Frequently Asked Questions about Reiki
What is Reiki?
Reiki is a universal healing energy. It’s not a religion and has no affiliation with any religion, sect or cult. Reiki is based on the universal laws of love and light for all living things. The term ‘reiki’ is a Japanese word for two syllables which mean:
- REI (pronounced ‘ray’) = Universal Spirit or essence
- KI (pronounced ‘key’) = Life energry, light or Chi
Everything that is alive contains Ki (or Chi), but people who have completed Reiki courses are an open channel to the Universe’s limitless source of Ki. This gives Reiki Therapists, Practitioners, Masters & Teachers unlimited access to the life force energy for their own healing, and they can transmit this energy to others.
A reiki practitioner is like a straw/pipe, they are able to tap into universal energy and transmit it to the receiver. It is not their own energy that they pass on. It is also considered a type of hands on healing as many practitioners will place their hands gently on or near a person to transmit the energy to the client.
How does Reiki work?
When the Reiki practitioner channels this healing energy through their hands to the recipient, it activates the body’s natural ability to heal itself. It’s not the practitioner doing the healing, it’s actually the recipient healing themselves. Reiki helps the recipients’ body to stabilise and heal itself. The energy goes to where illnesses have their origin and works wherever it is most needed. It works by releasing blocked energies, cleansing the body of toxins and working to create a state of balance in your whole being (mental, physical, emotional & spiritual).
What is Distance Reiki? How does Distance Reiki work?
Distance Reiki is when you the receiver are not physically present in the same room as the Reiki Therapist who is sending you the healing. It works because everything in life is energy, and everything contains Ki/Chi. A Reiki Practitioner is able to focus on a person anywhere is the world, and activate the Ki/Chi that is in them. Quantum Physics is only just starting to prove (scientifically) how we are all connected. They have discovered how a particle on one side of the planet, when stimulated, instantly stimulates a particle on the other side of the planet. In much the same way, a Reiki Therapist can focus on your energy from any location and provide the same level of healing as if you were in person.
How a distance/remote session is conducted will vary by therapist. Some like myself are very flexible and you can learn more about my style here.
What does Reiki do?
What are the benefits of Reiki?
- clearer skin and whiter eyes
- better sleep
- improved ability to cope with work and life stress
- greater sense of joy in life
- improved self confidence & resilience
- increased synchronicities and good luck
- less fear, anxiety and depression
- conceiving a child after infertility problems
- reduction in physical pain
- ending a repeating pattern of behaviour, health issue, etc.
- weight loss (especially stubborn weight that doesn’t seem to respond to diet or exercise)
What can Reiki help with? Is Reiki good for anxiety, pain, fertility, depression?
- in hospitals to support post surgery recovery and to help cancer patients rebuild their immune systems (reiki can increase the number of white bloods cells in the body)
- by some defence forces to help service men & women recover from PTSD (reiki can release stored trauma in the body).
What to look for in a Reiki Therapist
Although it originally started with one man, there are now many forms of Reiki to pick from and this shows it’s versatility in working alongside other modalities or on it’s own.
All Reiki practitioners have learnt the same core components of the original Usui Reiki method, but because it is works well with other healing methods, there are now many other types of Reiki including Angel Reiki, Crystal Reiki, Shamanic Reiki, Tibetan Reiki, Celtic Reiki & Egyptian Reiki.
A Reiki Therapist or Practitioner must have completed at least Level 2 in their training before they can treat people outside of their family and friends and receive some form of payment in exchange. Someone who has only completed Reiki Level 1 training can only treat friends and family and can not receive payment as they are in their initial stages of development.
How do I find a good Reiki Therapist?
Unfortunately the industry isn’t regulated, so it’s a case of trial and error. And it’s not because the Reiki Therapist isn’t any good at what they do, but rather they are not a match for you. What works for one person, may not work for you. I always encourage my clients to try different therapists and go with the person they ‘click’ with. If you connect well with your therapist I believe it delivers better results for you. If your therapist makes you feel guilty or ashamed about some aspect of your life or a behaviour – that is not the therapist for you. You do not have to stay with that person. Reiki is equally as effective via distance so you literally have a world full of practitioners to pick from.
