Become Your Own Self-Empowered Reiki Healer

What is Reiki and how does it work?

Reiki is more than a relaxation technique—it's a healing energy that results in emotional balance, self-awareness, and physical well-being. By supporting the body's natural ability to release dis-ease, Reiki creates a nurturing space where healing can unfold on physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual levels. While every person's experience is unique, many people find that Reiki helps them reconnect with themselves in meaningful and life-changing ways.

What we call Reiki is actually a means of using the Universal Life Force Energy (ULFE) that flows through each of us. We call it Reiki because of the work of Japanese Reiki master Mikao Usui, who gave the name to his new way to use ULFE in the late 1920's. Perhaps you're familiar with the most common way a practitioner uses Reiki for healing which is through the hands placed on, or near, the body. A Reiki massage is also common.

It's also a common misperception that special training and attunement is needed to access ULFE. The honorable Mr. Usui's way couldn't possibly bet the only effective method. Think back when you ever had a pain in your body. A headache, stomach ache or scraped knee. What was your first response? You automatically placed your hands over the area of pain and somehow the rubbing felt slightly better. That's using ULFE. It's a tool inherent to every human, who unfortunately, has no awareness of their power.

That's proof enough Reiki is real, and you can gain even more confidence in its endorsement by Western Medicine knowing it is used in some hospitals around the globe as an adjunct therapy. There've also been scientific studies proving Reiki's effectiveness. Most recently, a 2024 double-blind study by Seminars in Oncology Nursing recorded the positive effects Reiki had on cancer patients in reducing pain, anxiety and stress levels.

Keep in mind that no Reiki practitioner nor alternative or medical doctor, has ever actually healed a single patient. In the way that any type of doctor uses their knowledge of the body to prescribe a system to support a body's healing process, the Reiki practitioner simply supplies more ULFE to help the body heal itself.

The Two Ways of Experiencing Reiki

1. Through a Practitioner

The common way of experiencing Reiki is through a practitioner. There are millions of gifted men and women all over the world doing amazing healing work. They charge a fee for usually an hour of time once a week.

There are several reasons one might choose to see a Reiki practitioner.

• Chronic Pain Management and Physical Healing Most of our chronic aches and illnesses are actually unresolved trauma energies stored in the body. Reiki has the power to release those toxic energies with regular treatment. By reducing stress and improving the body's natural energy flow, it can help alleviate many symptoms, while also accelerating recovery from injuries or surgeries.
• Emotional Healing and Trauma Release Holding unexpressed emotions, grief, anxiety, guilt, shame, and past traumas is a heavy burden. Reiki provides a non-invasive space for the body to process and release these stuck emotional blocks, allowing people to move forward with a grateful heart and greater mental clarity.
• Spiritual Growth and Self-Awareness For many, Reiki is a tool for personal and spiritual development because it helps quiet the mind, making it easier to connect with your higher self and inherent wisdom. People often seek treatment when they're at a crossroads in life, looking for a deeper sense of purpose, or wanting to feel more connected to themselves to get more from life.

At the Office

When you visit a practitioner you stay fully clothed unless having a massage. They will first consult with you on what's going on in your body to assess what's the priority for healing. After the consultation, you will lie down or remain seated, depending on the practitioners style. They'll place their hands on, or near, different areas of your body, and hold them there for several minutes, focusing ULFE through their palms.

The sensations experienced vary from person to person based on the state of their nervous system. It's common to feel a deep relaxation and peace and even fall asleep during the treatment. Some may feel a warmth from the hands as well as tingling or pressure. It can also trigger an unexpected emotional release. However, those living with CPTSD are less likely to feel the calming effects at the start.

Expected results will be slower with only weekly sessions. For faster results multiple sessions are recommended. In the 1930's and 1940's there were a couple of Reiki hospitals that treated patients with multiple sessions per day. Although there's no price limit to spend on anything that will truly help you mind, body and soul, not everyone has the funds nor the time for classes.

Luckily, there's a meaningful alternative.

2. Self Healing

My level 1 Reiki teacher mentioned that he attuned children on the autism spectrum to heal themselves with daily cranial hand placements. Before that I never imagined reiki could be used on oneself, and I imagine this is all news to you too. But how amazing would that be to reconnect to your dormant healing powers? If something hurts, you can sit for at least 10 minutes a day healing yourself. You can hang out and listen to music and perform your Reiki.

