Aligning Your Energy through Reiki
Why This Episode Resonates With Me
I remember the very first time I heard the word Reiki. A friend invited me to hear a holistic practitioner speak about connecting with spiritual guides.
I was curious and excited—but I had no idea that gathering would introduce me to an entirely new world of mind, body, and spirit healing.
There were about 20 people in the room—different ages, different backgrounds—all settling in. As one couple walked toward the front, the man suddenly tripped and fell hard in front of the stage. He was clearly in pain and couldn’t get up on his own.
What happened next left a lasting imprint on me. People rushed to help instantly. They gathered around him in a circle, some gently placing their hands on his injured knee. The speaker herself joined them.
After a few quiet minutes, he was helped to his feet and guided to a chair. He thanked everyone, saying he already felt better. When the speaker returned to the stage, she said something I’ll never forget: “It’s so beautiful to see a community that truly cares for one another. And while we’re not here today to focus on Reiki—your hands supported this man’s healing through the flow of Reiki energy.”
I was stunned. People around me nodded knowingly. I had never heard of Reiki before—but I had just witnessed its effects firsthand. That moment sparked a deep curiosity. In the months that followed, that speaker became my Reiki teacher—and eventually, a dear friend.
Over the years, Reiki has opened an entirely new world of healing, awareness, and connection for me.
🌿 What Is Reiki? Reiki is a gentle energy healing technique that works with what’s often called Universal Life Energy. • Re means universal • Ki means life force energy A
Reiki practitioner acts as a conduit, allowing this energy to flow through their hands to support the healing and well-being of people, animals, and even plants.
Reiki is not religious and it is not massage-based. It works with the natural energy that flows through all living things.
🌿 Where Does Reiki Come From? Reiki originates in Japan.
• In 1914, Japanese therapist Mataji Kawakami developed a healing method called Reiki Ryoho and later published his work.
• In 1922, Mikao Usui, after a spiritual awakening on Mount Kurama, refined and shared what we now know as Usui Reiki. He taught over 2,000 students before his death in 1926.
• One of Usui’s students later taught Hawayo Takata, who brought Reiki to Hawaii in 1938, helping it spread throughout the United States.
Today, Reiki is practiced worldwide and has evolved into many different lineages.
🌿 How Does Reiki Work? Reiki supports the body’s natural healing process by helping energy move freely through the chakras and energetic pathways. It is not forced and always respects free will.
I often remind my clients: Reiki knows what it’s doing. The energy flows where it’s needed—and where you’re open to receive.
🌿 What Does Reiki Do? Reiki helps relax the nervous system, moving the body out of “fight or flight” and into “rest and restore,” where healing can naturally occur.
Common benefits include:
• Deep relaxation
• Reduced stress and anxiety
• Improved sleep
• Energy balancing and emotional clarity
• Physical support for pain, fatigue, and general discomfort
🌿 How Do You Become a Reiki Practitioner? Reiki is learned through study with a Reiki teacher, who shares techniques, symbols, and energetic attunements.
Each level works with specific symbols, including: • Cho Ku Rei – Power symbol • Sei He Ki – Harmony and emotional healing • Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen – Distance healing • Dai Ko Myo – Master symbol
Training typically includes: • Reiki Level I • Reiki Level II • Reiki Master • Reiki Teacher
My own Reiki journey has unfolded over many years of study, mentorship, and self-practice.
🌿 What Happens in a Reiki Session?
During a session, practitioners channel universal life energy through light touch or hovering hands. Sessions can be in-person or at a distance.
Clients remain fully clothed, and practitioners usually work with the chakras and energetic field. Many people feel warmth, tingling, or deep calm—others feel very little in the moment but notice shifts afterward. Hydration and rest are encouraged following a session.
🌿 What Does Reiki Feel Like?
Experiences vary, but many people report:
• Deep relaxation and peace
• Warmth, tingling, or pulsing sensations
• Emotional release
• Visualizations or memories
• Temporary healing responses like fatigue or mild discomfort as energy shifts It never ceases to amaze me how quickly the body can release old emotions or trauma—and how immediate relief can follow.
🌿 Is Distance Reiki Real?
Yes—many practitioners and recipients experience distance Reiki as effective. Using intention and symbols like Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen, energy is sent beyond physical space.
Many people feel relaxed, grounded, or emotionally lighter afterward—even from miles away. Distance Reiki is often viewed as a complementary practice alongside conventional care, especially for stress and emotional support.
🌿 Is Distance Reiki as Powerful as In-Person?
For many, yes—sometimes even more so. Being in your own environment can allow for deeper relaxation, which is key to healing.
🌿 Where Can You Experience Reiki?
Reiki is offered in:
• Wellness centers
• Yoga studios
• Hospitals
• Private practices
• Homes
• Distance sessions worldwide
I invite you to join a guided self Reiki practice with me that you can do daily to attune your body to the healing energy of Reiki!
Thanks so much for joining me today!
If you would like to learn more about the topics we covered, see what events are going on in the Be Well Darling community, or have a free sound bath check out my website at BeWellDarling.com and follow me on socials!
Until next time, Be Well Darling
