This means that when you seek a Reiki professional, you need to be aware that anyone can call themself a Reiki Master, and that anyone can download and print an impressive-looking Reiki certificate. So here are some questions to ask yourself and your teacher as you search:
- Do you feel safe with this Reiki professional? It’s not a science, but the voice of your heart is the one we need to listen to most. If you feel ill-at-ease when speaking to her, it is a strong sign that she is not the right one for you. If however you feel safe, accepted, and listened-to, and you feel a sense of honesty and authenticity, then you may have the beginnings of a healthy therapeutic relationship.
- Ask her: Do you practice Reiki on yourself every day? Some Reiki practitioners feel that they have reached a stage where they don’t need to do any self-healing. On the other hand, it’s a good sign if she values Reiki practice enough to dedicate time to it each day.
- Do you feel in tune with the way the practitioner talks about Reiki and healing? If you’re a scientific kind of person and the practitioner is talking about spirit guides and past lives, you probably want to keep looking around. And if you’re a free-floating spiritual wanderer, but the practitioner keeps talking about double-blind randomised-controlled scientific trials, you also probably want to find someone who will better catch your vibe. The same might be true if you have your own religion. If you’re a Christian, you’re probably going to feel safest and most open to a Reiki practitioner who also calls herself a Christian.
- Ask the practitioner if she practices other things alongside Reiki. Many times Reiki practitioners like to mix other healing modalities with the Reiki, especially things like crystals. That may be just what you wanted, but if not, you should know how this practitioner likes to work, and see how they she feels about giving you “just Reiki”. On the other hand, if she has a broad range of expertise, she may be able to help you get healthy faster, for example by offering counselling, or nutritional or lifestyle advice.
- Where will the Reiki happen? Will it take place in a healing center or a private boudoir? Find out, to avoid any shocks.
- Ask: “What’s your Reiki story?” You will most likely get a big insight into the way the practitioner thinks about Reiki when she tells the story of how she discovered Reiki and how Reiki has changed her life.
- Ask: “What do you actually do during a treatment?” (This question comes from Reiki Medicine.) Since there is no single standardised protocol for Reiki, you will want to have some idea about what happens during the treatment. Will you be asked to lie down and close your eyes? Will she burn incense and play music? Should you talk to the practitioner or remain quiet? How long will the session last?
At the end of the list of questions, we return to question one, and ask how you feel. Reiki is a very heart-driven practice, and often we keep trying until we get an inexplicable feeling deep inside that we know that this is right. Keep looking, and keep asking, until you get that feeling.