Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T19:25:24Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 DissPCB.pdf: 3399891 bytes, checksum: 181bacf415ab7f80a88fa73ceee1c28c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2003-09-23 / Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais / Demonstrando como a consolidação das práticas alternativas pode traduzir o gradual deslocamento da problemática do indivíduo para a esfera das terapias, esta dissertação analisa o reiki, prática terapêutica alternativa cuja principal característica reside na adoção de concepções holistas do corpo, da doença e da própria pessoa . Evidenciando o processo de expansão e progressiva institucionalização dessa prática terapêutica, a etnografia dos espaços reikianos em Campinas/SP aponta para a reestruturação dos serviços oficiais de atenção à saúde, especialmente do campo da Psicologia, que ao fundamentar seu discurso na noção de indivíduo moderno passa a agregar o reiki à sua prática clínica.

M.A. / This paper presents a literature review on the effectiveness of complementary and alternative therapies (CAT’s) on depression with specific reference to Reiki and depression. The concept of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is explained. The use of complementary and alternative medicine is widespread and it is noted that those with psychiatric disorders are more likely to use CAM than those with other diseases. The discussion then focuses on Reiki, providing some background information to orientate the reader. The studies, reports and claims regarding the use and efficacy of Reiki are enumerated and evaluated with the aim of trying to establish whether Reiki has been used and therefore could be used to treat depression in women.

Reiki healing is one of several complementary and integrative therapies becoming increasingly prevalent in mental health counseling. It has been identified in the medical field for its usefulness in treating anxiety, depression, distress, and pain but has rarely been studied for its counseling impact on client wellness. I conducted single-case research to explore psychotherapeutic Reiki's (PR's) influence on adult clients' anxiety symptoms and perceived sense of mindfulness and provided analysis of data collected from two assessments administered weekly: the Adult Manifest Anxiety Scale-Adult and the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale. Three of the four participants demonstrated significant improvement in both anxiety and mindfulness over the course of the PR intervention. The study revealed potential therapeutic benefits for integrating PR with conventional talk therapy. Included in discussion of study results are clinical implications and importance, suggestions for future research, and limitations.

The birth experience is a highly subjective phenomenon that leaves a lasting impression for mothers and their families and friends. Although the passage of a child from the mother's womb into the world is typically joyous, the experience is not always as positive. Negative physical and psychological factors may greatly impact a woman's impression of the childbirth experience. Among childbearing women, the two main concerns of childbirth are pain and safe management. Similarly among healthcare providers, management of labor pain is one of the main goals of maternity care. Pain is a highly subjective phenomenon that is expected during the birth experience. Pharmacologic interventions have significantly reduced pain perception, but have left many women dissatisfied with the overall birth experience due to their potential adverse effects. Energy therapies have been studied for their role in creating a positive birth experience in relation to pain. This literature review examines the empirical evidence and makes suggestions for research and practice regarding energy therapies during labor and childbirth published between 1986 and 2012. Energy therapies, specifically Reiki, Therapeutic touch (TT), and Healing touch (HT) were examined in regards to pain perception and the childbirth process. Although pharmacologic interventions have been successful in reducing some childbirth concerns, the addition of complementary therapies such as Reiki, TT, and/or HT provides a holistic approach to pain management during labor and childbirth.

