What is the difference between Reiki and energy healing?

Energy healing is the collective name for all healing categories with the core logic of "regulating the state of the physical, mental and spiritual energy fields", and Reiki is a subdivision of energy healing with a clear origin, fixed inheritance path, and standardized operating framework.

I have been involved in the healing industry for almost ten years. When I first entered the industry, I also confused the boundaries between the two. I also made a lot of jokes: I was attending an energy healing workshop for novices. At the beginning, I raised my hand and asked the teacher if he could teach Reiki symbols. I was laughed at by the veteran students next to me for a long time - the theme of that day was shamanic wind element cleansing, which was a completely different system of energy healing content, which was completely different from Reiki.

The boundary between the two is actually quite controversial in the current circle. Most orthodox Reiki masters who strictly adhere to the inheritance will emphasize that only after being formally enlightened by Usui Reiki, able to access the exclusive cosmic life energy, and following the usage regulations of Reiki symbols during operation, can it be called Reiki healing. Otherwise, it can only be regarded as generalized energy cleansing at best, and it cannot be regarded as orthodox Reiki. There are also many practitioners who are more practical-oriented and feel that there is no need to dig into the name. No matter what kind of energy is invoked or what tools are used, as long as it can help the patient clear energy blockages and relieve emotional or physical discomfort, it is effective energy healing. It does not matter whether it is called Reiki or not.

Let me tell you a real case I encountered. Last year, a client came to me for Reiki healing. He said that he had seen a "Reiki master" for remote cleansing before, but after the treatment, he felt flustered for three days, and his chest was so tight that he couldn't breathe. Later, after chatting with him, I found out that the so-called Reiki master had never received systematic enlightenment at all. He had just taken a few online energy courses and learned some hand positions and cleaning methods before he dared to accept orders under the banner of Reiki. After her first orthodox Reiki treatment at my place, she came out and said that her chest, which had been blocked for several days, was much more relaxed. Later, she went to learn the first level of Reiki and realized that people who have not been initiated are mostly consuming their own life energy when doing healing, and when the energy frequency is unstable, it will be disturbed. The energy field of the individual case, which is why orthodox Reiki regards attunement as a necessary threshold for entry, while many broad categories of energy healing, such as crystal healing and singing bowl healing, rely on the inherent energy of the tool, and the inheritance requirements for the operator themselves are not so strict.

In fact, if you give a very popular analogy, you will understand. Energy healing is like the entire category of "drinks". Whether it is milk tea, coffee, freshly squeezed juice or sparkling water, as long as it is a liquid drink used to replenish moisture and adjust the taste, Reiki is equivalent to the "freshly ground American coffee". It must use qualified roasted coffee beans and be extracted through a high-pressure coffee machine to be called orthodox freshly ground American coffee. No matter how similar the taste of instant powder is, it cannot be regarded as a serious freshly ground American. Of course, if you add syrup, milk cap, and concentrated shots to American, it is still American in essence, but it is just superimposed with other ingredients. Just like many reiki masters will use crystals, singing bowls, and flower essences when doing healing. The core is still reiki healing, but other auxiliary means of energy healing are superimposed.

For ordinary people who want to experience it, there is no need to worry too much about whether what they are doing is Reiki or generalized energy healing. The most important thing is to find a reliable practitioner, clearly state your demands in advance, and try it once or twice to see how your body feels. After all, no matter what the healing method, the core criteria are to feel comfortable and have positive feedback.