Reiki Vs. Therapeutic Touch

I am often asked what the difference is between Reiki and other biofield energy healing methods like Therapeutic Touch.

Both therapies involve a gentle approach using hands, and the balancing of the recipients energy field, but the origin and techniques used are different.

Reiki is a Japanese healing practice, and Usui Reiki was founded in 1922 by Mikao Usui. This method works with “Reiki” which means “Universal Energy”, and involves gentle touch, hovering hands or beaming energy to the recipient.

The practitioner is given Reiki symbols (called attunements/ignitions) during specialised training. These symbols are energetic blueprints which are stored in the practitioners aura (their personal energy field). The symbols enable Reiki practitioners to hold strong intentions, access the refined energy more easily, and to tune the energy for different healing purposes (like pressing a button on a radio to access a certain frequency).

Reiki bypasses the personal energy of the practitioner, which means rather than using the practitioners own vital energy supply, the practitioner is also energised during a session with a recipient, and does not transfer their own energy.

In order to practice Reiki, you will need to receive training and attunements from a qualified Reiki Master Teacher, who can prove their lineage to Mikao Usui.

I am a fully qualified Reiki Master Teacher in Usui Holy Fire III Reiki, and I am registered with The Reiki Association. I offer Reiki Classes to teach Reiki to others and give them the attunements/ignitions – Level 1, 2 and Master Level. You can view my lineage on request. I am fully insured to work with clients.

Therapeutic Touch (TT) is a technique founded in the 1970s in the USA by Dolores Krieger and Dora Kunz. It does not involve any symbols – the practitioner uses their hands to hover over the recipients body, working with the human energy field.

It requires lots of practice and mental focus. Working with the practitioners own vital energy means that sometimes the energy levels of the practitioner can be used up during a session with a recipient. It is a great method for Practitioners who do not want energetic symbols inserted into their energy field.

Anyone can learn and practice TT – you don’t have to be “spiritual” or be naturally sensitive to energy – energy sensitivity is something anyone can develop through awareness, focus and practice. I recommend reading the book Therapeutic Touch by Dolores Krieger which is available on Amazon.

TT is common in hospitals and clinical settings, although Reiki is now becoming increasingly popular in these settings too, especially in palliative and cancer wards at hospitals like St Georges in London.

No matter what method a practitioner works with, we are using energy that ultimately originates from the energy that sustains our entire planet and everything on it – the Sun. It is said Reiki practitioners tap into an infinite reservoir of vital energy that the sun constantly pumps into our atmosphere, whilst TT works with this energy once it has already been taken in by the human energy field, either by absorption (skin) or consumption (plants).

Both methods have been shown in clinical reviews to significantly reduce anxiety, pain intensity, and stress while improving sleep quality and overall well-being.