O objetivo do presente estudo é analisar o impacto da terapia Reiki no bem estar subjetivo e suas representações sociais em uma universidade pública do Rio de Janeiro. Trata-se de uma pesquisa quanti-qualitativa, com abordagem experimental, apoiado na Teoria de Representações Sociais. O grupo estudado foi composto de 60 sujeitos que não tiverem acesso à terapia anteriormente entrevistados antes e depois de três sessões de Reiki. Os dados foram coletados através de quatro instrumentos: questionário de identificação dos sujeitos, questionário de representação social do Reiki, questionário de evocação livre e escala de Bem estar Subjetivo. A análise dos dados foi realizada com estatística descritiva e inferencial com o software SPSS 19, análise estrutural e análise de conteúdo das representações sociais, a partir do software EVOC. Os sujeitos participantes são do sexo feminino (88,33%); nível superior (76,66%); discentes de ensino superior e médio e enfermeiros (48,34%); está empregado (56,67%); renda pessoal inferior a R$ 1.000,00 (41,67%); solteiro (61,67%); vive sozinho (68,33%); tem companheiro fixo (68,33%); sem doença (58,33%); uso de terapia não convencional (63,33%); tem religião (88,33%) e religião católica (33,33%) e evangélica (21,67%). Quanto às representações sociais, a busca do Reiki antes e depois do experimento revelou duas categorias com maior frequência, que são: equilíbrio da saúde mental, antes (35,44%) e depois (50,65%) e equilíbrio da saúde física, antes (16,46%) e depois (27,27%). Quanto à estrutura representacional do Reiki, o possível núcleo central dos dois grupos analisados foi composto pelas palavras energia, relaxamento e tranquilidade, configurando-se como uma dimensão funcional e positiva do Reiki e não apresentando variação da representação antes e depois da realização da terapia. O estudo experimental apresentou como resultados: No experimento I: diferença estatisticamente significante na dimensão afeto positivo, com escore maior no grupo de sujeitos que recebeu a terapia Reiki comparado aos que não receberam. No experimento II: diferença estatisticamente significante na dimensão afeto negativo, com escore maior no grupo de sujeitos que recebeu informação do Reiki associado à religiosidade comparado àqueles que receberam outros tipos de informação. E no experimento III: na dimensão afeto positivo, observou-se que todos os escores se elevaram, apontando para um efeito generalizado e inespecífico da realização do Reiki e da informação sobre o afeto positivo, exceto no que se refere à informação de espiritualidade que apresentou inversão das médias. No afeto negativo observou-se que todos os escores diminuíram, apontando para um efeito generalizado e inespecífico da realização do Reiki.Na dimensão cognitiva as médias dos escores antes e depois das manipulações experimentais praticamente não se alteraram. Conclui-se que a terapia Reiki favoreceu na manutenção do equilíbrio energético dos usuários, através de relaxamento, tranquilidade e sentimentos positivos, proporcionando, assim, efeitos psicológicos saudáveis, nutrindo e fortificando o campo energético dos usuários que participaram do estudo. / The objective of this study is to analyze the impact of Reiki therapy on the subjective well-being of users and their social representations in a public university in Rio de Janeiro. It is a quantitative-qualitative research with experimental approach, with its referential supported on the Theory of Social Representations. The study group was composed of 60 subjects who never had access to therapy, interviewed before and after three sessions of Reiki. The data were collected by means of four instruments: questionnaire for identification of subjects, questionnaire for social representation of Reiki, questionnaire for free evocation and Subjective Well-Being scale. The data analysis was performed with descriptive and inferential statistics with the software SPSS 19; structural analysis and content analysis of social representations from the EVOC software. The participants are female (88.33%); college education (76.66%); students of higher education and high school and nurses (or 48.34%); are employed (56.67%); personal income less than R$ 1,000.00 (41.67%); single (61.67%); lives alone (68.33%); have steady companion (68.33%); without disease (58.33%); use of non-conventional therapy (63.33%); has religion (88.33%) and Catholic religion (33.33%) and evangelical (21.67%). As to the search of Reiki before and after, two categories emerged from six with greater frequency, which are the balance of mental health, before (35.44%) and after (50.65%) and balance of physical health, before (16.46%) and after (27.27%). Regarding the representational structure of Reiki, the possible central nucleus of two groups analyzed was composed by the words energy, relaxation and tranquility, configuring it as a functional dimension and positive Reiki and not showing variation of representation before and after the completion of therapy. The experimental study presented as results in experiment I: no statistically significant difference in positive affective dimension, with higher scores in the group of subjects who received the Reiki therapy compared to those who did not. In experiment II: no statistically significant difference in the dimension negative affection, with higher scores in the group of subjects who received information from Reiki associated with religiosity compared to those who received other types of information. Moreover, in experiment III: in the dimension positive affection, it was observed that all the scores are totaled, pointing to a widespread effect and unspecific of realization of Reiki and the information on the positive affection, except regarding the information on spirituality that presented inversion of averages. In negative affection it is observed that all scores decreased, pointing to a generalized and nonspecific effect the completion of Reiki and the cognitive dimension score averages of the variables before and after the experimental manipulations are virtually not changed. It is concluded thatReiki therapyfavoredthe maintenance ofenergy balanceby users, through relaxation, tranquility and positive feelings, thus providing healthy psychological effects, nurturing and fortifying the energy fieldof the users who participated in the study.

