The Vital Role of Your Reiki Practitioner during Your Healing Journey

What Does a Reiki Practitioner Do During a Reiki Session?

Welcome to our blog! Today, we are going to explore the responsibilities of a reiki practitioner during a reiki session. If you’re new to reiki or considering trying it out, understanding what to expect can help you feel more comfortable and confident in the healing process. So, let’s dive in!

Creating a Safe and Sacred Space

Before the session begins, a reiki practitioner’s first responsibility is to create a safe and sacred space for the client. This involves setting up a tranquil environment that promotes relaxation, peace, and healing. The practitioner may use soft lighting, calming music, and aromatherapy to enhance the ambiance. I created a guide a while back that walks you through the steps and considerations for your creating your own personal sacred space. While this post focuses specifically on creating your personal sacred space, it can be referenced to get an idea of what a sacred space is, and what you can expect (generally) from the environment where your reiki session will take place. You can find that post here.

Understanding the Client’s Needs

Every individual is unique, and their healing journey is personal. A responsible reiki practitioner takes the time to listen and understand the client’s needs, concerns, and intentions for the session. This helps the practitioner tailor the treatment to address specific issues and promote overall well-being. Preparation is key! This is why I have a ‘consultation’ prior to my reiki sessions, it’s where I get the information I need to ensure that I am addressing your specific needs.

I love crafting and creating, so I will admit that it’s one of my favorite parts of the healing journey. I take the time to curate the space and tailor it to your liking. During the consultation, I may ask you about things like scents you enjoy (lavender is a favorite!), or whether you enjoy sounds of nature or more of a musical base. This is all to make you comfortable, so that you can be in a relaxed state, which enhances the effectiveness of your reiki healing session!

Having the knowledge of the particular concerns you’re addressing allows me to get my hands on additional resources that I can relay to you when we meet during your reiki session. Reiki is an amazing therapy on its own, but when you’re equipped with additional tools, you are also taking control of your healing by learning and implementing new ways to foster healing and growth independently! This is important because healing is a work in progress. A lot of people have this misconception that reiki will magically fix everything, and that’s not how it works.

Reiki facilitates healing, but clients must do their part after sessions. The work needing to be done varies depending on where you are in your journey. For example, if you’re just starting out, maybe reiki has helped you to release emotional blockages that have held you back in some way. So your responsibility could be, since blockages have been cleared, uncovering doubts, fears, weaknesses, and gaining clarity on things that have inhibited your growth or potential.

Reiki is no different than when you visit a doctor, and they either prescribe medication or give you a treatment plan. The doctor has addressed your concern, and has given you the steps necessary to get better. Once you leave, it’s up to you to do what the doctor has suggested. It’s the exact same way with reiki. As a practitioner, I can provide the session for you, give you suggestions, but I cannot do these things (post reiki session) for you. I can (and will), however, guide and support you through the process!

Assessing and Balancing Energy

During a reiki session, the practitioner works with the client’s energy field, aiming to balance and harmonize it. By gently placing their hands on or near specific areas of the body, the practitioner channels healing energy to help remove blockages and restore the free flow of energy. This process can help relieve physical pain, release emotional tension, and promote a sense of calmness.

This is when all the ‘magic’ happens! During my first reiki session, I will admit that, for me it was very awkward. You just lie there while your practitioner does their thing–for up to an hour! My practitioner was very cool, down-to-earth, answered all the questions I had, and made me feel very comfortable. She even let me know that I was free to ask questions throughout the process. It wasn’t her at all, it was all me.

To minimize the awkwardness, I decided to close my eyes. This also served to allow me to get more in tune with the experience–the sensations felt as she migrated from chakra to chakra, thoughts that surfaced, and the calmness that was instilled in me during the session. I encourage clients to relax and close their eyes. I do this because I want my clients to be engaged in their healing, want them to set clear intentions during the process, and I want them to really dive within and become one with themselves.

