Reiki Healers what do you think about them

[ginageorge]

I have heard a lot about Reiki for horses and know a couple of people who have had a Reiki lady come out to their horses one being a friend of mine and the things the Reiki lady told them was amazing things that she couldnt have possibly known about their horses it was quite spooky to be honest well iam thinking about having a Reiki Healer come out to see Beauty and i was just wondering what everyones views are on the subject and if any of you have had a Reiki Healer to see your horse

[*Sez*]

I'm a Reiki healer :)
I started out several years ago having Reiki for my disability, and it was incredible. I was attuned to Level One by my Reiki Master in 2006 and haven't looked back since. I've had some great experiences with it, both on people and on animals. One of the most rewarding was on one of my parents ducks :p She is really quite neurotic, and would rather run away than have to be handled by people. After a short Reiki session using distance healing, she fell asleep in my lap :D

Saying that, I rarely use Reiki on my own horse, although he loves it when other Reiki healers come out to see him. Reiki was a great help when he was having back problems, but he seems worried by the energy coming from me when I turn it on. My Reiki Master, however, turns him to putty within minutes!

I know that there are, as with all forms of alternate healing, some sceptics out there and I'm not here to "convert" anyone or convince you. I know it works for me, and the people I have used Reiki on feel the difference and are surprised when I can tell them where their aches and pains are. My partner was a sceptic at first and now loves a Reiki session - he can feel the difference between the Reiki "turned on" and just my hands on him. I think these things are always worth a try to see if it works for you. At the moment, I'm starting to really dabble in crystal healing as well, which means I have an even better excuse for collecting nice crystals and semi-precious stones :D

[Skippys Mum]

Read Fanshawe's Free Reiki post. She is incredible. She has literally worked miracles with Arnie AND me

[sancho]

Read Fanshawe's Free Reiki post. She is incredible. She has literally worked miracles with Arnie AND me

Second that!

[eventerbabe]

i think a lot of people have the wrong idea about reiki. It isn't really 'speaking' to horses, it is channeling positive energy and allowing the horse to use it where and when it needs it. I'm doing my practisioners course later this year but i do regularly use reiki on my own horse and anyone else who wants to volunteer theirs for the purposes of education and training ;) i saw it work miracles with my first pony. after 45 minutes she went from a shuffling wreck to a prancing pony! something released through her hind quarters and she was a totally different pony. I use it on my cob primarily as a relaxation technique as he chills out completely. But we had a fascinating experience late last week where he actually presented me with his off fore leg as if to say "mum, i need some help down here". The reactions of horses to reiki really can be quite awesome :)

[*Sez*]

i think a lot of people have the wrong idea about reiki. It isn't really 'speaking' to horses, it is channeling positive energy and allowing the horse to use it where and when it needs it. I think this misconception is because some Reiki healers also do animal communication. I've noticed a few animal communicators also advertising themselves as Reiki healers on their websites, but they only seem to offer the communication, which, as you said, is a completely different thing.

[Wally]

I reserve judgement until I have tried it and it's done something for me.

[old_woman]

I'm a shuffling wreck, but a mug of hot gluehwein and the presence of a suntanned muscular young ski-instructor (preferably blond, blue eyed and Nordic) will turn me into a very fresh filly indeed.

The question is, eventerbabe, for how long did the Prancing Pony effect last?

My fresh filly effect lasts while I remain in the presence of said ski-instructor, although sometimes it does need to be boosted with another mug of gluehwein or some jaeger-tee ...

[Portia]

Tried Reiki, didn't do a thing for me - I can be a tad cynical.
Tried acupuncture - THAT worked (neck pain), three sessions and greatly reduced pain.

[mistysmum]

I had some experience of it a few years ago for lower back pain. Found it did help but as Old Woman indicates I feel it had short term effects. However, perhaps if I had kept the appointments. *sigh*
A horse at a centre I was at some years ago had quite a few sessions and he certainly seemed a lot calmer when being ridden out in company - this was almost impossible before so - take from it what you will
;)MM

[old_woman]

I had some experience of it a few years ago for lower back pain. Found it did help but as Old Woman indicates I feel it had short term effects. However, perhaps if I had kept the appointments.

I had some experience of aspirin/paracetamol a few years ago for lower back pain. Found it did help, but I feel it had short term effects. However, perhaps if I had kept taking it ...

I am not disputing that Reiki might appear to work, at least temporarily. The mind is a very powerful organ. I would almost certainly have felt just as much benefit to my lower back pain had I taken a placebo short-term instead of aspirin or paracetamol.

