The Day I Said Yes to Reiki: My Journey from Skeptic to Believer

I had heard of Reiki before, but had never been interested in it. I was a corporate “boss woman”, living a life rooted in logic. My days revolved around rules, structure, routine, and predictability. I didn’t have time for the unseen. The idea that I could be interested in something as whimsical and mystical as Reiki honestly felt strange. I had no judgment toward anyone who was interested in it. I just honestly couldn’t understand why I would pay another person to gently place their hands on or around my body. For the same price, I could have someone actually massage and manipulate my muscles, hopefully providing some actual physical relief. Yet I suddenly found myself pulled to book just one session.

I was actually searching for a new massage therapist. Instead, I found myself looking at the Instagram page of a Reiki practitioner. 

She looked friendly. 

Didn’t look crazy.

I told myself I would give it a try. I was fully prepared to not feel or notice any change. In fact, I jokingly told myself that if nothing happened, I’d simply consider it an entertainment expense. Looking back, I’m embarrassed by how naive and judgmental that sounds.

My First Reiki Session

My first session was on a Saturday. I was going to attend the session and then continue about my day running errands. Reiki had a different plan for me. The session was surprisingly relaxing. I couldn’t really tell what she was doing because my eyes were closed. I knew she’d cleansed the room with palo santo, placed a few crystals on my body, and at times it felt like she was waving her hands above me. 

Did I think anything magical happened during the session? No. 

But did I leave the session feeling more relaxed? Yes.

Ten minutes later I was walking into Target, ready to go about my errand running, when I was suddenly overwhelmingly tired. I needed to lie down. Not later. Right then. Oh no, I thought. I must be getting sick. 

I left the store without getting anything I needed, drove home, and went straight to bed. This wasn’t just a short nap. It was a three-hour nap. This is significant because I personally despised napping. I always had so much going on that I didn’t have time for napping. I woke up expecting to feel sick. Instead, I felt peaceful. I couldn’t explain it. I just felt…lighter. Like something inside me had settled in a way I hadn’t experienced before.

That was odd. Did the Reiki do that? She had mentioned to take it slow over the next couple days but surely that was a coincidence. But how could I know? So I went back. 

One Session Became Many

Each session seemed to uncover something different.

One brought up years of unresolved anger I’d buried beneath the surface. I’d always avoided confrontation, yet found myself finally having the courage to have the difficult conversation I’d been putting off.

After another session, tears came unexpectedly. I couldn’t have explained why, but afterward it felt like a weight I had been carrying had finally been released.

Although Reiki shouldn’t be confused with psychotherapy, I found myself experiencing emotional healing in ways that traditional talk therapy had never personally provided for me. I wasn’t talking through my problems. I was lying on a table, and somehow each session revealed another layer of myself. I was saying goodbye to years of burnout. I no longer felt emotionally guarded and numb. I was actually feeling things again.

Is Reiki Just the Placebo Effect?

Have you ever walked into a room after an argument and immediately felt the tension? Or looked at someone and just knew they weren’t okay? I’d argue that’s picking up on energy, and it’s something we all do. 

It’s the stress of everyday life, the disagreements we have, the crowded places we visit, and even the constant distraction of our own thoughts that impacts our body and the energy field around us. We just haven’t been taught to pay attention to it. Nor have we been taught that there are ways to balance and facilitate the flow of this energy.

Do I believe it is the placebo effect? No, I honestly don’t. I can’t prove what I experienced. But I can say that I walked into my first session expecting absolutely nothing to happen. I wasn’t hoping it would work or trying to convince myself it was real. If anything, I was expecting to leave feeling exactly the same way as I had when I walked in. My experience surprised me enough that I kept coming back.

Wanting to Understand Reiki

After about a year of regular sessions, I realized I didn’t want to just receive Reiki anymore. I wanted to understand it. I wasn’t looking to become a Reiki practitioner. I simply wanted to understand what was happening during my sessions. I wanted to understand why something so seemingly gentle was creating such a noticeable change in my body and life. I enrolled in a traditional Usui Reiki training class that my Reiki practitioner was offering. The training included two weekends of study, an attunement with my Reiki Master, and a 21-day cleansing period of personal practice and reflection. I have since completed Reiki Levels 1 and 2 and actual begin Level 3/Reiki Master training this month.

What Is Usui Reiki?

Usui Reiki was founded by Mikao Usui in 1922 in Japan. The word Reiki is commonly translated as “universal life force energy”. Traditional Usui Reiki is based on the idea that practitioners help facilitate the flow of energy rather than using their own personal energy. A common misconception about Reiki is that the practitioner is giving you their energy and that they carry some special power. This is not the case. During a session, practitioners typically place their hands lightly on or just above different areas of the body to support relaxation and the body’s natural ability to heal itself. While many people find Reiki very healing, both mentally and physically, it is not a replacement for medical care.

Practicing Reiki and The Community I Didn’t Expect

Reiki training doesn’t stop after just a few weekends of training. It develops with practice and repetition. I’ve found Reiki shares to be a great way to practice. The ones I have attended have brought together people from all walks of life, from nurses to office workers, to tattoo artists and sales professionals. They bring together both males and females and people ranging in age from their early twenties to their late sixties.

Although we all come from different backgrounds, I’ve noticed many of us share similar intentions. There’s a curiosity about life, a desire to grow, and a willingness to support one another without judgment.

Some people attending Reiki shares have years of experience. Others have never practiced or even received Reiki before. Everyone is welcome. My Reiki Master often describes Reiki as an expression of universal love and encourages participants to not overthink it. If they aren’t sure what to do, they simply direct love and compassionate intention toward the person lying on the table. We all take turns both giving and receiving this loving energy.

The Healing Modality I Never Knew I Needed

Years ago, if someone had told me that Reiki would become part of my life, I would have laughed. It simply wasn’t something I understood.

Today, I still can’t explain every part of what I’ve experienced. But I no longer feel like I need to. Sometimes the most meaningful things in life aren’t discovered by having all the answers. Sometimes they begin by simply saying yes to something we’re curious enough to explore.

That one appointment, which I nearly dismissed as an “entertainment expense,” ended up changing me far more than I ever expected.