O objetivo do presente estudo é analisar o impacto da terapia Reiki no bem estar subjetivo e suas representações sociais em uma universidade pública do Rio de Janeiro. Trata-se de uma pesquisa quanti-qualitativa, com abordagem experimental, apoiado na Teoria de Representações Sociais. O grupo estudado foi composto de 60 sujeitos que não tiverem acesso à terapia anteriormente entrevistados antes e depois de três sessões de Reiki. Os dados foram coletados através de quatro instrumentos: questionário de identificação dos sujeitos, questionário de representação social do Reiki, questionário de evocação livre e escala de Bem estar Subjetivo. A análise dos dados foi realizada com estatística descritiva e inferencial com o software SPSS 19, análise estrutural e análise de conteúdo das representações sociais, a partir do software EVOC. Os sujeitos participantes são do sexo feminino (88,33%); nível superior (76,66%); discentes de ensino superior e médio e enfermeiros (48,34%); está empregado (56,67%); renda pessoal inferior a R$ 1.000,00 (41,67%); solteiro (61,67%); vive sozinho (68,33%); tem companheiro fixo (68,33%); sem doença (58,33%); uso de terapia não convencional (63,33%); tem religião (88,33%) e religião católica (33,33%) e evangélica (21,67%). Quanto às representações sociais, a busca do Reiki antes e depois do experimento revelou duas categorias com maior frequência, que são: equilíbrio da saúde mental, antes (35,44%) e depois (50,65%) e equilíbrio da saúde física, antes (16,46%) e depois (27,27%). Quanto à estrutura representacional do Reiki, o possível núcleo central dos dois grupos analisados foi composto pelas palavras energia, relaxamento e tranquilidade, configurando-se como uma dimensão funcional e positiva do Reiki e não apresentando variação da representação antes e depois da realização da terapia. O estudo experimental apresentou como resultados: No experimento I: diferença estatisticamente significante na dimensão afeto positivo, com escore maior no grupo de sujeitos que recebeu a terapia Reiki comparado aos que não receberam. No experimento II: diferença estatisticamente significante na dimensão afeto negativo, com escore maior no grupo de sujeitos que recebeu informação do Reiki associado à religiosidade comparado àqueles que receberam outros tipos de informação. E no experimento III: na dimensão afeto positivo, observou-se que todos os escores se elevaram, apontando para um efeito generalizado e inespecífico da realização do Reiki e da informação sobre o afeto positivo, exceto no que se refere à informação de espiritualidade que apresentou inversão das médias. No afeto negativo observou-se que todos os escores diminuíram, apontando para um efeito generalizado e inespecífico da realização do Reiki.Na dimensão cognitiva as médias dos escores antes e depois das manipulações experimentais praticamente não se alteraram. Conclui-se que a terapia Reiki favoreceu na manutenção do equilíbrio energético dos usuários, através de relaxamento, tranquilidade e sentimentos positivos, proporcionando, assim, efeitos psicológicos saudáveis, nutrindo e fortificando o campo energético dos usuários que participaram do estudo. / The objective of this study is to analyze the impact of Reiki therapy on the subjective well-being of users and their social representations in a public university in Rio de Janeiro. It is a quantitative-qualitative research with experimental approach, with its referential supported on the Theory of Social Representations. The study group was composed of 60 subjects who never had access to therapy, interviewed before and after three sessions of Reiki. The data were collected by means of four instruments: questionnaire for identification of subjects, questionnaire for social representation of Reiki, questionnaire for free evocation and Subjective Well-Being scale. The