What is Absentee or Remote Healing?

Once attuned to Reiki II, a practitioner can send Reiki over distances. This may seem surprising at first, but with further understanding of the principles of Reiki it becomes clear. Reiki is the process of channeling Ki - or Universal Energy - to the recipient. Doing this over a physical distance is simply a matter of expanding our thoughts on time and space. In fact, it is not even a matter of "sending" energy to them. As with a hands-on session, the recipient is actually drawing the Reiki through the practitioner to heal him/herself. Because Reiki energy comes "from" the Universe itself - from the energy that is all around us - it knows no barriers. Neither space nor time can hinder it. During the Reiki II class, the practitioner is taught one of the Reiki symbols that assists the practitioner to establish a "bridge" to the recipient. There are several different techniques for actually applying and focusing the Reiki once that connection is established, but the result is the same; The recipient has the full effect of a Reiki session.

There are two questions that always arise during discussions of remote healing. Both are good questions, so I'd like to address them here:

1. Is a remote healing truly as effective as a hands-on session?

   The majority of teachers and practitioners will tell you that a remote healing is exactly the same in effect as a hands-on session. Although I have had experiences with remote healing that are wonderfully effective, I do not know if I agree with this statement. The energy exchange is the same, but there is one thing missing in a remote healing - human touch. Often one of the most wonderful parts of a Reiki session is simply allowing ourselves to be touched in a gentle, loving way by another human being. As our society has become more busy and technologically advanced, we have become more isolated and less apt to experience human touch during an average day. Sometimes this is a large part of what we need when we seek healing. Taking time out of our busy schedules for a Reiki session gives attention to our Spirit - which is often what we need the most to heal. So although I know from personal experience that remote healings are effective, I will always recommend a hands-on session as a better alternative.

2. What if the person receiving the Reiki does not want it? Isn't it inappropriate to send to them?

   This brings up one of the ethics of Reiki. I have deemed it "to each his own path", but the concept is the same in almost every Reiki school or book I have encountered: Only give Reiki when asked, or when an offering is accepted. Reiki works on all levels, including the spiritual. In fact, it works on the spiritual body first. If the person receiving Reiki is not open to it, or is not willing to accept it and release what may be necessary, the healing simply will not be effective. It is also, in my opinion, unethical to "force" healing upon anyone. So how do we handle the situation where someone requests Reiki for a sick relative who cannot give consent, or for a friend they may be afraid to approach? To solve this dilemma, we "send" the Reiki with a provision. We ask that should the Reiki not be accepted, it simply go back to Mother Earth, or perhaps sit on the person's shoulder until (s)he is ready to accept it, should that time ever come. The particular wording or method of "dissipating" unwanted energy may differ, but again, the effect is the same.

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Request Free Remote Healing On-Line

If you would like to request remote healing for yourself or a loved one, please click on one (or both) of the links below.

Our Healing Circle: At Reiki Intuitive, we have a circle of Reiki practitioners who may send Reiki over a distance. To request this service, please click here.

The distance healing request center: Click the link below to submit a request to the Distant Healing Request Center. This collection of Reiki Practitioners volunteers remote healing to any who request it through this free service.

If you are a Reiki Practitioner and feel compelled to do so, please volunteer with this or other remote healing networks.

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Contact the webmaster.	All content © Elaine Eriksen Rose, 2000+. All rights reserved.	September 24th, 2006 19:10 PDT