Reiki & Breast Cancer
namaste’
i have been practicing Reiki since the mid-1980’s and have been in the Healing Arts throughout my life
Over the years, i have worked with many women who were diagnosed with breast cancer
Reiki is not a cure, but it does promote healing
Studies have shown that women who receive Reiki before, sometimes during, and after surgery experience less infection, less pain, less scarring and they develop a new sense of being
Many have found Reiki to minimize the effects of chemotherapy while maximizing its benefits
Some years ago, a woman, i’ll call her ‘mary’ came to me for a Reiki session
She had been diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. She was frightened and very concerned about what was ahead of her
The soothing energy of Reiki helped ‘mary’
After her second Reiki session, ‘mary’ was calmer and not at all afraid of what was to come
‘mary’ had minimal side effects from the chemotherapy
At the time, my practice was near Manhatten. ‘mary’ asked her surgeon if i could be in the operating room and give her Reiki during her surgery. The surgeon was familiar with Reiki as his wife was a practitioner
So i sat with the anesthesiologist and directed Reiki into ‘mary’s’ crown
The surgery went very well, shorter than expected
She had minimal pain and scarring
I believe that was a true healing,
not a cure, but a healing
The remainder of ‘mary’s’ life was peaceful, joyful, without fear, and when she passed over, a few years later, it was a gentle passing
The experience of Reiki is subjective, changeable, and sometimes very subtle. A client often experiences heat from the practitioner’s hands, other times the practitioner’s hands feel cool. Other common experiences are subtle pulsations where the practitioners hands are placed or a feeling of waves flowing through the body
People often comment how comforting they find the experience of Reiki. Some people fall into a deep, sleep-like meditative state. The most common experience is an almost immediate release of stress and a feeling of deep relaxation and wellness
Reiki is cumulative and those who don’t notice much the first time usually have progressively deeper experiences when they continue
If you are interested in the research that has been done about the benefits of Reiki during cancer treatment, you may find the following resources useful
Alternative Therapy for Breast Cancer: Outcomes, Obstacles and Opportunities
(published in the April 2011 issue of Annals of Surgical Oncology)
Dr. Sheldon Marc Feldman, MD, FACS and Chief of Breast Cancer Surgical Oncology at New York’s Columbia University Medical Center discusses research supporting his rational for inviting Reiki practitioners to assist with his breast cancer patients.
Center for Reiki Research Study
www.centerforreikiresearch.org
Self-Efficacy for Coping with Cancer Enhances the Effect of Reiki Treatments During the Pre-Surgery Phase of Breast Cancer Patients
Chirico, A. (2017). Anticancer Research, 37(7): 3657-3665