The Annie Appleseed Project held its first ever conference on complementary and alternative approaches in January 2008. Pamela Miles, a Reiki master was one of the presenters. You can find "Reiki for Mind, Body, and Spirit Support of Cancer Patients", ADVANCES Fall 2007, VOL. 22, NO. 2 below. You can also order a CD or audio tape of her presentation by emailing annieappleseedpr@aol.com Source: http://www.medicomm.net Alternative Medicine section Reiki (pronounced "ray-kee") is a therapeutic technique in which healing energy is channeled, or conducted, through a practitioner's hands into the person receiving the treatment. It is believed that Reiki brings the body into emotional and spiritual balance, supporting the body's natural ability to heal itself. The name Reiki comes from the Japanese rei, meaning "universal," and ki, meaning "energy." Reiki's "universal energy" is equivalent to the vital life force, or qi, in traditional Chinese medicine, and to prana in Ayurvedic medicine. Those who practice Reiki assume the existence of this invisible energy, which is believed to radiate through all life forms. Reiki's origins are unclear, but it is thought to derive from the healing practices of ancient Tibetan monks. In the early 1900s Reiki as we know it was introduced in Japan by Mikao Usui, a religious scholar and teacher who had studied healing in Tibet. Usui named the therapy Reiki and developed the Usui System of Reiki Healing, which is considered by many to be the foundation of the therapy today. Usui's system was brought to Hawaii in the 1930s by Hawayo Takata, a Japanese-American woman who had received the esteemed degree of Reiki Master from one of Usui's disciples. After teaching it there for years, she brought the practice to the mainland U.S. in the 1970s. During a Reiki treatment, you typically lie fully clothed on a padded massage table in a warm, comfortable room. The practitioner may first "scan" your body for energy blockages by moving his hands a few inches above it. A good practitioner, it is said, can readily find blockages because his hands feel hot or tingly as he encounters them. Any areas where there are blockages will then be a focus of the treatment. Whether or not there are blockages, the practitioner typically begins by placing his hands lightly and systematically at various places along the body, including the abdomen, legs, back, and feet. This gentle touch is maintained for three to five minutes at each place (and up to 20 minutes if there is a problem), as the healing energy is channeled. A thorough Reiki session usually lasts between 60 and 90 minutes. For stress reduction, one or two Reiki sessions are usually enough. As an adjunct therapy for chronic conditions, long-term treatment may be recommended. Source:Medicomm Abstract presented at DoD Era of Hope meeting, 2002 LINK to information LINK to information, newsletters LINK to Online treatments Source: Acupuncture Today www.acupuncturetoday.com Michigan State University News Release, 9/03/05 LINK to Reiki Master, Naturopathic Doctor, Master Herbalist healed from lung ca, Chuck Morris LINK to 2/1/07 article on Pamela Miles on Religion and Spiritually.com Commentary by Pamela Miles, 10/07 includes links and other articles Remember we are NOT Doctors and have NO medical training. This site is like an Encylopedia - there are many pages, many links on many topics. Support our work with any size DONATION - see left side of any page - for how to donate. You can help raise awareness of CAM.