n. a complementary therapy based on an ancient healing system rediscovered in the 20th century by a Buddhist monk. It involves a therapist putting his or her hands on or very close to a patient to boost the patient’s natural invisible energy fields (reiki means ‘universal life force’). It is often used as an adjunct to other therapies and is said to be helpful for many conditions.
various forms of therapy that are viewed as complementary to conventional medicine. These include (but are not confined to) *osteopathy, *acupuncture, *homeopathy, *massage, *aromatherapy, *reflexology, and *reiki. Previously, complementary therapies were regarded as an alternative to conventional therapies, and the two types were considered to be mutually exclusive (hence the former names alternative medicine and fringe medicine). However, many practitioners now have dual training in conventional and complementary therapies. There is very limited provision for complementary medicine within the National Health Service.... complementary medicine
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