The Questions Nobody Dares to Ask About Reiki

No, it does not hurt. No, you do not undress. Touch is gentle and it is optional. Crying is common and there is nothing wrong with it. Feeling nothing is normal too. And no, you do not need to believe in anything to receive a session. Now let us take them one at a time.

These are the questions people ask me looking at the floor, or by WhatsApp at eleven at night, or just as they are putting their shoes back on to leave.

None of them is silly. All of them deserve an answer.

Does Reiki hurt?

No.

There is no pressure, no manoeuvres, no stretching, no manipulation of tissue. The hands rest still, or are held a few centimetres away. That is all.

The only thing that occasionally gets uncomfortable is staying in one position for a long time. That is why there is a pillow under the knees, and why you can move whenever you like: you do not have to hold still.

If something bothers you — a position, a hand, the cold — you say so and it is adjusted. Nothing has to be endured. A session that hurts would be a sign that something is being done wrong.

For what it is worth: the NCCIH, part of the US National Institutes of Health, notes that Reiki has not been shown to have harmful effects. It is a gentle, non-invasive practice.

Do I have to undress?

No. Never.

Reiki is received fully clothed, always. Shoes come off, and a watch, glasses or metal accessories if they bother you. That is it.

If a practitioner asks you to remove clothing to receive Reiki, that is a clear warning sign. It is not part of the practice. Stand up and leave.

What does help is coming in comfortable clothes: nothing tight at the waist or the neck, because you will be lying down for an hour.

Will I be touched? Where exactly?

Yes, if you want to be. And only where we agreed.

Usual contact is a still resting of the hands at: head, shoulders, sternum, abdomen, arms, knees and feet. No sliding, no pressing, no massaging.

And there are areas where there is never contact: genitals, buttocks, and a woman's chest. Those areas are always worked at a distance, without exception and without you having to ask.

If you prefer no contact at any point, the whole session is done with the hands a few centimetres above the body. It is equally valid and you do not have to explain why.

Let me say it as plainly as I can: you decide beforehand, and you can change your mind at any moment. Saying "no contact" is enough, and it changes without comment.

What if I start crying in front of a stranger?

It happens to a great many people. And nothing comes of it.

When a body that has been on alert for months genuinely relaxes, what that alertness was holding down comes up. Sometimes that is a tear. Sometimes an enormous sigh, nervous laughter, or a lump in the throat.

It is not a crisis, and it is not a sign that something serious is coming out. It is a body that found a safe place to let go.

What I do if you cry is exactly what I do if you do not: stay there, in silence, drawing no conclusions. I will not ask what is wrong. I will not interpret your tears or tell you what they mean. And there are tissues within reach.

If you want to talk afterwards, we talk. If you would rather not say a word, that is fine too.

What if I feel nothing? Will I look foolish?

You will not, because there is nothing to pass.

Some people feel heat, tingling or heaviness from the first minute. Some feel only quiet. Some fall asleep and remember nothing.

Feeling nothing does not mean it is useless. It means your way of receiving is quieter, or that you arrived so tired that the body simply rested.

There is also a common trap: watching so closely for a sensation that the watching itself prevents it. Like trying to fall asleep while checking every minute whether you have.

My suggestion: look for nothing the first time. I go into it in what does Reiki feel like.

Do I have to believe in something?

No.

You do not need to believe in Reiki, in vital energy, in God, or in ascended masters. You also do not have to stop believing whatever you believe.

I work from a Christian and mystical view, within the lineage of Mikao Usui and with the company of the masters and the archangels. It is my path and I speak about it when someone asks. I do not preach it, I do not impose it, and I do not assume it.

Your belief system is yours. Free will is not a decorative phrase here: it is the condition of everything we do.

Whether you are an atheist, an agnostic, a practising Catholic, a Buddhist, or someone who has never thought about it, the session is exactly the same. You can come to rest for an hour and nothing more. That is enough.

