Reiki During Pregnancy – Benefits and Self Practising Tips

Pregnancy is not just a phase in a woman’s life. The changes it brings to the mindset of a woman are life-altering and tend to stay for a long time. The happiness and excitement of carrying the baby for nine months in your womb are always paired with a lot of anxiety and worry about the baby’s and your well-being. In such cases, many women wonder if it is safe to turn towards Reiki during pregnancy to instil mental peace and harmony within their minds. This seems to be an excellent option for most women since it does not contain any medication or treatment that might affect the baby. But can the process of Reiki affect the child as well? Will it be in his favour or cause some unwanted consequences? Let’s find out.

What Is Reiki?

Reiki is amongst the various techniques that make use of the existing energy in and around the world. It is a well-known practice from Japan that is used for relaxation and to reduce mental as well as physical stress. Reiki believes in the principle that sound energy can carry out a lot of healing activities by itself, where the healer helps transfer his energy into you.

Principles of Reiki

It is important for everyone to understand and follow the principles of Reiki before practising it. Let’s take a quick look at them:

1. I release all angry thoughts – Release any angry thoughts you may have no matter who it concerns. According to Reiki, anger comes from the angry energy inside you.
2. I release all thoughts of worry – Worry is also considered energy in Reiki. Therefore before any Reiki session, you need to release this energy.
3. I expand my consciousness – Practise mindfulness; by doing so, you will be balancing your energy.
4. I am grateful – By expressing gratitude towards all the good things in your life, you will be fostering more positive energy.
5. I am gentle with all beings – Being gentle and kind to others helps you receive more positive energy in return. It also means you need to be gentle with yourself, too, to bring about the healing you wanted in the first place.

When these principles are meditated up every single day, they provide guidance for healing and balancing the Reiki energy.

Is Reiki Safe During Pregnancy?

Reiki primarily works on the presence of spiritual energy already present within the body and in the healer. Therefore, the chances of it harming the child within the womb are next to none. The practice of Reiki could provide energy to the baby as well and either keep him calm or get him excited.

Benefits of Reiki During Pregnancy

The practice of Reiki brings about numerous benefits in the mother as well as the baby in the womb. Some of these benefits are listed below.

1. Creating a strong spiritual bond between the baby and the mother through the sharing of energy is one of the most substantial benefits Reiki can provide.

2. Fathers rarely have a chance to interact with the foetus in the womb. Reiki can help establish an energy interaction between the father and the child.

3. Babies who might not have made any movement earlier might start kicking within the womb of the mother due to Reiki.

4. The anxiety and stress of the pregnancy can be put to rest with the use of Reiki as it can provide a calming and soothing sensation to the mother.

5. The process of delivery itself can be quite taxing for a mother. At times, Reiki can also be administered at the time of birth to make the process easier for the mother.

6. Reiki practitioners have mentioned that the therapy has made the transition from pregnancy to motherhood much easier.

7. The chances of undergoing caesarean deliveries can be reduced since Reiki can help correct the baby’s position or other pregnancy complications.

8. Some mothers seem to have an irrational fear of delivering their baby, causing hindrances in labour. Reiki can help them overcome those.

9. For women who experience immense pain during labour, Reiki can help reduce it to a bearable degree.

10. Delivery can take a toll on the health of the mother. Practising Reiki can help the body start restoring her health.

11. As a result of positive energy from Reiki, various bodily functions and sleep problems seem to be better over time.

12. The body goes through a lot of changes and stress throughout pregnancy. These muscles can feel a bit more relaxed after a session of Reiki.

13. Early days of pregnancy can make it quite exhausting for new mothers. Reiki brings about relief from constant nausea and fatigue.

14. Carrying out Reiki for the entire family can instil an environment of care and harmony that can benefit the baby quite a lot, during and after pregnancy.

15. Emotional support is extremely essential from within the mother herself. Reiki helps establish that to a whole new level.

Can You Self Practice Reiki When Pregnant?

Reiki works either when a healer administers it on another person or when people do it on themselves. Pregnant women can do the same thing as well, only if they are proficient in Reiki themselves. Although usual Reiki sessions last for an hour or so, pregnant women should restrict their self-administered sessions to half the duration. Taking the right position during the session is necessary as well, and it’s effect highly depends on the stage of pregnancy.

Practising Reiki on your self while you are pregnant can instil within you a sense of confidence and the ability to calm yourself down, should you start feeling anxious and stressed for no reason.

How to Self-Perform Reiki Treatment During Pregnancy

There are a few simple steps that you can adhere to when performing Reiki on your self when you are pregnant.

1. Sit comfortably and recite the Reiki principles.
2. Set a clear intention and start moving your hands from your eyes/face to your ears and then the neck. Spend enough time in each region on the way.

3. Then, slowly move your hands to the back of your neck, then to the top of your head. Later, bring them to the chest. Once again, give ample time to each area covered.

4. Now place the hands on your heart, then move them gradually under the ribs and over the navel. Continue channelling energy in these regions with the right intention in your mind.

5. Then, move further to your pelvis, knees and your feet.

Once the session is complete, be thankful for this positive energy within you.

If a Pregnant Woman Is Attuned to Reiki, Will Her Baby Be Attuned, too?

There is no conclusive evidence to either support or disprove it. However, if this were to be the case, it would still be in the benefit of the child anyway.

Reiki in early pregnancy is a boon for new mothers, and it does have its benefits even during the delivery. Starting off Reiki might be a good decision for you, but doing it on your own should only be chosen if you are proficient in it yourself. Having a good mindset goes a long way in ensuring the well-being of your child and your own, too.

Also Read: Benefits and Side Effects of Acupuncture in Pregnancy