FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
"It is not associated with any visible material being. It's an unseen spiritual power that radiates vibration and lifts one into harmony. This power is incomprehensible to man, yet every single living being is receiving its blessings."
- Hayawo Takata
What happens in a Reiki session?
An in-person Reiki session generally takes place in a peaceful, relaxing environment. The person receiving the treatment will normally lie down on a massage table fully clothed (without shoes), although sometimes it may be more appropriate for them to sit or stand. The practitioner will typically put their hands lightly on or near the body. There is no physical manipulation whatsoever. It's a great opportunity to take some time for yourself and to relax.
What does Reiki feel like?
Each person will experience their consultation differently and no two sessions are the same. The vast majority of people report feelings of peace, deep relaxation, and a sense of well-being. It is not uncommon for people to fall asleep during a session and some report a sensation of floating or heaviness. You may feel heat, coolness, tingling, pulsing, vibrations, muscle twitches (not unlike an animal sometimes does when it is dreaming), or your stomach may gurgle. Some people will see colours, shapes, or images whilst others will have a heightened sense of smell or might be aware of inner sounds. Some people may experience an emotional release – this is absolutely nothing to worry about. Some people feel nothing at all during the session. This does not influence the effectiveness of the treatment. Sometimes the effects are noticed several hours or days later. There is no right or wrong way to experience a Reiki session.
Are the methods you practice linked with religion or a cult?
No. They are simple techniques that are used by people from many different backgrounds and faiths. Nobody needs to give up or change their religious or spiritual beliefs in order to practice Reiki or to benefit from a Reiki session. Mikao Usui, the founder of Reiki, was a Buddhist, but he had great respect for other religions. A Reiki session is guided by love and compassion. It does not manipulate. The methods used are completely neutral, although by their very nature they are spiritual.
Will the sessions heal me?
I see myself more as a facilitator who can help you to remember your natural state of well-being. I simply hold the space through which healing can take place. Your body already has an innate intelligence and knows what is required to restore homeostasis and balance. You don't have to tell it to form a scab after you have cut yourself, or when the scab should fall off. You don't have to remind it to generate a fever to see off pathogens and viruses. A Reiki session helps to rebalance the natural energy flow of the body. It facilitates the removal of energetic disturbances and points of tension. It helps to reduce stress, and promotes relaxation at a very deep level, so creating an environment in which the body’s natural ability to heal itself is activated. I don't influence the processes through which the body returns to balance and cannot impose a particular result nor the speed or sequence in which any healing takes place. Sometimes the results are immediate and very obvious, sometimes they are more subtle. As well as tending to the apparent physical condition, the underlying issues which are frequently emotional, mental, or spiritual in nature are often also addressed. Our physical challenges, of course, also impact our emotional and mental state. It's a two-way process.
For some people, it can be very healing simply to accept things just as they are and to find ways to be at peace with a situation or chronic condition that is unlikely to change. Having said that, the vast majority of people find they experience significant benefits on a variety of levels and frequently notice an improved sense of physical, psychological and emotional well-being after their Reiki consultation.
It is not uncommon for people to experience relief from the symptoms after an energy healing session, only to find that they return several days, weeks or months later. If this happens it is important to examine any life events that took place immediately prior to the symptoms returning, and notice any thought patterns, beliefs, emotions and actions immediately before the symptoms returned. Question their validity.
You are not an inactive participant. You are the author of your own well-being.
What conditions can be helped?
Pretty much anything you can think of. OK, so you’re highly unlikely to immediately unbreak a broken leg, or spontaneously grow back an amputated arm, but Reiki can nevertheless help you to better navigate much of the physical and emotional discomfort when facing challenging or painful situations. Energy healing is not a substitute for medical treatment but it sits beautifully alongside conventional medicine and many hospitals around the world are now incorporating it into their services. Reiki is increasingly becoming a sought-after healing art among patients and mainstream medical professionals. In many countries around the world Reiki is now routinely offered to patients prior to and after surgery or whilst they are receiving chemotherapy. It promotes self-healing, assists the receiver to let go of limiting beliefs and sub-conscious thoughts and emotions and enables the body to bring itself back into balance. As the system becomes more balanced symptoms frequently tend to fall away. Reiki can assist with things such as:
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Relaxation, well-being and mental clarity
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Emotional & mental issues such as stress, depression, anxiety, self-esteem, grief, sexual, physical and emotional abuse, trauma, addictions
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Sleep disorders
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Pain relief
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Surgery (reduce stress pre-surgery, accelerated recovery, pain management)
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Chronic conditions such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, skin disorders, migraines, thyroid imbalances
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Reduce side-effects of drug treatments, assisting the body to eliminate toxins
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Bodily tension or spasms, in the intestines, shoulders, or back for example
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Minor ailments such as headaches, stomach bugs, burns, wounds
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Support through serious illness such as heart disease, cancer, leukemia, in times of change, or at end of life
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Spiritual awareness, meditation
How many treatments do I need?
