英國 Cancer Research UK 對靈氣療法的簡介

原文來自於 https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/ (我們把內容翻譯成中文)

靈氣與癌症（Reiki and cancer）

靈氣是一種能量療法（energy healing），屬於輔助療法（complementary therapy）。有時會作為緩和治療（palliative care）或支持性治療（supportive therapy）的一部分，幫助癌症患者提升身心舒適感。

摘要

• 「靈氣」（Reiki）一詞源自日語，意為「宇宙能量」。

• 它的目的在於讓人放鬆、減輕壓力與緊張，並促進整體身心健康。

• 目前沒有科學證據顯示靈氣可以預防、治療或治癒癌症。

什麼是靈氣？

靈氣（Reiki）是一種日本療癒藝術，由**臼井甕男（Mikao Usui）**於20世紀初在日本創立。其發音為「ray-key（瑞氣）」。有時也被稱為「靈氣能量（Reiki energy）」、「臼井靈氣系統（Usui system of Reiki）」或「療癒之觸（therapeutic touch）」。

「Reiki」一詞在日語中意為「宇宙能量」。東方醫學體系相信這種能量流動於所有生命之中，對健康與平衡至關重要。

• 在日本稱為「氣（Ki）」

• 在中國稱為「氣（Chi）」

• 在印度稱為「普拉那（Prana）」

靈氣與任何宗教或信仰體系無關。

在療程中，靈氣師會將雙手放在或懸於你的衣著身體上方。主要目的之一是幫助你放鬆。靈氣師旨在調整和平衡你身體內外的「能量場（energy fields）」。

癌症患者為什麼會使用靈氣

部分癌症患者會將靈氣作為治療的輔助療法。靈氣師認為它可以：

• 幫助深度放鬆

• 幫助應對困難情境

• 減輕情緒壓力與緊張

• 改善整體健康感受

有些癌症患者表示，接受靈氣後感覺更平靜、更放鬆。研究指出，這種感覺可能與治療師花時間陪伴、並在平靜環境中以溫和觸碰所帶來的放鬆效果有關。靈氣有時會用於臨終照護（palliative care），特別是在安寧療養院（hospice）中。

儘管靈氣能讓人感覺放鬆、有助情緒調節，但靈氣並不能治療癌症。

療程進行方式

第一次療程時，靈氣師會詢問你的健康狀況與病史，並了解你希望接受靈氣的原因，與你討論療程計畫。

治療時不需脫衣服，只需脫下鞋子與外套。你可以坐著或躺著，閉眼或睜眼皆可。

靈氣師可能會調暗燈光或播放輕柔音樂。他們會將手放在你身上或離身體幾英吋，從頭部開始移動到腳部，或針對特定部位集中能量。

目標是促進體內外「能量」的流動與平衡，清除能量阻塞，促進自癒與能量強化。

你可能會感覺到刺痛、溫熱、涼意或深度放鬆；也可能什麼感覺都沒有。靈氣師表示，即使沒有明顯感受，療程仍然有效。

一次療程通常持續 20 分鐘至 1 小時。許多靈氣師建議在短時間內連續進行 3 次療程，以達最佳效果，之後可暫停一段時間再繼續。

療程後你可能會覺得口渴，建議多喝水、避免濃咖啡因飲品（如咖啡）。你可能會非常放鬆，回家休息有助於充分吸收療效。

靈氣師也可能透過「遠距靈氣（distant Reiki）」進行治療，即你身處家中，也能接受遠端的靈氣能量。

若你感到任何不適或不自在，應立即與靈氣師溝通。

副作用

一般而言，靈氣對多數癌症患者是安全的。多數靈氣師會建議療程後多休息、多喝水。目前沒有有害副作用的報告。

不過，務必讓你的醫師知道你正在使用任何輔助療法、替代療法或營養補充品，以便醫師全面了解你的治療情況。

關於靈氣與癌症的研究

目前沒有科學證據顯示靈氣能預防、治療或治癒癌症或其他疾病。現有研究數量不多，且存在試驗限制，因此結果並不具結論性，仍需進一步研究。

靈氣對照顧者的影響

2021 年一項小型研究（42 名參與者）讓照顧癌症患者的人每週接受一次靈氣療程，共 6 週。研究想了解靈氣是否能降低照顧壓力。結果顯示，照顧者在接受靈氣後覺得壓力減輕。

