Reiki sessions can be taken both on location or remotely. During the session, we unlock the spiritual healing energy (as Reiki is based on the idea that an unseen “life force energy” flows through us and is what causes us to be alive). If our “life force energy” is low, then we are more likely to get sick or feel stress, and if it is high, we are more capable of being happy and healthy.

A typical Reiki session lasts an hour, however, there is no set protocol or length of time. Moreover, there is no typical setting: a quiet place is preferable, but Reiki can be done anywhere, no matter what else is happening either around or directly to the recipient. Reiki is administered by someone who has had training, and moments of touch from a practitioner can even bring comfort in an acute or emergency situation, such as the onset of the flu, or after an injury or surgery.

During your Reiki session, we provide a quiet setting where you are not disturbed in a dedicated space or we can create a space when making house calls. We also provide soft music during the session as a way of masking ambient noise, but you are free to let us know if you prefer silence.

For those receiving Reiki in a hospital, hospice, nursing home, or other healthcare setting, you may have a shorter session (15 or 20 minutes), while private sessions range up to 90 minutes.

Before we begin we explain the process, and ask if you have any specific needs. Be sure to let us know if you have a health condition that might impact your lying flat on your back or front or if you have any areas that are sensitive to touch.

A complete Reiki session is offered to a fully clothed recipient who is lying on a treatment table (we use a massage table) through a light, non-invasive touch with the practitioner’s hands placed and held at a series of locations on the head and front and, depending on the length of the session, back of the torso. The placement of the hands may be slightly above or lightly touching but will never be intrusive or inappropriate, nor is there any pressure.

What might I experience?

These are some of things people typically say after a Reiki session:

“I feel very refreshed and seem to be thinking more clearly”
“I think I fell asleep”
“I can’t believe how hot your hands got!”
“I feel more relaxed than even after a massage.”
“My headache is gone.”

The experience of Reiki is subjective, changeable, and sometimes very subtle. Clients may experience heat from the practitioner’s hands, or they may feel refreshingly cool. Other common experiences are subtle pulsations where the practitioner’s hands are placed or cascading waves of pulsations throughout the body.

People often comment how comforting they find the experience of Reiki to be. An interesting study reported that recipients frequently feel that they are hovering in a threshold state of consciousness, simultaneously aware of their surroundings and deeply indrawn. Some people fall into a deep, sleep-like meditative state. Sometimes the experience of Reiki is dramatic, while for other people, the first session in particular may be uneventful, although they feel somehow better afterward. The most common experience is an almost immediate release of stress and a feeling of deep relaxation.

Reiki is cumulative and even people who don’t notice much the first time usually have progressively deeper experiences if they continue. Besides the immediate experience of the Reiki, you may notice other changes that continue to unfold as the day goes on: perhaps stronger digestion, a sense of being more centered and poised and less reactive, and sleeping deeply that night.

As the session progresses, you will feel more relaxed. If you become uncomfortable, you can adjust your position at any time. Be sure to ask for anything that will add to your comfort, such as additional support under your knees or a blanket. This is your special time and we are here to help you.

Receiving Reiki is a wonderfully passive experience. Don’t try to relax, just let the Reiki relax you. Your state will shift quite naturally as the session proceeds. Meanwhile feel free to daydream, enjoy the music, or simply observe your breath or the sensations of the therapy.

What happens after the session?

Do not expect a diagnosis, as that is not part of Reiki. We suggestion simple after-care of drinking water and following your body’s needs.

Although people typically leave a Reiki session feeling refreshed, sometimes they notice feeling more tired in the evening than usual. This is not viewed as an adverse reaction, but rather as the body’s natural healing response, something to be heeded. People commonly report a sense of calm and mental clarity and sleeping well after Reiki.

How many sessions should I receive?

We suggest a series of sessions. Four sessions is a traditional recommendation and gives you time to evaluate what benefits you are receiving. We will discuss how best to space the sessions to suit your needs and your schedule.

In the presence of a serious health challenge, we recommend four sessions over four days.