OK, I don't doubt that Reiki has some benefits as far as the power of touch for some people. I apologize in advance to reiki masters. However, I recently have had 2 or 3 ninety minute massages (I have fibromyalgia). I'm trying to find a new therapist. In every case, the therapist worked extremely, extremely slow. They barely used any lotion. The touch was extremely light. It was like they were trying to sense something by placing their hands on me. A lot of interruptions and breaking contact all the time. I kept wondering how long until this massage is over.
How in the world in a 90 minute massage do you run out of time to do hamstrings (didn't do them at all)? Not only that, probably spent a minute or two on quads and glutes if that...barely any time on feet or shoulders either. I can barely go back and find anything these therapists did spend a lot of time on. The only conclusion I can have is that these therapists are incorporating Reiki into their 90 minute swedish massages, even though I didn't ask for it. I think it requires much less work of them in a 90 minute massage. Years ago at the chiropractor, I was asked to try a new therapist, and she did 100% reiki for an hour. It was the biggest waste of an hour I can remember where her placing hands on me did absolutely nothing. Maybe my fibromyalgia has congested my nose and I can't sense things well, but what do other people think of reiki? I think I might avoid all practitioners who have taken classes or practice it in the future.
I do massage and reiki, not together, difficult to do reiki when massaging! Reiki should only be given for the greatest good, not for when the therapist feels she should unless asked, if you went for a massage, thats what you should have had.
There are lots of brilliant massage therapists out there, try again until you find one you are happy with. I was always taught to not let the continuous flow stop, even to place my hand on the client when changing sides to let them know where you are. Let the next therapist know what areas you want working, although the ones you mention are pretty standard and should have been identified with a proper consultation.
Try again, the right therapist is out there. Good luck.
The only conclusion I can have is that these therapists are incorporating Reiki into their 90 minute swedish massages, even though I didn't ask for it.
That shouldn't be the only conclusion..... there could be a lot of other reasons, maybe they're not great therapist, rather than assume they must be doing reiki. Maybe they were doing some myofacial release - little lotion, breaking contact, very slow (though light doesn't sound like it)? Rather than focus on how the treatment wasn't what you expected and enjoyed, what were the results from the treatment over the next 48hrs? Did it feel like you'd not even had a massage, or did it actually feel like you had been worked on, just not following what you expected?
If something is called 'swedish massage' it often means 'relaxation massage', which often means 'not a lot of training in a therapeutic treatment beyond relaxation'. There are practitioners out there that do offer both relaxation and therapeutic treatment, but they're not usually promoting themselves as full body swedish massage, there's usually quite a bit of education in different styles of massage, often some of that will be a bit sports massage, that type of therapist doesn't 'do' one type of cookie cutter massage routine. Not all styles of massage require contact be maintained, not all style of massage require use of lotion, not all styles are done at the same speed.
I have 3 clients with Fibromyalgia and every time they come we discuss what areas they'd like me to work the most due to they own feelings of pain, tension etc. I'm a deep tissue specialist with experience of working with this issue. I use a blend of warming essential oils and long deep strokes to help lengthen the muscle fibres + trigger point work to help release tension. The massage is not a relaxing soothing experience but, at times quite intense. At the end of the back I hold the sacrum and between the shoulder blades (place my hands flat on the body) for a couple of minutes then time to turn over. When the front of the body has been done I hold just below the sternum (breast bone) or on the shoulders. During this short time the client is receiving Reiki but, only for a short time.
This is how I treat Fibromyalgia, I always have the clients input as they know where they feel the most restriction and pain. May I suggest next time you have a massage ask the Therapist if they have experience in treating your issues if not then move onto the next therapist in the directory. Not everyone has the skills and knowledge to work with Fibro which is notoriously difficult. I always find out if a therapist has the skills and knowledge to work on me effectively.
Hi,
I'm sorry to hear of your experiences.
Sadly as I have discovered from my clients - there are good therapists and those who simply should not be working. This is the same with Reiki healers. An initiation does not make someone a healer..that comes from the heart.
If you feel comfortable and connected with your therapist and can see that they really speak from the heart then you are more likely to have a positive outcome.
Don't give up on healing, just keep looking for the right person.
What exactly do you want from your massage? Are you expecting to feel pain, or not? Are you expecting to be pushed or pulled into shape? Are you expecting to be relaxed afterwards, or energised? Have you told the therapist your expectations?