Although each practitioner may have had the same basic training, each one has their own way of working. Some will spend time talking to you about what concerns you that day, others don’t. Some will be more tactile (ie place their hands on you) while others won’t touch you at all. For some, Reiki is an add on service to something else they offer (eg massage), for others it is their only speciality. If you are not sure, best to get in touch with your therapist and ask them how they work with their clients.
Word of mouth is an excellent way to find a good therapist. But if you are the first of your circle to venture into this space, a chat with your local crystal shop or yoga studio owner or a google search can help you find who is local to you. Make sure you see if they have any reviews as these can be valuable places of insight.
History of Reiki
One of the traditions of Reiki is the telling of the story of its rediscovery by Dr Mikao Usui. We say “rediscovery” as it’s a universal healing energy that was understood by many of the great spiritual masters.
As Dr Usui’s story was an oral tradition in the early days, there are a few variations of it so the exact details don’t really matter. The full story is told during Reiki Level 1 training but below is a snap shot:
- Dr Usui lived in the city of Kyoto, Japan in the second half of the 19th Century. It was a time of great change in the country and Dr Usui fully embraced Christianity and become a minister and teacher at a Christian college for boys in Kyoto.
- After some time, he resigned his position at the college and set about discovering the way in which Jesus healed the sick. He travelled and studied extensively, learning to read Sanskrit and studying the teachings of Buddha and his form of healing, but nothing held the answers he was looking for.
- He ended up in a zen monastery and undertook a 21day retreat of fasting & meditation. On the last day he received the insight from a bright light that struck him in the centre of his forehead.
- He then spent years learning to put into practice what he had received. He healed many beggars allowing them to embark on a positive life. They got married and had jobs, but much to his surprise many returned to life as a beggar as they struggled with being responsible for their own lives. Although discouraged it made him realise that Reiki is first about healing the self and being able to take responsibility for our own life.
- He then started teaching others in the art of Reiki.
What to expect during a Reiki session
Every session is different, and experiences can vary widely. You may experience nothing or you may have the most amazing spiritual experience. The following are pretty common experiences:
- nothing – just a very pleasant nap but a few days later they notice life has dramatically improved.
- a deeply relaxing experience sometimes accompanied by astral travel (ie you know you are not asleep, and yet you are also not in the room but have travelled to a very peaceful place).
- seeing bright white light (or multi coloured light) despite having your eyes closed
- dream like images coming to mind – some don’t make sense, others carry a lot of meaning.
- tingling or flowing sensation through different parts of the body
- muscle twitches, arms involuntarily lifting, water being released from the eyes.
- muscles completely let go of tension and you feel incredibly heavy
- your soul singing and being lifted allowing you to feel the pure joy & love of the universe
- the heaviness in your body being taken away
- sensation of rewiring or restructuring to improve the body.
No one can say exactly what you will experience during a Reiki Healing – the only way to know it to give it a go.
What to expect after Reiki
After your reiki session you may feel a little groggy or light headed. Some people feel like a great burden has been lifted off their shoulders. You may also feel the need to be on your own for a couple of hours.
As a Reiki Practitioner, I encourage my clients to drink plenty of water after a session, avoid busy places for a few hours, and avoid drugs or alcohol for 24hrs. You want to give your body a chance to integrate the healing without compromising it with other peoples energy or anything else that could undo the healing.
Some people experience only pure bliss in the days immediately after a session, with an increase in synchronicities. For others it takes a couple of days to settle before the bliss kicks in. Feeling tired or extra emotional for 24-48hrs after a session is normal. For anyone who experiences these symptoms, I suggest sleeping if possible as it will help the body to integrate the healing faster. Once the healing has worked its way through your body, you’ll notice a shift in how you feel. You may experience greater mental clarity, renewed sense of joy for life, more energy, sleep better, etc. More details are listed on the Energy Healing page.