Reiki (pronounced ray-key) is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing. During a Reiki treatment session, the Reiki Practitioner connects the universal life force energy that is in and around all things to the body’s natural energy and ability to heal. Western culture lacks a word for this life force energy making it more of a challenge to explain to a Western audience. It is referred to as chi in Chinese culture, ki in Japanese culture, and prana in Indian culture. Reiki was rediscovered by Dr. Mikao Usui in the mid-1800s in Japan.
During a Reiki session, the Reiki Practitioner serves as a channel for the healing. In this way, the Reiki energy flows through the Reiki Practitioner and into the client. This means that when a person receives healing from Reiki, the healing is done by the Reiki energy itself. The Reiki Practitioner is not the one that does the healing as they are merely a conduit that the Reiki energy flows through. Both the client and the Reiki Practitioner benefit from the Reiki energy during a session. The Reiki Practitioner is not using their own energy, so they are not depleted of energy during the session.
What is Involved in a Reiki Session?
A Reiki treatment can be done in two ways: A hands on healing art in person or a distant Reiki session done virtually. In the hands on Reiki treatment, the Reiki Practitioner places their hands gently on or hovers the hand slightly above different parts of the body. The client typically lies fully clothed on a massage table during the session. In a distant Reiki session, the client and practitioner connect virtually, most likely via a video call. Reiki is sent distantly by the practitioner to the client while the client lays down in a place in their space of their choosing. Both methods are equally as effective. A Reiki treatment session typically lasts from 30 to 60 minutes.
What Reiki is Not
I also want to discuss what Reiki is not. Reiki is not a religion. That means that you can receive a Reiki treatment or practice Reiki regardless of what your spiritual beliefs are. It is also beneficial even if you have no spiritual beliefs. The person receiving the Reiki is always in control. The person receiving the Reiki and their cells decide whether or not to receive the Reiki. Therefore, there is no way to receive Reiki without your consent.
Benefits of Reiki
The benefits of Reiki are many. They include, but are not limited to:
- Stress reduction and relaxation: Many people report feeling very relaxed during and after a Reiki treatment.
- Physical healing: Reiki can be used for a variety of physical ailments. There are none too small or too big to try Reiki on. The first Reiki master, Dr. Usui, reportedly found that he had received Reiki healing when he was able to instantly heal his stubbed toe. Many hospitals offer Reiki as a complementary treatment for patients.
- Mental and emotional healing: Reiki can be a useful tool to accompany traditional mental health services. Some social workers and psychologists have also received training in Reiki.
Reiki works alongside any treatment. Reiki is done fully clothed, which is another plus for some clients. Reiki has no contraindications and it always works for the highest healing good. I’ve heard lots of questions about if Reiki can be done with bad intentions or if it can do harm. The answer is no. Reiki goes where it is most needed and it cannot cause harm. However, given that it goes to where it is most needed, this means that healing may happen in an area that may not be the area that the client came into the session for. For example, if you hurt your knee playing a sport and you came to get Reiki for it, but what needs healing most is your relationship with a family member, you might find that you get along better with your family member after several Reiki sessions, but your knee still hurts. That doesn’t mean that Reiki “didn’t work.” There simply were other priorities that needed to be addressed before the knee pain could be healed. Given more time and Reiki, your knee may feel better as well.
My Reiki Story
Several years ago after my Mom had recently passed, I was at a Grief Yoga workshop in New York where I connected with someone who introduced me to Reiki. While I was a little nervous at first to try something new, I began doing distant Reiki sessions with her to help cope with my grief. During the sessions, I felt a deep relaxation like nothing I had experienced before. I felt these wonderful tingles that started at my head and went down my body. With my eyes closed I saw beautiful colors. At first, I was just thankful for the relaxation and the stress relief it provided. However, I then started to get insights and things just started to work out for me and my health in serendipitous ways. A notable benefit of Reiki on my physical health was its role in helping me make a decision to finally get allergy tested despite my distaste for needles. Based on the results, my allergist recommended a change in my diet. Specifically, he recommended that I eat a gluten-free diet.* Making such a significant diet change wasn’t easy, but Reiki guided my intuition. Something felt right about it, so I took his advice to go gluten-free and the decades of stomach pain I felt vanished. My experience shows what I love most about Reiki: It can be used in combination with conventional Western medicine. Reiki is a great compliment to what you are already doing to manage your health and is a treatment you can receive while still continuing the medications you may take. It can be done alongside any procedures you may be undergoing as part of recommendations by your healthcare provider. The most significant benefit of Reiki for me was on my mental health. Reiki helped ease the stress from dealing with my Dad’s declining health. It was also a comfort my the grief when my father passed away several years after my mother’s passing.
While receiving the benefits of distant Reiki, I wanted more. My massage therapist recommended that I take a Reiki class myself. I learned that Reiki 1 focuses on self-healing. I had felt powerless as I watched my Mom get sick and die and I was eager to continue my own healing through my loss. I made the decision to take a Reiki 1 class and when it finished, I felt like a different person. I felt lighter and freer than I had ever felt and the benefit to my mental well-being was very evident. This was in 2019. Then the pandemic hit. The Reiki Master I studied under, Libby Barnett, was offering a collective time where on Sundays at 9:00 PM we would all distantly send Reiki to heal the world at the same time. I wanted to be able to participate in sending distant Reiki with the group. I then took her Reiki 2 class virtually and became a Reiki Practitioner. To be able to send Reiki to others during a time where there was so much isolation and so many were suffering was very fulfilling. I also made sure to give myself frequent self-Reiki treatments. In 2025, I then took the class to become a Reiki Master Teacher with Libby.
As I reflect back on my healing journey, I continue to find Reiki rewarding and useful everyday of my life. It is such an important tool in my toolbox to help both myself and others. I recognize that I previously endured decades of debilitating stomach pain and suffered deep personal loss. Today, the pain is gone and I feel at peace. Was it the Reiki? All I know is, Reiki can’t hurt and I believe it helped. Why don’t you try it for yourself and see what you discover? To book a Reiki session with me, email me at [email protected].
*These were recommendations for me by my doctor. This article describes my experiences. Yours may be different and what is right for you may be different. Always check with your doctor or healthcare provider on any changes in your diet or before beginning other treatments.
Disclaimer: This article as well as products or services listed are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Information in this article is intended purely as personal recommendations and is not to be interpreted as an attempt to prescribe or practice medicine. Reiki is a powerful energetic tool, but it is a complementary practice and not a substitute for professional medical or mental health treatment.
References:
Barnett, L., Babb, M., Davidson, S. (1996). Reiki energy medicine: Bringing healing touch into home, hospital, and hospice. Healing Arts Press.
Haberly, H. J. (2000). Reiki: Hawayo Takata’s story (9th ed). Archedigm Publications.
