Drifting off on a soft couch surrounded by tranquil sounds and sweet scents seems like the ideal way to take the stress out of a busy day.
I found myself in that position at Chapel Spa in Cheltenham, under the healing hands of reiki master Nina Jenkins for a session of WakeyReiki.
I'm not sure that WakeyReiki is a name that is entirely right to describe this form of complementary therapy as the last thing I was during my hour-long session was wide awake.
Under Nina's care I found I was lulled into a sort of semi-conscious state somewhere between reality and the world of dreams.
But Nina assured me it was named because I would leave feeling refreshed in both my mind and body.
Nina uses light touch therapy to treat both mental and physical ailments and, she says, bring about self-healing for the client, whatever their particular needs.
It's an ideal therapy to have in the middle of a working day as you remain fully clothed throughout and at the end can return to work feeling relaxed and energised.
WakeyReiki is a form of Japanese healing and stress reduction.
An ancient hands-on technique, reiki claims to use the rei or universal spirit and the ki or life force energy to heal, by balancing energies or chakras within our bodies.
Whether you believe all this or not, it is still a great way to relax the body and calm the mind as the therapist works her way down your body with gentle movements.
Nina says the therapy can treat a wide number of disorders, from releasing tension and improving sleep patterns to helping with chronic problems such as headaches and joint pain, and breaking addictions.
I lay down on her couch hoping for a general boost to my wellbeing and easing of tension, but Nina said the treatment would also be able to help heal my chronic back and neck aches.
Somewhat disconcertingly, she starts the session with a brief period of chanting, calling on the powers of reiki to help sort me out and bring me good vibes.
To anyone a little cynical of alternative therapies or trying it out for the first time, this may seem a little far-fetched and I'm not sure I was entirely comfortable with it, but I guess part of it is to help Nina get into the healing 'zone', as it were.
Then, starting at my head, she worked her way down my body, laying her hands on each part in turn, sometimes tapping gently, but with nothing more than a very slight pressure.
She covered both my front and back during the treatment, which she said would treat all my main chakra areas, which include both the physical and mental states of my body.
After a very relaxing 60 minutes, Nina filled in a diagram of my body, showing the different areas she had treated and giving me a run-down of the state of them all.
She pointed out the positions on my back and neck which were particularly in need of some TLC, but also mentioned other areas I didn't know I had any problems, including my stomach, for which she recommended a daily dose of probiotic yoghurt.
And in the restful, cosy surroundings of her treatment room at Chapel Spa, this ancient form of treatment certainly helped me to relax and prepare myself for another full-on day.
As a reiki master, Nina also teaches reiki and is always looking for new students to learn WakeyReiki for themselves on her next course, which is running in the summer.
Helen Blow
I found myself in that position at Chapel Spa in Cheltenham, under the healing hands of reiki master Nina Jenkins for a session of WakeyReiki.
I'm not sure that WakeyReiki is a name that is entirely right to describe this form of complementary therapy as the last thing I was during my hour-long session was wide awake.
Under Nina's care I found I was lulled into a sort of semi-conscious state somewhere between reality and the world of dreams.
But Nina assured me it was named because I would leave feeling refreshed in both my mind and body.
Nina uses light touch therapy to treat both mental and physical ailments and, she says, bring about self-healing for the client, whatever their particular needs.
It's an ideal therapy to have in the middle of a working day as you remain fully clothed throughout and at the end can return to work feeling relaxed and energised.
WakeyReiki is a form of Japanese healing and stress reduction.
An ancient hands-on technique, reiki claims to use the rei or universal spirit and the ki or life force energy to heal, by balancing energies or chakras within our bodies.
Whether you believe all this or not, it is still a great way to relax the body and calm the mind as the therapist works her way down your body with gentle movements.
Nina says the therapy can treat a wide number of disorders, from releasing tension and improving sleep patterns to helping with chronic problems such as headaches and joint pain, and breaking addictions.
I lay down on her couch hoping for a general boost to my wellbeing and easing of tension, but Nina said the treatment would also be able to help heal my chronic back and neck aches.
Somewhat disconcertingly, she starts the session with a brief period of chanting, calling on the powers of reiki to help sort me out and bring me good vibes.
To anyone a little cynical of alternative therapies or trying it out for the first time, this may seem a little far-fetched and I'm not sure I was entirely comfortable with it, but I guess part of it is to help Nina get into the healing 'zone', as it were.
Then, starting at my head, she worked her way down my body, laying her hands on each part in turn, sometimes tapping gently, but with nothing more than a very slight pressure.
She covered both my front and back during the treatment, which she said would treat all my main chakra areas, which include both the physical and mental states of my body.
After a very relaxing 60 minutes, Nina filled in a diagram of my body, showing the different areas she had treated and giving me a run-down of the state of them all.
She pointed out the positions on my back and neck which were particularly in need of some TLC, but also mentioned other areas I didn't know I had any problems, including my stomach, for which she recommended a daily dose of probiotic yoghurt.
And in the restful, cosy surroundings of her treatment room at Chapel Spa, this ancient form of treatment certainly helped me to relax and prepare myself for another full-on day.
As a reiki master, Nina also teaches reiki and is always looking for new students to learn WakeyReiki for themselves on her next course, which is running in the summer.
Helen Blow