data analysis was performed with descriptive and inferential statistics with the software SPSS 19; structural analysis and content analysis of social representations from the EVOC software. The participants are female (88.33%); college education (76.66%); students of higher education and high school and nurses (or 48.34%); are employed (56.67%); personal income less than R$ 1,000.00 (41.67%); single (61.67%); lives alone (68.33%); have steady companion (68.33%); without disease (58.33%); use of non-conventional therapy (63.33%); has religion (88.33%) and Catholic religion (33.33%) and evangelical (21.67%). As to the search of Reiki before and after, two categories emerged from six with greater frequency, which are the balance of mental health, before (35.44%) and after (50.65%) and balance of physical health, before (16.46%) and after (27.27%). Regarding the representational structure of Reiki, the possible central nucleus of two groups analyzed was composed by the words energy, relaxation and tranquility, configuring it as a functional dimension and positive Reiki and not showing variation of representation before and after the completion of therapy. The experimental study presented as results in experiment I: no statistically significant difference in positive affective dimension, with higher scores in the group of subjects who received the Reiki therapy compared to those who did not. In experiment II: no statistically significant difference in the dimension negative affection, with higher scores in the group of subjects who received information from Reiki associated with religiosity compared to those who received other types of information. Moreover, in experiment III: in the dimension positive affection, it was observed that all the scores are totaled, pointing to a widespread effect and unspecific of realization of Reiki and the information on the positive affection, except regarding the information on spirituality that presented inversion of averages. In negative affection it is observed that all scores decreased, pointing to a generalized and nonspecific effect the completion of Reiki and the cognitive dimension score averages of the variables before and after the experimental manipulations are virtually not changed. It is concluded thatReiki therapyfavoredthe maintenance ofenergy balanceby users, through relaxation, tranquility and positive feelings, thus providing healthy psychological effects, nurturing and fortifying the energy fieldof the users who participated in the study.

Title: ReiKi as a Legal Doping in Sports Problem specification: In professional sport performance is a variable, which influences almost everything. The sportsmen are aware of that and they feel under the pressure. That is why many of them use the illegal doping. But is it really the only way? We have already learned to train the corporeal part and later even the psychical part. Is not logical to pay the same attention to the spiritual part? Is it possible, that for example influence of a spiritual energy (ReiKi and familiar methods) could affect the sport performance? Objectives: To proof or disprove a hypothesis about accepting the spiritual energy and its influence on sport performance and alternatively suggest particular application of this factor in sport practice. To offer an alternative way to accomplish better performance without using unhealthy drugs to sportsmen is the general objective of this work. Methods: The work was solved in a form of studying the cases using some couples of monozygotic twins. The basic idea lay in placement one of the sibling to the program of regular ReiKi therapies. The twins did the same kind of sports, in which was observed their performance. To get more complex point of view there were placed even regular sportsmen to the research. These sportsmen went...

