Reiki is a Japanese stress relief technique that uses life force energy present in everyone to achieve this. The word Reiki means life force energy. It was developed by a Japanese Buddhist known as Mikao Usui. It uses placing of hands to channel life force energy also known as chi through their palms to the individual who has ran low on this energy. This heals the person through self-healing and brings about a state of equilibrium to the individual. It is classified as oriental medicine by some medical bodies.

There are two types of Reiki Attunement: the western and traditional Japanese. The primary difference being the hand placements. The western style is systematic while the latter is intuitive. They have three tiers in their hierarchy namely the first, the second and finally, the master or teacher level that is sometimes referred to as the third degree. It is also said that Reiki is infinite and anyone can get access to it. One is attuned to access this energy by a Reiki master.

It is described as being as holistic therapy that will heal from all areas: physical, emotional, mental and even on a spiritual level. It is believed that the energy will flow from the practitioner's hands to the recipient whether there is actual contact or not. Close proximity can also suffice. Some teachings place emphasis on the intention of the practitioner in the process while others believe that energy is actually drawn out by the recipient. Simply put, the energy is either released by the practitioner or taken out by the recipient. A further notion is that the energy is intelligent and will therefore heal the afflicted area regardless of where the practitioner thinks it is.

Reiki works by tapping, touching, blowing or even looking at the afflicted part. It does not require any instruments to hold a session. All this is supposed to transfer the energy in question to the recipient. In a typical session, the recipient is instructed to lie down and relax. Comfortable clothing is usually worn. The practitioner then places himself in a meditative state of mind. He will then place his hands on the patient in several places. Some have been known to use a no-contact technique. The hand is placed on these positions for up to five minutes. These positions will cover the entire body generally speaking. The number of positions will depend on the practitioner and the treatment will take from 45 to 90 minutes.

Reiki can be a great option for alternative medicine but caution should be taken not to throw away tried and tested conventional medicine for it. It actually compliments standard medicine.