Beginner's Guide to Preparing for Your First Reiki Session

What is Reiki?

Reiki (pronounced ray-key) is a form of energy healing that originated in Japan in the early 20th century. It involves the transfer of universal life force energy from the Reiki practitioner to the recipient through light touch or hovering the hands over the body.

This non-invasive therapy aims to create deep relaxation while restoring balance and flow in the body's energy systems. The goal is to support the body's natural ability to heal itself on physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual levels.

The Origins of Reiki

In 1922, a Japanese Buddhist named Mikao Usui claimed to have rediscovered the long lost healing tradition of Reiki during a spiritual retreat. Usui went on to develop it into system of energy healing taught through a series of attunements.

Before his death, Usui passed along his teachings to Dr. Chujiro Hayashi who later trained a woman named Hawayo Takata. As Reiki started spreading to the West in the mid-1900s, Takata introduced and popularized the therapy in North America and Europe where it is now widely practiced.

How Does Reiki Work?

Reiki relies on the principle that all living things have a universal life force or subtle energy flowing through them. Practitioners learn to channel Reiki energy from the environment into themselves and their clients to balance energy flow.

Unlike massage, the practitioner's hands remain still, lightly touching or held just above the body. The client simply rests and relaxes during a session while the energy is drawn through the practitioner down into the body.

Recipients often describe Reiki's effects as a warm, tingling sensation. Many experience improvements in symptoms like pain, anxiety, nausea, insomnia and more along with an enhanced sense of well-being.

Preparing for Your First Reiki Session

Taking the step to try Reiki for the first time often comes packed with questions and uncertainty about what to expect. Use this guide to help prepare for your initial Reiki treatment:

Finding a Qualified Practitioner

Look for an experienced, certified Reiki professional who studied under an accredited Reiki Master. Good places to search include:

• Reiki membership associations
• Holistic health centers
• Yoga studios
• Spas
• Wellness clinics
• Online directories

Check credentials, training history, client reviews and testimonials to help choose the right practitioner for your needs.

What to Expect During the First Visit

Plan for your initial appointment to last 60 to 90 minutes. You can expect:

• Intake questions - The practitioner will inquire about your medical history, reasons for seeking Reiki, and what you hope to achieve.
• Explanation of Reiki - You'll have a chance to ask questions and learn what receiving Reiki feels like before starting.
• Treatment positions - You'll lie fully clothed on a massage table or sit relaxed in a chair while the practitioner accesses energy points on the head, front and back of the torso, and over endocrine glands.
• Hand placements - The practitioner will use different hand positions covering the whole body, remaining still or using gentle touch for 3 to 5 minutes in each spot.
• Session closing - At the end, your provider will close out the energy channels they opened and discuss your experience including any sensations you felt.

Is There Any Preparation Needed?

Little preparation is required beforehand, but the following recommendations can enhance your Reiki session:

• Hydrate - Drink extra water to support healing effects.
• Avoid alcohol/drugs - These can block energy flow.
• Skip heavy meals - A very full stomach limits comfort lying down.
• Wear loose, comfy clothes - Flowy pants and soft tops allow access during treatment.
• Arrive early - To fill out forms and relax before starting.
• Open your mind - Let go of skepticism or fixed expectations to fully receive the benefits.

Where are Reiki Sessions Performed?

Treatments usually take place in quiet settings free of distractions, such as:

• Reiki studios
• Massage therapy offices
• Medical centers
• Hospice care facilities
• Private homes

You'll lie down on a massage table or sit comfortably supported in a chair. Blankets, soft music, and aromatherapy often create a relaxing atmosphere.

What to Expect During the Session

Reiki sessions involve very little conversation. As the practitioner accesses energy points through gentle touch or proximity, the recipient simply relaxes allowing healing to occur.

Common Hand Placements

You can expect the practitioner to use combinations of various hand positions including:

• Head - Hands cupped gently around head to balance mental and emotional energies.
• Torso - Front, back or sides of upper chest and abdomen to target organs.
• Endocrine system - Throat, stomach, sacral and solar plexus areas to balance hormonal functions.
• Limbs - Hands above legs, arms, feet to relieve pain and tension.
• Chakras - Key energy centers like the Crown and Root accessed along the midline.

