RFD: Reiki and other type things

my mum and dad, despite being catholics, did a reiki course...for the next four years, every time i left the house to go on a trip they made these weird hand signals at me. Admittedly I never died, so it may have some merit.

there's this aryuvedic thing called shirodhara where 20mins worth of thick warm liquid is streamed onto yr forehead. althoug you could liken it to continuous chinese water torture, its actually really great. esp. if you hold stress between your brows or practice that 'i'm thinking really hard' look.

Yes, I believe in them.

I am totally open to the idea that it could all be a placebo thing, but who cares? The device by which something works is irrelevant if the desired or positive outcome is achieved.

I think it's wrong to talk in terms of something being JUST about mind over matter - why not talk about something being ABSOLUTELY about mind over matter. If whatever you're referring to works then it doesn't matter WHY. It makes no sense to belittle something by claiming it merely gives you access to mind over matter control if you did not already have access to that. What greater gift could there be?

To answer the rest of your question I think Reiki is the most effective of the three for stress relief, yoga the second best and meditating (which is what I assume you meant by mediating) very little help at all.

Damn that missing T. My original question may have been poorly phrased. I'm more open minded about such things than my question may have let on. Plus, a relative is going to visit a Reiki person soon for help with arthritis, and I was just wondering what it entails.

Reiki = the laying on of hands and very little else. Some Reiki people are also into talking about what they feel/think/see in their mind whilst they have their hands on you and interpreting your worries and ills accordingly. I'm not fond of this because it's usually them projecting their own issues rather than tuning into yours.

we blush when we are embarrassed = proof of the existence of the power of mind over matter