What happens in a Reiki session?
So now we have an idea what Reiki is (if you missed the blog post about what Reiki is, you can find it here) - so what happens during the Reiki session?
The practical stuff
As you arrive to the location, it is common to sit down with the practitioner for a few moments to talk about your situation. In my sessions, you can share as much or as less you wish. After this I explain shortly what Reiki is, what happens during the session and what to expect (I will write more about these in detail below!). If you have any questions before the session begins, we will sort them out at this point. After that you will lay down on a massage table, fully clothed and under a blanket (it is not uncommon for your body tempetaure to drop a bit during the session), and make yourself cozy and comfortable. During the session all you need to do, is to let go, relax and just receive Reiki. After the session, we have again a few moments to talk and share about the experience - again, as much as you wish and feel good sharing.
In my sessions I play a soft, calming music on the background to make it easier to relax and let go and deepen into the session.
As you lay down on the table, I will hold my hands above your body in different positions. Reiki can be done with contact (hands gently touching the body) or non-contact - I most often do my session non-contact. I tune into the guidance of Reiki and hold my hands where the energy needs balancing. I am merely a channel for Reiki energy to reach you and activate your body’s own natural healing abilities - I am not giving you my energy during the session.
The esoteric stuff
I always tell my clients not to expect anything of the session in terms of sensations or release etc. Best way to get the most out of a Reiki session is to be like a blank canvas, just to receive and observe with an open mind. But I do also mention a couple things that clients often report, what they have felt during a session.
What you might experience is for example tingling, hotness or coldness in different areas of your body. While having your eyes closed you may also perceive with your minds eye visuals like colours, shapes/moving shapes or “pictures”. An emotional release (crying, laughing) can also happen, or physical twitching of the muscles. As Reiki is very relaxing energy, it usually has an effect on your state of consciousness, and you may feel like going back and forth of almost falling asleep and being more awake. It could also be, that you fall asleep during the session - but do not worry, Reiki works regardless. I feel, that falling asleep is simply a sign from our body, that it is in need of rest. All these mentioned things are signs, that Reiki is helping the energies to flow and move in our physical and energetic bodies. I can hear you ask…what if I don’t feel anything during the session, does it mean Reiki is not working? This is not the case :) We all have different sensitivity to sensing energies, and sometimes the effects are more felt and seen after the session during the following days and weeks. Reiki’s effects don’t stop at the session, but continues afterwards. Sometimes the effect can be very subtle, though, that we barely notice it - maybe we start sleeping a bit better, breathing a bit deeper, moving a bit slower.. As with anything, having an amazing experience during a session is not the goal, but to integrate afterwards, what we have experienced or what has shifted. The above mentioned phenomena are the most common as per my experience, what can happen during a session, but of course is not only limited to that.
At times, we feel the effects as a whole - nothing specific, but maybe we just feel overall more emotionally balanced, at peace within, to help us through a difficult time of turmoil. Or we feel the noise quieting in our mind, so we’re able to see more clearly and make a decision based on love and understanding, or after our heart’s desire.
After the session I feel it is important and I recommend my clients to take it slow, drink a lot of water, eat well and make sure to get enough sleep to help yourself to integrate the effects of the session. It might be interesting to journal or just have a bit of time to reflect on the experience, to just be with yourself and your being. You can feel a bit vulnerable and open after a session. Sometimes it might even be, that you feel heavy or worse after it - this is not very common, but I feel it is important to mention. From my experience, this is a sign that a lot of stuck energy is moving. If you think about a glass with dirt on the bottom of it, and you start pouring clear water in the glass, what happens to the dirt? It comes first on the top, before it is moved out of the glass completely. I find this pictures exactly what happens, if we feel a bit heavy after the session - something that was stuck is now coming to the surface and making us feel less optimal for a moment. Be assured that it is part of the process and will pass.
What about distance Reiki?
On most parts, the curriculum is the same as with in-person sessions. We meet in Zoom or Whatsapp/Facetime etc. for an introductory talk, and I explain what to expect, what Reiki is etc. Afterwards we close the phone/meeting app connection and start the session. Afterwards I most often send a message giving you feedback on the session - later I will share with you why this differs from the in-person session.
In a distant session, you can enjoy the session from the comfort of your own home or some other relaxing space of your choice. You find yourself a place where you can lie down, make sure that you are not disturbed during the session, and you can make it as cozy as you like - maybe light up some candles, dim the lights, smoke some insence.. what ever makes you feel comfy and relaxed! I often share a Spotify list what you can use in the background if you’d like.
The effects of Reiki are the same, regardless if it’s done in-person or remote. Some people might even feel the energy more strongly from a distance, but this varies from person to person. After the session it might feel natural to continue to sleep for a while (or if the session is in the evening, to continue to your night sleep), and this is the reason, I rather send a message indicating that the session is over and some feedback on my part.
I hope this gave some clarity about Reiki sessions. You can always ask me any questions that you might have about Reiki or the sessions before booking.
If you’d like to experience Reiki for yourself, you can book your session here.