[Skippys Mum]

I am not disputing that Reiki might appear to work, at least temporarily. The mind is a very powerful organ. I would almost certainly have felt just as much benefit to my lower back pain had I taken a placebo short-term instead of aspirin or paracetamol.


But animals surely would not respond to a placebo would they. I appreciate that with humans this could be the case but although you can perhaps tell a human "this is going to work, you will feel xyz" and they will believe you, you cannot do this with an animal.

My horse has responded extremely well to Reiki and I am delighted with this. If he has to have repeated sessions then that will be fine as I dont expect all his problems to be sorted in one session. It would be unreasonable to assume that any other alternative or traditional methods would necessarily work on one session alone so I wouldn't expect it from reiki.

[old_woman]

But animals surely would not respond to a placebo would they. I appreciate that with humans this could be the case but although you can perhaps tell a human "this is going to work, you will feel xyz" and they will believe you, you cannot do this with an animal.

My horse has responded extremely well to Reiki and I am delighted with this. If he has to have repeated sessions then that will be fine as I dont expect all his problems to be sorted in one session. It would be unreasonable to assume that any other alternative or traditional methods would necessarily work on one session alone so I wouldn't expect it from reiki.


As I wrote in my post, I do not dispute that it (Reiki) may work at times. As I said, the mind is a powerful thing. So is aspirin. So is acupuncture and hypnosis. So are placebos. However, it would be interesting to see some peer-reviewed double-blind controlled trials (of Reiki) of sufficient size to be statistically significant. Mere anecdotal evidence, although interesting, does not cut it for me, I am afraid.

And yes, the placebo effect certainly does occur in animals, although the literature is relatively sparse.

From The Placebo Response by Howard Brody:
"The placebo response exists in other animals besides humans. Rats can develop simple expectations based upon classical conditioning. In the 1980's Dr. Robert Adler did an experiment in which he gave rats an immune system suppressing drug called cyclophosphamide combined with the artificial sweetener saccarine on various classical conditioning schedules. When the training was complete and the rats only received saccarine their immune system decrease was almost as strong as with cyclophosphamide!"

also see
http://www.actavetscand.com/content/46/2/57
for a different type of placebo response in a companion animal.

[Wally]

Tried accupuncture, had excelent results.

[eventerbabe]

I'm a shuffling wreck, but a mug of hot gluehwein and the presence of a suntanned muscular young ski-instructor (preferably blond, blue eyed and Nordic) will turn me into a very fresh filly indeed.

The question is, eventerbabe, for how long did the Prancing Pony effect last?

My fresh filly effect lasts while I remain in the presence of said ski-instructor, although sometimes it does need to be boosted with another mug of gluehwein or some jaeger-tee ...

she was transformed for the next 3 months til she died of grass sickness. You obviously have never seen a reiki practitioner at work. Horses (and cats come to that) are particularly sensitive to energies and auras. There are some horses, like sez describes, who really don't like it when you get hands on so you just don't. Others zone out completely and find it a relaxing experience. And as i've seen in the past it can have a dramatic effect. I was sceptical until i saw the results on my own pony with my own eyes. I've also seen sessions that have had no impact at all. It depends on how receptive the subject is. I've also treated many, many human patients who volunteered for me during my level 1 and insist i keep going back to them. One gets no physical benifit but finds it incredibly relaxing. The other has not long had a baby, i treated her before and after the birth and again, she finds it so relaxing she zones out. The way i always describe reiki to people is that it can be (as most people find it) a relaxation technique but people can and do feel physical benifits. My reiki master worked in the USA treating cancer patients (who were in remission) for many years after training under william rand.

Please don't preach science to me. I'm not some inscence waving hippy, i'm actually a scientist (specialising in bone and osteoarthritic/osteoporotic spatial and chemical changes within the bone with a BSc, MSc by research and just about to complete a PhD) so am a natural sceptic with a very analytical mind. I suggest you reserve judgement til you've actually seen a reiki therapst at work.

[tango'smum]

i am starting a reiki coures at the end of the month.

[jenmac_85]

I have had Reiki once and found it a strange experience (but then again that was about 5 years ago and I didn't fully understand what it was and how it worked).

There seems to be an increase in people who are using as an alternative approach to contemporary medicine as most things have failed them. These people seems to be experiencing better results. I may get it again as I don't mind giving thingsa a second chance.

Wouldn't mind seeing it in action on a horse thoughy and to see its effect.

