Depending on their level of training, practitioners can offer Reiki to people who are close
by, or also to people or animals who are a distance away (even a far distance). In the latter
case, Reiki is a type of "distant healing."
As a Reiki Master, I offer Reiki both in person as well as from a distance. When I am not present with a client during a healing session, I find it helpful to have a photograph of the animal or person that I am working with, though this is not required.
During a Reiki healing session, my clients usually lay on a massage table or sit in a chair, remaining fully clothed. I place my hands on
or slightly above the client's body, using different hand positions.
A typical full session lasts about 45-50 minutes, though the duration of a Reiki healing session varies depending on the client and the situation.
Healing in a Reiki session is determined by the recipient. The
power for healing lies within the client; the practitioner acts like a
conduit or funnel for the Reiki, and the client draws the energy to
support self-healing.
People and animals often experience a deep state of calm, relaxation, and peace during a Reiki session. Because Reiki goes to the source of that which most needs
healing (which may be unknown to the client), a
client may experience emotional, mental, or spiritual healing more than
an ease of physical symptoms.
Reiki is a safe healing technique with no contraindications. Sometimes a client experiences what practitioners call a "healing response."
The person may have symptoms such as a feeling of light-headedness, a headache, an emotional release, or digestive discomfort –
similar to those
experienced during a nutritional detoxification. It is
believed that these are effects of the body releasing toxins and/or
energy blocks. Clients will often find an easing of such symptoms (if
they occur) by drinking plenty of water, getting additional rest, and
possibly eating a lighter
diet.
A single Reiki treatment may bring about significant health improvement and energetic clearing. Healing is often a process, however, and one treatment may not be enough to heal an acute illness or injury, or a condition that has manifested over a long period of time. Chronic conditions can require several treatments.
A series of Reiki treatments can support the work of other healing therapies and interventions, while adding its own holistic healing properties.