Reiki Therapy and the Endocrine System
Non-Pharmacological Pain Management
May 1, 2020
Reiki therapy is unique in that the treatment hand placements correlate with the positions of the endocrine glands. It is believed that these hand placements guide the body’s awareness and energy to each specific area, supporting its optimal function. Reiki therapy, for this reason, may be helpful for treating endocrine-related disorders.
The endocrine system is composed of glands that produce hormones to regulate bodily functions. Hormones are carried through the bloodstream, transported throughout the body. These hormones are as a form of chemical communication within the body, helping it to maintain internal balance or homeostasis.
Hormones levels that are out of balance – too high or too low – can have a significant impact on health. Some endocrine-related health issues are hypo-thyroid, diabetes and adrenal fatigue. And because the thymus gland is essential to immune function, there is also an interface between immune disorders and the endocrine system.
Reiki treatment usually starts with hand placements at the head area, moving down through each endocrine gland location, finishing with the legs and feet. The head hand positions correlate with the locations of the pituitary, the hypothalamus and the pineal glands. This hypothalamus–pituitary complex acts as the control center for the entire endocrine system, regulating the hormone levels of the other glands. The pineal gland specifically impacts sleep cycles.
The hand position at the lower throat aligns with both the thyroid and parathyroid glands. The thyroid gland affects overall metabolism, while the parathyroids are involved in maintaining calcium levels in the bloodstream.
The upper chest placement is over the thymus gland, near the heart and lungs. This position invites support for the immune, cardiac and respiratory systems. This is followed by the hand position over the solar plexus, location of both the pancreas and adrenals, regulating both blood sugar and stress hormones. The next hand placement off the body at the low torso area can help address reproductive hormonal imbalances.
The final hand position on the feet completes the sequence, supporting the critical work of the remarkable endocrine system.
| Reiki Therapy Hand Position | Endocrine Glands | Gland Location | Endocrine Gland Functions |
| Head | Pituitary 9 hormones | Base of Brain | · “Master” gland that controls the function of all of the other endocrine glands · Also secretes endorphins, which act on the nervous system to relieve sensations of pain |
| Head | Hypothalamus 8 hormones | Lower Central Brain | · Serves as the interface link between the pituitary/endocrine & nervous systems · Influences temperature regulation, hunger, thirst and growth |
| Head | Pineal 1 hormone | Middle of Brain | · Releases melatonin, regulating the cycles of sleeping and waking |
| Neck | Thyroid 2 hormones | Front of Lower Neck | · Produces hormones that affect the overall metabolic rate of the body · Impacts secretion rates of other glands |
| Neck | Parathyroids 2 hormones | Attached to Thyroid | · Controls the level of calcium in the blood as well as the phosphate concentration level in the body |
| Center Chest | Thymus Gland 3 hormones | Behind the Sternum on Top of Heart | · Essential for the development of immunity · Involved in the development of the T cells or T-lymphocytes, derived from the thymus · Atrophies with age, starting after puberty |
| Middle Abdomen | Pancreas 4 hormones | On Left above Navel | · Hormones that control blood sugar levels · Also produces enzymes that help digest food |
| Middle Abdomen | Adrenal Glands 4 hormones | On Top of Kidneys at Back of Body | · Activate the stress response, increasing blood pressure & heart rate, blood sugar · Produce steroidal hormones · Control salt & water balance in the body · Influences sexual development |
| Lower Abdomen | Reproductive Glands | Women = Ovaries Men = Testes | · Production of sperm and ages · Stimulates and maintains the sexual characteristics |
