What is the Difference Between Reiki and Swedish Massage?

A regular Swedish massage has similar functional goals to reiki, a Japanese therapeutic technique. Swedish massage relieves stiffness and muscle tension, but Reiki restores the body’s energy flow balance. While a Swedish massage primarily employs pressure, Reiki frequently uses a light touch or hands-on manipulation of the body.

Reiki Massage Vs Swedish Massage – The Key Difference:

Reiki is a spiritual practice that uses energy work to balance and harmonize the body’s energy centers, known as chakras. It involves the practitioner placing their hands on or near the client’s body to channel energy and promote relaxation, stress relief, and healing.

Swedish massage, on the other hand, is a traditional massage technique that involves manipulating the muscles with long strokes, kneading, friction, and vibration. It is commonly used to alleviate muscle tension, improve circulation, and promote relaxation and stress relief.

Below, we will look at the techniques, purposes, benefits, and aftercare advice for Reiki and Swedish massage.

Difference Between Reiki and Swedish Massage

1. Technique

Reiki is an energy healing method that uses light touch to encourage relaxation and lower tension and anxiety.

The Reiki technique uses energy to promote balance and a better energy flow through the client’s body which will help your body heal naturally through the positive touch created by the Reiki practitioner.

Reiki promotes healing by assisting individuals in achieving energetic balance on all levels—physically, emotionally, cognitively, and spiritually.

Your connection to the source of the global life force energy is made possible by reiki practitioners. Through the hands of the practitioner, the energy travels to you.

The experience is comparable to a massage. To heal the body, the practitioner, however, uses energy as opposed to pressure. Your healthcare provider won’t frequently touch your skin.

On the other hand, Swedish massage is a hands-on massage that is gentle to the touch.

As professionals, we use five different massage movements to help loosen the superficial muscles, stretch them out, and relieve tension that causes pain and discomfort.

Swedish massage triggers receptors that send sensory impulses to the brain and spinal cord, which reduces muscle tension and promotes relaxation. Endorphins are released during a massage, which has been demonstrated to lessen inflammation and muscle tension.

Swedish massage is performed on your legs, arms, back, neck, and shoulders. Some massage therapists like me like to add in the hands and face to give our clients an overall sense of relaxation.

2. Convenience

2. Can you perform Swedeish and Reiki Massages at home

Both massage techniques can be performed in your practitioner’s professional rooms. Swedish massage can be done in the comfort of your own home, at a spa or massage parlor, but I would not suggest having your Reiki session at home.

Your Reiki practitioner needs to create a safe space for energy to flow, and sometimes, it is hard for them to create that healing space at your home with all the distractions.

3. Purpose and Benefits

Reiki’s primary goal is to provide your body with a break from the strains of daily living, which may assist in reducing stress and bring about an overall feeling of relaxation.

Once you reach this stage of relaxation, your body may be better equipped to repair any harm caused by tension, injury, or disease.

The main purpose of Swedish massage is to promote better blood circulation in the body. Moving the muscles around increases blood flow, resulting in better muscle movement, pain reduction, and faster muscle recovery.

Benefits of Reiki Vs Swedish Massage

Reiki Massage Benefits	Swedish Massage Benefits
Improves your mood Helps to improve your sleep pattern Helps the body recover from emotional trauma and stress Reduces fatigue	Faster muscle recovery Reduction in chronic headaches Reduces muscle tension Reduces stress and anxiety

4. Price

2. Can you perform Swedish and Reiki Massages at home

Reiki treatment is a specialized treatment that costs between $50 – $100 per hour. The session is not often covered by health insurance, and your treatment will last between 45 minutes to 90 minutes, depending on what the practitioner needs to clear and heal.

On the other hand, you should expect to pay between $40 and $100 per hour for a Swedish massage. The majority of spas will provide you with a package deal that entitles you to a discount when you pay for multiple treatments at once.

5. Frequency

It is crucial to keep in mind that Reiki is a spiritual practice. You can have it as often as you would like. Some clients come once a month for their birthdays only, and others come once a week when they are having a tough time, either emotionally or physically.

Some clients might have a dull headache or flu-like symptoms after their sessions. Letting those symptoms stop before you book your next session is essential. This is your body’s way of getting rid of the toxins and starting the healing process.

A Swedish massage can be done as often as twice a week. I recommend that my clients have one at least once a month to help their bodies stay relaxed and as stress-free as possible. If you have an injury, broken a bone in the past three months or are pregnant, let your therapist know, as the treatment plan and frequency might need to change.

6. The Aftercare

After a reiki massage, for the remainder of the day and, if feasible, the rest of the week, eat a lot of wholesome foods, such as fresh vegetables. Foods that have been processed and are greasy might make us feel sluggish and sap our vitality. Avoid energy snacks, drinks, short fixes, and refined sugars.

Note how you feel following the session so you may discuss it with your practitioner at your subsequent appointment. This aids the medical professional in understanding how your body reacts to the treatment.

Every emotion you experience is expected. Even happiness, bliss, and joy are not enduring. We become more capable of managing our entire spectrum of emotions as we come to terms with our sentiments constantly evolving. What are you currently feeling?

After your Swedish massage, you want to enjoy peaceful bliss for as long as possible. To do this, stay away from your phone and work requirements for at least 20 minutes after your massage session. Enjoy the sense of contentment as much as you can.

Avoid caffeine and alcohol for at least 24 hours after your massage. The toxins can cause headaches and a bad hangover after a Swedish massage.

Reiki Massage Vs Swedish Massage – Which is Better for You?

Reiki needs to be performed on someone open to the idea of energy flow to help heal the body. It is a great experience that everyone should try at least once in their life.

I recommend Reiki to my clients who have gone through emotional trauma such as an accident, family death, and chronic illness. It is also ideal for those who battle with Insomnia as the treatment will help your body relax into your sleep and allow you to stay asleep throughout the night.

I recommend Swedish massage to my clients who enjoy a relaxing massage that does not like deep pressure.

For those clients who have connective tissue disorders, Swedish massage is the better option for them because this technique does not work on the connective tissue. Swedish is a good option if you work at a desk all day and need those knots in your neck and shoulders released.