When i had my Reiki 1 attunment, my master asked us if we had any high blood pressure problems, as we all said no she didn't go further into this, now i have just had my eyes tested and the optitian noticed that in my left eye i have two blood vessels pressing on each other, and she said that this could be an indication of high bp she advises me to go to the doctors for a blood pressure test,
so was just wondering if there are any contra indications between Reiki and high blood pressure.
There really aren't ANY contra-indications to Reiki!!!!
Too many Masters spread too many myths about Reiki and so-called contra-indications. By so doing they do not follow the second precept by deliberately causing their students to worry.
SO..............please don't worry, also don't be angry with your Master, respect their opinions (even though they are misguided), work hard at your Reiki self-treatments and those of others and be grateful that you have dispelled all of the worrying myths about Reiki and can use it on yourself and others for EVERYTHING. (Now where have I heard all of that before???).
I hope you don’t mind another input on this subject.
Firstly, and foremost, please don’t worry Hawkwind. The fact that you may have high blood pressure will not be affected by your recent attunement. As Paul says, there are no contra-indications with use of the Reiki energy. The Reiki works by bringing your energy system back into balance thereby creating a nurturing holistic state to allow the body to heal itself. As such, there can be no conflict and hence no contra-indication.
It should be noted, however, that this is only true providing the treatment or attunement is performed in a completely “hands-off” way. If hands are ever placed on the head or body then contra-indications can be produced. As an example, if hands are placed on the top of the head during a treatment then pressure – albeit slight - is being placed on the Governing Vessel Meridian. Many therapies regard pressure to the GV20 (on the top of the head) as unwise if the client has high blood pressure. It’s also widely known to be an area to avoid in the latter stages of pregnancy. It was probably for this reason that the question was asked.
It is also worthy of note that Reiki can produce a 21 day detoxification process in some individuals, referred to by some as a “Healing Crisis” (we prefer the term Energy Alignment Process, or EAP, as this causes far less alarm). The process is completely safe for the individual as it is merely a result of the energy balancing process. This does not mean that the effects do not appear distressing to that person either in a physical or emotional way. If the recipient of the energy isn’t warned of this “contra-indication” they could believe that they are genuinely ill and go to their GP thus receiving unnecessary medication that could do them harm in itself.
We do live in a very reactive society. It is the responsibility of the Teacher, to not only inform in a gentle but thorough way, but also to protect the student, ensuring that they have all the relevant information to prevent over-reaction to a well documented effect. This is particularly important in a professional, therapeutic environment.
I hope that this has helped to clarify things and thank you for the opportunity to do so.
I was concerned to read the following as no one has ever mentioned it to me. Can you please advise - I place my hands on my mums head and she suffers from high blood pressure. Should I miss doing her head altogether - what would be safest? "If hands are ever placed on the head or body then contra-indications can be produced. As an example, if hands are placed on the top of the head during a treatment then pressure – albeit slight - is being placed on the Governing Vessel Meridian. Many therapies regard pressure to the GV20 (on the top of the head) as unwise if the client has high blood pressure."
Thanks for your input - BUT yet another WORRY about the use of Reiki.
I repeat there are NO contra-indications about using Reiki - whether it be hands-on or hands-off on any part of the body or whatever the condition.
I do however agree that a Reiki treatment MIGHT - repeat MIGHT - generate a worsening of someone's condition immediately following a treatment (the so-called 'healing crisis' or 'aggravation' or 'contra-action' - three names for the same thing [never heard of 'Energy Alignment Process' (EAP) - yet another name]). It is prudent to explain this probability to clients at their very first treatment and to request that, if they do feel worse following a treatment and are worried, they should either phone you, their therapist, or their Doctor if they are really concerned. The length of any healing crisis which MIGHT occur depends on the person undergoing it. Some only last between one and four days and only very occasionally do they last longer. 21 days does seem to be excessive and if anything lasts this long it might be that another condition has been encountered that started co-incidentally following the initiating Reiki treatment and a visit to the client's doctor might be in order.
surely to have an effect on the merdian pressure points, one would have to pinpoint the exact point and exert rather more pressure than just resting on of hands, as most people that do hands on reiki would do?
by the same token, as the body has pressure points all over it, we should never actually touch at all... for fear of *doing something*!
Please don’t be alarmed. The incidence of problems related to physical stimulation of the GV20 is very low. The very fact that you have treated your mother before with no ill effects is a good indication that you are unlikely to cause any harm. I suggest that you continue to treat as normal but that when treating the top of her head you don’t actually touch the scalp but treat an inch or so above. This will still allow the energetic treatment of the GV20 and head meridians, which is completely safe. If, however, you are still unsure then go by the old adage: “If in doubt, don’t do it”.
