It's not uncommon for some people to mistakenly refer to Reiki on its own, as "Reiki massage." However it is important to recognise that Reiki and massage are distinct modalities with their own principles and methodologies. It is possible that the term 'Reiki massage' has mistakenly occurred as a result of some massage therapists, being trained in Reiki and they advertise their offering as Reiki massage. To a degree, they can be combined to create a synergistic approach to healing and relaxation, but where there is massage involved, the Reiki must necessarily be secondary and the Reiki being channeled would not the same intensity or efficacy as a Reiki session in its own right.
Let's delve into the essence of Reiki, exploring its fundamental principles and distinguishing features that set it apart from massage.
Understanding Reiki: A Holistic Healing Art
Reiki, pronounced "ray-key," is a Japanese healing technique that utilises universal, vital life-force energy to promote balance and harmony within the body, mind, and spirit. Developed by Mikao Usui in the early 20th century, Reiki is rooted in the belief that an unseen life force energy flows through all living beings, nourishing and sustaining their existence. In Reiki, The Reiki Practitioner channels the energy and serves as conduit, connecting the recipient to the Reiki by placing their hands on their clothed body, promoting healing on a physical, mental, emotional and spiritual level.
Unlike massage, the Reiki Practitioner remains in various positions on the body for an extended period of time, sensing 'trouble areas' and staying on each of those locations until all the Reiki that is needed by the recipient to heal that area, is drawn. Their hands do not move as each problem area requires that area to be focussed on in order to facilitate the healing before before onto another area.
Whilst Reiki primarily focuses on manipulating the body's soft tissues through pressure and movement over the body (including kneading, stroking, and applying pressure), Reiki involves gentle, motionless touch on various positions on the body, aimed at balancing the energy body on a mental, physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual level. Rather than targeting specific physical ailments or muscular tension, Reiki addresses underlying energetic imbalances that may contribute to physical, emotional, and spiritual experience of the recipient.
In Japanese Reiki, there is an original traditional Reiki Technique known as 'zenshin kekko' which is translated to "blood circulation technique." This technique is a stand alone Reiki technique as well as a technique commonly used at the end of a hands-on Reiki session, which involve two sets of acupressure points, specific movements such as firm stroking, patting and gentle stretching on the clothed body of the recipient, designed to 'energetically' stimulate blood circulation and increasing blood flow throughout the body. It is not deep tissue or muscle manipulation, rather, it is a 'finishing technique' to utilise the Reiki drawn by the recipient during the session and circulating it throughout the entire body, maximising the healing.
Whilst Reiki Practitioners in Japanese Reiki are trained in this specific Reiki technique, that doesn't mean they are trained or licensed in massage and clients should be made aware of and understand this distinction. The technique is usually explained and demonstrated on a proxy prior to the commencement of the Reiki session and clients have the option to opt in or out of the technique. It is a Reiki technique, not a massage technique and that distinction is important.
The Essence of Reiki Massage: Clarifying Misconceptions
While Reiki and massage are sometimes referred to interchangeably, it's important to distinguish between the two modalities to avoid misunderstanding their respective purposes and benefits. Reiki massage, or more accurately, "Reiki-infused massage" or "Reiki-enhanced massage," combines elements of both Reiki and massage to create a synergistic healing experience in the sense that when a person trained in massage has learnt Reiki, they an inadvertently channeling the Reiki simply through the hands-on experience.
In a Reiki massage session, the practitioner may incorporate Reiki techniques such as energy scanning (detecting problem areas), chakra balancing (this is a non-traditional Reiki concept), and aura cleansing (also a non-traditional Reiki concept) into traditional massage therapy. This integration could certainly allow for a deeper level of relaxation, energetic alignment, and holistic healing than massage alone.
However, with Reiki-infused massage, the primary focus remains on physical manipulation rather than energy work and therefore the Reiki received is very much compromised compared to a stand-alone Reiki session.
The long and the short of it is that Reiki-infused massage can certain improve the massage session but if it is Reiki and energy healing you are primarily wanting, Reiki-infused massage is a significant compromise to the Reiki and the energy you would receive in a Reiki session alone.
Key Differences Between Reiki and Massage
Focus of Treatment: Massage primarily targets the physical body, addressing muscular tension, pain, and stiffness through manual manipulation. Reiki focuses on restoring energetic balance and promoting overall well-being on physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual levels.
Techniques Used: Massage employs a variety of hands-on techniques, such as kneading, rubbing, and stretching, to manipulate soft tissues and alleviate tension. Reiki, on the other hand, utilizes gentle, non-moving touch on targeted areads of the body to channel universal life energy and facilitate healing at an energetic level (with the exception of Zenshin Kekko which is not a manipulation of soft tissue or muscles but rather an energy circulating technique). Most importantly, Reiki Practitioner's keep their hands on any given position for a prolonged period of time, they do not move their hands from one position to another unless and until that position has drawn all the Reiki that is needed on that position. This is a vital part of the healing.
Intention and Philosophy: While both Reiki and massage promote relaxation and alleviate discomfort, they operate from different philosophical frameworks. Reiki is based on utilising universal, vital life-force energy that permeates all living beings, while massage is rooted in anatomical and physiological principles of the body.
Conclusion: Embracing the Diversity of Healing Modalities
While Reiki and massage share common goals of promoting relaxation, reducing stress, and supporting overall well-being, they differ significantly in their approaches, techniques, and underlying philosophies. Reiki massage (or Reiki-infused massage), while incorporating elements of both modalities, remains distinct from traditional Reiki in its focus on physical manipulation. The Reiki comes as a biproduct of some for of touch but is secondary to the massage.
For me personally, when having massage, I definitely try to seek out massage therapists who infuse Reiki into their session because even if it's only a little Reiki I'd be receiving, it's better than none and it can definitely enhance the massage, but when I want holistic healing (on a physical, mental, emotional and spiritual level), I see a Reiki Practitioner who solely practices Reiki because the Reiki healing is much more effective.
If you have any questions, or want to chat to more about Reiki please contact me and we can arrange a time to chat. If you would like to book a Reiki session in Melbourne (or distance Reiki worldwide), you can book an appointment here or if you would like to learn Reiki yourself, sign up for a Reiki course here. I look forward to connecting with you for Reiki!
Warmest,
Fiona x
Fiona Phillips
Certified Reiki Shihan (Teacher) and Practitioner
Komyo ReikiDo in Melbourne
Within The Space
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