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Original poster

REIKI. Is it a load of bollocks

147 replies

Fashio · 18/12/2021 15:39

It sounds it. But I’m a sucker for all that.

OP posts:
Hen2018 · 18/12/2021 16:29

@LadyCampanulaTottington

It’s several thousands of years old and if you believe it, it can work.
Please don’t follow that philosophy through life...
LetHimHaveIt · 18/12/2021 16:36

Of course it's bollocks, although I particularly enjoyed the woman in my village offering it via Zoom during lockdown. Surely even those most susceptible to woo bs of this type, must've questioned the efficacy of someone rubbing their hands together briskly and hovering them over your case of Housemaid's Knee - when you're not even in the same room?

Scarby9 · 18/12/2021 16:39

Many years ago, in a talk at Champneys Springs, a practitioner described how she would Reiki parking places as she drove into town. As in, ensure she found a space by the power of Reiki.
Seriously?

AdamRyan · 18/12/2021 16:43

"It’s several thousands of years old and if you believe it, it can work."

Please don’t follow that philosophy through life...

Grin Imagine. Maybe we could reintroduce a medieval diet to balance our humours Grin
BewareTheLibrarians · 18/12/2021 16:59

I’m really skeptical about it (and hate people in my personal space) but went with my mum because honestly any excuse for a lie down is good! I’d had a small operation a few days earlier, and when the reiki person’s hands got over the site of the operation (which wasn’t visible through clothes) she kind of winced and paused and spent some time “pulling” something out of the air over it. That was a bit weird, but I wondered if she’d guessed it from how I walked in or lay down. She then spent ages over the knee I’d injured a year or so ago and was still painful a lot of the time.

So either it works, or the practitioners are very good about picking up cues from how you move or carry yourself, hence hitting the right spots.

Either way, it was a really nice lie down!

User00000000 · 18/12/2021 17:02

Maybe a placebo effect?

It's bollocks really. Get a massage instead.

GroggyLegs · 18/12/2021 17:10

I had a treatment as my physio was training to be a Reiki Master or something.

Totally, totally skeptical. Went for the 'experience'.
However, on the drive home I can only describe it that everything was in high definition. So clear & bright, it was ridiculous.

So I'm less skeptical, but wouldn't pay for it.

ClaudiusTheGod · 18/12/2021 17:25

@choccohoopz Reiki gave you cancer? I’ll definitely be avoiding it then.

Fleemeister · 18/12/2021 17:37

I had it on one of those pamper days for a friend's birthday. Everyone had to sign up for two "treatments" and this was the least invasive.

It was being done by the beauty therapist who had surely learned it the same way she'd learned to pluck eyebrows and wax legs. She did a lovely job actually but I don't for a second believe there was any magical wisdom or power involved.

TheCreamCaker · 18/12/2021 17:41

Yes, absolute bollocks

TedGlenn · 18/12/2021 17:46

Yes it's bollocks

BUT a fertility nurse offered to do some remote reiki on me after NHS embryo transfer. Her colleague told me she had a 100% success rate (at a procedure which was generally 1 in 3). I skeptically agreed....and it worked!

StepAwayFromTheEcclesCakes · 18/12/2021 18:04

Well not sure it was reiki but after an op in hospital my stitches burst so I was wheeled to a treatment room where a nurse fixed it up for me, the second nurse asked if she could put her hands on me and i agreed, she laid her hands on my shoulders and i had a sudden overwhelming sense of peace, warmth and comfort, i was amazed as i am not at all woo. She said she has been told she has healing hands and had to wash them immediately so she didnt take on the pain she was taking away, never ever felt anything like that before or since 😲

roarfeckingroarr · 18/12/2021 18:29

I love having reiki. I don't care if it's a placebo, it works for me.

CormoranStrike · 18/12/2021 18:39

Yes. I love all massage so booked myself in on a two day learn to be a Reiki master course.

Day one involved, among other things, hovering my hands over a person and thinking about anything.

The tutor said I could even think of my Tesco shopping, it made no difference, my hands just needed to be there, not my mind.

I didn’t go back for day two.

WildWombat · 18/12/2021 19:47

Mostly bollocks, but it does have value as a type of ASMR if you're sensitive to that kind of thing. It's not that the practitioner's hands are literally moving energy around your body, but that you're having a nice lie down and someone is showing you care and attention. I mean, I daresay you'd have the same effect if someone was sprinkling chocolate hobnobs over you. Actually, I'd probably pay for that...

overnightangel · 18/12/2021 19:49

Bullshit peddled either by lazy fuckers who can’t be arsed to get a job, or morons who’ll believe anything and call you closed minded if you don’t buy into it

Redburnett · 18/12/2021 19:52

In my limited experience, yes. So are most 'natural' remedies.

CathyorClaire · 18/12/2021 19:58

Utter bollocks designed to part the gullible and desperate from their cash just like any other type of woo you care to name.

IsThePopeCatholic · 18/12/2021 20:03

Total bollocks - along with homeopathy.

ScarlettDarling · 18/12/2021 20:07

When my dad was dying in a hospice, a volunteer came in to offer the patients reiki. I don’t know anything at all about it but I do know that it made my dad feel really peaceful and relaxed. I don’t care if it was down to placebo, it helped him.

bettertimesarecomingnow · 18/12/2021 20:22

No it's not - if you get a good practitioner.

My dad does it - but not for money. He just treats his cat and me sometimes.

The heat that radiates from his hands is unreal and he doesn't actually touch your skin.

I had a twisted womb and was told I've never have kids. He hovered his hands over me and I felt like I was punched in the stomach. It was the weirdest thing feeling things move inside me.

I am the most cynical person ever and don't believe in anything woo.

I've got two kids now. And he's cured so many headaches and minor things like sore joints.

Our cat was squashed flat by a wardrobe as a kitten and he treated her. She lived to be 19 with her weekly reiki sessions.

My dog was hit by a car and the vet said he wouldn't likely walk properly again. The day after he had reiki he got up and walked. It was very emotional. This was 9 weeks in and we thought he would drag his back leg forever. However he HATED when grandad put his hands over him. He's a very chilled dog and he would tolerate it for a few mins but then the heat got too much. He wouldn't go near my dad for weeks after. But once he was back to normal they were besties again.

So I think there HAS to be something in it if the reiki person has the gift.

Surely it can't be placebo?

bettertimesarecomingnow · 18/12/2021 20:23

@ScarlettDarling

When my dad was dying in a hospice, a volunteer came in to offer the patients reiki. I don’t know anything at all about it but I do know that it made my dad feel really peaceful and relaxed. I don’t care if it was down to placebo, it helped him.
I sleep so well after reiki. It's like I'm drunk!
ChequerBoard · 18/12/2021 20:32

Yes it's bollocks.

It's in the 'fairytales for grown-ups' category along with spiritualists and faith healing.

MrsTophamHat · 18/12/2021 20:38

Yes, it's all bollocks.

I do however find things like that really relaxing. When I can't sleep I love watching videos about reiki and crystals and chakras. It's just soothing.

Romeiswheretheheartis · 18/12/2021 21:39

My instinct is to agree with everyone who says it's bollocks. However, I know a well respected retired surgeon who does it, which makes me question my cynicism......