Step into my Reiki room, and you might think Reiki and chakra balancing are one in the same. You’ll spot my chakra flags, decor and crystals neatly placed around the healing space. When I offer Reiki, I often work to clear and balance the chakras as part of the session.

Many Reiki therapists blend chakra balancing into their practice, even though it’s not part of the traditional Reiki natural system of healing taught by Mikao Usui.

It’s easy to see why these two modalities get mixed up—both are about restoring balance and  energy flow. However, they come from very different origins and use distinct techniques. Both approaches offer powerful healing and harmonizing of life force energy and understanding the difference can help you better understand energy healing.

Need more background on Reiki? Check out my article: What’s Reiki and how does it work?

Reiki And Chakra Balancing: An Overview

Reiki and chakra balancing both involve harmonizing the body’s subtle energy. In both practices, there’s an understanding that we are much more than just our physical bodies. We’re energetic beings, constantly emitting and interacting with energy. This shared foundation—seeing the body as an energetic system—means both Reiki and chakra healing aim to restore balance and vital energy flow. While the approaches may differ, the goal is the same: to help us feel more aligned, grounded, and connected.

Importantly, Reiki and chakra energy centers come from different traditions, times in history, and areas of the world and use different approaches to achieve energetic  balance. Let’s look at the origins and basic concepts of these two powerful energy healing disciplines.

Reiki

Reiki, as we know it today, was introduced in the 1920s by a Buddhist monk named Mikao Usui in Japan. However, many believe that Reiki—or forms of hand healing—has been around for more than 2,500 years. Reiki involves hands-on healing (with 12 basic hand placements), guiding life force energy through the hands and mentally, following key life principles and incorporating meditation and attunements.

Reiki is unique in that it doesn’t require practitioners to focus on specific areas or chakras. Instead, the energy is intuitively guided to where it’s most needed. It’s more about opening yourself up to receive universal energy and allowing it to flow where it can do the most good.

Ki Energy

Reiki uses the concept of “Ki,” which refers to the life force energy that flows through every living being. The body is a system of pathways in which Ki is continuously flowing. Reiki practitioners channel this energy through their hands or meditation to help clear blockages, restore balance, and promote healing on physical, emotional, and spiritual levels.

Chakra Energy Healing

Chakra energy healing comes from ancient India and is rooted in the sister science of yoga—Ayurveda. The chakra system was first mentioned in the Vedas, ancient Hindu scriptures, between 1500 and 500 BC.

The term “chakra” comes from the Sanskrit term meaning "wheel". There are seven major chakras that are each associated with a level of consciousness and, aligned along the spine, correspond with the physical body’s central nervous system, organs, and glands.

When chakras are blocked and restricted, one might experience physical, energetic, mental-emotional, intellectual and karmic blockages.

The 7 Major Chakras

Root Chakra (Muladhara)

Located at the base of the spine, the root chakra is associated with the color red and represents grounding, security and survival.  

Sacral Chakra (Svadhisthana)

Found just below the navel, the sacral chakra is associated with the color orange and governs creativity, pleasure, and emotional balance.  

Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura)

Situated in the upper abdomen, the solar plexus chakra, known as the power chakra, is associated with the color yellow and is tied to personal power, confidence, and self-esteem.  

Heart Chakra (Anahata)

Located at the center of the chest, the heart chakra is associated with the color green and represents love, compassion, and emotional healing.  

Throat Chakra (Vishuddha)

Found at the throat, the throat chakra is associated with the color blue and relates to communication, self-expression, and speaking one’s truth.  

Third Eye Chakra (Ajna)

Positioned between the eyebrows, the third eye chakra is associated with the color indigo and is linked to intuition, insight, and inner wisdom.  

Crown Chakra (Sahasrara)

Located at the top of the head, the crown chakra is associated with violet or white and connects us to higher consciousness, all-one connection, and enlightenment.

Notably, the chakra system varies among traditions. For example, Tibetan Buddhism identifies five primary chakras, which focus on spiritual growth and enlightenment. Certain lineages of yoga and types of energy healing expand the chakra system even further, including the Earth star chakra below the root chakra and the soul star chakra above the crown chakra, our connection with the Earth and the cosmos. There are also minor chakras in the hands and feet, offering grounding energy and directing healing during practices such as Reiki and reflexology.

Prana Energy

In chakra healing, energy is “Prana,” life force energy. The goal of chakra healing is to clear and balance these energy centers, allowing prana to flow freely. Blocked or unbalanced chakras can lead to physical or emotional issues, so chakra healing focuses on identifying where the blockages are and using techniques, such as visualization, breathwork or crystals, to flow prana and bring the chakras back into alignment.

Reiki And Chakra Healing Compared

Key Similarities: Reiki And Chakras

Energy: Reiki and chakra balancing come from philosophical underpinnings that our body is beyond its physical makeup—that life force energy manifests our physical existence and experience.

Balance: The flow of energy should move with harmony and balance.

Key Differences: Reiki And Chakras

Origins: Reiki is a modern from Japan, while chakra healing comes from ancient Hindu texts. Mikao Usui did not include Chakra balancing in his development of modern Reiki.

Energy Focus: Reiki uses ki (life force energy), while chakra healing uses prana (life force energy) and focuses on balancing and aligning specific energy centers. 

Approach To Healing: Reiki is more of a universal approach, allowing energy to flow intuitively where it is needed though the connection of universal consciousness, whereas chakra healing focuses on specific energy centers to restore balance and alignment.

Using Reiki For Chakra Balancing

The reason Reiki and chakra balancing are often used together is because Reiki is a strong modality for moving the body’s subtle energy (ki and prana). Additionally, many western Reiki Masters have backgrounds in and are influenced by the popularity of yoga, which shares lineage with Ayurveda and the chakra system. And simply, Reiki and chakra balancing combined offer powerful healing and peaceful harmony to all who experience it.

My clients respond well to this combination of Reiki and chakra balancing, enjoying an deeper understanding of how their subtle body is affected by their thoughts, situations, emotions and spiritual connection.

Additional Chakra Balancing Modalities 

It’s important to note that while Reiki can by used to balance the chakras, it is but one modality for working with prana energy flow. Breathwork, yogic techniques, crystals, movement, meditation, sound healing, herbal remedies, diet and a variety of other therapies can be used to clear and balance the chakras.

Reiki, Chakra Balancing Or A Blend? 

Both Reiki and chakra balancing can bring powerful shifts in how we feel—energetically, emotionally and physically. While Reiki and chakra work come from different traditions and use different methods, blending these practices is common and creates a unique and peaceful healing experience. Consider exploring Reiki and chakra healing—or blend them!—to discover how you can seek balance, energy flow, alignment and harmonious healing.

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