Reiki and Reconnective Healing: What Is the Difference?
I was a Reiki practitioner for eleven years before I chose to switch modalities to Reconnective Healing. As a result, I am quite often asked what the differences are between the two. The answer is that they are vastly different, from the way a person is attuned, to the way energy is transferred for healing, to the dynamics of the fields themselves.
Let's begin with the attunement process. We are attuned to the Reiki field by a Reiki Master who transfers specific symbols into our energetic field. These symbols open the door to the Reiki energy and as we progress in our training, new symbols are added to connect to higher frequencies of the field as well as specific aspects of it. With Reconnective Healing, we are attuned a few different ways. When a Reconnective seminar is held, anyone who steps into the room becomes attuned because the field surrounds it. Dr. William Tiller, Professor Emeritus at Stanford, studied this phenomenon. He found that at the seminars there was "excess free thermodynamic energy" to the equivalent of 572 degrees farhenheit. If it emanated heat, we would all have been cooked. The field shows up wherever there is intention to attune to it. We can also attune to it by having a session with a practitioner or even reading a book about it. Like Reiki practitioners, certification is required to call yourself a Reconnective Healing practitioner, but anyone can easily attune to the field and use it for self healing, regardless of whether or not they are a practitioner. Dr Eric pearl explains how to do this in his book "The Reconnection".
Another difference is how the energies are transferred to a client. With Reiki, practitioners connect to the field with symbols and transfer energy by laying our hands on the client in specific positions. As we advance in our training, we can do hands off healing as well as distance healing, but still use the positions we were taught to transfer to whatever part of the body we are working on. An advanced practitioner will usually allow their intuition and the energy of the field to guide them in where to place their hands, but the premise is the same. With Reconnective Healing, the field is palpable. It can be felt in the practitioners hands by stretching and pulling it. We find an interesting spot in the clients' field, and then play with the energy there. The energy is felt with the hands, but not transferred through them. It transfers directly from the practitioners field to the client through the "strings" that connect us all. It is a shared entrainment process. We connect with the field, connect with the client, and allow them to experience the energy for themselves, to take as much or as little as their Higher Self deems necessary. We have to keep our focus on the client and the energy at the same time, or the connection is broken.
Perhaps the biggest difference between Reiki and Reconnective Healing are the fields themselves. It has been scientifically documented that Reiki is an electromagnetic field. In Bernadette Doran's article "The Science Behind Reiki", she cites a study done by Dr. John Zimmerman that states "Biologically optimal levels of electromagnetic frequencies for stimulating human repair are all in what is called the 'extremely low frequency (ELF) range...the range of the ELF field emanating from Reiki practitioners is 0.3 to 30 Hz, the same range of frequencies associated with healthy tissues and organs". In other words, the Reiki frequency is perfect for promoting health and healing. The Reconnective field is not electromagnetic, but magnetoelectric, and is light and information. Dr. Tiller explains in his book "Vibrational Medicine" the difference between these types of fields. He describes electromagnetic energy as "functioning in a positive space/time universe and is bound by the laws limiting the speed of light". Magnetoelectric energy is "life force energy and works in a negative space/time where faster than the speed of light movement is possible". In discussing Reconnective Healing, he says that "...really what is happening is that many kinds of energy and light are flowing through the healer and into the healee. In other words, what we're talking about is bringing it beyond just what has been classically known as energy healing into a broader spectrum of energy, light and information".
Both Reiki and Reconnective Healing are powerful modalities that have the ablilty to transform someone energetically, spiritually, physically, and emotionally. If you are trying to figure out which modality to chose, or are thinking about switching from one to the other, the most important thing to consider is what resonates with you. When practicing any energy modality, consider which one will make it the easiest for you to get out of your own way, get into your heart, and let the energy flow.
Let's begin with the attunement process. We are attuned to the Reiki field by a Reiki Master who transfers specific symbols into our energetic field. These symbols open the door to the Reiki energy and as we progress in our training, new symbols are added to connect to higher frequencies of the field as well as specific aspects of it. With Reconnective Healing, we are attuned a few different ways. When a Reconnective seminar is held, anyone who steps into the room becomes attuned because the field surrounds it. Dr. William Tiller, Professor Emeritus at Stanford, studied this phenomenon. He found that at the seminars there was "excess free thermodynamic energy" to the equivalent of 572 degrees farhenheit. If it emanated heat, we would all have been cooked. The field shows up wherever there is intention to attune to it. We can also attune to it by having a session with a practitioner or even reading a book about it. Like Reiki practitioners, certification is required to call yourself a Reconnective Healing practitioner, but anyone can easily attune to the field and use it for self healing, regardless of whether or not they are a practitioner. Dr Eric pearl explains how to do this in his book "The Reconnection".
Another difference is how the energies are transferred to a client. With Reiki, practitioners connect to the field with symbols and transfer energy by laying our hands on the client in specific positions. As we advance in our training, we can do hands off healing as well as distance healing, but still use the positions we were taught to transfer to whatever part of the body we are working on. An advanced practitioner will usually allow their intuition and the energy of the field to guide them in where to place their hands, but the premise is the same. With Reconnective Healing, the field is palpable. It can be felt in the practitioners hands by stretching and pulling it. We find an interesting spot in the clients' field, and then play with the energy there. The energy is felt with the hands, but not transferred through them. It transfers directly from the practitioners field to the client through the "strings" that connect us all. It is a shared entrainment process. We connect with the field, connect with the client, and allow them to experience the energy for themselves, to take as much or as little as their Higher Self deems necessary. We have to keep our focus on the client and the energy at the same time, or the connection is broken.
Perhaps the biggest difference between Reiki and Reconnective Healing are the fields themselves. It has been scientifically documented that Reiki is an electromagnetic field. In Bernadette Doran's article "The Science Behind Reiki", she cites a study done by Dr. John Zimmerman that states "Biologically optimal levels of electromagnetic frequencies for stimulating human repair are all in what is called the 'extremely low frequency (ELF) range...the range of the ELF field emanating from Reiki practitioners is 0.3 to 30 Hz, the same range of frequencies associated with healthy tissues and organs". In other words, the Reiki frequency is perfect for promoting health and healing. The Reconnective field is not electromagnetic, but magnetoelectric, and is light and information. Dr. Tiller explains in his book "Vibrational Medicine" the difference between these types of fields. He describes electromagnetic energy as "functioning in a positive space/time universe and is bound by the laws limiting the speed of light". Magnetoelectric energy is "life force energy and works in a negative space/time where faster than the speed of light movement is possible". In discussing Reconnective Healing, he says that "...really what is happening is that many kinds of energy and light are flowing through the healer and into the healee. In other words, what we're talking about is bringing it beyond just what has been classically known as energy healing into a broader spectrum of energy, light and information".
Both Reiki and Reconnective Healing are powerful modalities that have the ablilty to transform someone energetically, spiritually, physically, and emotionally. If you are trying to figure out which modality to chose, or are thinking about switching from one to the other, the most important thing to consider is what resonates with you. When practicing any energy modality, consider which one will make it the easiest for you to get out of your own way, get into your heart, and let the energy flow.