Submitted by Cássio da Cruz Nogueira (cassionogueirakk@gmail.com) on 2017-07-12T16:08:15Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Tese_ExperienciaMisticaNarrativa.pdf: 2216862 bytes, checksum: 0b0dd7c23b8b6161c4e4ec5aa2da3f79 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Irvana Coutinho (irvana@ufpa.br) on 2017-07-13T13:05:02Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Tese_ExperienciaMisticaNarrativa.pdf: 2216862 bytes, checksum: 0b0dd7c23b8b6161c4e4ec5aa2da3f79 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-13T13:05:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Tese_ExperienciaMisticaNarrativa.pdf: 2216862 bytes, checksum: 0b0dd7c23b8b6161c4e4ec5aa2da3f79 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-04-25 / A tese que aqui apresento trata da questão da mística como fenômeno antropológico, pensando o fenômeno da mística na cultura como na linguagem, observando também a cura mística, ou seja, a compreensão de um processo de experiência mística na narrativa da doença ou da cura em praticantes da Cabala e do Reiki em Belém e Marituba. Busca-se uma compreensão da relação entre mística e a vida, no sentido de uma análise antropológica das narrativas e poesias contidas no modo de contar a experiência mística dos diferentes agentes místicos. Faz-se tambem uma discussão para compreender de que maneira a etnografia feita pelo antropólogo pode ser afetada pela experiência narrativa, isto é, pela etnografia nativa em forma de narrativa mística. Trava-se a discussão sobre as injunções entre a etnografia e a literatura. Também se discute o modo como mística e tratada na experiência literária de escritores como os poetas e ensaistas Fernando Pessoa e Jorge Luis Borges, significando que a experiência mística desses escritores se transfigura em suas obras literarias e poéticas. A mística como metalinguagem nos possibilita pensarmos a etnografia como metalinguagem a semelhança da literatura, mostrando-se a noção de etnografia como metalinguagem em consonância com literatura. O trabalho mostra que o campo antropológico da mística não pode ser visto como uma manifestação derivada do campo da religião, ou seja, um epifenômeno da religião. Ainda que tenha relações com a religião, a mística, observada na Cabala e no Reiki, praticados em Belém e Marituba se distância do campo da religião e mantém íntimas relações com o campo da arte, significa dizermos que o domínio da experiência mística se da na transfiguração da vida dos místicos em obra de arte, uma obra vivida na linguagem e na oralidade. Os místicos observados tanto Cabala como no Reiki são narradores de suas vidas, obras literárias inscritas na linguagem, na fala, bricolagens de múltiplas referências, sincretismo entre mística, vida e mundo. Em alguns casos se observou a distância e uma contraposição da experiência mística a experiência religiosa, pois mesmo aqueles místicos que se dizem religiosos são na verdade contrapostos a religião no sentido de mostrarem em suas narrativas que deve haver um retorno do indivíduo a si-mesmo. Uma compreensão de que o Sagrado não está vinculado a instituição religiosa, mas, esta referida a experiência de busca interior do indivíduo, nesse sentido a religiosidade se transforma em ser-místico, que difere de uma identidade religiosa. O místico em sua narrativa assume diferentes peles, diferentes pessoas, a narrativa mística nos apresenta um ethos místico que não se enquadra na visão de um ethos religioso, pois o ethos da mística e flexivel e performático. / The thesis presented here deals with the question of mystique as an anthropological phenomenon, considering the phenomenon of mystique in culture as in language, also noting the mystical healing, in other words, the understanding of a mystical experience process in the narrative of illness or healing in practitioners of Kabbalah and Reiki in Belem and Marituba. Find a comprehension of the relationship between mystique and life, in the sense of an anthropological analysis of narratives and poems contained in the way of telling the mystical experience of the different mysticals. There is also a discussion to understand how ethnography made by the anthropologist may be affected by the narrative experience, that is, the native ethnography in the form of mystical narrative. It begins the discussion on the injunctions between ethnography and literature. Also discusses how mystical experience is treated in literary writers as poets and essayists Fernando Pessoa and Jorge Luis Borges, meaning that the mystical experience of these writers is transformed into his literary and poetic works. The mystique as metalanguage enables us to think of ethnography as