When one studies Level 1 Usui Reiki, students spend the next month after attunement healing themselves, so self-healing isn't unheard of. But choosing to use Reiki on your own is a radical act of self-love. In a world where we're sold untruths and limiting beliefs about of medicine mixed with archaic religious dogma, taking any step towards overseeing your healing is empowering.

But the prospect of self-healing can be daunting. Most people don't even realize they lack belief in themselves, so believing they have what it takes to heal themselves would not compute. Some may not even realize they suffer from Learned Helplessness and could never be comfortable without constant reassurance. Or those who grew up on a narcissistic household, will have to work harder to break free of the programmed unworthiness. That's why the ability to make it happen is empowering.

Self-healing is not a substitute for professional medical attention to chronic pain as well as annual physicals with blood work. While Reiki is an excellent practice for prevention and moving dense energies, it cannot always provide the rapid healing required to stabilize a serious condition. This is why the two therapies work well together.

What does Reiki help with?

Trauma Recovery

Trauma can leave lasting imprints on both the mind and body, keeping us in patterns of stress, fear, or emotional overwhelm. Reiki offers a non-invasive practice that allows the nervous system to shift away from a constant survival state. While Reiki is not a replacement for trauma-informed therapy or needed medical care, many people find Reiki to be a valuable practice that helps them feel calmer, more grounded, and better able to process life's challenges.

Connecting with Myself

Reiki encourages stillness, mindfulness, and self-reflection, creating an opportunity to reconnect with who you truly are beneath your survival personality. As the mind becomes quieter and the body more relaxed, you can gain profound gratitude, greater intuition, and a deeper understanding of what you need to thrive.

Reconnecting to Self-Love

Self-love begins with learning to treat ourselves with the same compassion and kindness we so readily offer others. Reiki supports this journey by encouraging moments of rest, acceptance, and gentle self-care. Receiving or practicing Reiki can become a reminder that your well-being matters. Over time, many people find they develop greater patience with themselves, healthier boundaries, and a stronger sense of self-worth, allowing them to approach life from a place of inner balance rather than self-criticism.

Nervous System Regulation

One of Reiki's most widely reported benefits is its ability to promote deep relaxation. As the body settles into a calmer state, the nervous system can shift from "fight or flight" toward a restorative response, which in turn can reduce feelings of stress, ease muscle tension, and improve sleep. Reiki can become a valuable practice for supporting nervous system regulation to cope with the emotional demands of modern life.

Personal Transformation

Healing is often about more than simply feeling better—it's about becoming more fully yourself: To become the authentic you buried under all those layers of survival personality behaviors and beliefs. Reiki can be a powerful companion on the journey of personal growth, helping people cultivate greater self-awareness, emotional resilience, and inner peace. As old patterns begin to release and new possibilities emerge, many people experience a stronger connection to their life purpose.

Ultimately, Reiki is a deeply personal experience. Some people notice immediate feelings of peace and relaxation, while others discover subtle changes that unfold over time. Whether you're seeking stress relief, emotional support, or a deeper connection with yourself, Reiki offers a gentle, compassionate practice that can support your overall well-being and personal journey.

Let's Get Started

Attunement Meditation

While attunement classes costing hundreds of dollars may be a good direction for someone on the path to become a practitioner, to receive the Usui attunement, nut for regular humans, a simple meditation I developed is all the attunement you need for healing yourself and your family.

You are now attuned to Reiki.

Using the Energy

You don't need to go through the whole meditation before every session. Instead, simply visualize that point of light in the sky sending white light down through your crown and it will reignite the attunement. Then say out loud or to yourself three times:

"The Reiki flows from above, through my heart, and out my hands."

You are now ready for healing sessions.

Sit or lay down somewhere quiet and comfortable. Lying down may be more comfortable for the arms. Begin by placing your hands on the back of your head, You can even intertwine your fingers. Continually visualize the energy coming from above through your hands.

Notice what's going on in your body and take deep breaths into any uncomfortable sensation. After five minutes, move your hands to another area of the head and repeat the process. Also try other trauma centers like the lower back, liver and knees to complete a 15-30 minute session.

Perform at least once daily, though more frequently is recommended. After a month of healing yourself, you're ready to work on willing family and friends.

Helpful Resource Available

It's impossible to bring every needed step towards becoming a self healer in a blog. But I've written a book that gives step by step insights and exercises to gain the needed empowerment. Your Trauma Healing Journey, Lifeprint Reiki's Guide to Reconnecting to Self-Love offers ways to not only get over the blockages to your authentic self, but to also better understand the traumas that created your survival personality.

Order the Book