靈氣對焦慮與疼痛控制的研究

2014 年的一篇文獻綜述回顧了靈氣對疼痛與焦慮的影響，研究對象包括癌症患者與非癌症患者。

部分研究對象是剛做完手術的病人，研究想觀察靈氣是否有助術後疼痛緩解；另一些則是在乳房活檢前感到焦慮的女性。結果顯示：

• 接受靈氣的女性焦慮明顯減輕；

• 剛做完手術的病人疼痛程度也有所下降。

不過，這些研究樣本數量很少（共 7 項研究），作者認為靈氣可能有助於減輕疼痛與焦慮，但仍需更多大規模研究驗證。

費用

英國部分癌症中心與安寧療養院會為癌症患者提供免費或低價的靈氣療程。你可以詢問醫師或護理人員，或由他們轉介至提供該服務的組織或支持團體。

若選擇私人靈氣療程，費用通常每小時約 £15 至 £100，城市地區費用可能更高。

尋找靈氣師

確保為你施行靈氣的人具備正式訓練資格。

靈氣有三個等級：

1. 第一級（Level 1）：可為自己、家人與朋友使用靈氣，但不能收費或治療他人。

2. 第二級（Level 2／從業級 Practitioner Level）：可為他人進行靈氣療程。

3. 第三級（Level 3／靈氣大師或教師 Reiki Master/Teacher）：可教導他人靈氣。

為你施行靈氣的人應至少具備第二級資格，並在英國的**輔助與自然醫療委員會（Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council, CNHC）**註冊為靈氣師。

雖然法律沒有強制規定資格，但多數有信譽的靈氣師皆屬於專業靈氣協會。

可先查閱英國靈氣聯盟（UK Reiki Federation）網站，尋找你所在地區的註冊靈氣師，並聯絡他們確認資格與培訓程度。

提醒

請記住：靈氣無法治癒癌症。它是一種輔助療法，旨在於癌症治療期間支援你、促進放鬆與提升整體健康感受。

Reiki is a type of energy healing and is a complementary therapy. It is sometimes used as a palliative or supportive therapy for people with cancer.

Summary

The Japanese word Reiki means universal energy. It aims to relax you, ease stress and tension and help with well being. There is no scientific evidence that reiki can help prevent, treat or cure cancer.

What is Reiki?

Reiki is a Japanese healing art that was developed by Mikao Usui in Japan in the early 20th century. It is pronounced ray-key. You might also hear it called Reiki energy, Usui system of Reiki and therapeutic touch.

The Japanese word reiki means universal energy. Eastern medicine systems work with this energy, which they believe flows through all living things and is vital to well being. The energy is known as 'Ki' in Japan, 'Chi' in China and 'prana' in India. Reiki isn't part of any type of religion or belief system.

A reiki practitioner puts their hands on or near your clothed body. One of the main aims is to help you relax. A reiki practitioner aims to change and balance the ‘energy fields’ in and around your body.

Why people with cancer use it

Some people with cancer may use reiki alongside their treatment, as a complementary therapy. Reiki practitioners say that it can:

• help you to feel deeply relaxed

• help you cope with difficult situations

• relieve emotional stress and tension

• help to improve wellbeing

Some people with cancer say they feel more relaxed after using therapies such as reiki. Studies suggest that this is often because a therapist spends time with the person. Gentle touch in a calm setting can be relaxing. Reiki is sometimes used in palliative care, especially in hospices.

Although reiki might help you feel more relaxed and able to cope, it’s important to bear in mind reiki is not able to treat your cancer.

