Reiki therapy - a possible treatment for anorexia and other eating disorders

Reiki therapy is a wonderful form of relaxation and healing.

It not only helps with physical problems and illnesses, but also heals on an emotional level to ensure that physical problems caused by stress and emotional trauma do not return.

Based on the premise of a human energy field, reiki therapy seeks to restore balance and harmony to the body whose vital energy has become unbalanced.


What is Reiki?

Reiki is a natural healing system which originated in Japan around 1900.It is made up to two Japanese words:

Rei, meaning a universal energy that operates outside the body, and Ki, a life force energy that flows inside the body.

Ki must flow freely around the body. If we have an emotional trauma or a physical illness, a blockage to this flow will occur, and illness will develop as a consequence of this disturbance.

During a treatment, the energy field of the person receiving treatment is manipulated by the practitioner, who does not usually touch the recipient, but holds his or her hands a few inches above the body.

The process of reiki therapy is not unlike the process of spiritual healing. Both involve the 'laying of hands' over the recipient.

In spiritual healing, however, the healer sends his or her energy to the individual, whereas, in reiki, the recipient is responsible for drawing as much energy to him/herself as he needs.

The 'patient' therefore plays an active part in his or her own healing process - a very positive thing for anybody suffering from anorexia or another eating disorder.

Reiki works by dispensing the energy blockage, thereby allowing ki to flow smoothly and restore the body back to health.

Reiki therapy is much more than relaxing healing. It works on all levels and is said to be able to help any condition.

It calms the mind, clears away stress and other negative emotions and induces a wonderful sense of well-being.

In some cases a physical problem can be caused by an emotional trauma, and once that itself is healed, the physical pain dissipates.

With this in light, it would seem that reiki therapy could be ideal to help sufferers of anorexia and other eating disorders.


It is even possible that reiki could provide the solution to the question of what should the anorexic be treated for first - the physical malnutrition of her body, or the emotional disturbances which led to her starving herself, as it is possible that reiki may deal with both simultaneously.

This is not to say that it can be viewed as a cure. Anorexics, and anybody suffering from an eating disorder, need psychological treatment from a qualified practitioner.


It is, however, possible that reiki, with its emphasis on healing mind, body and spirit simultaneously could relax the person enough for them to be more inclined towards therapy.

As it rids sufferers from stress, it paves the way for self -development to advance, giving the patient a sense of freedom, releasing their feelings of being constrained or threatened by their environment.

If reiki has some gems of wisdom for us all, they could well be:

1) Be at peace with yourself.

2) Be kind to yourself.

3) Do what is right for you.

4) Do not set yourself unrealistic goals that will ultimately result in a sense of failure.

So reiki could help a sufferer of anorexia, for example, to regain their inherent faith in their own intuition, and the strength and self belief to follow it.

Regular reiki sessions should help to provide the energy, confidence and clarity of mind that an anorexic needs in order to begin her process of recovery.

Her energy channels would be opened up, allowing her body to deal, effectively and naturally, with the stress and anxiety associated with disorders such as anorexia.

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