How Reiki Works: A Complete Guide to Energy Healing
- Victoria Saunders
- 1 day ago
- 9 min read
Have you ever left a Reiki session wondering how simply lying still could create such a profound shift in your body and mind?
Many people feel the benefits of Reiki but don’t fully understand how it works, or what practitioners are actually doing when their hands hover over your body.
So, let’s dive deep into how this energy works… because the benefits are real and infinite.
What this article will cover:
What Universal Life Force Energy is
How Reiki practitioners channel this energy
What happens during a session
The role of intention, chakras, and intuition
How Reiki creates real energetic shifts (and what to expect in a session)
Whether Reiki is backed by science
What is Reiki Energy?
Reiki comes from Japanese origin. The word itself means “spiritual energy".
Reiki is an ancient practice that uses healing elements to enhance your natural ability to heal. By balancing your energy centers (chakras), Reiki can help you heal your mind, body, and soul, remove any energetic blocks, and raise your sacred vibration. It addresses the whole person on all levels.
The primary tool in Reiki is Life Force Energy. Every living thing in the Universe contains life force energy. When your life force is low, or if there are any restrictions in its flow, your energies are not in balance, and you are more vulnerable to illness. When your life force is high and flowing freely, you are more in alignment and less likely to suffer from illness.
Life-force energy uses our chakras and aura to travel through our physical form. The techniques used in Reiki are energizing for both the practitioner and the client. Reiki is a powerful healing method that can be used alone or in combination with other healing/holistic modalities, like acupuncture.
Reiki energy also contains a mysterious ability to connect us with ourselves at a deeper level, where we can recognize the magnificent spirit within ourselves. At this monumental time in human history, when all of humanity is preparing to open to the spirit within and shift to a higher level of reality, Reiki energy can provide a deep level of healing for all of humanity.
Life-force energy is referred to as Prana in India, Chi in China, and Ki in Japan.
How Reiki Practitioners Channel Energy
There are many ways to give and experience Reiki, but they all come down to some basic principles.
The main principle is that you become a channel for the Reiki energy. I like to picture the energy coming down through the top of my head (my crown chakra), through my heart, down my arms, and out of the palms of my hands.
It’s important to note that Reiki does not draw from the provider’s own energy or life force. It is the ritual of inviting energy to flow through from the Universe. There is no forcing or “trying” required. A Reiki practitioner is just someone who has been attuned to the flow of life force energy.
This means that the availability of this universal energy is limitless, and anyone can do it. What makes it Reiki is that the practitioner has been through the attunement process. The Reiki attunement is a sacred process of opening a person up to the universal symbols of Reiki, allowing them to channel life force energy naturally. The attunement process will help clear and balance the chakras (energy points), open up the energetic pathways, and activate the ability to act as a clear channel of Reiki energy.
Once the switch has been turned on, it becomes stronger and brighter the more you tap into it. Life-force energy will begin to flow down through the crown chakra, and the healing energy portal in the hands will open up.
The attunement process will boost the practitioner’s own unique energy and will innately bring personal growth on all levels. Some people notice that they experience a heightened intuitive/psychic awareness after a Reiki attunement. The more you practice, the stronger, clearer and more refined the intuitive connection will grow.
Reiki is a gift and is unique to each person. Once attuned, all the practitioner has to do is have the intention to heal, and the Reiki energy will begin to flow.
Now, I know that may sound crazy to some. But trust me, it works. And once you experience it, whether that’s through a session as a client or through the attunement as a practitioner in training, you will see to believe that it is possible.
The Role of Intuition and Intention in Reiki
When practicing Reiki, intention is everything. As mentioned, a Reiki practitioner simply needs to set the intention to heal, and the Reiki energy will begin to flow.
But that’s not all.
As a Reiki practitioner, it is within our duty to act in the highest good for all of humanity. That means that we must hold good intentions at all times.
It is also very important that both the healer and the receiver understand that healing is not something that is done “to you.” It is a joint effort. Most of the healing happens outside of the Reiki room. A Reiki practitioner is simply the channel to the energy used to clear blocks and increase one’s sacred vibration. If the recipient is not open or willing to participate in their own healing process, the Reiki energy will not force itself on them. The person must be willing to take responsibility for their own healing, and if they aren’t, it is not up to the Reiki practitioner to be responsible for the client’s healing.
As for intuition, many practitioners notice they have an intuitive awakening after their attunement. This is because the attunement opens up the Crown Chakra (the energy center at the top of the head that is our spiritual connector), and therefore activates the Third Eye Chakra (the energy center in the middle of the brows connected to our inner wisdom).
Many people use their intuition to feel which areas of the body have energy flowing freely, and which areas might have an energy “blockage.” Some people may receive intuitive messages or insights during their sessions, like myself. There are many different ways to practice and experience Reiki, and each way is important and valuable.
The good thing about intuition is that it can be developed with time and practice, and you don’t need to be attuned to Reiki in order to access your intuition. We are all intuitive beings with the ability to access more information as we continue to connect to our Third Eye Chakras.
What Happens During a Reiki Session
Reiki works on the principle that the energetic body, emotional body, and physical body are all interconnected. While Reiki doesn’t replace medical treatment, we do believe that our emotions can be stored in the physical body, which can lead to eventual illness if not released.
In Reiki, we notice that the deepest healing comes from activating the parasympathetic nervous system, which is the state of deep relaxation that lowers a person’s “fight or flight” response and promotes the body’s “rest and digest” response. When we are in the “rest and digest” state, we can process our emotions in a safe way that positively affects the mind, body and spirit.
The primary way that Reiki does this is by working with the chakras and the aura.