[Janice Corbett]

A yard near to me has 30 something owners on it. 26 of them have passed their Reiki 'qualifications'. Soon we will only need to ride past the yard for all of us to be instantly and remarkably healed!!

[eventerbabe]

A yard near to me has 30 something owners on it. 26 of them have passed their Reiki 'qualifications'. Soon we will only need to ride past the yard for all of us to be instantly and remarkably healed!!

ah, but what qualifications? if they've done their level 1 then that's just the starting point, and equine training is often not included in these generic courses you see advertised. Word of mouth is the best way to find someone to teach you.

My mum has been battling with a severely damaged finger after dislocating it twice. Intensive, private physiotherapy and accupuncture did nothing to help. She's now well on the road to recovery after starting bowen and reiki sessions. Just goes to show that even the more highly thought of therapies like accupuncture do not help everyone. Reiki is not going to harm a person or an animal, hence i don't see an issue with people giving it a try if they want to. And just to add i don't actually charge for my services so am certainly not in it for the money ;)

[rubysmum]

at the risk of sounding cynical [who me - surely not lol] i am suspicious of any therapy where qualifications are gained in a v short time - as can be the case with reiki & NLP - i am not for a moment wisdhing to insult those - like my mum who trained as an aromotherapist & yoga theraspist on a full time course with international level qualifications for 2 yrs - a wk end course may be intersting to help someone understand the thinking behind an approach but surely cannot qualify anyone to treat other people [or horses]

[sancho]

Hmm... if it works for you then great, enjoy it.

You must remember that if you go into these alternative therapies with a view that it wont work or is unlikely to work, then you are creating a barrier and you wont be open to the change.

Fanshaw has given my horse two reiki sessions and she is transformed from a stressy mare who hates being stabled for any length of time to one that has been happy staying in for four days without the usual pacing and climbing the walls.

NLP worked for me, wasnt really expecting it too but it transformed my riding confidence almost instantly. If I had started my session feeling negative about it then would it have worked?

Having said that, if therapies like NLP are based on changing your mind set to positive thought then thats no bad thing. Personally it was £20 well spent for a year of riding I couldnt have had on my own, no matter how hard I tried.

As with everyhting, go in with an open mind and your eyes wide open, you never know!;)

[eventerbabe]

i certainly didn't just do a weekend course. We underwent our attunement and basic techniques in a weekend but were then sent out to work on our own for several months (5-6 months if memory serves me correct) to initially practise on ourselves and then do 12 case studies on volunteers. We had regular back up, advice and help from our instructor, which is why it's so vital you go to a proper professional who you can get on with. we then had a second weekend to discuss our case studies and do the equine part. We were then left with homework relating to the equine section. The back up and support provided by my teacher was second to none and she's only a call away at any time should we want advice. i really don't think reiki is something you can study intensely, it whacks me out completely. After my attunement i had to go for a lie down as i was so spaced out. You can do as my teahcer did and hone your skills working in a clinic but i don't think that oppertunity is readily availible here. I may be wrong. I've had to fine tune my skills through a bunch of fantastic human guinea pigs who let me practise on them. i get to further my skills and they get a free treatment :)

[Skippys Mum]

For the record, I told my vet that I had had Reiki treatments and not only was he not horrified - he believes it has therapeutic effects!! He is currently learning Shiatsu massage for horses:D.

Bottom line for me is horse was lame, arranged nerve blocks, got Reiki two days before the nerve blocking. Horse went to the vets and was completely sound. They couldnt block him as nothing was showing up!!! Even if this is only a temporary situation why would I object to it. I can get another session (in fact I am planning regular sessions) as and when I need it.

[Stella2]

Shiatsu Massage is a good massage of the meridian points (those used in Acupuncture) so it should be expected to produce some benefit. Reiki on the other hand is essentially the laying on of 'healing hands'. I don't want to offend anyone here, but there is no evidence for benefit from 'healers' and I just can't believe that it can produce a physical benefit, a short term psychological one maybe, but physical? No!

[old_woman]

You obviously have never seen a reiki practitioner at work
...Please don't preach science to me...
I suggest you reserve judgement til you've actually seen a reiki therapst at work.

(a) I don't PREACH science at anyone. I stated the generally acceptable method of confirming the effectiveness of a therapy of any form - peer-reviewed double-blinded controlled trials of sufficient size to be statistically significant. Many people - I am thinking in particular of non-scientists and those who have no involvement or interest in medical or veterinary research - may not be aware of this fact. However as a scientist yourself - you will certainly know this, and of course be aware of the method's problems and limitations. Unless perhaps this method has recently been superceded by another, though?
(b) The only "obvious" thing is that you know absolutely NOTHING about me, my interests or my previous career, or you would not have made the above remarks.
(c) Have there been any peer-reviewed double-blinded controlled trials of sufficient size to be statistically significant referencing the effects of Reiki?