Possible Physical Sensations

Recipients describe noticing various responses in the body, including:

• Warmth, tingling or pulsing where the practitioner's hands hover
• Deeper or easier breathing
• Muscle relaxation, heaviness or lightness
• A sense of waves, vibration or swirling energy movement inside
• Sudden emotional releases or shifts in consciousness

Stay open to subtle or profound shifts aligning the mind, body and spirit. Notice whatever unfolds without judgment or attachment to outcomes.

Resting Afterwards

Make sure to drink water and rest following the session allowing healing energies to integrate. Keep activity light and avoid stressful situations if possible.

Your practitioner will discuss "aftercare" based on your individual responses. Most people feel peaceful and restored post-treatment, but emotional or physical detoxification reactions can sometimes occur.

How Many Reiki Sessions are Needed?

While a single session may relieve symptoms like pain or anxiety temporarily, lasting therapeutic effects emerge after multiple treatments.

Those seeking to improve chronic health problems often start with 6 sessions scheduled weekly if possible. Maintenance sessions every month or two help sustain the benefits.

As alignment with your highest wellness often unfolds in layers, simply listen to your intuition about what feels right for your personal journey using Reiki.

Cost and Insurance Coverage

Expect to pay $60-150 per Reiki session in most parts of the US and Canada. Package deals for multiple treatments often cost less per session.

Check if your insurance plan covers "energy healing" or "alternative medicine" services. Some include Reiki provided by licensed health professionals like nurses, massage therapists or physical therapists.

Many holistic centers offer sliding scale options for those paying cash without insurance reimbursement as well.

Using Reiki for Ongoing Wellness

In addition to relieving acute issues, regular Reiki aligns all aspects of health promoting resilience, balance and optimal functioning.

Reiki for Stress and Emotional Problems

This gentle, non-invasive therapy breaks up blocked energies related to mental and emotional turmoil. The deep state of relaxation reached calms the nervous system, reduces tension and anxiety, and enhances the ability to cope with challenges.

Reiki to Improve Chronic Disease Symptoms

Recipients often report symptom relief from conditions like:

• Chronic fatigue
• Fibromyalgia
• Headaches
• Digestive issues
• Asthma
• And more...

Always get medically evaluated, but using Reiki alongside other treatments may help enhance healing potential.

Using Reiki for Spiritual Development

Reiki's ability to unblock subtle energies also creates shifts in consciousness and enhanced mind-body connection. Many use it as a spiritual practice for:

• Deepening self-awareness
• Cultivating mindfulness
• Connecting with intuition and inner wisdom
• Exploring different states of being

Regular sessions promote continually unfolding alignment with your highest potential and purpose.

Are There Any Risks or Side Effects?

Reiki is extremely safe, gentle and non-invasive. There are no known risks or negative side effects. However, some initial reactions can occur as chronic imbalances shift during healing.

Detoxification

You may feel flu-like discomfort for 24-48 hours as toxins release. Drink extra water to flush the system and support elimination.

Emotional Releases

Stored negative emotions like grief, anger or fear sometimes surface. Notice them without judgment, allowing them to move through you.

Fatigue

Some people feel drained after treatment from the high vibration energies. Be gentle with yourself and rest until it passes in a day or two.

Discuss any concerning reactions with your Reiki practitioner who can provide guidance on minimizing discomfort as part of your healing journey.

Enhancing Your Reiki Experience

While Reiki's effects emerge organically without effort, you can magnify benefits by:

• Setting clear intents for each session
• Communicating with your practitioner
• Practicing meditation and self-Reiki between sessions
• Keeping a journal of sensations and reactions
• Committing to the full course of treatment

Ultimately, aligning your thoughts, actions and self-care practices with your healing journey allows Reiki to create deeper transformation.

Learning Reiki for Self-Care

Once attuned by a Reiki Master, anyone can practice on themselves or others. This allows using it anytime to promote relaxation, reduce pain, speed healing or simply realign mind/body/spirit.

Explore Reiki training if you feel drawn to work with energy healing professionally or as part of your personal wellness routine.

The Takeaway

Preparing for Reiki involves finding a qualified practitioner then showing up with an open mind and heart. Be an engaged participant by noticing subtle responses in your mind/body throughout each session.

While a single treatment offers deep restoration, cumulative changes often unfold across a series of appointments. Trust your intuition about what Reiki regimen feels right for your unique path toward wholeness.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.