There can be no standard answer to this as each individual and every set of circumstances is different. Sometimes a series of sessions in relatively quick succession may be appropriate. Often one or two sessions is all that is required. Some people may need assistance over a longer period (for example, support for the breaking of addictions or during ongoing chemotherapy), others may find it helpful to have sessions at slightly longer intervals. For others, a good strategy may be to learn Reiki so that they can regularly treat themselves or those that are close to them. It is by no means set in stone, but it would appear that acute conditions seem to resolve themselves more rapidly than chronic (long-term) conditions which may have taken many years to become established.
What happens in a distance Reiki session?
In the practice of Reiki, we acknowledge the non-duality of life, recognising the illusory nature of concepts such as time and distance. Whilst it may be difficult for people to comprehend if they haven't thought about it deeply before, a Reiki session with somebody who is not in the same room, or perhaps even in the same country, can have an equally profound effect. Bernardo Kastrup uses an analogy that I love. He sees each of us as being part of a great stream of consciousness, eddies of which are concentrated temporarily in physical form for a while in the personas we understand as you and I. Like individual waves in a vast ocean, we each have our own identity, our own separateness, but on some level we are all connected, part of the same thing, inextricably meshed together.
Generally speaking, distance Reiki sessions tend to be slightly shorter in duration. There are several ways of organising them. A face-to-face session via the Internet is probably as close to an in-person session as it is possible to get and enables practitioner and client to communicate in real-time and to give and receive feedback. I prefer to use Zoom, as it is such a user-friendly platform. I love working via Skype too, as the energy expressed during the sessions tends to be more audible, which I find totally intriguing.
Most people are more receptive if they arrange to have their sessions at a quiet time and in a relaxing environment in which they are better able to enter a meditative state and to focus on what they are sensing. Others may simply go about their daily business whilst the Reiki session is carried out. All methods can be effective. I don't need a great deal of information in order to practice distance Reiki, although if possible I prefer to have a date, time, and place of birth as this can offer me additional astrological insights into the potential energy dynamics in play. I will typically request the recipient’s name and physical location, although I have previously worked at distance with groups of people who wished to remain anonymous and the feedback showed that the results were equally effective. I ask that someone has given their informed consent, although I may waive this requirement under certain circumstances, for example, if someone is unconscious or there is an active emergency.
Is Reiki safe?
Yes, these healing arts are very gentle and can be used safely with children, babies, pregnant women and the elderly. Reiki adapts to the needs and condition of the person receiving it. A practitioner does not make any diagnosis, prescribe medication or use manipulation of any sort.
Should I stop other treatment?
No. Reiki is not a substitute for medical treatment and the practitioner will not make any diagnosis or prescribe any treatment.
Are there any side effects?
It is by no means systematic but from time to time during the body’s natural self-healing process there may be a short period during which the body is cleansing itself of various physical, emotional, mental and spiritual toxins. For a brief time there may be some symptoms such as discomfort, fatigue, restlessness, headaches, skin eruptions, aching muscles or joints, diarrhea, coughing, heightened emotions, a temporary aggravation of symptoms or the re-emergence of old ailments that have not made their presence known for a considerable amount of time. Drink plenty of water and listen to your body. If it is telling you need to sleep then make sure you get plenty of rest. These symptoms are generally short-lived, typically lasting between 1-3 days, but occasionally they may last longer or present as a series of small ‘crises’ in the event of chronic illnesses which have built up over time. This is nothing to be worried about and is part of the body's natural healing processes in progress. If you have severe or lasting symptoms then you should seek advice from your medical advisor.
What is an attunement?
Reiki is passed from a Reiki Master teacher to the student by a process known as an attunement. Reiki energy is already present naturally within each of us. In fact everything that exists is energy vibrating at different rates and moving in specific ways. A Reiki attunement is a direct transmission that helps us to become more aware of our true nature, and of the flow of energy. It can enhance psychic sensitivity and intuition. A Reiki attunement can be a very powerful and moving spiritual experience.