By, diving deep within, I mean making note of physical changes, recognizing mental changes and stimulation, ‘digesting’ what your body’s communicating with you. One of the most exhilarating experiences is becoming in tune with YOURSELF! You can begin to naturally recognize these changes and correlate them appropriately. I prefer not to tell clients what they may experience, as it may cause anticipation that pulls away from centering and truly experiencing the feeling for themselves. I don’t instill any pre-conditions or expectations because I want my client to be confident in KNOWING what they are feeling is really what they are feeling.

My practitioner told me what other clients experienced, and I sat there waiting to feel any of those things. So I was silently thinking ” nothing’s happening…wait is this it?”. I do not want my clients to be that way, I want everything to be authentic and personal! Afterwards, we can discuss your experience versus someone else’s. But honestly, how much does someone else’s experience matter, once you’ve had your own?

Intuitive Guidance and Support

A skilled reiki practitioner often possesses intuitive abilities that allow them to sense and interpret energetic imbalances. They may provide gentle guidance and support to the client based on these insights. This can include suggestions for self-care, lifestyle changes, or even referrals to other holistic practitioners if necessary.

Intuition is a skill that can be developed with discipline and practice. Anyone can hone their intuition, it’s not specific to only reiki practitioners. Many reiki practitioners have gifts that may enhance their service as a reiki practitioner, for example, clairvoyance (ability to see things like auras), and clairaudience (ability to hear beyond the physical realm). There are many people born with spiritual gifts that allow them to provide an extremely valuable service!

Due to the requirements of becoming a successful healer, a lot of practitioners may have developed and even gained skills during the time they’ve practiced the healing arts. While practitioners do provide a healing service for others, they must remain diligent in balancing their own energy fields. The methods involved in this process keep your practitioner in an optimal state to provide healing, and fosters the growth and development of these skills.

Facilitating Relaxation and Stress Reduction

One of the primary goals of a reiki session is to induce deep relaxation and reduce stress. A responsible practitioner uses various techniques, such as deep breathing exercises and guided meditation, to help the client enter a state of profound relaxation. This not only supports the healing process but also enhances overall well-being.

The application of methods is different for each practitioner, and is better discussed with him or her. During my reiki sessions, I utilize therapeutic sounds, aromatherapy, and tuning forks. I encourage relaxation, and this could include encouragement of a meditative state during the session. However, I do not actively engage in guiding meditations for my clients during my sessions. It’s only suggested as a way to encourage relaxation, and focus on the healing being offered. When time permits, I post meditations on Zenified Healing’s YouTube channel for others to enjoy in their free time.

Promoting Emotional Healing and Spiritual Growth

Reiki is not just about physical healing; it also encompasses emotional and spiritual healing. A dedicated practitioner offers a compassionate and non-judgmental space where clients can explore and release emotional wounds, find closure, and experience personal growth. They may incorporate additional modalities such as crystal healing or meditation to enhance the healing experience.

Typically, my first session with clients are minimal in nature. That is, I focus entirely on reiki exclusively without the addition of other healing methods. Once the client and I can address particular issues, have our first session, I may begin to implement other forms into the session. However, this is on a case-by-case basis, or upon request. I believe that crystals and other forms of healing can facilitate healing, but I also believe in the power that lies within all of us.

We all have the innate power to regain control and strength to foster our own healing. So, with that said, I like for my clients to feel empowered, and encourage them to dive into a deep discovery of themselves. This way, the focus and intent is more “what can I do…?” versus “what [additional] thing will help me…?”. Once vital problems or information has been addressed or acknowledged, then I consider implementing additional methods.

Conclusion

In summary, a reiki practitioner has the responsibility of creating a safe and sacred space, understanding the client’s needs, assessing and balancing energy, providing intuitive guidance, facilitating relaxation, and promoting emotional healing and spiritual growth. By fulfilling these responsibilities, a reiki practitioner can support clients on their journey towards physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

Remember, every practitioner has their unique approach, so it’s important to find someone whose energy and methods resonate with you. If you’re ready to experience the transformative power of reiki, reach out to me and I will guide you on your path to healing.

I hope this blog post has shed light on the role of a reiki practitioner during a session. If you have any questions , please don’t hesitate to contact me. Fill out the form below and I will get back to you as soon as possible (typically within one business day). If you would like to share your own experiences, please leave a comment below.

Wishing you love, light, and abundant healing!