Quantum Touch and Reiki: Aren’t They The Same Thing?

by | Apr 12, 2021

People often get confused about Reiki and Quantum Touch.

And honestly, I don’t blame them, their working definitions are incredibly similar, they both involve touch, and both can be done over great distances!

So no wonder, potential clients and students that are shopping around to learn energy healing, or just for anyone who is curious, could become confused and just give up and say, “It’s all the same thing!”

Not quite.

Even more frustrating, the energy community tends to lean toward touting one as better than the other. When people choose to get into, “ the which modality is better” pissing contest, this detracts away from the Ultimate purpose of healing: helping ourselves and others heal, whether it be physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually.

Fortunately, I’m trained and teach both Reiki and Quantum Touch, and have decided to take the time to compare their similarities and differences for those who are new to either modality, or curious to what those similarities and differences are of what will work best for them.

First, think of Reiki and Quantum Touch as the same corporation, just different branches.

Similarities

Definition (no wonder people think they’re the same thing!)

Reiki: A healing technique based on the principle that the therapist can channel energy into the patient by means of touch, to activate the natural healing processes of the patient’s body and restore physical and emotional well-being.”

“Quantum-Touch is a powerful quantum healing technique that works with the Life Force Energy of the body to reduce pain and promote optimal wellness. Life Force Energy, also known as ‘chi’ in Chinese and ‘prana’ in Sanskrit, is the flow of energy that sustains all living beings.”

Premise of Touch, No Touch, Remote, ad Work

Although touch is often implied in energy work since it’s often confused with massage, both modalities emphasize that touch isn’t inherent or implied when practicing them. When properly trained by a certified instructor, both modalities also insist that verbal or written consent is necessary before touching a person. Additionally both modalities believe that energy can be sent into the past, present, and future, and can be sent over long distances.

Ease of Learning

Both modalities emphasize an ease of learning. Although many psychics and mediums are drawn to healing work, both modalities teach and preach that a person doesn’t have to be special or gifted in order to learn Reiki or Quantum Touch. Yes, you can be ordinary, although once you begin learning, I can promise you, your life won’t stay ordinary!

Relaxing and Healing Results.

In my own personal sessions, I’ve fused Reiki and Quantum Touch together, even sometimes beginning a session with Reiki and targeting specific areas with QT techniques, really each session whether they are used together or separately, the client has received a benefit of some kind! Most clients report feeling more relaxed, centered, and grounded after a Reiki or QT session.

Higher Healing At the Client’s Pace

Both modalities emphasize that they’re not curing, diagnosing, or treating, anyone. Instead, they simply are creating an environment for which the client to self heal. That their Authentic Self (Reiki) or Inner Healer (QT) will decide where, how, when energy is directed throughout a session.

Differences


How Energy Is Passed and Taught

Reiki: Students are “attuned” in the Usui Reiki Ryoho system.

Therefore the Reiki Master-Teacher must bestow the attunement upon the student in order for the student to receive Reiki energy, whether in present or via distance.

In the new Usui/Holy Fire system (2014 ICRT)  the Holy Spirit energy attunes the student and the instructor is not doing any attuning at all!

Important to note: there are some Reiki practitioners who do believe that no attunement is necessary and they’re not wrong either! (Lot of varying opinions on attunements in the Reiki world)

For clients, the practitioner follows a series of hand patterns but follows the Reiki energy throughout the session.

Quantum Touch: There is no attunement process.

Instead, the student is taught a series of breathing techniques and visualizations of various energy patterns to raise their own personal energetic resonance. As a result, it’s by amplifying their own personal chi/ki the practitioner entrains the client up to their energetic resonance. Students also learn how to use color, sound, toning to focus and direct energy.

It’s a bit more ‘directive’ in how to focus energy while Reiki is taught more passively.

Techniques

In Reiki the practitioner is encouraged to keep their hands flat and relaxed only occasionally cupping a knee, a foot, or the ears. The energy feels more like a subtle flow of a river and usually incredibly warm. There is a focus on sending energy into the chakras but no association with colors or sounds. This was one of the main reasons I chose to learn Quantum Touch as well because I was seeing colors inside of clients, and when I told my Reiki teacher I was seeing color was told, “Don’t focus on that!” Needless to say, that wasn’t very helpful!

In Quantum Touch the techniques can range. The primary technique is focused on different breathing and sweeping patterns, and once those are learned incorporating options such as: specific hand position for specific areas, such as: tripoding the back of occipital ridge, hip and occipital ridge measuring and alignment, sending color, sound, or tone to a client with energy, or breathing and sweeping colors to a client,

The techniques of Quantum Touch are bit more comprehensive and the heightened focus does give the practitioner more way to focus on delivering energy.

Symbols

Reiki and QT both use symbols in their healing practice however where they obtain the symbols and frequency of use is radically different.

In Reiki, the symbols are preset and were “downloaded” by Dr. Mikao Usui. These symbols have very specific meanings and purposes. Also, the symbols can only be passed down from teacher to student. It’s strongly encouraged that student’s protect the privacy of the Reiki symbols while learning and using them. As a result, the symbols are taught and revealed as the student advances into the different levels of Reiki. Symbols can be drawn/traced in the air, drawn over clients and “pushed in” by the practitioner while receiving Reiki.

