are completely accurate and objective, and that repressed memories can be recovered through therapy.
Eyewitness testimony: http://agora.stanford.edu/sjls/Issue%20One/fisher&tversky.htm
Objective accuracy of memory: http://www.unisci.com/stories/20012/0613011.htm
Repressed or recovered memory: http://harvardmagazine.com/2008/01/repressed-memory.html

 That would be no, no, and hell no. Even when research has clearly established that something is effective or ineffective, popular perception will be the exact opposite.

So what's my point? Two things:
1: It's a logical mistake to believe everything you hear or read as the end-all truth - even if it's research or comes from an authority figure. If history has taught us anything, it's that scientific understanding is slow to catch up - even intelligence testing went through countless revisions before arrive at the acceptable institution it is today (http://www.indiana.edu/~intell/map.shtml). Science is done by humans, and humans, as much as we wish it weren't so, are fallible and prone to biases.

2: Even when scientific understanding is in place, there will be people who still disagree. This is likely compounded by how Reiki is communicated, whether you describe Reiki as a "technique for balancing chakras, chi, sealing damaged auras" or a "non-invase, simple and effective hands on method of bringing a person into balance, physically and emotionally". Effective communication of Reiki is something that Pamela Miles has spent a long time advocating for, and she is definitely worth checking out (http://www.reikiinmedicine.org) if you're interested in joining the conversation

Some additional resources:
www.reiki.org/reikinews/reiki_in_hospitals.html - a listing of hospitals and clinics that support Reiki for patients
www.centerforreikiresearch.org/  - A current list of evidence based research into Reiki
http://guides.library.uwm.edu/content.php?pid=35074&sid=259532 - UW Milwaukee guide to free databases for conducting your own research searches
http://www.reikiinmedicine.org

What is Reiki, Part II

"How does Reiki work? Where does it come from?"

These two questions are some of the most common I get asked - well, after "Reiki? What the hell is that?".

The latter question - Where does Reiki come from - is a more straightforward question to answer, and one that I addressed briefly in my post on Power, Control and Choice , but I wanted to expound on it a little.

Where does Reiki come from

Despite differences and disagreements in interpretation and translation (see here), the most common interpretation of Reiki is as a compound words. The "Rei" for Universal or Divine and the "Ki" for Life Energy. That is to say, while Reiki practitioners serve as facilitators for the energy, the energy doesn't come from within, but from a higher, infinite source.

Some will say "But, that's not what the words really mean! Where does it REALLY come from?"

In my personal experience, the experience of others whom have experienced Reiki (both on the receiving and giving side), and empirical research, Reiki DOES, without a doubt, work – if one is ready and willing for it do so. In the end, I know it works and I have seen it work - where it comes from is, for me, a moot point.

How Does It Work?

A discussion on how it works requires a brief discussion on chakras and bodies. We are more than our physical bodies; we have spiritual bodies as well as energetic ones. 

There are 7 main chakras, or energy centers, which govern a variety of aspects of living the human experience. Physical pain is often a manifestation of deficiencies, weaknesses, or closing of any of the chakras. Like any system, a deficiency or closing of just one of these chakras tends to throw our whole system out of balance. You wouldn’t want to drive a car with a part missing (tire, headlights, oil, gas, et al); it’s just one part of the system, but it’s best for all parts to be in working order for optimal function of the overall system. Similarly, it’s dangerous to walk around with any of your chakras weak or closed. This is a very basic explanation of chakras; if you want to know more, I suggest checking out Your Auras & Your Chakras by Karla McLaren for indepth elaborations on the chakras and technqiues for empowering and protecting them; alternatively, while I am no chakra expert, you may feel free to contact me with questions, and I will do my best to answer, or direct you to resources if I cannot

Our chakras are also sensitive to thoughts and feelings, both from internal sources (ourselves, our conditioning and experiences) and external sources (environments, situations, interactions with others, et al). It's not uncommon for a given chakra to close down when a threat from within or outside is too hazardous for our overall health and being. 

Reiki, then, works in a variety of ways; it sends positive energy throughout your system, revitalizing your chakras and your bodies. It brings to awareness old issues that needs to be addressed, and offers a way to work directly with things which our preventing our own progress.

My favorite analogy of Reiki is by author and Reiki Master Christopher Penczak, who describes Reiki as a clear glass of water. "The recipient is like a glass of water with mud at the bottom. The mud is the blocked energy...Reiki is like a stream of pure, clean water being poured into the glass. The water may agitate the mud, causing the glass of water to become cloudy. That is the processing and clearing of the energy. Eventually, the pure water flushes out the mud and sands...We may clear one layer of mud that is ready to leave, but other layers of mud may be more resistant. They will only clear when they are ready to clear."

Through working with client, by offering Reiki, we provide an opportunity to clear away barriers and obstacles that block growth and progress.  Notice that I said with the client, and not on; this subtle, but important distinction emphasizes an important point: I am not responsible for the healing. When I offer Reiki, I am offering an opportunity to make a positive change. 

More on that in my next post, where I’ll be elaborating more on what makes a Reiki a team practice.