[eventerbabe]

A quick google scholar search should show you that yes, valid studies have been done into the benifits. Olson et al did an extensive study into reiki and pain management in cancer patients in the US. I have it as a pdf file and am quite happy to email it to interested parties :) their major conclusion was that reiki relieves pain and improves quality of life when used in conjunction with the standard cancer treatments. Future work by this group is mentioned so when i have more time i shall see if i can find anything else they've published. Pat Kennedy published a rather moving paper on her work with torture victims from sarajevo and how reiki has helped their mental state. As she quotes in her paper, reiki is not a threat, it's an asset. A complimentary therapy that CAN assist in the physical and mental wellbeing of patients (both human and animal). So to dismiss it so out of hand is jumping the gun a bit. As i've said on this thread and others, i've seen impressive results with horses, my own included. If you want to dispute that then that's your perogative but you were not actually there to witness those events. If you don't believe in reiki then that's your bag, don't berrate those of us who have used and do practise this ancient technique. Anyone wanting a nice, gentle intro into what reiki is about take a look here. Website of my reiki master :)

http://www.physicalfengshui.com/reiki.htm

[Skippys Mum]

My horses are extremely well looked after and I will not let anyone near them who I would even suspect might harm them. Reiki has worked for me and my horse. For me that is a final judgement. Nothing I can be told will make me disbelieve the evidence in front of me. This, though, is my opinion. I do not expect everyone else to believe me.

One of the posters has stated that asprin only has a temporary effect. That doesn't mean that I wont use it again! Surely the same can work with Reiki.

We do not KNOW everything about this world we live in. With the best scientific background in the world we can only hope to know a small part of it. Just a few hundred years ago people would have sworn blind that the earth was flat. Leonardo ** Vinci was considered a heretic because he was a vegetarian homosexual who designed helicopters (and the worst part was the vegetarianism)!!

I would love to be so supremely confident of my knowledge that I would state that my beliefs were correct and everyone else was wrong. Fortunately I am sensible enough to realise that I DONT know everything. Hopefully, I would like to think that, even if I DID know everything, I wouldnt be so impolite as to force my views on others.

With regards to this thread, I am sure there are some dodgy "so called" reiki healers but I am also sure that there are many many more who are genuine. Personally, I will continue to use a resource which has been extremely effective for me.

[Stella2]

I agree that we should all respect the choices of other - each to their own. My feelings about it must be inevitably coloured by knowing someone local to me who has a great following as a NH woman and Reiki healer. She is though one of the least spiritually calm people I have met. She is more an uneducated, unqualified chav who has learned a good way to make a nice little living at the expense of others :mad:

I do find that some people have a good, calm, energy about them. Like a good Karma if you will. I am a scientist, but I also know that there is more to life and the world than we understand. I can accept that a small number of folk with a peaceful 'Karma' can have a peaceful and beneficial effect on others just by them being together quietly. I'm still doubtful about about Reiki, but I respect the rights of others to choose it :)

[Loopslou]

I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in November. My main "pressure"points of pain are my lower back and pelvi and hip area. I go regularly for waxing etc and my beautician had to stop one week because she is also qualified in Reiki and my back pain was causing her back to ache as she hadn't "switched" off completely.

I have now had a few reiki sessions with her and to say that emotionally and spiritually as well as pysically they have improved me it would be an understatement. I had a spiritual connection with close family who have "passed" in fact my dad wrecked havoc in my first session but she was able to put my mind to rest about things that there is no way on earth she could have known.

So basically, as a well known sceptic, don't knock it until you try it!

[james]

I have heard a lot about Reiki for horses and know a couple of people who have had a Reiki lady come out to their horses one being a friend of mine and the things the Reiki lady told them was amazing things that she couldnt have possibly known about their horses it was quite spooky to be honest well iam thinking about having a Reiki Healer come out to see Beauty and i was just wondering what everyones views are on the subject and if any of you have had a Reiki Healer to see your horse

My ex was a reiki healer and she tried it on my horse once. He and I both looked at her in confusion as to wtf she was doing. It certianly made no difference whatsoever.