As for reiki, I know that in some of the States you have to be a "licensed massage therapist" to do Reiki, but Reiki is not a massage therapy. It can be hands-on, or it can be hands-off depending on the therapist and the situation. One thing you should not expect from a Reiki session is that the hands move: they are placed on or above your body and held still. "It is not a sensual massage" said my spiritual healing mentor, and that applies to Reiki.
If this is not what you want, then by all means avoid Reiki treatments and try a Swedish massage instead.
Maybe you guys are all correct. What techniques do require constant flow and not constantly stopping and breaking contact? And what techniques would you say allow for little lotion, very slow, very light...We did go over my problem areas, especially in the 2nd massage, but during the massage I felt they went in one ear and out the other with these therapists. I'm not a real complainer...I just felt in both cases like I didn't even have a massage. It just amazed me that one could do so little in 90 minutes.
I think sometimes when I saw I have fibromyalgia, it is possible that some treat me too lightly. Other than neck and shoulders, I can handle moderate pressure everywhere. Though I tell them this. I do manage to play softball, so my legs ache a lot and I can use some athletic type treatment. Softball is about the limitation of what I can do in sports. What works for me is to get me to relax first, perhaps with some swedish, and then start working a little deeper and doing more therapeutic work. If you don't get me to relax first and start putting fists in my back, it doesn't work well. What I am expecting I guess is to relax, but at the same time have some of my knots worked out. And I expect the massage to be thorough, much more thorough than what I received the last two times in 90 minutes. The funny thing is, by nature I am not even a complainer at all...
The only conclusion I can have is that these therapists are incorporating Reiki into their 90 minute swedish massages, even though I didn't ask for it.
I personally would not introduce any other therapy with any treatment without the Clients consent.
What made you think that you were being given Reiki?
Quote:
The funny thing is, by nature I am not even a complainer at all...
I personally would not introduce any other therapy with any treatment without the Clients consent.
What made you think that you were being given Reiki?
Well, during the last massage, she placed her hands through the sheet on specific points on my body for quite a period of time at the start. There were also times during both massages where everything was still and there was little or no movement - very little lotion either. I just don't know how it is possible to accomplish so little in a 90 minute massage, that's all. I'm not saying the whole thing was reiki...I just wish I could find a therapist who worked a little quicker and didn't break contact so much. Maybe it wasn't due to reiki - I just wondered if reiki affected the way people do massage. The one time I did have an hour total reiki treatment years ago, it was an 100% complete waste of my time. That's just my opinion, I know some feel differently.
Mmmm sound like you had a bit of mix up here ace as reiki isn't anything like massage so isnt likely to have immediate effect on your hamstrings. Also if one is determined not to accept the healing energy of reiki it will not 'force' itself on you and would (i hope) only be given by a practitioner with your full agreement, for the greatest good and the with the highest intent (founding principles of reiki)
Perhaps it would be more benifical for you to be more specfic about your expectations and need to your therapist and give them the oppertunity to rectify their seemingly mistaken belief that gentle massage may be better for fibro suffers, with or without reiki x
Sorry to hear you've had negative experiences. I'm not sure how the therapists work over there, but massage and reiki are two completely different therapies, and should only be combined if the client asks.
Oh, and just to reply to the title, reiki is not fraud just because the treatment is not suited to you.
Asking the question is Reiki a Fraud on a massage forum is a bit nonsensical to me, but I do very much get your point. If Reiki doesn't "float your boat" ask not to have it. Whatever therapy you care to mention, someone will always say it didn't work for me.
I'm presently working with a FM client using Traditional Thai Massage and she is getting a lot of relief from it. Thai does use deep pressures, and it is very rare to find someone who has a light touch. So you are more likely to find those deep pressures you are looking for.
There was a related thread on here recently where a massage therapist stated that she automatically combined Reiki with massage (without asking the clients). She seemed to get plenty of support from other posters from what I remember (but maybe I'm remembering wrong).
As far as I am concerned if someone goes to receive and pay for a massage then a massage is what they should get (regardless of whatever other skills the therapist may think would be good for the client).
I would personally be really annoyed if I didn't receive a full hands-on treatment, so I can totally sympathise with Ace.
