As we all learn as children, energy cannot be destroyed, merely transformed. Energy is everywhere and runs through everyone and everything. In fact, anytime energy is blocked, disrupted, or cannot flow freely, stress, disorder and discomfort naturally follow. That’s as true of household plumbing as it is of the human body.
 
Therapeutic tools like Reiki and Acupuncture help release energy blockages to restore natural healing, harmony and balance. Many of my Reiki clients who also receive regular acupuncture treatments find that these two self-care practices are naturally complementary. They also notice that both treatments produce very similar outcomes: the ability to relax, breathe easier, alleviate pain and other discomfort.

Before getting to more common links between Reiki and Acupuncture, here are a few FAQs about Reiki and how it works.
 
What is Reiki?
Reiki, pronounced “RAY-KEY”, combines the words “divine” (‘rei’) and “life force energy” (‘ki’). Believed to be practiced by ancient Tibetans, this hands-on healing art was rediscovered by Japanese educator Dr. Mikao Usui in 1922. Reiki is now practiced by millions around the world.
 
How is Reiki performed?
The client lies down, fully clothed, on a massage table while a certified Reiki practitioner places cupped hands at key places on the client’s body for several minutes. These areas include all of the 7 chakras as well as the head, feet, hands, joints, and other places as requested by the client. 
 
Reiki practitioners treat sensitive areas by holding their hands above the client without touching these areas directly, and the energy still flows to these areas.

How does it feel to receive Reiki?
Reiki has been shown to ‘down regulate’ a client’s nervous system, relieve pain, reduce anxiety, improve sleep, and manage stress. About 85% of the time, my Reiki clients fall asleep during a portion or all of session. Even if Reiki clients don’t fall asleep, they do experience a deep, calm, and healing relaxation. After receiving Reiki, clients nearly always report that they feel ‘lighter’, more relaxed, more grounded, and more comfortable than when the session started. 
 
One curious effect is that my hands noticeably heat up when I give Reiki treatments. Usually clients find the heat comforting, but I always let them know to expect this to avoid any surprises.

How often are Reiki treatments recommended?
While Reiki energy is universal in nature, each person who receives Reiki treatments responds differently, depending upon an infinite number of variables. Reiki practitioners consult with their clients to determine their goals, intentions, expectations, and can collaborate with their clients to find the best treatment plan for them.
 
How are Reiki practitioners trained?
Reiki practitioners receive in-class training and energetic attunements given by certified Reiki masters/trainers. These "attunements" are the transference of Reiki energy and Reiki symbols from the Reiki master trainer into the energy field and hands of the student so his or her energy system is open to the flow of Reiki energy. In the State of California, there is no license available for Reiki practitioners, so certification is the best way to validate a Reiki practitioner’s experience.
 
I received my Reiki certification as part of the Energy Therapy program at the HCH Institute which includes practicum exercises as well as in-class training and energetic attunements.
 
Can Reiki be given at the same time as acupuncture?
Yes. In fact, providing hands-on Reiki healing during an acupuncture treatment can help relax the client, and may be particularly helpful for first-time acupuncture clients who experience anxiety around needles. 
 
Here are a few reasons why Reiki and Acupuncture are natural complements:

• Both are designed to repair, remedy, and replenish the energy system 
• Each operate under the assumption that the body in its natural state has everything it needs to heal itself, provided that energy is allowed to flow
• Most clients experience a deep state of relaxation during these treatments
• Both healing modalities empower clients to be proactive about their own health and self-care
• Both healing modalities originated in the East (Reiki in Japan, Acupuncture in China)

 
If you’re an acupuncture client who is curious about Reiki, contact me today to schedule a session.
 
If you’re an acupuncturist interested in bringing Reiki into your treatment room, contact me today to explore how we can collaborate.

Learn more:
The International Association of Reiki Professionals - IARP.org
HCH Institute - hypnotherapytraining.com
The International Center for Reiki Training - reiki.org

Past Life Regression is one of the most interesting, innovative, and insightful hypnotherapy techniques. What’s particularly interesting is that it doesn’t require a belief in reincarnation to work - either from the client perspective or from the hypnotherapist perspective. In fact, images, impressions, sensations, and other experiences cultivated during a past life regression may be interpreted as metaphor (like dreams), memories of a movie or TV show, or even as Jungian archetypes contained in the collective unconscious. Not having absolute certainty about the source of these experiences isn’t required for the therapy to work. No matter the reason why past life regression works, the point is, it works. In profound ways.

The more open you can be about the experience, the more beneficial the process will be. In fact, because you experience being in a body that’s unlike your current body, you’ll find it is much easier to understand what it’s like to be someone else - of a different gender, age, race, sexual orientation, nationality, status, or religion. I often consider how much good past life regression could do in terms of healing the societal ills of racism, misogyny, xenophobia, homophobia and the violence these perpetuate. 

On an individual level, you can choose to focus on a specific relationship problem you’d like to solve, a fear you can’t understand but would like to overcome, behavioral patterns you’d like to release, or simply better insight to “how you got here” or what your life purpose is. 

It may seem strange that belief in reincarnation is not a pre-requisite for Past Life Regression therapy to work. But it’s true. The only requirement is being open to the experience. The bottom line is that our subconscious is extremely creative. Our imagination may take us to living as a character in a book or movie, even though we may not be able to recall which book or movie or the character we’re inhabiting. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter if the experience itself is healing - and brings us to a new understanding of a relationship, relationship pattern or issue showing up in our current lifetime.