How Does Reiki Work?

Rather than treat the physical parts of your body, Reiki attempts to work on what you can’t see—the field of life force energy that practitioners believe flows through and around you. The Reiki system taps into that energy to heal.

Reiki is not tied to a specific religion but is a spiritual practice. Practitioners believe that energy flows from a higher power or source into the body and that physical, emotional, or mental illnesses take root when this energy becomes weak, blocked, or unbalanced. Practitioners believe that by practicing Reiki they can channel life energy through their hands, strengthening its flow inside a client’s body.

Reiki practitioners believe energy flows through each person in a regular pattern. This pattern is known as the energy system. They believe it is like any other system in the human body, such as the skeletal system or the circulatory system, and they work to heal it to restore well-being. The energy system has two main parts—the aura and the chakras—that work together to provide balance.

Reiki practitioners believe a field of energy called an aura surrounds the human body. It has been described as having an oval or egg shape that extends 2–3 feet on all sides—not only around you but also above your head and below your feet. Some people believe that an aura is detectable with scientific instruments. Others believe that they have taken pictures of auras, using a practice known as Kirlian photography. In these images, a halo or cocoon seems to surround a subject. Still other people, including those who practice Reiki, believe that it’s possible to sense a person’s aura with your hands.

Others believe you can see your own aura with practice. Here’s an exercise to try:

Reiki practitioners believe that the body’s aura includes several layers, but there is some disagreement about the exact number of those layers—anywhere from two to seven. The following table shows the four most commonly described layers of the aura. Each is believed to correspond to a different facet of life: changes to your aura lead to changes in that part of your life. Reiki treatments are intended to help strengthen and restore the different layers.

Reiki practitioners believe that the body houses several chakras, or energy centers (the term comes from the Sanskrit word for wheel). Reiki treatments attempt to open up blocked chakras and, in doing so, promote good health.

There are seven different chakras. Just as each layer of the aura is believed to correspond to a different facet of life, each chakra is believed to connect to a specific area in the body. However, these connections aren’t immutable: the brain can be associated with both the sixth and seventh chakras, for example. Each chakra is also associated with a particular color. The following table explains each chakra and its corresponding associations.

Together, the layers of the aura and the seven chakras make up the body’s energy system. Reiki practitioners believe that Reiki has the ability to restore balance in this system, alleviating stress, illness, and other health problems.