[old_woman]

...As she quotes in her paper, reiki is not a threat, it's an asset... So to dismiss it so out of hand is jumping the gun a bit. As i've said on this thread and others, i've seen impressive results with horses, my own included. If you want to dispute that then that's your perogative

http://www.physicalfengshui.com/reiki.htm

I am puzzled. Where did I ever say that Reiki was "a threat", or "dismiss it out of hand"?

You quite clearly never read my posts - or perhaps you picked out selected bit of them to read. I have never disputed that Reiki may work with some conditions, some patients and some situations. We know perfectly well that aspirin - a well-respected drug with a lengthy history - offers SHORT TERM pain control for many conditions. I merely compared an earlier poster's experience with Reiki to the pain relief offered by aspirin.

Hower, I did ask, with regard to Reiki, not if there were anecdotal references - however moving and well-referenced - but to peer-reviewed controlled trials. I would be grateful to receive the PDF yoou mention. In what journal was it published?

[kturner]

Dont know too much about it, but I also have fibromyalgia, as well as oesteoarthritis, ME/CFS, hypernobile joints, snapped cruciate knee ligaments, and 7 fractured vertebrates. Yes I do ride, and No I'm not allowed to.

Listening to this discussion, loads of pills and doctors, now on 17 pills per day, I think I will try it. In spite of the other side of the discussion.

I will try anything to get my life back. Maybe us desperate people are just suckers, but would there be so many good comments on here if it was all rubbish.

I was married to a minister and am a strong christian, (hope that doesnt set off another heated one). Basically it is something I should not try but what the hell, its my life I have lost and want back.

Anyone in Sheffield got a recommendation. On disability.
Karen

[sancho]

kturner1@tiscal- That puts things into perspective.

Im sure Fanshawe wont mind me saying that she has been giving horses and some owners some reiki healing. PM her to see if she can give you a session.

I am so impressed with her.

Id love to know if it makes any difference to you.

You sound one very brave lady!:)

[kturner]

thanks sancho. hope she is near me, or maybe can do something long distance. pony needs help too. at least that is my perspective on him, he probably thinks he's ok.

[sancho]

She does her healing long distance. Cant rate her enough.

[Skippys Mum]

I'll also put my tuppence worth in for Fanshawe. She is amazing and has worked miracles with my little horse (and me:D).

[kturner]

just found the members list and sent a PM. hope she gets it. good to have recommentations. thanks

[sancho]

I'll also put my tuppence worth in for Fanshawe. She is amazing and has worked miracles with my little horse (and me:D).

Fanshawe Appreciation Society members!!! :D:D:D

[Skippys Mum]

If we become the Appreciation of Fanshawe Society, does that mean we WILL know our AFS from our elbow?:D

[Fanshawe]

LOL I so wish I'd realised that this thread was going before! Thank you Sancho and Skippy's mum, your support is much appreciated.

After years of experience and examples of it working I can no longer doubt that it does work. Unfortunately like every therapy/medicine/treatment it doesn't work with everyone and some have better reactions to it than others. The effect (like many treatments) can be temporary or permanent.

The most important thing to me is that it doesn't cause harm, have side effects, animals love it (horses tend to prefer hands off) and the least it has ever done with me is to make someone/horse etc feel relaxed. The most it has done with me is transformed their lives. Personally I don't care if I am deceiving myself and it is purely placebo. If it works and makes people/animals happier and healthier then I'm happy. :D

[*Sez*]

Personally I don't care if I am deceiving myself and it is purely placebo. If it works and makes people/animals happier and healthier then I'm happy. :D
Completely agree with you :) I've followed this thread with great interest, but since my intial post have kept my thoughts to myself. At the end of the day, many skeptics will never "believe" in the benefits of alternative healing (it wasn't too long ago that the majority pooh-poohed the idea of acupuncture). It's not my place to convert people, but to pass along information about things that have been useful for me and that I have found benefits in, which I've done.

kturner1@tiscal, I have hypermobile Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and I have found Reiki incredibly useful. I think it's worth giving it a try with an open mind.

[sancho]

Completely agree with you :) I've followed this thread with great interest, but since my intial post have kept my thoughts to myself. At the end of the day, many skeptics will never "believe" in the benefits of alternative healing (it wasn't too long ago that the majority pooh-poohed the idea of acupuncture). It's not my place to convert people, but to pass along information about things that have been useful for me and that I have found benefits in, which I've done.

Here, here

If we become the Appreciation of Fanshawe Society, does that mean we WILL know our AFS from our elbow?:D

RPFLOL - In my case K I wouldnt bank on it!!!!:D