by Fiona Smith

Created on: October 23, 2009   Last Updated: October 24, 2009

As is true for all sentient Beings, Reiki is capable of providing for children the same basic healing benefits it offers to adults. The five tenants of Reiki are embedded in these benefits:

a) a sense of well-being ("do not worry")

b) comfortable receiving energy & open to being well or healed ("trust")

c) a sense of personal calm & thankfulness ("do not anger" & "gratitude")

d) a sense of personal wellness ("respect and be kind to yourself and your neighbour")

Reiki claims to be able to heal any and all ailments; as well as to do no harm. If adults, as sentient Beings, are capable of receiving the benefits of Reiki, and if children are also sentient Beings , then it would stand to reason that children are also capable of reaping the same benefits of Reiki as do adults. Perhaps more so, if some cultures and some New Age thinkers are correct and if children are in fact more 'open' and receptive to 'energy' prior to the age of 7 or 8. We are not asked here, to discuss whether children should or should not be 'attuned' and taught how to 'give Reiki' to others. We are not asked to discuss whether Reiki is a viable system of healing. We are asked to discuss the benefits of Reiki for children.

A typical Reiki session is comprised of the client either sitting or standing while the practitioner places his/her hands on or over the client. Various schools of Reiki teach various ways in which to work on a client, with either specified hand movements or; intuitive placement of the hands on, or over, the client. If the Reiki precept that a client will only 'take' as much energy as s/he requires is true, then it doesn't matter whether the client is an Adult or a child. A client sharing energy with the practitioner is still a client. The Reiki practitioner, as with an adult, will still need to seek permission as to whether the practitioner may do Reiki on the child client and if they may touch the child client.

Reiki, whether it is a valid system of energy medicine/healing (as numerous clients and practitioners attest) or is a medicine (as some studies suggest) that creates a 'placebo' effect in clients, offers to children the same basic benefits that it offers to adults. Since energy is indiscriminate, everyone is capable of benefiting from a Reiki session or ongoing treatments.

Learn more about this author, Fiona Smith.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.