Curious about Reiki? 🤔
One of the first questions almost everyone asks before they try Reiki for the first time: “what does it actually feel like?” It’s such a great question because it tells me that this person is genuinely curious and are ready to discover their true self 💖
The honest answer is: Reiki feels different for everyone. And that’s not a cop-out! It’s one of the most fascinating things about this practice. Your experience is shaped by your own energy, your history, what you’re carrying right now, and how open you are to receiving. No two sessions feel exactly the same, and no two people experience it identically.
That said, there are some sensations and experiences that come up again and again. Let me walk you through what many people feel during a session and after one, and for those who are students – what they may expect during their Distance Reiki Attunement Ceremony 🌟
What Reiki feels like during a session ✨
Whether you’re receiving Reiki from a practitioner or experiencing it as a student during your own practice, many people report one or more of the following:
- Warmth 🥰 A gentle, spreading warmth – sometimes through the whole body, sometimes concentrated in one area. This is one of the most commonly reported sensations and is often felt even when there is no physical touch
- Tingling or pulsing ✨ A light buzzing, tingling, or pulsing sensation, similar to the feeling of energy moving through the body. Some describe it like electricity, others like a gentle vibration
- Deep relaxation 🧘 An almost immediate sense of calm – like your nervous system finally got the memo that it’s safe to exhale. Many people drift into a deeply relaxed, almost meditative state
- Embraced or light ☁️ Some people feel beautifully, pleasantly ‘weighted’ by an embraced – like they’re sinking into the earth. Others feel suddenly light, almost weightless. Both are your energy shifting
- Emotional release 🪷 Tears may come and not necessarily from sadness, but from release. Emotions that have been held or suppressed can surface gently during a Reiki session. This is completely normal and often deeply healing
- Colours or imagery 🌈 Some people see colours behind closed eyes, or receive gentle images or impressions. Others notice nothing visual at all. Both experiences are equally valid
- Simply… peace 🕊️ Many students describe a profound sense of peace and presence that’s hard to put into words. A feeling of being held. Of being safe. Of coming home to yourself 💖
What Reiki feels like afterwards 🌙
The effects of Reiki often continue long after a session ends. In the hours and days that follow, you might notice:
- A sense of calm clarity 😮💨 Things that felt overwhelming may feel more manageable. Decisions that felt foggy may become clearer
- Tiredness 🥱 Your body may want rest and that’s a sign your energy is shifting so please honour it if you can! Drink plenty of water and be gentle with yourself
- Emotional shifts 🔄 You may feel lighter, more open, or more yourself. Sometimes old emotions continue to move through in the days following a session
- Heightened sensitivity 🙏 Some people find their intuition feels sharper, or they’re more aware of energy around them — a lovely side effect of your own energy opening up
- Physical sensations 😴 Occasional mild physical symptoms like headaches or fatigue can arise as part of the release process. These usually pass within a day or two. Stay hydrated and rest
All of these sensations I refer to as a “Spiritual Detox”, which is similar to a sort of ‘dietary detox’ – but for your inner energy. As such, I always encourage students to treat the following weeks after a Reiki session as a gentle integration period. Be kind to your body and trust the process 🌿 I provide a lot of detail about “Spiritual Detoxing” and offer guidance on how to best transition through it within my Reiki 1, 2 and Master course.
What does the Distance Reiki Student Attunement feel like? 🕊️
Whilst the answer to this will vary significantly from student to student, I’ll try to provide some common experiences to help you understand what may occur during yours.
When receiving a Distance Student Reiki Attunement Ceremony, you may feel:
- Warmth spreading through the hands, chest, or crown of the head
- A deep sense of peace, stillness, or presence
- Tingling, pulsing, or a feeling of energy moving
- Emotional release – sometimes tears, sometimes a wave of gratitude or joy
- Vivid colours or gentle images
- A sense of something “shifting” or “opening” up
- And sometimes – simply stillness, and very little sensation at all
What if I don’t feel anything? 🤔
It’s so important to understand that not feeling dramatic sensations doesn’t mean nothing happened. Reiki works whether you feel it or not ✨
Some of the most profound attunement ceremony experiences aren’t reported during the ceremony itself, but in the days that followed where someone felt: a sudden clarity, a shift in perspective, a dream that felt significant, or simply waking up one morning feeling subtly but unmistakably different.
Sensitivity to energy varies from person to person. Those who haven’t worked with energy before may notice subtler sensations than someone who has been meditating for years. That doesn’t make the experience less real or less powerful, it simply means your awareness is still developing or just different to another. And either way, it’s okay!
Just trust that Reiki is always experienced as it’s meant to and when it’s meant to 💫
What does it feel like to give Reiki? 💐
Once you’re attuned and begin practicing, the experience from the “other” side of the table is just as beautiful. 🌼
Many practitioners feel warmth or tingling in their own hands when they channel Reiki energy. Some feel a gentle pulsing or a sense of energy flowing. Others develop a sensitivity to where energy is needed in the recipient’s body, picking up on temperature changes or intuitive impressions.
Over time, as you practise more, these sensations often deepen and become more refined. Reiki practice has a way of developing your natural sensitivity and intuition.
Curious about what the learning journey looks like? Head to my Learn Reiki Online complete guide so you can ‘digest’ everything in one place 🌀
Whatever your Reiki experience looks like – whether it’s a flood of sensation or a quiet, gentle shift – it’s happened just way it was meant to for you. 🤗
- You belong here.
- You are worthy.
- You are valued.
- You are loved.
As ever, big love to you 💖 Melissa
What about Natural Healer's Reiki 1, 2 and Master course? 💖
Does the price include everything?
Yes! The price you see is fully inclusive for all the courses listed above and includes your Distance Reiki Student Attunement Ceremony (for Levels 1, 2 and Master), instant online access (via the Student Platform), ability to download all the course materials (such as the PDF handbooks and workbooks, PDF posters, MP3 audios, and more), your accredited certificates (PDF) once graduated, and much more!
What else is included? View all the extra special inclusions by scrolling down the page! In short, students get lifetime access to course materials, priority support, exclusive discounts for other courses, crystals, and ‘hard copy’ books, plus a variety of extra bonuses! Also, graduates receive FREE Natural Healer Society Membership (valued at $99)!
Can you learn Reiki online?
Can Reiki Attunement Ceremonies be done at a distance?
Yes! Attunements can be done via distance! How? Because Reiki is energy healing – and energy healing has no boundaries or time-restraints – there are no limitations on the ability to attune students from afar. Reiki healing can be done at a distance which means the ceremonies can by done at a distance too!
To further clarify, Melissa connects energetically with students (after they have confirmed their ceremony date and time with her) and performs the ceremony completely remotely. After the ceremony is done, Melissa emails all the information about it (date, time frame and so on) to each student, including any observations she made.
Can I ask questions while I'm learning?
Yes! You can ask questions throughout the course! Melissa makes herself available to help guide her students at any point during their learning journey. Students can directly ask Melissa questions in two different ways: either (1) within the course itself using our “Lecture Discussions” feature. This allows Melissa and the student to converse within the course content itself.
And (2) via the Reiki Student Community, which allows students to chat with Melissa – and with other students if they wish – to ask questions, share experiences, find practice buddies, and more! In either scenario, Melissa will respond and converse directly with students there.
You can also view our FAQ page here, which has answers to our most “Frequently Asked Questions” about learning with Natural Healer, starting a business, and so on.