metalanguage like the literature, showing the ethnographic notion as metalanguage consistent with literature. The thesis shows that the anthropological field of mystique can not be seen as a derived manifestation of religion field, or an epiphenomenon of religion. Although it has relations with religion, mystique, observed in Kabbalah and Reiki practiced in Belem and Marituba moves away from the religion field and maintains close relationships with the art field, it means to say that the mystical experience command occurs in transfiguration of life of the mysticals in a masterpiece, in a work lived in language and orality. Mystics observed both in Kabbalah as in Reiki are narrators of their lives, literary works inscribed in language, speech, bricolage of multiple references, syncretism between mystique, life and world. In some cases it observed the distance and a contrast of mystical experience against religious experience because even those mystics who claim to be religious are actually opposed to religion in order to show in their narratives that there should be an individual’s return to Self. An understanding of the Sacred is not tied to the religious institution, but is referred to within the search experience of the individual in that sense religiosity turns to be mystic, which differs from one religious identity. The mystic in his narrative takes different skins, different people, mystical narrative presents a mystical ethos that does not fit the vision of a religious ethos, because the ethos of the mystique is flexible and performative. / La these que je presente ici traite de la mystique comme un phenomene anthropologique, en pensant le phenomene de la mystique dans la culture et dans la langue, notant egalement la guerison mystique, c’est a dire, la comprehension d’un processus d’experience mystique dans le recit de la maladie ou de la guerison aux praticiens de la Kabbala et du Reiki a Belem et Marituba. L’ objectif est d’une comprehension de la relation entre la mystique et la vie, dans le sens d’une analyse anthropologique des recits et poesies figurant sur la maniere de parler sur l’experience mystique des differents agents mystiques. On fait aussi une discussion pour comprendre de quelle maniere l’ethnografie a fait par l’anthropologue peut etre affectee par l’experience narrative, c’est a dire, par l’ethnografie native sous forme de recit mystique. On raccroche la discussion sur les injonctions entre l’ethnografie e la literature. Explique egalement comment traite-t-on la mystique dans l’experience litteraire des ecrivains comme les poetes et essaystes Fernando Pessoa et Jorge Luis Borges, ce que signifie que l’experience mystique de ces ecrivains transforme leur ouvres litteraires et poetique. La mystique comme metalangage nous permet de reflechir sur l’ethnographie comme metalangage comme on fait a la literature, montrant la notion de l’ethnographie comme metalangage conformement a la literature. Le travail montre que le champ anthropologique de la mystique ne peut etre considere comme une expression que derive du champ de la religion, a savoir qu’un epiphenomene de la religion. Meme si ele entretien des relations avec la religion, la mystique, observee sur Kabbala et Reiki pratiques a Belem et a Marituba se distancie du terrain de la religion et mantiennent des relations intimes avec le champ de l’art, moyen de dire que le champ de l’experience mystique prend place dans la transfiguration de la vie des mystiques en oeuvre d’art, une oeuvre vit sur la lange et sur l’oralite. Les mystiques ont observe tous les deux dans la Kabbale comme Reiki sont les narrateurs de leur vie, des oeuvres litteraires inscrits sur la langue, sur le discours, des bricolages de multiples references, syncretisme entre mystique, vie et monde. Dans certains cas on a observe la distance et un contraste de l’ experience mystique a l’experience religieuse, parce que meme les mystiques que pretendente etre des religieux sont opposent en fait a la religion a fin de montrer sur votre recit qu’ils doivent y avoir un retour de l’ individu a lui-meme. Une comprehension de ce que le Sacre n’est pas lie a l’instituition religieuse, mais l’experience de recherche a l’interieur de l’ individu, dans cet cas la religiosite se transforme em etre-mytique, qui differe d’une identite religieuse. Le mystique dans sont recit prends differentes peaux, diferentes personnes, le recit mystique nous presente un ethos mystique qui ne rentre pas sur la vision d’un ethos religieux, parce que la philosophie mystique est flexible et performative. Mots- cle: Mystique, syncretisme, traductions, recit, poesie, guerison em langue, etremystique, Kabbale, Reiki.

