Reiki... AIBU to believe in it ?

[onlyoneglass]

I had a session of reiki for the first time ever.
I went into it with an open mind and didn't do any research beforehand .
I felt very relaxed but felt a pang in one of my ovaries!. I'm
Menopausal for the last five years. I also felt intense heat going up
And down both of my
Legs as well as a short sharp pain in a tiny area of my head.
When the session finished the practitioner told me
That she felt a lot of stagnant negative energy in my womb area.

Now, I've gone through a lot of trauma with an abusive marriage, affairs and I won't bore you but the last five years have been horrendously traumatic .
I've done a lot of work, coaching etc and feel in a great place. Good things are happening to me
Lately !

I'm a little thrown as the lady advised me
To mind and
Protect my health and then she asked me To choose an angel card. We had discussed angels as I believe that they have got me through the worst of times . We spoke about archangel
Michael who I speak to a lot
Mostly and then Lo and behold I chose his card which again advised me to mind my health and protect myself .

I'm a little
Freaked out .
Does anyone have any experience with reiki please.
I've booked to go again in a fortnight .

Reiki is a nonsense but if the placebo effect works on you then I'd say crack on!

Of course you’d be unreasonable to believe in it, OP. It’s literally hand waving.

I think it's having someone be nice to you and caring that does it. But no it's not "real."

She certainly knows how to get a repeat customer. If you feel the placebo effect is worth what you pay her and you can easily afford it, that's up to you.

I went once to an acquaintance who was training. I thought it might be like a chiropractor. It wasn't. I was waiting to have muscles manipulated, but she didn't even touch me. What a rip off if I'd paid full price.

It’s spiritual activity.
I wouldn’t engage in it.

Well, from a scientific viewpoint everything is made of energy including us. Reiki moves energy where you need it.

Yes, I believe in it and it's worked for me in the past.

I had a session a few weeks back and was very cynical, but I could feel the effects of it and will do it again

Why not use reiki to provide clean power sources to run the world then?

Or spend the money on a good therapist and a massage?

Can’t argue with science.

I believe there’s a lot to the human body we don’t understand on the spiritual side.

Given you believe in angels I’m guessing you Want To Believe. Which scientifically (yes actual science with research evidence) increases the likelihood of the placebo effect.

Well yes that's what I'd do - perhaps my cynicism wasn't obvious enough. I really hope reiki is cheaper than a qualified therapist, though!

I bet she tells all women of menopausal age that their wombs are full of stagnant energy, and makes sure they get the card with their favourite angel on it.

Bear with me, this explanation is a bit long!

A few years ago I would have said YABU.. However, I went to an event before COVID (not spiritual or anything) and we were talking about 'personal space' Even blindfolded and with headphones on pretty much everyone in the group could sense when someone was within about a metre of them.

The leader explained that everyone has different personal space sensors so for instance a stranger standing within a foot of you feels weird, even if they are not touching you. She added that this "buffer zone" is what is called an aura in reiki.

Additionally most of us would agree that you can get good, or bad, vibes from someone, with no explanation.

So for me it makes sense that having someone in this personal space who has good vibes could certainly have a positive affect.

I'm not sure about the angel thing though!

I'm with you OP. I went purely because someone had bought me a voucher for my birthday. I didn't believe in a bit of it and actually thought well it'll be good to have an excuse to step away from business and the phone for an hour. I might get a quick rest.

I came out absolutely stunned with what I experienced.

OP you won’t get a good outcome from the majority of cynics on here so be prepared.

Yes, I believe in Reiki, spiritual healing, the power of prayer, hope and movement in energy. So if you feel it helped you, continue raising your own vibration. Having negative remarks will only make you feel bad and you don’t need that in your life after such a positive experience.

I had it once when I was a child for abdominal pain by an NHS doctor who got struck off for using alternative therapies instead of medical science. It felt like it did work, but I doubt it would have cured cancer or a twisted bowel. So it's dangerous to try and use it without also using proper medical care.

I think you're a 'spiritual' person anyway, given you talk to angels and the like, so you're probably likely to respond to this kind of thing. The effects of strong belief can manifest in what feel like physical ways, so if the outcome is positive for you then carry on! I am not spiritual at all and don't believe in any of it, so would go in cynical and leave exactly the same.

Yanbu. Metaphysically, the womb is one of the places in the body where we carry and store emotion.

Lying down and relaxing during Reiki may draw attention to parts of you that need attention, iyswim.

It's a good way to devote some time to yourself and allow yourself to let go of negative feelings you might be holding onto unconsciously. Half an hour switching off and putting your brain in "standby" mode can be a good way of getting a new perspective on things.

Also I'd feel a bit weird about being told my womb was full of 'stagnant negative energy'? It's not a very nice image?! I'd feel hurt on my womb's behalf, even though my womb can be a bastard at times

You will always get the naysayers on this platform OP! They clearly don't know that it is used in some departments of the NHS and there is building evidence for it's efficacy.

Ha, my mum accidentally booked reiki instead of a massage once and being British was too polite to say anything, so lay there for 45 mins, puzzled, while someone wafted around her, then just said thank you, paid and left God love her.

Yes, of course YABU. It's absolute bollocks and I think anyone who charges money for it is a charlatan. But if you like it OP, it's up to you.