In the Usui Reiki Ryoho system, the students are attuned with the symbols directly blown into the crown chakra directly down into the Central Energetic Channel.

In the new 2014 Usui/Holy Fire Reiki system there symbols are taught however students are not attuned by them any longer.

There are many forms of reiki, one of which is Violet Flame Reiki which has 40 symbols (luckily, they don’t need to be memorized).

In contrast, Quantum Touch also teaches symbols! However, how these symbols are obtained is by the intuitive download or image of the practitioner. The symbol can vary from client to client as a result. Symbols can be drawn on paper or spun with intention into chakra centers by the practitioner. There is not a huge emphasis on using symbols in Quantum Touch as compared to Reiki. As the emphasis lies in the breathing and sweeping techniques, symbols are more of like a la carte option.

Learning Path

Reiki is broken into typically three levels. Level 1, Level, and Level 3. Similar to martial arts one must complete a level before advancing to the next. However, since Reiki isn’t as regulated compared to other healing modalities, every level of completion is at the whim of each Instructor. Although it is very organized and easy to know which step to take next one a level is complete. The path to becoming an instructor is much easier and less time consuming.

Quantum Touch has no levels, only a strongly encouraged class order.

For example,  all students must take QT Level 1 before they can take any other classes in the Quantum Touch curriculum. Once this class has been taken,  one may take any class they choose, in no specific order.

However, to become a QT Instructor one must go through a comprehensive process that builds on each Instructor program.  For example, in order  to teach Quantum Touch Level 2 or Supercharging it’s required for one to teach at least 10 Level 1 Classes.

  • 5.  Forms/Variants/Organization

Reiki has many variants! To name a few:

Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai (often ascribed to as “The Original” Reiki) Usui/Holy Fire Reiki

Violet Flame Reiki Karuna Reiki Rainbow Reiki Atlantean Reiki Crystal Reiki

… and probably even more forms of Reiki I’ve never heard of!

This is due to the fact that Reiki is not a trademarked name. Anyone can put Reiki in something and say it’s Reiki. Also, there is no ONE Reiki headquarters, only larger organizations such as the International Center For Reiki Training. As a result, this has led Reiki being a bit more of “ the wild wild west” in its formation and spreading, which has its own pros and cons as a practitioner and instructor. Pro is it’s much faster to learn systems

and teach them, Con: not everyone is teaching them correctly, well, or with a code of ethics. As a result, this can lead to too much variation and misinformation of what Reiki Is.

Quantum Touch does have an official headquarters and is registered Trademark name, meaning all instructors and practitioners must go through the QT programs and classes to obtain official certification to teach or practice. Also, in order to use the QT logo or name, anywhere near your name, one must go through the comprehensive practitioner program. To become an instructor the requirements are also a serious investment of time and money, and comprehensive. As a result, there are less than 500 QT Instructors in the world.

Although it takes longer to advance, the regulation and the quality of the course curriculum stays consistent.

Ritualistic

Reiki tends to be more ritualistic in it’s approach to healing with many roots leading back to Shinto and Japan. For example, gassho- prayer pose, could lead people to think they are praying to Reiki, or have to forsake their own religion or cultural identity to learn ReikiT, although this is hardly the case for those who grew up in a strict religious environment this can lead to discomfort or inner conflict for them on a personal level in continuing to learn Reiki.

Quantum Touch has no ritualistic elements and people from all denominations and faiths. As a result, many practicing tend to find that it blends much more easily with their own beliefs. To date I’ve never heard of anyone, hesitating to learn Quantum Touch due to religious belief.

Final Observations

To conclude, truthfully, I’ve received some really great Reiki and QT sessions and some not so great Reiki and QT sessions. In other words it’s not the modality name that matters, but the intent and focus of the practitioner using those modalities techniques.

Overall, Reiki and Quantum Touch are powerful and impactful modalities that have changed the lives of people all over the world! And I hope this comparison was helpful for you in making your choice in practitioner or learning something new to help yourself and others!

Observations for Students

If you’ve already learned Reiki then I highly recommend learning Quantum Touch. If you’ve learned Quantum Touch I suggest learning Reiki specifically Karuna, Holy Fire, or Violet Flame, as those tend to learn more towards the advanced end of Reiki Energy work.

Because at the end of the day, growth happens when we allow ourselves to continuously learn new skills!

This write up was written sheerly from my own opinion, experiences, and beliefs. This is not meant to be a representation or endorsement of ICRT or Quantum Touch Inc.

Meredith McDonough is the Owner of The Call Within LLC. She is a  Certified Quantum Touch Level 1 Instructor, Certified Violet Flame Reiki Master Teacher, and Certified Usui/Holy Fire Reiki Master Teacher. She teaches classes online, in person, and continues   to be a lifelong student of energy healing and Spirit. She is a member of International Center for Reiki Training, Quantum Touch, and the International Institute of Complementary Therapist.