In the world of holistic therapies, every resource we are about to use has a multidimensional effect on the person. It may have a bigger impact on one aspect than on others, but all of them should be involved, and any of those effects must be taken in consideration before applying the therapy and thereafter when taking the conclusions and results of it.
Reiki is a laying on of hands’ healing technique with roots in the Japanese culture, in which the therapist turns into a channel of a specific healing energy, which is projected through hands after drawing an imaginary symbol in the air. The most basic and also most famous one of these symbols is the Chokurei.
The center of the practice and therapeutic effects is in the laying on of hands, and we won’t be talking about a Reiki session without this practice. What we mean with this is that Reiki Music itself isn’t a real Reiki therapy. This doesn’t mean that Reiki Music doesn’t work to heal body, mind and soul, but that it may work by itself as un-specific music therapeutic resource only
Choosing the best Reiki Music
If we want to consider any music as Reiki Music, we must be clear about some specific aspects that will determinate that the track is valid for this therapy as background music, which is the correct use of this kind of art: as a complementary tool to improve the effectiveness of the main therapeutic resource. These specific elements are:
Ease both patient and therapist’s relaxation: This instruction may sound obvious, but not all the music considered as relaxing is useful for this. For example, some chanted songs and Mantras that are usually relaxing may not work as Reiki music, as the patient who hears it may feel uncomfortable and keep resistant to the process by cultural differences or just by trying to ‘understand’ the Mantra or feel any effect. The best idea is using music with natural sounds, Tibetan bowls, didgeridoos or even better, with Japanese and Eastern-Asia instruments. Keep playing it at a low/moderate volume and with stereo-speakers if possible.
Focus music you use on the therapeutic objective: Besides promoting relaxation and removing psychological resistance to the process, you should count with a wide repertoire in your pocket to adapt the Reiki music you use to the main problem the patient brings to therapy, or what you’re trying to heal in that session on the patient (or in yourself if you are doing Auto-Reiki). Tracks with birds and wind sounds will work great to heal the Fourth Chakra and peace of mind. Wave sounds and water drums/sticks are very useful to work on the Second Chakra and the expression of the emotions and feelings. Finally, music with soft drums and didgeridoos are commonly associated to healing of the First Chakra.
Add timers or use music with time markers (included in the track or mentally set by yourself): As it’s very usual to spend specific periods of time on every Chakra or zone in Reiki, a really good help for the therapist is to add timers or even better -to reduce unnecessary stimuli-, use tracks you know well enough to recognize the right moments to make the shifts (for example: periods of 3 minutes each).
Try not to repeat short tracks during the same session: Unless the patient is really relaxed, it could be uncomfortable to use repeated short tracks. In the same way, if that patient persists to several sessions, use more tracks so they won’t get bored. Even for yourself, in case you practice Auto-Reiki, as the mind could develop tolerance (resistance) to the same music.
How Reiki music heals the body, mind and soul
As you join therapeutic music to the healing process of Reiki, the effects of both techniques get amplified if well combined. In the case of Reiki Music, its benefits are:
Spiritual healing: As most of this music uses sounds and instruments related to the origin of the universe (gongs and Tibetan Bowls) and nature, Reiki music brings you closer to your spirit and original identity, which is the base for real happiness and the manifestation of your Inner Power, to be more self-confident every day.
Emotional benefits: With a well-done Reiki therapy, this music helps you to relieve the emotional blockages that kept you away from the plenitude of your Soul. Meditating with this music helps you to remember that emotions are just physical reactions that help us to react efficiently to the stimuli we perceive, and they are not meant to control our mind.
Physical healing with Reiki music: even though Reiki is a holistic practice, its effects –as well as the effects of its music- are better concentrated on the spiritual, mental and emotional self. Its impact on the physical body is indirect, by healing those dimensions first mentioned. Reiki music may have a direct physical effect on the body if you play Bowls or any other therapeutic instrument during the sessions or if your sound equipment is good enough, as well as the acoustics of the room to play the right tracks at a high volume without being disturbed. This way, the impact of the reverberation of this music in the body will optimize the effectiveness of your whole Reiki practice.