We built a Reiki Dōjō
August 11, 2026
Journal of Holistic Nursing
2024/2025 · Vol. 43(4) · pp. 386–400
Morimitsu, Nakahira & Nishikawa · Kyoto Koka Women’s University, Japan
Reiki Treatments
In this study:
Reiki Treatment = hands-on Reiki session given to a nurse
Reiki = the spiritual energy itself
What this study is about
The question
Nursing is one of the most stressful professions globally — and Japan is no exception. This study asked whether Reiki treatments Reiki Treatment could reduce stress in Japanese nurses, and it measured both their body’s physical stress responses and their psychological wellbeing — before and after receiving a Reiki treatment.
Why it’s significant
This is the first study to examine the effects of Reiki treatments on stress specifically in Japanese nurses. Japan has a distinct cultural context for Reiki energy Reiki — the system of Reiki originated in Japan — yet research into Reiki treatments for Japanese nursing staff had not previously been conducted. The researchers describe this as a first step toward holistic nursing care in Japan.
How the study was conducted
Study type
Mixed methods pilot study
Quantitative (body measurements + mood scale) and qualitative (interviews + questionnaire)
Setting
Japan
Kyoto Koka Women’s University · Reiki treatments given in a Japanese nursing context
Participants
21
Nurses who completed the full Reiki treatment intervention and follow-up
What was measured — before and after each Reiki treatment
Pulse rate — physical stress marker
Respiration rate — physical stress marker
Blood pressure — physical stress marker
Salivary α-amylase activity — biochemical stress marker
Profile of Mood States 2nd Ed. (POMS-2) — validated psychological wellbeing scale measuring mood dimensions and Total Mood Disturbance
Semistructured interviews after the Reiki treatment + web questionnaire completed the following day
What the Reiki treatments produced
—
Physical stress markers — no significant change
Pulse rate, respiration rate, blood pressure, and salivary α-amylase were all measured before and after Reiki treatments. None showed a statistically significant difference. The Reiki treatments reached the psychological level of stress — not the body's acute physical stress response.
What nurses said — in their own words
Positive experiences reported
- “Warm” — a sense of warmth during the Reiki treatment
- “Body feeling more comfortable” — physical ease
- “Stress awareness” — noticing and acknowledging stress
Also noted
- Some nurses also described negative experiences — the qualitative data captured both
- No adverse events were reported in the entire study
- The honest reporting of both positive and negative experiences strengthens the credibility of the findings
Key findings
Reiki treatments reached the psychological — not just the physical Reiki Treatment
While the body’s physical stress markers did not show significant change, the nurses’ psychological stress — how they were actually feeling — improved significantly. This tells us something important: Reiki energy Reiki may work primarily at the level of mood and psychological wellbeing, particularly in a single-session context.
First Reiki treatment study of Japanese nurses Reiki Treatment
The researchers explicitly describe this as pioneering research — no previous study had examined the effects of Reiki treatments on stress specifically in Japanese nurses. Given that the system of Reiki originated in Japan, this is a meaningful gap to begin addressing.
Warmth was the defining experience Reiki Treatment
The word “warm” was a central qualitative finding — nurses reported feeling warmth during their Reiki treatment. This is consistently reported across Reiki treatment research globally and speaks to the tangible, felt quality of Reiki energy as experienced by recipients.
Be aware
- Small pilot study — 21 participants; findings are preliminary and need replication with larger samples
- No control group — it is not possible to rule out the effect of simply resting or receiving attention
- Physical stress markers did not show significant change — the psychological benefit may be specific to mood and subjective experience
- Nonprobability snowball sampling — participants self-selected, which may introduce bias
- The researchers acknowledge this as a first step and call for further research
What the researchers concluded
Both quantitative and qualitative data confirmed that Reiki treatments improved the psychological aspect of stress responses in Japanese nurses. This study is the first step toward holistic nursing care in Japan. While physical stress markers were not significantly changed, the meaningful improvement in psychological wellbeing — the mood and emotional experience of stress — suggests that Reiki treatments have a real and valuable role in supporting the mental health of nursing staff.
Morimitsu, Nakahira & Nishikawa · Journal of Holistic Nursing · 2024/2025
What this means in practice
1
Reiki treatments address psychological stress — which is where nursing burnout begins. The physical symptoms of burnout often follow its psychological roots. If Reiki treatments can meaningfully reduce psychological stress in nurses, this is clinically relevant for burnout prevention.
2
This is the first Japanese research on Reiki treatments for Japanese nurses. The system of Reiki was born in Japan, yet this gap in the research was only recently addressed. This study opens a new chapter in Reiki research in its country of origin.
3
Physical markers and psychological experience can diverge. The absence of significant physical changes does not mean nothing happened — the nurses clearly felt different. Mood disturbance improved significantly. Reiki energy Reiki may act first on the psychological level, with physical changes potentially emerging over repeated treatments.
4
Warmth, comfort, and stress awareness are consistent cross-cultural findings. Japanese nurses described the same experience — warmth, physical ease, a new awareness of stress — that recipients of Reiki treatments report globally. This cross-cultural consistency adds weight to the reality of what Reiki treatments produce.
Morimitsu Y, Nakahira M, Nishikawa A. The Effects of Reiki on the Stress of Japanese Nurses: Mixed Methods Pilot Study. J Holist Nurs. 2025 Dec;43(4):386–400. doi: 10.1177/08980101241265534. Epub 2024 Jul 23. PMID: 39042182.
Bronwen Logan
I have been practising and teaching the system of Reiki for almost 30 years.
Along the way I helped build the International House of Reiki and created Shibumi International Reiki Association, and I have written a handful of books, including The Reiki Sourcebook, The Japanese Art of Reiki and Your Reiki Treatment.
Today, I focus on creating tools and supporting Reiki students in developing their skills, knowledge and practice. *Reiki with Bronwen*, my new baby, is home for all of this. Most of my study has gone into the Japanese roots of the system.
Outside that: writing, animals, and the Reiki Women Podcast, which I co-founded. I teach privately and online. And there are new books on the way...
