Reiki is the passing of energy from one person to another to aid in healing, either physically or mentally. It is used to help alleviate pain and illness or reduce stress and promote relaxation and healing. Most practitioners do not claim it should be used instead of mainstream medicine, but in conjunction with it.
With that little information, I started looking into it a bit more. I am interested in relaxation and stress reduction, but I am also curious about the practice. A friend of mine visited a Reiki practitioner and told me how it opened her mind to clearer thinking and opened her heart to be more compassionate toward others.
We can all stand to be more compassionate, so I decided I wanted to try it. I booked my first Reiki session along with a massage (because why wouldn’t I get a massage?) and anxiously awaited my first encounter. I was excited about the possibilities, but I had no idea what to expect. Honestly, I didn’t think I would feel anything. I don’t feel like a skeptic, even though I apparently am per its definition, because I want to believe, but I am also too logical sometimes.
The day of my massage/Reiki session finally came. I completed all the intake forms and got ready for my experience. I was asked to state my intention, but I couldn’t think of anything. I had no idea what an intention should be, so we decided on something general – finding joy. I thought that was as good as anything, so we began. He told me he would listen to my body and do Reiki when needed.
Sure. That sounds good.
After the session, I asked him when he knew to stop and perform Reiki, because he did several times. He said, you told me on your intake forms because I indicated where my body hurts. Then he said other things that reiterated what I just learned about myself through studying The Enneagram. It was kind of cool.
I asked him questions about Reiki – like the most pressing question: how do you know if it works? Though I wanted a more concrete answer, his response was pretty much what I expected. He simply said he believes it; that’s all that matters.
He also said I should try a session with just Reiki, no massage, so I can experience it fully and without distraction.
Stay tuned for my next post where I share about my second, non-massage session and what I felt during both. In the meantime, share about your experience with Reiki in the comments. I would love to hear from you!