reiki /ra′ke/ , an Eastern healing tradition whose purpose is to rebalance the complex energy systems that compose the body when they have become out of balance. In this tradition, people are considered to be surrounded by an unlimited universal energy source from which the physical universe is built. The energy systems in the healthy body are in balance, but they can be disrupted by stress, and this unbalancing may have physical manifestations such as pain. The reiki practitioner is trained to channel energy from the universal energy source, which flows through his or her hands to the body of the receiver. The result is the rebalancing of mind and body, the strengthening of body and spirit, the opening of energy blockages, the creation of a sense of well-being, and the healing of illnesses.
