Terapia Reiki: percepções de mulheres sobre seus processos de saúde e doença

Abstract

The research will address the perceptions, beliefs and behaviors linked to the health, disease, body and spirituality processes of women seeking Reiki therapy. It is understood that Reiki is inserted in one of the health care systems, and that the cultural health system integrates the symbolic dimension. The research has a qualitative approach of an ethnographic nature using the technique of participant observation and semi-structured interviews. Eight women were interviewed, recipients of Reiki, aged between 20 and 74 years in the period of one year, from 2019 to 2020, in a holistic space in the municipality of Santa Maria - RS. The research aims to understand the perception of women who seek Reiki therapy as a treatment for health / illness. Specific objectives are to carry out a review of alternative therapies within the scope of health and disease anthropology, to investigate how Reiki became popular as complementary therapy in Brazil and its insertion as a health treatment provided by the Unified Health System (SUS), to understand the perception of healing, health and disease, knowing some feelings / emotions and beliefs of those who use this therapy, observing if there have been paradigmatic changes that may have altered the subjects' perception of health / disease, body, spirituality and emotions. It is concluded, from the perceptions of the recipients, that Reiki contributes to their physical, mental, spiritual and emotional well-being. Reiki, as PICs, contributes to medical practices in the face of disease and health processes, but also as preventive therapy for maintaining health.