What Actually Happens During a Reiki Session (Because You're Probably Wondering)

4:57 PM

What Actually Happens During a Reiki Session (Because You're Probably Wondering)

Look… I get it.

You're curious about Reiki, but you also don't want to walk into a session having no idea what's about to happen. You've seen the Instagram posts with the singing bowls and the perfectly arranged crystals and the serene healing vibes, and you're wondering…. okay but what actually goes down when someone does energy work on me?

So let me tell you. Real talk. No mystical jargon. Just what actually happens.

You Get Cozy on a Table (Yes, Clothes Stay On)

First thing… you keep all your clothes on. This isn't massage. You lay down on a cushioned table, I usually tuck a blanket around you because who doesn't love a good blanket, and you just get to be there for a while.

Most people close their eyes. Some keep them open and stare at the ceiling. Some fall asleep within five minutes. All of it's ok. There's no wrong way to receive healing.

I Channel Energy Through My Hands

Reiki is a Japanese energy healing technique, and the basic idea is that I'm channeling superconscious focused intention “energy” through my hands and into your body. Your body then takes that energy and uses it however it needs to… realigning the shape of the aura, clearing blocks, calming your nervous system, releasing emotions that have been camping out in your shoulders for the last five years.

I work at your feet. Sometimes my hands rest gently on you, over your clothes. It depends on what I'm sensing in your energy field and what feels right in the moment.

And yes, I can feel (and see) things. Warmth. Coolness. Places where energy feels dense or stuck. I see colors or get intuitive downloads about what's going on for you emotionally or physically. I don't always share everything I pick up unless it feels helpful. This is healing work, not a psychic reading, though sometimes the two overlap because energy doesn't really care about our categories.

You Might Feel All the Things. Or Nothing. Both Are Perfect.

Sometimes people… they think if they don't have some big spiritual experience or release then it didn't work.

and that’s just not true at all.

Some people feel warmth spreading through their body. Some feel tingling or gentle waves of energy... I describe it as wet electricity. Some people suddenly need to cry and have no idea why. Some feel their stomach gurgle loudly. I swallow because my vagus nerve activates. Some people feel absolutely nothing in the moment and then three days later the notice they stopped clenching their jaw?

All of those responses are completely valid. Your body knows what to do with the energy. I'm just facilitating and witnessing. You're doing the actual healing.

've had clients cry quiet tears of release. I've had clients say they didn't feel much during the session and then text me a week later saying something massive shifted and they can't even explain what. Energy works on its own timeline, and sometimes the most profound healing is the subtle kind you don't notice until you realize that thing that used to bother you just... doesn't anymore.

Your Nervous System Finally Gets to Exhale

Here's what I know happens every single time: Reiki helps your nervous system downshift out of stress mode.

Most of us are walking around in fight or flight all day. We can be anxious, overthinking, bracing for the next thing to go wrong. Our bodies are holding tension in places we don't even realize. Your shoulders are probably up by your ears right now. But I hope not.

When you're on my table, your nervous system gets the message….oh, we're safe right now. We rest!!! And that's when your body does what it's been trying to do this whole time…release what it's been holding. And sometimes overtime the shape we’ve molded for ourselves can change too.

That's the real magic. Not me doing something to you, but your body finally having permission to do what it naturally wants to do, which is heal.

It's Not a One-Time Fix (But It Might Be)

People always ask: how many sessions do I need?

Honest answer? I have no idea (but i guess sometimes). The superconscious, spirit, and your body will tell you.

Reiki isn't like getting your car fixed where they replace the thing and you're good to go. It's more like... having a really good conversation with your nervous system. Some people need one session and feel complete. Some people come back monthly because it keeps them regulated and grounded. Some people book a session whenever life gets overwhelming and they need to be held in a safe container for an hour.

I work with people dealing with anxiety, chronic pain, grief, burnout, life transitions, spiritual disconnection, or just general "I feel off and I don't know why." Everyone's different.

Yes, Distance Reiki Is a Real Thing

I know this sounds wild if you've never experienced it, but I can absolutely do this work remotely. You could be in another state or another country, laying on your couch, and I'm here working on your energy field, and it works exactly the same way.

Energy doesn't particularly care about geography. I've done sessions for people in different time zones. I've worked on people over Facetime. The feedback is always the same… they feel it. Their body responds. Things shift.

If that makes your logical brain short circuit a little, I get it. But it's real. And honestly some of my most powerful sessions have been distance work because people are in their own safe space and can really let go.

What Happens After

After we're done, we'll talk. You'll tell me what you experienced. Sometimes there's guidance that comes through and I'll pass that along if it feels relevant.

Then you get to go about your day, though I usually suggest taking it easy if you can. Drink Water! Reiki loves water. Epsom salt baths. And naps! Some people feel energized and want to go reorganize their entire closet.

Rest if you want to. Don't make any major life decisions in the next few hours. Just let your system integrate. And then notice over the next few days what feels different. What feels lighter. What suddenly doesn't have the same emotional charge it used to.

This Might Be For You If...

You're dealing with stress that won't quit no matter how many deep breaths you take. You have physical tension or pain that seems tied to emotional stuff. You're navigating a big life transition. You're carrying grief or anxiety or just a general heaviness you'd like some help releasing. Or maybe you just want to feel more like yourself again, like you somehow got disconnected from your own energy and you'd like to plug back in.

This work is gentle. It's safe. It's deeply supportive. And it meets you exactly where you are.

Why I Actually Do This

I do this work because I know what it's like to need help you can't quite articulate. To carry things in your body that talking and talk therapy doesn't seem to touch. Reiki saved me.

Energy work gave me that when I needed it most. And now I get to offer that to other people, which honestly feels like the best possible way to spend my time.

If you're curious, book a session. In-person if you're in Las Vegas. Distance if you're anywhere else in the world.

You can find me at rainbowreikicenter.com or slide into my DMs on Instagram at @rainbowreikicenter.

You're allowed to feel better. You're allowed to let go. You're allowed to take up space and be supported.

Let's work together.