How I Practise Reiki
Spiritual Hygiene & Practitioner Preparation
Spiritual hygiene is an important part of my everyday life as well as my Reiki practice.
For me, it isn't something I think about only when I am preparing to work with a client. It is an ongoing personal practice of grounding, self-awareness, energetic boundaries and looking after my own wellbeing, while remaining mindful of how our energy, emotions and presence can affect those around us. I approach this from a place of care, awareness and discernment rather than fear — both for myself and for others.
I also maintain my own regular Reiki practice, giving myself Reiki around five times each week. For me, self-Reiki is an important part of being a practitioner: time to become still, reconnect with the practice and attend to my own wellbeing rather than expecting my client work to fulfil that role.
Before offering Reiki to others, I also take time to settle and prepare myself so that I can approach the treatment calmly and with clear boundaries.
Preparing to Offer Reiki
Before offering Reiki to another person or animal, I take time to become quiet, grounded and fully present. I prepare myself and the space with clear intention and appropriate energetic boundaries, so that I can approach the treatment calmly and with my attention on the recipient rather than bringing the distractions of my own day into their session.
My Reiki practice has a spiritual dimension, and preparation may include meditation, grounding and connecting with the spiritual aspect of Reiki as I understand and experience it. These are part of my own practice; there is no expectation that a client shares my beliefs or spiritual outlook in order to receive Reiki.
An important part of this preparation is remembering that the treatment belongs to the recipient. My role is to offer Reiki with care and attention, while respecting their individuality, boundaries and choices.
Through conversations with others about their experiences of Reiki and complementary therapies, I have become particularly mindful of how much the approach and awareness of the practitioner can matter. I aim to create a calm, respectful and supportive space where you feel comfortable, your boundaries are honoured, and you are free to experience Reiki in your own way. There is no expectation to feel or respond in any particular way.
Choice, Consent & Therapeutic Touch
Reiki can be offered with gentle touch, with the hands held a short distance from the body, or using a combination of both. During an in-person treatment, I will ask which approach feels most comfortable for you.
Some people find gentle touch comforting and reassuring, while others relax more easily without physical contact. You may also be comfortable with touch in some areas but prefer hands-off Reiki in others. There is no right or wrong choice, and you are always welcome to change your mind during a treatment.
When using therapeutic touch, I maintain clear and respectful boundaries. I do not place my hands over the eyes, throat, breasts or other intimate areas of the body. I may include the hands and feet as part of a treatment, but again, your individual comfort and preferences come first.
Consent is ongoing rather than something established once at the beginning of an appointment. If at any point you would prefer me to move my hands, change to hands-off Reiki, avoid an area or stop altogether, you can simply tell me. You do not need to explain or justify your choice.
For me, respecting someone's boundaries is part of the Reiki treatment itself. Your comfort takes priority over following a particular sequence of hand positions.
Distant & In-Person Reiki
I offer Reiki both at a distance and in person. Neither is intended to be a lesser version of the other; they simply offer different ways of experiencing a treatment.
I particularly enjoy working with distant Reiki. It allows me to settle into a quiet, deeply meditative space while the recipient remains somewhere familiar and comfortable. There is no need for a camera or microphone, so you are free to rest, relax or simply continue quietly with your day while I offer the treatment.
Distant Reiki can also make treatments more accessible. There is no travelling or clinic room to consider, and it can be especially helpful for people who find leaving home difficult, live further away, have busy lives, or simply feel more comfortable receiving Reiki in their own surroundings.
An in-person treatment offers a different experience: a dedicated treatment space, my physical presence and, if you choose it, gentle therapeutic touch. Some people naturally prefer this sense of being physically present together, while others feel more able to relax when receiving Reiki remotely.
During either type of treatment, I may occasionally receive an intuitive impression — perhaps a word, image, feeling or sense of attention being drawn towards something. If an impression seems relevant or potentially helpful, I may share it with you afterwards. These observations are offered for consideration rather than as facts, diagnoses or predictions, and receiving intuitive information is never promised as part of a Reiki treatment.
You do not need to do anything special to receive distant Reiki. If you would like to, you can set aside some quiet time and hold a gentle intention to be open and receptive to the treatment, but there is nothing you need to achieve and no particular experience you are expected to have.
