 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Patricia Ann Mc Partland, EdD, CHES, Director, Southeastern Massachusetts Area Health Education Center, Inc, P.O. Box 69, Marion, MA 02738, (508) 748-0837, smahec@tiac.net
This presentation describes Reiki, a hands-on system of healing. Tibetan monks practiced it over 2,500 years ago. Reiki means universal life force energy. Once attuned to its energy flow, practitioners channel this life force energy to their clients. Recipients often feel deeply relaxed after experiencing Reiki. Many believe Reiki relieves pain, promotes healing, increases energy, creates inner harmony and awareness, promotes calmness, loosens blocked energy, reduces stress and brings joy. It works well with allopathic medicine and does not require a religious belief system to work. Reiki is not a religion. Reiki works on emotional, physical, mental and spiritual levels. People of all ages, animals and plants can benefit from it. There are numerous anecdotal records that Reiki is effective in reducing anxiety and decreasing physical health problems. However, more rigorous studies are needed to determine its efficacy. Mansour has received a $20,000 grant from the Canadian Breast Research Initiative to conduct a feasibility study of effects of Reiki in reducing the side- effects of chemotherapy including emotional problems breast cancer patients experience. A study at Yale University is underway to describe current uses of Reiki during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum and will begin to address the efficacy of Reiki in soothing childbearing women and their infants. At George Washington University researchers are studying the effectiveness of Reiki on clients with AIDS, diabetes or migraine headaches. This session will discuss these as well as other studies to determine the efficacy of Reiki.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Alternative Medicine/Therapies, Healing
Related Web page: www.smahec.org
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: N/A
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.