Does Distance Healing Really Work?
If you google it, you’ll find articles trying to explain distance healing, some with scientific terms like quantum physics, others with phrases hard to visualize like "energy being sent across time and space." There is a desire to answer this question with scientific backing, or “proof” but we don’t have the technology to provide such answers, yet.
I, too, not being easily persuaded have a strong need for information before deciding on something. Even after learning first degree Reiki, I did not venture to try a distance healing session until much later.
But I decided to try one day because my Reiki master teacher and mentor is in New York City and I was in Atlanta, in need of a healing session. You see, while I take care of myself with my daily Reiki self-practice (and other practices that help keep me balanced), sometimes we just need that extra support to help us along.
Long story short, I absolutely loved it! The ability to be comfortable in the privacy of my home, gave me the freedom to truly be with myself. I was able to feel and release emotions I didn't realize I had tucked away. Being able to stay in a post-session meditative state without having to drive home extended the healing.
While I still love in-person appointments because the physical touch of healing hands is so therapeutic, the experience of a distance healing session was profound. We can try to explain the beauty of the sunset by describing colors and shapes, but to experience it directly and notice how it made you feel - that's different.
So while the effort to explain “how” distance reiki works continues, let’s consider how it could help.
Distance Healing Study in Peru
In a 3 week long research experiment in Lima, Peru, employees working remotely during Covid participated in an experiment to determine the effect of distance reiki on stress and anxiety. This experiment aimed to measure if receiving distance reiki sessions helped with participants’ stress and anxiety. 12 volunteers participated by receiving an education session to identify stress and six 42-minute distance reiki sessions over 3 weeks.
The results from this study* suggest that receiving distance reiki sessions can affect individuals’ perception and experience of stress and anxiety. The answers to the surveys changed in the 3 weeks for the experimental group; there was a large decrease in the distress measurement and a large increase in the eustress measurement.
There was even a large decrease in the state anxiety (anxiety caused by specific instances, ie coronavirus), and an overall reduction in the trait anxiety parameter (anxiety that is personality based). I’d say this is enough evidence to try it out!
If you'd like to know more about my distance sessions, please contact me to learn more. I read every message and respond personally. Practitioners may have different ways of providing their services and it's important for you to make an informed decision.
*Source: Escudero DG, Reyes-Bossio M. Stress and anxiety reduction effects of a Reiki program during the COVID-19 pandemic among employees in Lima, Peru. Holist Nurs Pract. 2022;36(5):E48.