Reiki (Japanese: usui reiki ryoho = Usui mind power-treatment) is an alternative medical treatment which was discovered and developed at the beginning of the 20th Century by Mikao Usui. The term Reiki derives from the Japanese words rei (cosmos) and ki (vital energy). Reiki refers to both the treatment itself and the underlying energy. It is intended to cure and prevent diseases, but also to improve the general well-being. During the therapeutic energy work, the therapist directly lays his or her hands on the patient’s body, involving mantras and symbolic mental work. The first goal of reiki is a holistic physical and emotional healing. The giving person establishes a connection between the universal energy and the receiving.