Looking for the Right Reiki Are you looking for the right Reiki practitioner for you? Your Reiki session should match your needs and your preferences. After all, it’s your healing session. Since not all Reiki practitioners and sessions are alike, take the time to speak with potential practitioners and ask questions about their backgrounds and what your session will be like. That way, you’ll have better chances of finding a practitioner and session that’s right for you. Here are five tips for finding the right Reiki practitioner.

1. Practitioner Qualifications

LEVEL OF TRAINING Reiki practitioners doesn’t all have the same training. First, they may have Level I, Level II, or Level III/Master training.

A level I Practitioner typically integrates Reiki into another primary healing modality such as massage therapy, acupressure, etc. They likely incorporate Reiki to enhance the energetic and healing aspects of these modalities.

Level II Practitioners will often offer Reiki as a stand-alone modality. I tell my Reiki students that Level II is when a person is ready to be a professional Reiki practitioner. Level II gives the practitioner additional techniques to facilitate Reiki healing. At this stage, the practitioner moves from being essentially a passive channel to one who can call in different vibrations and qualities of life force energy.

Level III is a Reiki Master. The Reiki Master can be a Master/Practitioner or a Master/Instructor (Master/Teacher). All instructors are practitioners, but not all practitioners are instructors. Instructors learn how to give attunements. They tend to use more techniques and have a somewhat deeper or broader understanding of Reiki because they have to be able to teach and communicate the concepts and techniques to others.

QUALITY OF TRAINING The second reason why not all training is the same is quality, and there is enormous variation in the quality of training being offered. The best training includes demonstrations and lots of practice. I offer two-day Level I and II classes and never back to back because I believe practice and sharing experiences is important. However, some Master/Instructors fly through all the levels in just one or two days. Others offer online training or just do attunements and suggest the student do readings on their own. In sum, the level and quality of training does reflect on the quality of the healing.

2. Practitioner Experience

Training is important, but it isn’t everything. Experience definitely counts, but the idea that “more experience is better” is true only to a point. A practitioner may have been working with energy long before s/he took a structured class in any form of energy healing. S/he may have come to Reiki after studying and practicing other energy healing modalities. Therefore, it’s a good idea to ask about his/her experience and other training.

3. Practitioner Capacity and Demeanor

People who are sensitive and open tend to be good energy channelers. A healer might also be empathetic and/or intuitive. All of these attributes contribute to the quality of the healing. Testimonials can often give you clues. They can also indicate whether the practitioner is a natural healer: innately ethical, compassionate, supportive, and preceptive.

Choose a practitioner who you like, and with whom you feel comfortable. Ask yourself if this person seems truly interested in supporting you, or are they more focused on what they claim they can do and their ego?

4. Type of Reiki the Practitioner Offers

There are many forms of Reiki: Western Usui, Eastern Usui or Traditional Usui, Usui/Tibetan, Reiki Holy Fire®, Gendai, Sekhem-Seichim (SSR), Karuna® or Tummo® just to mention some of the more well-known forms. (See descriptions on the Starchaser What is Reiki page.) The most common form of Reiki, especially in the United States, is Western Usui.

A Reiki practitioner can be attuned and trained to any one or more of these forms of Reiki. And, the term “Usui Reiki” is used to describe any one of these forms of Usui: Western, Eastern, Tibetan, Tummo®, Holy Fire®, etc. While all forms of Reiki are healing, a session or treatment could be a little different, and the energy can feel somewhat different, particularly for someone who is quite perceptive, open, and more familiar with energy healing.

If you’re curious about a particular form of Reiki or know what you prefer, find a practitioner who offers that.

5. What the Session Will Be like

CLIENT DATA/INFORMATION: Practitioners typically request that clients fill out intake forms, sign disclaimers, and discuss their current health status and intentions for the session. In addition, clients may be asked to fill out an assessment form for each visit. If you feel uncomfortable sharing your personal health history, make sure to ask the prospective practitioner about their information gathering. Also, by law, they MUST keep your record safe and secure. Often, this is NOT the case. Ask how they store your information.

HANDS OFF/HANDS-ON: While it is common for Reiki to be practiced off or above the client’s body and in the client’s aura, light touch or “laying of the hands” is not uncommon. If you have a preference make sure to communicate that even if the practitioner neglects to ask.

Most practitioners set a calm, quiet space for the Reiki session. The light is usually kept low. Candles and salt (selenite) lamps are common. Many offer music: typical musical genera include New Age, relaxation, nature, spacey, dreamy, spa, or spiritual.

In addition to the music, a practitioner may add sounds such as Tibetan bowls, Native American drums, or chanting, which are vibrational and complement or magnify Reiki energy.

Finally, some practitioners believe that Reiki should be offered in complete silence: there’s no music and no talking between the client and practitioner. Even at the end of the session, a client might not be offered any insights. This is not my preference and practice. As Reiki is self-healing, I prefer to engage my clients and share my experience with them so that they reflect and integrate.

IN SUM: There is wide variation in the practice of Reiki and other energy healing modalities for that matter. None of these variations are necessarily right or wrong. It’s all a matter of preference. Many practitioners will combine Reiki with other modalities. A practitioner may incorporate healing crystals and subtle aromatherapy. They may bring in other energy or healing practices e.g., Lightarian, chakra therapy, shamanism, etc.

Final Note

It’s important to stress that you are in control of your healing process. Don’t be afraid to express your preferences. Reiki is a self-healing modality. Therefore, the more comfortable and engaged you are, the more healing you’ll receive. If you are feeling uncomfortable, you’ll be less open and less receptive to the healing. This doesn’t mean you won’t receive healing energy. You will. It’s just that the more open you are, the more you receive and the more able you are to integrate the healing.

I hope this information is helpful to you in finding the right Reiki Practitioner for you.