The reason you haven’t heard of this before is that such information is not taught in some Reiki training so many Practitioners are unaware of it. It is taught, however, in a large number of other Complementary Therapies where the incidence has been noted. So it is only prudent for those in a professional therapeutic capacity to know of it so that they may safeguard their clients to the best of their abilities.
I hope that I haven’t offended you in any way as that was not my intention. I was merely expressing my professional opinion.
You state in your reply “there are NO contra-indications about using Reiki…” You then go on to say “a Reiki treatment MIGHT - repeat MIGHT - generate a worsening of someone's condition…” This, by its very nature, IS a contra-indication.
I also think I should to clarify the 21 day period mentioned in my last posting. The body undergoes a physiological cleansing process after a treatment or attunement that takes 21 days to complete. The chemicals released by such a treatment can sometimes cause a number of physical, emotional and psychological effects. This is not experienced by everyone and does not mean that someone will experience these effects for 21 days. It does mean that someone can experience these effects at any time during this 21 day period. They may undergo the effects for 3-4 days at the beginning of the period or they may not experience anything for a couple of weeks and then develop them. They may even develop different effects for short periods throughout this time, it really depends upon the individual. The 21 day period just refers to the period in which a healing crisis can occur.
could you explain more to us regarding the worry you have over GV20 and hands on during reiki? (i did ask before.... <g>.
my understanding of pressure point therapy is that pressure needs to be applied in far more of way than one would exert during reiki... would you agree?
it occurred to me that your reiki master may well have *picked* up on the high BP thing during attunements, but perhaps couldnt pinpoint its source and so asked.
as at that time, no one was aware of high BP, the master may have just shrugged it off as mixed signals of some sort. did they actually say why they had asked? or have you assumed it was for health contra indication reasons?
Hi Rosie, no she didn't say why she asked, she just said to the four of us before we had our 1st Attunment does anyone here have bp problems, the other three people with me were all in there teens, i was the oldest there. never thought that she may have picked it up [sm=scratchchin.gif] anyway untill i have mine checked on tuesday i still don't know myself.
Just to let you know that I have no worry regarding the GV20 meridian point. I merely used this as an illustration to show that contraindications can come about in a treatment environment, not through the use of Reiki itself, but through the techniques in which it can be administered.
For example, we recently organised a reiki-fest in the local area. One of the Practitioners who volunteered to help used a technique during a seated treatment that involved resting the weight of her hands and arms on her thumbs while treating the top of the head. This was the way she had been taught by her own Reiki master and was unaware that pressure applied to this point could be in any way contraindicatory. If you treat someone with a cranial shunt and are unaware that it is there it could be disturbed during the use of the normal hand positions – not the fault of the Reiki, just the technique employed at that time.
It has also been my personal experience that different Practitioners have different views on what constitutes “a light touch”. Some can be decidedly heavy handed in their techniques. Also, bear in mind that, in some Reiki practices, the use of meridian massage is employed – actively stimulating the meridian points.
It is because of this wide variety of techniques that knowledge brought from other disciplines can be of benefit to all. The very individual nature of the therapy we practice is its greatest strength. By being aware of possible problem areas during a treatment routine we maximise the safety and well-being of our clients which should always be our highest priority.
There is absolutely no reason why you shouldn't 'go for' your Reiki 2.
It will give you greater tools to use in your own healing - and that of others.
AND Osiris, I cannot accept that the possibility of a healing crisis (or contra-action) is a contra-indication to treatment. To me, any reaction to treatment, including a healing crisis if one occurs, is a sign that the treatment has been beneficial to, and is working for the improvement of, my client's condition.
Also your example of the worries you deny having over the GV20 meridian point may spread further alarm and worry into the Reiki community. As has been said before, it requires very accurate knowledge to locate meridian points and specific pressure on these points to activate them. Reiki does not, even with a heavy-handed person, produce the specific point pressure on any meridian point. It is not a meridian point therapy.
Reiki and Spiritual Healing are easy, gentle and simple therapies that cannot do harm to anyone or to any conditions that they may have.
I agree with Paul. On the basis of what Osiris is saying then we need to make sure that we do not touch anyone anywhere for fear of stimulating an acupuncture point.
As Paul says, Reiki is free from contraindications and is safe. Full stop.
Thankyou Paul on the other matter of hands i must say that it feels Natural to me to place my hands on the person i am treating, i also think it reasures them.
I'm a new to this forum but have been a Reiki master for about a year now.
