How to Start a Reiki Session

Christian Stone | Standing Stones Healing Co.

New Reiki practitioners often wonder how to start a session, and it's important to consider because how we start a session can have a greater impact than we think. 

How we start a Reiki session is important because it sets the tone for the session and sets up expectations for the client. This is especially true if we are seeing a brand new client because how we start is a powerful first impression for what to expect in the session and what the client can expect from us. The way we show up, the way we interact, the person we are, and the energy we bring to the session at the beginning of the session set the tone for the session and is even impacts whether or not the client comes back for a second session. So no matter how the session goes or how it ends, how it starts really does have an impact.  


Here are my recommendations for starting a Reiki session:

1. Listen
The number one way to start a Reiki session is to listen. It's essential for us to listen to our clients, to be open, to be available, and to strive to understand where they're coming from, what their needs are, and why they are coming to a session with us. I encourage us to start off our sessions with a spirit of openness, a spirit of welcoming, and a spirit of being open to any questions that a client might have.

You might think this goes without saying, but I've talked to plenty of clients, students, and others over the years who have had Reiki sessions in which their practitioner dismissed their questions, didn't fully answer them, or didn't care to listen to their concerns.

Simply paying attention to someone goes a long way, and our clients need and deserve to have us listen. They also deserve the opportunity to ask questions, to be asked if they have any questions, and to receive helpful answers if they do.

It all comes down to having good listening skills, and I believe that this is the most important thing that we can do as practitioners, especially at the beginning of a session.  

2. Give the client choice.
Another important thing to do at the start of the session is to give the client control. Allow the client to make some choices in the session, whether that's what music is played, the use of any essential oils, incense or scents, the use of sound, singing bowls, or drums, or even decide whether they want the light on or off during the session. All of these should be up to the client.

The most important choice for the client, though, is the choice of touch. For in-person sessions, it's essential to allow the client to choose whether they want to have hands laid directly on them or not.

No matter what they choose, honoring client wishes is essential. It respects the client's agency, respects their humanity, and creates trust.

I often use the drum in my Reiki sessions. While I like the drum and believe it's a powerful tool for relaxation and healing, perhaps not everyone agrees. So I tell clients at the beginning of the session that I use the drum, explain how I use it, and explain that it's not part of the traditional system of Reiki, but I like to begin my sessions in that way and ask if that's ok with them.

I also often end my sessions by drawing a card, such as a Tarot or oracle card, for a message for the client to take with them on their way. I always mention this at the start of the session and ask if they would like a card drawn for them. I've never had anyone say no, but it's always important for us to ask and get permission.

Giving the client choice allows the client to feel in control, which helps them feel empowered and at ease. We want clients to feel empowered and at east during our sessions, and feeling in control also of course helps with growth and healing.

3. Set expectations.
Setting expectations during a Reiki session involves explaining what will happen during the session, how the session will go, and what to expect at the end of the session. By setting expectations, we can narrate the experience for the client, and they know what to expect.

When we have predictable experiences and know what to expect, it greatly decreases our sense of fear or discomfort. Going to a Reiki session is an intimate and vulnerable experience, and clients are putting a lot of trust in us when they show up for a session. Our clients, especially new clients, may be feeling nervous, hesitant, uncertain, and unsure. When they know what to expect, it can greatly decrease their feelings of nervousness or uncertainty. It can help them to relax and feel a little more open to feeling vulnerable because they know what to expect.

Setting expectations doesn't only involve explaining what will happen during the session, but also what a client can expect afterward. This is an opportunity to make sure the client understands that results vary during and after a Reiki session and that they may experience a range of feelings or sensations or results during and afterward. Setting expectations at the beginning of the session is helpful for avoiding post-session questions in which clients call you up asking why their backache isn't gone, they still feel depressed, or they haven't won the lottery.

These three simple actions: listen, give the client choice, and set expectations are my three top tips for starting a Reiki session. For as simple as they are, though, they are powerful and will help to create positive experiences for clients that keep them coming back.

For more on how to start a Reiki session, tune into this episode of the Build Your Reiki Business podcast or this video. You may also want to grab the free Reiki Biz Kit for more Reiki business information.

By the way, if you expected this article to explain what symbol to use first or what invocation you need or to start at the head or the feet, none of those matter nearly as much as these three essential practices. Doing these is way more important than any specific way we might start a session. Thanks, and blessings to your sessions!