Have you explored energy healing, and come across Reiki and Pranic Healing?
Both are complementary energy healing practices, based on the use of subtle energy to repair, balance and restore health and wellbeing.
What is energy healing?
Life force energy is essential for life to exist and is the essence of all energy healing modalities.
These modalities are based on the fact that the physical body is surrounded by an invisible energy body, also known as the aura, which has a structured anatomy and with unique functions.
Reiki translates as “universal life-force energy” and Pranic Healing is derived from the Sanskrit word “Prana”, meaning “life force energy”.
This energy needs to flow freely through the channels in the body to provide energy to the cells, tissues, and organs of the body for it to maintain good health. When this energy flow is impaired or blocked, the body may experience weakness, poor health and further conditions may arise.
Let’s explore some of these differences so you can better understand each approach.
What is Reiki?
Traditionally energy healing was taught as an art, passed down by a Master to Student. Reiki was developed by Mikao Usui, in Japan in the early 20th century.
As the practice is around 200 years old, the words of the teacher, Mikao Usui, were never directly transcribed. As the teachings have been passed down through the years, Reiki has adapted and transformed into various different traditions, with their own methodologies.
In most traditions, the practitioner is initially attuned to the energy by their Reiki Master, and taught to work either hands on, or with the hands raised slightly above the recipient’s body, slowly moving their hands down the entire body, with the palms sensing changes in the energy field of the recipient.
The practitioners generally describe themselves as following an intuitive approach, allowing or channeling Reiki energy to flow through them to the recipient in a quiet, meditative state, as they hover the hands over areas they feel require energy flow. Sometimes the practitioners can feel quite drained after healings as they use their own reserves of vitality.
Recipients report these treatments as immensely calming, relaxing and beneficial for overall wellbeing.
Training the Reiki practitioner
Reiki training generally involves three levels and can take a few months to a year or more to reach Master Level, depending on the teacher and the tradition.
The energetic system and energy centres, also known as chakras, do not form the foundation of all Reiki traditions, though some focus on 7 or 9 chakras and a basic level of understanding. The practice mainly focuses on the ability of the practitioner to use intuition, feel and sense the energy flow of the recipient’s body and trust that the energy will work in the areas it needs to.
There are many traditions, but Reiki generally offers 3 main levels of training:
- Level 1, (Shoden) Self-healing – foundations of Reiki and self-Reiki healing
- Level 2 (Okuden) Healing others – covers a deeper practice, including Reiki symbols and distant Reiki
- Level 3 (Shinpiden) Master Level – encompasses the advanced practice of meditation and boundaries, in some traditions the Master Level is achieved in a fourth level.
What is Pranic Healing?
Pranic Healing was brought to a wider audience in 1987 by its modern founder, Master Choa Kok Sui, with the publication of Miracles Through Pranic Healing. Drawing on his background as a chemical engineer, he developed a concise, systematic approach using a “cook-book-style” of sequential steps to follow.
Compared to ancient times, modern society is generally more analytical, and people like to understand why a technique is applied and how it works. Pranic healing explains the energetic anatomy, its functions, how it affects the physical body and how the energy affects chemical reactions in the cells for regeneration and maintenance of good health.
Pranic Healing tends to appeal to a wider audience, because anyone can learn whether they feel the energy or not. Just by following the steps and techniques taught they can affect a positive outcome.
It is also condition-specific, meaning that for every condition, from a minor discomfort like a burn through to a chronic ailment, like diabetes, there is a set procedure the therapist needs to follow, intentionally directing energy to certain areas to reduce symptoms.
During a session, the practitioner uses scanning to detect areas of energetic variances. The treatment then involves two key processes: cleansing, to remove unwanted or diseased energy, and energising, to replenish the area with fresh prana. The body then uses this vital energy as fuel to repair and regenerate.
The treatments plans are structured according to the severity of the ailment, some ailments need to be treated more regularly and for a longer period than others, before a significant change can be seen.
Training the Pranic Healer
Courses are taught by licensed instructors from a manual, authored by Master Choa Kok Sui, with the curriculum for each level. There are 3 main levels of training,
- Level 1 Pranic Healing covers the foundations, distant and self-healing, meditation, laws of karma and character building.
- Level 2 Advanced Pranic Healing – focuses on the use of colour pranas for more effective, precise and faster healing techniques for the treatment of more complex ailments.
- Level 3 Pranic Psychotherapy covers the use of high frequency energy to remove the energies that cause many psychological conditions, including stress, depression, addictions and more.
Master Choa Kok Sui emphasised the importance of Arhatic Yoga for the ongoing self-development and spiritual growth of Pranic Healing practitioners. By maintaining and purifying their own energy, practitioners aim to remain clear and balanced while working with others.
Differences between Pranic Healing vs Reiki — At a Glance
- Modern, systematic approach — Reiki has its roots in early 20th-century Japan
- Non-touch — Reiki may involve light touch
- Targeted and protocol-based — Reiki is more flowing and intuitive
- Specific techniques for different concerns — Reiki trusts the energy to flow where needed
- Cleanses, then energises — Reiki primarily focuses on channeling energy
- Strong emphasis on energy hygiene and protection — less central to Reiki
- Detailed 11-chakra system and understanding of function of energetic anatomy — Reiki may incorporate chakras, but they are not foundational to all traditions
- Emphasis on self-development and character building — varies between Reiki traditions
- Structured path of advanced training, restricted Master Level — Reiki Master training varies considerably between schools and is based on training to Level 3
- Anyone can learn, even those who are not sensory — Reiki generally emphasises the sensory and intuitive ability
As interest in Pranic Healing grows, it is also the subject of a growing body of research, including recent clinical trials led by Les Flitcroft, Director of the Institute of Pranic Healing UK & Ireland, in collaboration with King’s College Hospital.
If you are curious about experiencing a Pranic Healing treatment, a therapist looking to add another modality to your toolkit or just interested in the expansive field of energy medicine visit www.pranichealing.co.uk for more information.
