An interventional study of Reiki Therapy and Grounded Sham Hand Placement in Healthy Volunteers, PHYSIOLOGICAL PHENOMENA and Biomagnetic and Physiological Effects of Laying on of Hands, sponsored by Anhembi Morumbi University. Active, not recruiting at 1 site in Brazil. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 60 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-10-14.
Sponsored by Anhembi Morumbi University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Basic science
This study evaluates whether the practice of laying on of hands (Reiki) produces detectable biomagnetic and physiological modulations proximate to the human body in healthy volunteers.
Participants are randomly assigned to one of three groups:
Researchers record magnetic signal variations near the thoracic area (xiphoid process) alongside physiological parameters before, during, and after a 15-minute intervention period to assess whether biofield effects can be objectively distinguished from simulated touch and ambient electromagnetic artifacts.
This is a three-arm, parallel-group, randomized, sham-controlled clinical trial designed to investigate biomagnetic signal modulations and autonomic regulation during the practice of Reiki.
All experimental procedures were conducted under strictly controlled environmental conditions (temperature stabilized at 23°C and relative humidity at 60%). Volunteers remained in a supine position on a non-metallic examination table throughout the session.
A total of 45 healthy adult participants (aged 18-60 years) were recruited in São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil, and randomized into three parallel groups (n = 15 per group):
The protocol lasted 35 minutes per participant, divided into three continuous phases:
In addition to biomagnetic field recording, physiological monitoring encompasses autonomic regulation via heart rate variability (HRV), electroencephalographic (EEG) spectral power, and cutaneous temperature assessed through infrared thermography.
Anhembi Morumbi University is the lead sponsor of 3 studies on the registry; none are open to participants now.
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Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Judged by the study doctor to matter for your health or for the study. It is a doctor’s decision, so ask the study team if you are unsure whether something counts.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Clinically significant
Judged by the study doctor to matter for your health or for the study. It is a doctor’s decision, so ask the study team if you are unsure whether something counts.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Participants (n=15) receive a 15-minute non-contact hand placement session performed by certified Reiki practitioners (Level II or higher) holding hands approximately 5 cm above a magnetic sensor centered over the xiphoid process.
Other: Reiki Therapy
Participants (n=15) receive a 15-minute simulated session performed by certified Reiki practitioners wearing grounded stainless steel mesh gloves (AISI 316) connected to an independent ground rod to drain superficial electromagnetic signals.
Other: Grounded Sham Hand Placement
Participants (n=15) receive a 15-minute simulated session performed by lay individuals without training in Reiki, mimicking identical hand positioning and posture.
Other: Mock Hand Placement
Non-contact laying on of hands performed by certified practitioners (Level II or higher) maintaining hands approximately 5 cm above the thoracic region/sensor for 15 minutes.
Also known as: Reiki Group (RG)
Simulated laying on of hands performed by certified Reiki practitioners wearing stainless steel mesh gloves connected to an independent external ground rod for 15 minutes.
Also known as: Grounded Sham Group (SG)
Simulated laying on of hands performed by untrained lay volunteers mimicking identical physical hand positions and duration (15 minutes).
Also known as: Lay Control Group (CG)
Biomagnetic Signal Intensity Modulation Proximate to the Xiphoid Process
Modulation of biomagnetic signal intensity proximate to the xiphoid process recorded by the magnetic sensor across baseline, intervention, and post-intervention rebound phases, compared across the Reiki, grounded sham, and lay control groups.
Time frame: Baseline (15 minutes), during intervention (15 minutes), and post-intervention (5 minutes)
Autonomic Nervous System Modulation via Heart Rate Variability (HRV)
Time-domain (SDNN, RMSSD) and frequency-domain (LF, HF, LF/HF ratio) parameters of heart rate variability measured to evaluate autonomic sympathovagal balance.
Time frame: Baseline (15 minutes), during intervention (15 minutes), and post-intervention (5 minutes)
Cortical Brainwave Spectral Power via Electroencephalography (EEG)
Spectral power density across brainwave frequency bands (delta, theta, alpha, beta, gamma) assessed to monitor cortical state changes during the protocol.
Time frame: Baseline (15 minutes), during intervention (15 minutes), and post-intervention (5 minutes)
Cutaneous Surface Temperature via Infrared Thermography
Cutaneous facial and hand temperature variations evaluated by thermal imaging to assess microcirculatory and peripheral autonomic responses.
Time frame: Baseline (15 minutes), during intervention (15 minutes), and post-intervention (5 minutes)
Plan to share: Yes — De-identified individual participant data that underlie the results reported in published articles will be shared with academic researchers upon reasonable request directed to the corresponding author.
Supporting information: Study protocol, Statistical analysis plan
Time frame: Starting 6 months after publication of the main study results and lasting for up to 3 years.
Access criteria: Data will be made available to qualified academic researchers with a scientifically sound research proposal, upon reasonable request directed to the corresponding author.
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
This study is active, not recruiting, as verified in Oct 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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