The ones almost nobody writes down but everyone thinks

The worry	The short answer
What if I fall asleep and snore?	Snore away. It happens constantly and interrupts nothing.
What if my stomach rumbles or I pass gas?	One of the most common things there is. It usually means the body is letting go. Nobody comments.
What if I come from work and have not showered?	It does not matter. You come as you can come.
Can I come during my period?	Yes, with no restrictions. If there is discomfort, that area is treated carefully or worked without contact.
What if I get a fit of giggles?	Laugh. Nervous laughter is a release like any other.
Will you read my mind or see my past?	No. I do not read minds, I do not divine, and I will not tell you things about your life you have not told me.
Do I have to tell my whole life story?	No. You tell what you want. "I'm here because I'm not sleeping" is plenty.
What if I get very cold?	Ask for a blanket. There is always one. Slowing down often brings some chill.
Can I come with makeup on?	Yes. Just note there may be gentle contact at the forehead and temples.
What if being alone with someone makes me uneasy?	You can come accompanied; that person waits nearby or, if you need it, stays quietly in the room.

What if I want to stop halfway?

We stop. The second you say so.

Nothing has to be completed, no processes break when interrupted, no channels are left open. That does not exist, and anyone who says otherwise is using fear.

You can stop because you are uncomfortable, because you got bored, because you are not enjoying it, or because you cannot explain it. All of those are reason enough.

And there is no insisting. If a practitioner says "hold on a little longer, something was just happening", that already tells you who you are dealing with.

What I see in my practice

There is a scene that repeats, and it has moved me from the start.

Someone finishes the session, sits on the edge of the table, puts their shoes on slowly and then, at the door, hand already on the handle, says: "one last little thing."

And there comes the real question. The one they carried in from the beginning. It is almost always one of these: whether it is normal to have cried, whether it is odd to have felt nothing, or whether this goes against their religion.

That is why I wrote this article. So you do not have to wait until you are at the door.

In Medellín I notice something else: people ask more by WhatsApp than in person. And that is fine. If it is easier to write the question than to say it, write it. It gets answered just the same — in English if that is easier for you.

Frequently asked questions

Is it strange to be alone in a room with a practitioner? It is a reasonable concern and I respect it. You can come accompanied, ask for the door to stay ajar, ask in writing beforehand how the session works, and tell someone where you are. A serious practitioner receives those conditions as perfectly normal. If someone takes them badly, that reaction is the information you needed.

Can I record the session or keep my phone nearby? You can keep your phone nearby on silent if that reassures you. Recording a full session adds little — there are long silences — but if it helps you feel safe, it can be discussed. What matters is that you arrive without the sense of handing over control of anything.

What if I have a panic attack during the session? We stop, you sit up, we open a window and breathe. No drama. If it happens to you often, tell me before we start so the session can be shaped differently: shorter, seated, or without contact. And if anxiety is intense or recurrent, that belongs with a mental health professional as well as with this accompaniment.

Will I be told to stop my medication or my therapy? No, never. It would be a serious breach. Reiki accompanies and replaces no medical or psychological treatment. If a practitioner of any discipline suggests adjusting or stopping medication, walk away and tell your doctor. You can read the limits in Reiki contraindications.

What if I am a man? This feels like a women's thing. Plenty of men come to my practice, almost always for the same reasons: they are not sleeping, they are exhausted, or they went through something hard. Many arrive because someone insisted, wearing the face of a person unsure why they are there. The self-consciousness goes quickly once they discover that nobody asks them to talk about their feelings or to believe anything.

How do I know a practitioner is trustworthy before going? Write and ask: where they trained, in which lineage, whether they work with or without contact, how long a session lasts and what it costs. Clear, unevasive answers already tell you a great deal. The warning signs are promises of cure, pressure to buy packages, and any comment about your medication. I detail it in how to choose a Reiki practitioner.

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If you are left with a question that is not here, write it without filtering on WhatsApp at +57 314 811 7561 or through contact. There are no awkward questions: there are questions nobody had answered yet.

And if you want the whole sequence before deciding, start with your first session step by step.

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Disclaimer

This article is for educational purposes and does not replace diagnosis, treatment or follow-up by a healthcare professional. Reiki is a complementary practice: it accompanies, it does not substitute. If you are under medical or psychological care, continue it and talk to your treating professional before adding any complementary therapy.