How you have it

On your first visit, your reiki practitioner will ask you about your general health and medical history. They will ask you why you would like to have reiki and discuss your treatment plan with you.

You don’t have to get undressed for treatment. You usually take your shoes and coat off and have it sitting or lying down. You can have your eyes open or closed.

Your reiki practitioner might dim the lights or play soothing music. They put their hands on, or a few inches above your body. They move their hands across your body, usually starting at your head and working down to your feet, but may focus on particular areas of the body.

The aim is to move and balance the 'energy' within and around your body. And to get rid of any energy blocks to encourage healing and strengthen your energy. You might feel a tingling sensation, a deep relaxation, or warmth or coolness throughout your body. Or, you might not feel anything at all. Practitioners say this doesn’t mean the treatment isn’t working.

A session usually lasts between 20 minutes and an hour. Many practitioners say you will get the best results from 3 sessions within a fairly short space of time. Then take a break before having more treatments.

You might feel thirsty after a session. It can help to drink plenty of water and avoid strong caffeine based drinks, such as coffee. You might feel deeply relaxed, and resting at home afterwards can help you get the full benefit of the treatment.

Reiki practitioners say that reiki can be sent remotely, over a distance. So you can be in your own home having reiki from a person elsewhere.

If you don’t feel comfortable with anything, it’s important to discuss this with your practitioner.

Side effects

Generally speaking, reiki is safe for most people with cancer. Most practitioners will advise you to rest and drink plenty of water after treatment. There are no reports of harmful side effects.

But it’s important to tell your doctor about any complementary therapy, alternative therapy or diet supplement that you use. Then your doctor will always have the full picture about your care and treatment.

Research into Reiki for people with cancer

There is no scientific evidence to show that reiki can prevent, treat or cure cancer, or any other disease. Only a small number of studies have looked at reiki and there were limitations to all the trials. This means they are not conclusive and we need further research.

Reiki for carers

A very small study in 2021 (42 people) gave reiki to people who were caring for a person with cancer. They had reiki once a week for 6 weeks. The study wanted to find out if reiki could lower stress levels in the carers. The authors concluded that the carers found caregiving less stressful after reiki.

Reiki for anxiety and pain control

In 2014, a literature review looked at whether reiki could help with pain and anxiety. The authors reviewed information from various studies that had used reiki on people with cancer and people without cancer.

Some of the people had recently had surgery so they wanted to see if reiki could help with pain after surgery. Others were about to have a breast biopsy and were feeling anxious. They found that after reiki, women having a breast biopsy had a reduction in their anxiety. And patients who had recently had surgery reported a decrease in their pain.

There were only a small number of studies (7 studies in total). The authors concluded that reiki may be helpful for pain and anxiety. They suggest we need further studies with larger numbers of people.

How much it costs

Some cancer centres and hospices in the UK offer free or low cost reiki for people with cancer. You can ask your nurse or doctor about this. If it isn’t available, they might be able to direct you to nearby organisations or support groups that do offer it.

Private reiki treatments usually cost from around £15 to £100 an hour. Treatments may be more expensive in bigger cities.

Finding a Reiki practitioner

It is vital that the person who gives you reiki is properly trained.

There are 3 different levels of reiki practitioners.

• Level 1 means you can use reiki to treat yourself, family and friends but are not able to treat other people or charge money for treatment

• Level 2 (also called practitioner level) means you have studied to a higher level and can use reiki to treat people

• Level 3 means you are a reiki master or teacher

Anyone treating you should hold a minimum Le

vel 2 reiki qualification. They should be registered with the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC) as a reiki practitioner.

There is no law to say that practitioners have to have any specific qualifications. But most reputable practitioners belong to a professional reiki association.

Look on the UK Reiki Federation website first for a list of practitioners in your area. Or use one of the other organisations listed below. Contact one or more of practitioners and check what level qualification and training they have.

A word of caution

Remember that reiki cannot cure your cancer.

It is a complementary therapy that aims to help support you during your cancer treatment and help with your general well being.