The C.A.M. Report
Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Fair, Balanced, and to the Point

Archive for the 'Reiki/Touch' Category

NCCAM reviews reiki and ayurvedic

Friday, April 2nd, 2010

 The National Center for Contemporary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) has updated their introductory reviews.

Here’s what’s important. (more…)

The physiological response to touch therapy. Does it matter?

Thursday, October 22nd, 2009

The results from this study at the Department of Nursing of the University of Texas-Pan American in Edinburg suggest, “healing touch treatment is associated with both physiological and psychological relaxation.” (more…)

Effects of therapeutic touch on cancer pain

Sunday, November 30th, 2008

Therapeutic touch (TT) reduced pain and fatigue in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, according to this study by researchers in Iran.

But, how do we account for the placebo effect? (more…)

Does reiki complement pain control in fibromyalgia?

Wednesday, November 12th, 2008

More than 50 major hospitals and clinics throughout the United States offer energy healing to patients

This study by researchers from the University of Washington concluded, “Neither reiki nor touch improved the symptoms of fibromyalgia.” (more…)

Complementary and integrative medicine at Johns Hopkins

Thursday, September 25th, 2008

 The Johns Hopkins Integrative Medicine and Digestive Center opened Sept. 2nd in Baltimore, Maryland. (more…)

Massage for what ails ya

Thursday, June 12th, 2008

Beliefnet lists 9 forms of massage. How many can you name? (more…)

Is there a role for reiki in medicine?

Wednesday, May 21st, 2008

Professor Ernst finds that “The value of reiki remains unproven.” (more…)

Abrupt termination of healing touch

Monday, May 19th, 2008

This study was published in Complementary Health Practice Review.

Get ready. (more…)

More US hospitals offering CAM

Sunday, April 20th, 2008

A survey of more than 6000 US hospitals by the American Hospital Association reveals that among 1400 responders, the percentage of hospitals offering at least one CAM service increased from 8% in 1998 to 27% in 2005. (more…)

Regulating CAM in the UK

Saturday, January 5th, 2008

Presently, “Anyone can set themselves up as an acupuncturist, homoeopath, herbalist, or other complementary therapist,” reports TimesOnLine.

This will change in April 2008. (more…)

Questions about reiki

Saturday, December 16th, 2006

The name Reiki originates from Japanese REI (spirit) and KI (energy, life force). Reiki therapy utilizes spiritual, or universal, energy to assist the healing process.

Several years ago I interviewed Reiki master Michael W. Smith.

(more…)

In Ayurveda “dis” means deprived of, “ease” means Comfort

Friday, December 8th, 2006

The Second World Ayurvedic Congress ended on November 12th.

Aleksandra Suriel, a nurse from Calgary, Albert attended. She’s a yoga teacher, and reiki master, with an interest in energy medicine. Inspired by the meeting, here’s her perspective on Ayurveda and Western medicine.

“Our western world knows only how to cure, but doesn’t know how to live a healthy life.”
(more…)

Trying to document the effects of Johrei

Friday, September 15th, 2006

Johrei (pronounced Jo-ray) is a non-touch healing method similar to reiki. It involves channeling of “universal healing energy” to influence the health of another person. Three studies in the past 15 months have attempted to correlate subjective changes with other objective outcomes.

Here’s a quick review.

(more…)

The essential reiki

Friday, August 11th, 2006

Most of the benefits reported with Reiki are based on the personal experiences of those who receive treatment and those who administer it.

Several years ago I met Michael W. Smith, a Reiki (pronounced “ray-key”) master in practice at the Women’s Place at Carroll County General Hospital in Westminster, Maryland. I interviewed him and later wrote two articles.

The first was an edited transcript of our conversation covering the basics of Reiki.

  • The essential Reiki
  • Reiki levels and attunement
  • A Reiki treatment session
  • The appropriate role for Reiki treatment today

The second article describes the effect of reiki on a woman with Alzheimer’s disease. It also compares Reiki to touch therapy and massage.

Taken together, they are, if I say so myself, a good way to begin to understand this form of complementary therapy.

8/11/06 00:25 JR