What is Reiki? The awareness that an unseen energy flows through all living things and directly affects the quality of a person’s health has been part of the wisdom of many cultures since ancient times. This life energy goes by many names: qi in China, ki in Japan, and prana in India. The ancient Hawaiians called it ti or ki. It has also been called orgone energy and élan vital, and science refers to it as biofield energy. When your life energy is low, it is more difficult to deal with stress; you may not sleep well, and you’re more susceptible to illness. When your life energy is strong, you feel strong, can more easily deal with stress, and are less likely to get sick. Reiki is a technique that increases a person’s supply of life energy.