Reiki Myths: 3 Common Misconceptions Among Non-Practitioners

There are a some common misconceptions among non-practitioners who hear about Reiki, but don’t have time or interest to go deeper. Or even sometimes (rarely though) among practitioners who are just getting into the Reiki training. Here are a few of them:

1. Healers are using their own energy to heal the patient

This is not correct. A healer is but a channel through which the healing energy flows. The source of the energy is the God, or Allah, or the Universe, the Creator, or as some call  “the Source” (capital S) – or whatever you choose to call it. Once attuned, healers become capable of channeling Reiki energy.

Image by h.koppdelaney

2. Mikao Usui was a Medical Doctor

Dr. Mikao Usui was actually not a physician. He might have been a Dr. in literature, according to some sources, or he may not have had any doctorate title at all, according to other sources – and the Dr. title would come from the best translation Mrs Takata could find for “sensei”.

To make for even more confusion :), “sensei” in Japanese is a term that applies to “medical doctors” in addition to the more widely-used sense (of e.g. teacher, or someone senior with experience and knowledge).

3. Reiki only works if you believe in it

Some people seem to think that Reiki is some sort of placebo effect, which only works if you believe it works. This is also not correct. Reiki will work regardless of whether you believe it or not, as long as you don’t artificially block it, by resisting the flow or refusing treatment.

Image by kwkd

Reiki is not placebo, it is real healing energy flowing through our bodies, as many practitioners have experienced.

Bonus Myth: Watches, jewelry, and other metal objects are blocking the flow of Reiki

Some think that healers and patients should not wear metal objects such as watches, necklaces, and other jewelry, because it supposedly blocks the flow of energy.

Again this is incorrect, Reiki has been experienced and proven to work and “pass through” not only metal objects placed closed to the body, such as jewelry, but also through walls, through mountains, across oceans, even across the entire planet – distance healing sessions are a very common practice in Reiki.