Energy Worth Remembering: Why Reiki in the Philippines Deserves to Be Studied

This week, I received a beautiful message from Kamille Untalan, a graduate student at the University of the Philippines, currently writing her thesis on how Reiki has been transmitted and adapted in the Philippine setting. She reached out to interview Reiki Masters and practitioners, in hopes of gathering real, grounded stories of how Reiki is lived and practiced here.

Reading her message filled me with hope. And also a deep sense of responsibility.

Here we are—quietly practicing, teaching, holding space, healing—and yet so little of what we do has been written down, studied, or acknowledged in formal spaces of learning. Reiki has been blossoming in the Philippines, but its growth has gone mostly undocumented. It’s time we begin to change that.

Why Reiki Research Matters

In other parts of the world, Reiki is already being studied in hospitals, academic journals, and even medical institutions. Some key findings from global Reiki research show:

💛 Reduction in pain and anxiety: Reiki has been shown to significantly reduce pain and anxiety in surgical patients, cancer patients, and those experiencing chronic illness.

💛 Improved quality of life: Studies report that Reiki enhances emotional well-being, helps manage stress, and supports recovery and resilience.

💛 Supportive in palliative care: Reiki has been integrated into palliative care programs in the US and UK, providing comfort to patients at the end of life.

💛 Safe and non-invasive: Research consistently shows that Reiki is safe and carries no adverse side effects, making it a gentle complementary option for holistic care.

In the U.S., Reiki is offered in over 800 hospitals. It is being studied in clinical trials, included in nursing curricula, and slowly gaining respect within integrative health systems.

So why not here?

Why not in our own language, culture, and context?

Why not now?

A Calling for Us All

Reiki in the Philippines is powerful, deeply intuitive, and uniquely woven into our spiritual and cultural fabric. And yet, so much of it lives in memory—in practice—in unspoken stories.

It’s time we begin to document. To reflect. To contribute to the greater body of knowledge with our own experiences, insights, and lineage.

📖 For the future healers.

🧬 For the curious scientists.

🌱 For the ancestors whispering, "keep going."

To the Researchers, Students, and Partners...

I see you. I’m ready to support you.

If you are writing your thesis, if you are working on a journal article, if you are from an institution that wants to explore energy healing—reach out. Let's co-create a future where Reiki is not just practiced in sacred spaces, but also honored in scholarly ones.

Let’s take up space—in libraries, in classrooms, in health policy conversations—not for validation, but for visibility. Reiki doesn’t need to prove itself. But the world still needs to understand it.

✨ May our healing work be remembered,

✨ May our stories be recorded,

✨ May our light be seen.

With reverence and readiness,

Celine

Reiki in the Philippines: It’s Time We Tell Our Story

Kamille and Celine on a Zoom interview