The Seven Chakras
The chakras are the seven energy centers that live within your body. They work in a spinning wheel-like pattern. Each chakra is like a vortex, spinning life-force energy into or out of the body. The word “chakra” is from the Sanskrit word meaning “wheel of light.”
A quick overview of the chakras:
Root Chakra
Located at the base of the spine/perineum area. It relates to our most basic human needs/survival skills: safety, security, grounding, and belonging.
Sacral Chakra
Located in the reproductive area. It is associated with creativity, relationships, and sensuality.
Solar Plexus Chakra
Located above your belly button, between your rib cage. It is related to our will, self-esteem, and personal power.
Heart Chakra
Located right in the center of the chest (beneath the sternum). It is connected to our emotions, compassion, empathy, and love.
Throat Chakra
Located in the throat area. It’s related to our communication, self-expression, and how we voice our inner truth.
Third Eye Chakra
Located in the center of the forehead between the eyebrows. It is related to our intuition, inner wisdom, and dreams.
Crown Chakra
Located at the top of the head, or rather, just above it. It is our connection to the Divine, our spiritual connection, and our awareness.
The aura is a field of light around your physical body that reflects your overall health and well-being. The aura is impacted by any kind of negative energy. This can come in the form of negative thoughts or mental energy, negative emotional energy, and any electromagnetic energy from your phone/wifi signals.
It is important to note that each session is unique! The client might have an intense experience one time and a subtle experience the next. It’s hard to say why that is, but we trust that your energy is getting exactly what it needs at the time. You cannot rush healing. Whatever is ready to be released will come to the surface.
What to expect in your first reiki section
If you're new to Reiki, it's normal to wonder what you're walking into. Sessions with me are relaxed and non-invasive. You'll lie fully clothed on a treatment table in a quiet room while I work with your energy field, either with light touch or hands hovering just above your body.
Most people notice a sense of warmth, tingling, or deep calm during the session. Some experience emotional releases, others simply drift into a deeply restful state. Every session is different and that's completely okay. Your energy will receive exactly what it needs.
If you're ready to experience it for yourself, you can book your first reiki session with me here or schedule a virtual discovery call if you still have questions.
Is Reiki Scientifically Proven? What the Research Says
We go deeper on this topic in my blog post "The Science Behind Reiki: Does It Really Work?" but here's a quick summary of where the research stands.
Though research is in the preliminary phase, it looks quite promising. A study published in the Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine found that:
Strong evidence for Reiki being more effective than placebo, suggesting that Reiki attunement leads to a quantifiable increase in healing ability.
Reiki is better than placebo in activating the parasympathetic nervous system, as measured by reduced heart rate, reduced blood pressure, and increased heart rate variability.
For patients with chronic health conditions, Reiki has been found to be more effective than placebo for reducing pain, anxiety, and depression, and for improving self-esteem and quality of life.
Reiki has the potential to provide valuable support for a broad range of chronic health conditions. However, there is no justification to regard Reiki as a cure for any health condition. Instead, Reiki should be regarded as a complementary therapy that can be implemented alongside all other medical and therapeutic techniques.
While this is all preliminary research, Reiki practitioners are excited for the advancement of research that can support the holistic healing modality that we are so deeply aligned with.
Frequently Asked Questions About Reiki
Is Reiki safe?
Yes. Reiki is a gentle, non-invasive practice with no known side effects. It's suitable for people of all ages and health conditions, and it works alongside (not in place of) conventional medical care.
How many Reiki sessions will I need?
It depends on your goals. Some people may feel a noticeable shift after a single session, others benefit from a series of sessions over several weeks. I will always discuss your needs and what to expect during your consultation or first session.
Do I need to believe in Reiki for it to work?
No. Openness is helpful, but belief isn't required. Many skeptical clients are surprised by how much they feel during a session. The most important thing is a willingness to receive.
Why Reiki Isn't Just "Woo"
At first glance, Reiki might sound a little out there, especially if you’re used to more conventional approaches to health and wellness. The idea that someone can hover their hands over your body and create deep emotional or physical shifts can feel hard to believe… until you experience it.
But Reiki isn’t about blind faith or bypassing science. In fact, it’s already being used in many clinical settings around the world. It’s recognized for its ability to support relaxation, emotional well-being, and quality of life, particularly for people managing chronic stress, pain, or trauma. What’s often dismissed as “woo” is actually rooted in thousands of years of energetic wisdom and is increasingly supported by emerging research in neuroscience and biofield science.
The truth is, there are some things you don’t need to fully understand to benefit from – like love, intuition, or the energy you feel when someone walks into a room. Reiki lives in that space. It reminds us that healing doesn’t always have to be loud or dramatic. Sometimes, the deepest transformations happen in stillness.
So whether you’re new to energy healing or have been on your journey for a while, Reiki offers a safe, gentle, and powerful space to return to yourself.
Experience Reiki at Peridot Wellness in Toronto
Victoria Saunders offers Reiki and energy healing sessions at Peridot Wellness, our integrative clinic in downtown Toronto. Whether you're new to energy work or deepening an existing practice, we'd love to support you.
Book a Reiki Energy Healing Session or learn more about our Reiki services here, including Intuitive Healing and Spiritual Life Coaching
Sources:
McManus, D.E. (2017). Reiki Is Better Than Placebo and Has Broad Potential as a Complementary Health Therapy. Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine
Peridot Wellness. (2024). The Science of Reiki
Saunders, V. Reiki Level One Manual. Unpublished practitioner training material.
Harding, D. Reiki First Degree Manual. Unpublished practitioner training material.
Cross, J. Reiki Level I. Unpublished practitioner training material.
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