I would like to say that I have read these forums with great interest as a guest and have come across a great deal of very useful information and viewpoints. What concerns me is the tone displayed in this one!
I realise that newcomers to the therapy do have worries and concerns regarding "new ground" and should be able to find reassurance and answers from their peers. That does not mean they should be wrapped in cottonwool and told "there, there, there".
Nowhere in Osiris's postings do I read that he says Reiki is unsafe. In fact he goes out of his way to say "there are no contra-indications with use of the Reiki energy." a direct quote!
He just says to be careful in the way you do it. I personally, wouldn't put my hands directly on a burn or unsupported broken bone because it would cause my client a great deal of pain - a "contraindication" - that's commonsense. To say that there are none when there blatantly are is definitely "misguided".
I would resectfully suggest that members read ALL of a postings content and not just the bits they find palatable or interesting.
It strikes me that Osiris has done quite a bit of research into not only Reiki but other forms of Complementary Medicine as well as a good helping of mainstream Anatomy and Physiology. He has then drawn some very valid conclusions as a result. These should be carefully considered and not rejected out-of-hand because they haven't been "handed-down-from-on-high".
I also bring to your attention an excerpt from the terms and conditions of this forum:
"All members have the right to their own ideas, beliefs and faiths . Members have the right to express these with equal respect and consideration."
Respect Osiris's viewpoints. They have as much validity as your own. As a moderator Paul, you should be aware of that.
Please keep these forums as a place for all to air their views, not just a few.
Firstly, may I say that I seem to have caused quite a debate – This was not my intent, as I only posted a reply in the first instance to express another point of view. I’m also rather amazed at the fact this debate is going on, Paul, as you are talking to the converted. I believe that Reiki Energy works for the highest good in all cases, I also believe that a possible healing crisis leaves the client in better holistic health than prior to its occurrence.
My point here is that contraindications do exist in the techniques that we have attached to Reiki practice. Many have jumped on my point about the GV20. Just because it may be wise to avoid the GV20, in certain situations and treatment types, this does not mean that you should avoid touching all together.
Referring to my previous mail – what if somebody has a cranial shunt? This could be disturbed by a hands-on treatment, although it does not mean that you mustn’t treat the chest, abdomen, or feet – that is just plain silly logic!
By the same token, can anybody on this forum say, categorically, without a shadow of a doubt, that it is impossible for a Reiki Practitioner to physically stimulate the GV20 in a Reiki treatment?
Fear and worry come from lack of knowledge. Highlighting areas where knowledge is, in reality, down to belief and point of view, does not cause fear and worry, it shows us where we need to look in order to grow and develop our knowledge. You, Paul have no more validity to say that there are no contraindications in Reiki, than I do to say there are. It is belief and perspective at play here – not fact! Nobody in this particular level of being is qualified at the moment to say there is definitive evidence one way or the other.
In my Reiki classes, I teach that Reiki only ever does good for whoever uses it. I also teach that there may be some contraindications in way Reiki is practiced – for example: the Hara Breathing of HatsuReiHo is contraindicatory in the latter stages of pregnancy. Be aware of cranial shunts when treating the head, ensure that clients with back pain are well supported on the treatment couch, advise clients of a possible healing crisis, and so on.
I also state, when asked, that some pressure points are contraindicatory – not to rouse fear, but to empower people and enable them to make their own decisions. If they know that there “may” be issues with GV20, they can make their own decisions as to whether to treat in that particular place! In teaching this, I believe I stop fear and worry – as people can see both sides of the fence and therefore make there own decisions about where to sit!
To make a blanket statement covering all practitioners, all situations and all treatment types denies people the motivation to look further. Encouraging people to find their own truth, is not causing worry: it is causing evolution – taking us to places where we can find our own perspective of Universal Energy, rather than being told one person’s perspective. I wonder how many people who read these posts have been spurred into going out and finding information regarding meridians, pressure points and the GV20? I wonder what would have happened if the forum had just stated that everything’s all right and there’s no need to worry about anything?
I understand that there is much “scaremongering” in the Reiki community – does this come from – “There may be issues surrounding the GV20 and High Blood Pressure”, or “Well, if you can’t touch that part of the body, does this mean you can’t touch the body entirely?” One of these examples is simply expressing a person’s point of view in a rational and “contained” way; one is dismissing that point of view as invalid, without consideration, or respect for another’s beliefs.
And finally, Paul, you state that Reiki is not a Meridian Point Therapy – why then do we “connect the circuit” if not to stimulate our own meridian system and thus, increase the “flow” of Reiki? Reiki Practices are based on the meridian system, hence “Meridian” Mas
High Blood Pressure
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