Reiki has been around for thousands of years. Its current form was first developed in 1922 by a Japanese Buddhist called Mikao Usui, who reportedly taught 2,000 people the Reiki method during his lifetime. The practice spread to the U.S. through Hawaii in the 1940s, and then to Canada and Europe in the 1980s.
The word "Reiki" means "mysterious atmosphere, miraculous sign." It comes from the Japanese words "rei" (universal) and "ki" (life energy). Reiki is a type of energy healing and is often referred to as palm healing or hands-on healing and it targets the energy fields around the body.
A persons energy field that surrounds their body can become stagnate when there has been physical injury or possibly emotional pain leading to energy blockages in the body. In time, these energy blocks can lead to illness and Reiki helps to remove blockages and restore the bodies flow of energy in much the way as how acupuncture or acupressure works.