Reiki for dummies

This is the fun and easy way to explore the power of this popular energy-healing technique.

Though it originated long ago in Japan, Reiki - a gentle, non-invasive healing practice that uses guided life-force energy - is now offered as a complementary therapy by 60 percent of hospitals in the U.S.

This plain - English guide explains what Reiki is, how it originated and evolved, and what conditions it can help alleviate.

For people seeking treatment, it offers guidance on how to find a qualified Reiki practitioner and what to expect in an initial Reiki session; for people who want to become Reiki practitioners themselves, it discusses the training process and what it takes to get started as a Reiki healer.

Nina Paul, PhD (New York, NY), is a Reiki Master in private practice.

She holds doctorate in infectious disease epidemiology from Yale and is also the author of "Living with Hepatitis C For Dummies" (0-7645-7620-8).