Objectives <p>This qualitative study explored the experiences of patients suffering from cancer and other chronic conditions and those of their practitioners during a Reiki treatment. Specific research objectives were to: 1) better understand how participants describe healing, 2) document consecutive therapeutic encounters (i.e. Reiki sessions) as experienced by patients and practitioners over time and, 3) identify meaningful benefits and other relevant outcomes from both perspectives. <p>Materials and Methods p*A convenience sample of four patient-practitioner pairs consented to participate in the study. Data was collected over 12 months via interviews with both the patients and Reiki practitioners. Hour long interviews were conducted before and after their participation in the study. Ten minute telephone interviews were done no longer then 48 hours after each Reiki session to capture participants experiences with that particular session. All interviews were audio taped and transcribed. A phenomenological approach was used for the data analysis. <p>Findings <p>This qualitative study attempted to longitudinally explore the experiences and practices of Reiki from both the patients and the practitioners perspectives. Illness specific symptom relief as well as mental and emotional effects such as decreased anxiety and a better ability to handle stressful situation were experienced by the patients. Spiritual awakening and connection was attributed to the Reiki sessions and the relationship established with their practitioner. Energy directed releases during the Reiki sessions were quite common. Some practitioners experienced different sensory experiences that they attributed to the Reiki energy. The experiences ranged from feeling the energy, temperature changes to seeing different objects during the Reiki treatment. Many of the experiences described by the participants support what has been written in the literature. However, certain concepts such as the evolving concept of healing as well as the altered perception of illness are newer concepts which are beginning to surface. <p>Conclusion <p>Patients and practitioners experiences helped to gain insight in to the therapeutic relationship and their evolving definitions of healing. Several outcomes were noted on the physical, mental and emotional levels of all participants. This information will help lay the groundwork for future research on Complementary therapies including Reiki. <p>Acknowledgement <p>The Department of Community Health and Epidemiology Devolved Scholarship Fund University of Saskatchewan and Hope Cancer Help Centre, Saskatoon Saskatchewan supplied funding.

Objectives <p>This qualitative study explored the experiences of patients suffering from cancer and other chronic conditions and those of their practitioners during a Reiki treatment. Specific research objectives were to: 1) better understand how participants describe healing, 2) document consecutive therapeutic encounters (i.e. Reiki sessions) as experienced by patients and practitioners over time and, 3) identify meaningful benefits and other relevant outcomes from both perspectives. <p>Materials and Methods p*A convenience sample of four patient-practitioner pairs consented to participate in the study. Data was collected over 12 months via interviews with both the patients and Reiki practitioners. Hour long interviews were conducted before and after their participation in the study. Ten minute telephone interviews were done no longer then 48 hours after each Reiki session to capture participants experiences with that particular session. All interviews were audio taped and transcribed. A phenomenological approach was used for the data analysis. <p>Findings <p>This qualitative study attempted to longitudinally explore the experiences and practices of Reiki from both the patients and the practitioners perspectives. Illness specific symptom relief as well as mental and emotional effects such as decreased anxiety and a better ability to handle stressful situation were experienced by the patients. Spiritual awakening and connection was attributed to the Reiki sessions and the relationship established with their practitioner. Energy directed releases during the Reiki sessions were quite common. Some practitioners experienced different sensory experiences that they attributed to the Reiki energy. The experiences ranged from feeling the energy, temperature changes to seeing different objects during the Reiki treatment. Many of the experiences described by the participants support what has been written in the literature. However, certain concepts such as the evolving concept of healing as well as the altered perception of illness are newer concepts which are beginning to surface. <p>Conclusion <p>Patients and practitioners experiences helped to gain insight in to the therapeutic relationship and their evolving definitions of healing. Several outcomes were noted on the physical, mental and emotional levels of all participants. This information will help lay the groundwork for future research on Complementary therapies including Reiki. <p>Acknowledgement <p>The Department of Community Health and Epidemiology Devolved Scholarship Fund University of Saskatchewan and Hope Cancer Help Centre, Saskatoon Saskatchewan supplied funding.