Could extended perception abilities be an underlying mechanism for energy medicine modalities such as Reiki?
I recently began attending a Reiki Level 2 Class and whilst I completed this Level over 20 years ago, I felt called to reconnect with it once again as I haven’t utilised it since I initially trained and wanted to explore it once again.
Reiki is a form of alternative therapy that originated in Japan in the late 19th century. The word “Reiki” is derived from two Japanese words: “rei,” which means universal or spiritual, and “ki,” which means life energy or vital force.
Reiki practitioners believe that there is a universal life energy that flows through all living beings.
The practice of Reiki involves the channelling of this energy through the practitioner’s hands to promote healing and relaxation in the recipient. It is based on the idea that disruptions or imbalances in the flow of this life energy can lead to physical, emotional, or spiritual ailments and that Reiki can help restore balance and promote well-being.
In the first class with my Reiki Master, she was discussing the benefits of Reiki 2 surmising that along with increasing the power and focus of hands-on healing, the Reiki 2 symbols make absentee healing possible. Doing this healing, as simple as it is, opens psychic abilities, and psychic growth is one of the results of becoming a Reiki 2 healer.
This piqued my curiosity as I was aware that some energy medicine modalities, such as Reiki, continue to show evidence for efficacy, but the underlying mechanisms of action are still uncertain and are the subject of debate within the scientific community. However, a recent pilot study in 2022 investigated this utilising both qualitative and quantitative methods which focused on the ability of Reiki Masters to perceive energy beyond the traditional five senses during Reiki sessions. The study involved participants with various conditions such as physical injuries, memory issues, and psychological symptoms.
In the context of energy medicine and practices like Reiki, extended perception involves the perception of subtle energies, vibrations, colours, textures, movements, and other non-physical aspects of a person’s energy field or environment.
Practitioners with extended perception abilities may claim to perceive these subtle energies through intuitive or extrasensory means, such as clairvoyance (seeing energy), clairsentience (feeling energy), clairaudience (hearing energy), or other forms of heightened sensory awareness. Extended perception is often described as a felt sense or intuitive knowing that goes beyond what can be observed through conventional sensory channels.
In this pilot study, the researchers, worked with Reiki Masters to investigate their ability to perceive energy during Reiki sessions. The Reiki Masters were asked to provide detailed descriptions of the energy they perceived while conducting Reiki on participants with various conditions. These descriptions were then compared to see if there were any common themes or correlations among the perceptions reported by different Reiki Masters. The study aimed to explore how these perceptions could provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of energy medicine in promoting healing and well-being.
The study found that participants’ well-being improved following a 30-minute Reiki session, and these improvements were maintained one week later, supporting other studies pertaining to the efficacy of Reiki as a healing modality. The study also found that there was an overall correspondence in the observations made by different perceivers during Reiki sessions. This suggests that perceivers were able to perceive similar information during the sessions.
The study also revealed a high degree of corroboration between the perceptions of different perceivers regarding the symptoms and health states of the participants. This indicates that perceivers were able to accurately pick up on the health states of the participants.
The results of the pilot study on Extended Perception Corroboration in Energy Medicine have several implications for the field of energy medicine and the practice of Reiki. Firstly, the study provides evidence supporting the existence and validity of extended perception abilities among Reiki Masters. The high degree of corroboration between perceivers’ observations suggests that extended perception may play a significant role in energy medicine practices like Reiki. By demonstrating that perceivers can accurately perceive participants’ health states and well-being during Reiki sessions, the study contributes to a deeper understanding of how energy healing modalities work. This insight may help validate the effectiveness of energy medicine techniques.
The findings also indicate that Reiki Masters tailored their sessions according to the participants’ needs, as perceived through extended perception. This personalised approach to healing could lead to more targeted and effective treatments for individuals with various health conditions.
The study also suggests that extended perception in energy medicine, such as Reiki, can provide holistic insights into a person’s physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being. This holistic approach aligns with the principles of integrative and complementary medicine, emphasising the interconnectedness of mind, body, and spirit.
The need for further studies to refine methods and explore the practical applications of extended perception in healthcare is highlighted. Continued research in this area could lead to the integration of extended perception practices into mainstream healthcare settings, enhancing patient care and well-being.
Reference:
Wahbeh, Helane & Speirn, Paolo & Yount, Garret. (2022). Extended Perception Corroboration: A Pilot Study with Energy Medicine Practitioners. 10.31234/osf.io/ukygq
Image by Vydehi Ayurveda from Pixabay
Melanie Oborne, Our Expert
Melanie Oborne is a psychologist and researcher who has a passion for bringing together clinical practices, scientific research, and spiritual paradigms to enhance individual well-being. Since 2018, Melanie has assisted clients to integrate their transpersonal and/or paranormal experiences. Melanie currently conducts qualitative research with the Shared Crossing Project based in Santa Barbara, California.
- Melanie Oborne, Our Expert
- Melanie Oborne, Our Expert
- Melanie Oborne, Our Expert
- Melanie Oborne, Our Expert
- Melanie Oborne, Our Expert
- Melanie Oborne, Our Expert
- Melanie Oborne, Our Expert
- Melanie Oborne, Our Expert
- Melanie Oborne, Our Expert
- Melanie Oborne, Our Expert
