09/08/2026
Research tells us that Reiki has a direct impact on the nervous system, as measured by a reduction in heart rate and blood pressure and an increase in heart rate variability.
So yes, Reiki is good for you and your nervous system. AND it’s not right for every nervous system in every moment. Or not in the way it’s typically done anyway.
Let’s look at some examples.
If you have a client who is very depressed, they are likely in a heavy parasympathetic state. More down-regulation might just enhance/deepen the state they’re looking to shift.
If you have a client with past medical trauma, lying still on a table with someone standing over them will likely bring this to the surface in some way. Even if they aren’t cognitively aware of it, their body and nervous system remembers.
If you have a client with a history of freeze or collapse, stillness could cause one of two things to happen. First, the mind might get busy and the body might get fidgety to keep from freezing, making for an uncomfortable or not-so-relaxing session. Second, the person might slip into freeze or collapse but mistake it for relaxation. Neither is ideal.
Now, each of these individuals could benefit from Reiki. The answer is not to avoid working with these clients. The answer is to adapt the practice to better suit their specific system.
I’ve got something coming that’s going to tell you exactly how to do that for cases like these and all the others you might encounter. Stay tuned for the details or send us a message if you want to be among the first to know more.