She shouldn't have to request from a massage therapist that NO Reiki is carried out - it should just be a given. I mean you wouldn't go for a haircut and say to the hairdresser 'by the way, please just cut my hair...NO Reiki thanks'. Although it's obviously more frustrating when you are paying for a fixed period of time (it would be different perhaps if the therapist had said "yes, I included some Reiki because I thought you would benefit from it - but I added on an extra 10 minutes to compensate".
I agree that 'fraud' is a bit of a strong word. But it comes down the the basics that a client should get the service that they are paying for - nothing less.
Good luck finding a good therapist. We're not all like that, honest.
Sorry to hear you didn't get what you wanted from your treatment. Can you ask the therapist what techniques they were using? As already metioned the slow work without oils sounds like myofascial release which can't be rushed as the hands shoud move as your muscles soften, however it is not necesarily a light touch. I wonder also is the therapist was working on various accupressue points. I know that fibromyalgia affects everyone differently. I had a one lady who could only bear the lightest touch and another lady who wanted and could handle deeper work.
I'm presently working with a FM client using Traditional Thai Massage and she is getting a lot of relief from it. Thai does use deep pressures, and it is very rare to find someone who has a light touch. So you are more likely to find those deep pressures you are looking for.
Though Thai massage usually doesn't use lotion, there is no need to undress, because it is done through clothing it is more a pressure massage rather than long strokes. Really, I'm not sure what therapeutic massage style would maintain contact and use quantities of lotion and long strokes, other than temple style lomi lomi, but that moves energy and lymph more than muscles.
Ace has decided that not breaking contact, more than a little lotion and long strokes are the indicators of a good massage, anything else is not up to scratch, and considering many advanced techniques do break contact, use little lotion and don't use long strokes, he's virtually saying use of any such techniques make it a bad massage. With those requirements in a massage, there are probably going to be challenges finding a therapist that can deliver what all that Ace wants.
If Reiki didnt "work" for you- then perhaps its not the treatment that resonates with your higher self right now. Thats okay- keep putting the intention out there to find the right healer and the right healing treatment for you and Im sure you will
Good Luck!
Though Thai massage usually doesn't use lotion, there is no need to undress, because it is done through clothing it is more a pressure massage rather than long strokes. Really, I'm not sure what therapeutic massage style would maintain contact and use quantities of lotion and long strokes, other than temple style lomi lomi, but that moves energy and lymph more than muscles.
Ace has decided that not breaking contact, more than a little lotion and long strokes are the indicators of a good massage, anything else is not up to scratch, and considering many advanced techniques do break contact, use little lotion and don't use long strokes, he's virtually saying use of any such techniques make it a bad massage. With those requirements in a massage, there are probably going to be challenges finding a therapist that can deliver what all that Ace wants.
Breaking contact here and there is fine and acceptable. Breaking contact every five seconds to get more lotion, walk around the table, adjust the music, adjust the sheets....it's just amazing that my last two therapists could do so little in 90 minutes. Maybe I should just ask for a sports massage or Swedish, thought I thought I did ask for a combo of Swedish/therapeutic. As for Thai massage, I've had it done and thought it is different, that's really good for my fibromyalgia. But I also like to relax as well and get some therpeutic massage work. As for lotion, it may just be the type of lotion. Some times you can use a lotion or oil where you don't have to use a lot but it glides. Others are rough and make it feel like your skin is being grabbed at...
As for having good therapists and me appreciating the work, I've already had good 90 minute massages, but the one therapist got pregant and the other one is too far away...
I apologize for calling reiki "fraud". That was a bit strong. For me personally, I just don't believe it has any beneficial effects...I don't know what I think about this whole "if you don't believe in it it won't work." I just think therapists shouldn't incorporate it into a Swedish massage.
Just as an aside to the suggestions others have made, it sounds to me like the hands being held still over the sheet is to do with introductory holds, rather than any 'healing' techniques. Some people are taught in their training to perform simple holding moves before moving on to work on the body as a way of calming the client and introducing them to the touch of the therapist. It's really nice and effective, ^if^ it's used properly and not for large chunks of the massage! And I agree, that the kind of breaking contact you refer to sounds like sloppy practice to me.
I hope you find a therapist you click with better - and don't forget, it's ok to give feedback during the massage, if you feel you need more work in a particular area, or lighter or deeper pressure.
Is Reiki fraud?
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