Full Disclosure.
I have been what the West calls a mind-body practitioner for the last 24 years. Since becoming ill with a GP and clinic confirmed diagnosis of CFS under the 2007 NICE Guideline. I am, one could argue, open-minded. Indeed, that was my attitude when I attended the NHS for teaching on how to manage CFS/ME as it was then called.
I am a fully trained Traditional Japanese Reiki Master/Teacher. Master simply is the translation from Japanese of the concept of teacher.
It is first and foremost a personal practice centered around an holistic approach to inner calm. Traditional Japanese Reiki practice includes deep breathwork, meditation, placing hands on or slightly above ones own body, and noticing what happens to in form of sensations, thoughts and emotions in a non-judgemental way. There is a lot more to it, but this is not intended as a sales pitch or recomendation.
When I was working as a complementary therapist, the sessions were 60 mins and I did charge privately. As a trained teacher I offered courses at all three levels. I had to be a level 2 practitioner for 2 years before I could take the final Master/Teacher level. If offered my services free of charge to the local hospice for patients and visitors but at that time mind-body practice was not as pop culture as it is today. Added to which when Japanese Reiki was introduced to the western world it became known as spiritual healing and references to Chakras was added.
I became interested when my father was diagnosed with Cancer and was struggling with anxiety and depression. My late husband was a practicing Buddhist so I have been meditating since the late 1970s. But I knew that this would not be something my father would be interested in.
After completing my training I also attended a course for complementary therapists at what was then known as the Bristol Cancer Help Centre which covered issues such as the sorts of side effects of conventional cancer treatment so that I could have some personal understanding of what my father was going through. This never formed part of the Reiki courses I ran. In other words I did not mix and match and create a whole nwe concept. That would have been completely inappropriate.
I had a website where there were no testimonials or claims of healing or cures. No FB groups. Recommendation generally was by word of mouth and I was surprised by the number of nurses who would sign up for the courses or search engine.
I was a registered member of the UK Reiki Federation, a registered member of the CNHC.. I carried Balens professional indemnity insurance as a responsible complementary therapist and a requirement of most registrations.
What Cancer Research UK say about it.
https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/ab...ernative-therapies/individual-therapies/reiki
Research (such as there is)
Effects of Reiki therapy on quality of life: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Liu, K., Qin, Z., Qin, Y. et al.Syst Rev 14, 72 (2025).
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-025-02811-5 [2026]
Abstract
Purpose
This review aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effects of Reiki therapy on quality of life.
Methods
The review followed standard scientific journal practices and a systematic search of PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library, with a literature cutoff of September 2024, was conducted to identify relevant studies. Inclusion criteria comprised articles published in English, randomized controlled trials (RCT), Reiki therapy as the independent variable, diverse patient populations, and outcome measures focusing on quality of life improvement.
Results
The review involved 661 participants aged 14 years and above, showing a significant enhancement in quality of life post-Reiki therapy (SMD = 0.28, 95% CI 0.01 ~ 0.56, P = 0.043). The subgroup analysis showed that Reiki therapy interventions with a frequency of ≥ 8 sessions and a duration of ≥ 60 min and acute interventions of ≤ 20 min were most effective in improving quality of life.
Conclusions
The existing meta-analysis and systematic review suggested that Reiki therapy positively impacted quality of life. Therefore, it was recommended that patients with cancer, surgical patients, chronic illnesses, and the general population receive acute Reiki therapy sessions (≤ 20 min) or Reiki therapy with sufficient frequency (≥ 8 sessions) and duration (≥ 60 min) to enhance their quality of life.
I haven't been well enough to run courses or therapy sessions since I became a pwME, 16 years ago, although I continue to practice on myself.
Yet, here I am, still severe.
The difference is clear to see.
