Reiki is a Japanese form of energy healing, which is a type of alternative medicine. Reiki practitioners use a technique called palm healing or hands-on healing, through which they transfer a "universal energy" through the palms of the practitioner to the patient, to encourage emotional or physical healing. The idea behind Reiki is that vital energy flows through the body, and a Reiki practitioner uses gentle touch or places their hands just above the body to help guide this energy in a way that promotes balance and healing.
Reiki is based on the concept of qi or "chi," which practitioners say is a universal life force, although there is no empirical evidence that such a life force exists. The word Reiki is made of two Japanese words - Rei which means "Gods Wisdom or the Higher Power" and Ki which is "life force energy." So Reiki is actually "spiritually guided life force energy".
Reiki is a pseudoscience and is used as an illustrative example of pseudoscience in scholarly texts and academic journal articles. However, some people report feeling relaxed and experiencing feelings of peace, security, and well-being after a Reiki session. Reiki has been studied for conditions like pain, anxiety, and depression, and it is considered a complementary treatment, which means it is used along with proven traditional medical treatments.
