What Is Reiki and How Does It Work?

You may have heard the term Reiki buzzing around lately. Maybe you’re curious about trying it, or simply wondering what all the hype is about. In this post, I’ll unpack it all: what Reiki is, how it works, how it can help, and how you can experience it if you’re feeling called to it.

What Is Reiki?

Reiki is an ancient Japanese energy healing technique that promotes relaxation, stress reduction, and overall healing.

The word Reiki comes from two Japanese words: Rei, meaning “spiritual wisdom,” and Ki, meaning “life force energy.”

This practice is based on the understanding that the body has the innate ability to heal itself. When we experience stress, anxiety, trauma, or limiting beliefs, our energy can become imbalanced. Reiki helps restore the body’s natural energetic harmony, replenishing its capacity to heal naturally.

How Does Reiki Work?

The idea that humans are made up of energy is not new. Scientists call it the biofield; in Reiki, we call it Ki; in Chinese medicine, it’s Chi; and in the Yoga tradition, it’s Prana. Essentially, everything in existence, including our bodies, are made of energy.

When this energy becomes blocked or imbalanced, it can manifest as illness, chronic issues, or living out of alignment with who you truly are. 

A Reiki practitioner works with the body’s main energy centers (chakras) to sense where imbalances exist. Using their hands (either through gentle touch or from a distance), they channel Reiki energy to support realignment.

Practitioners receive an attunement from a Reiki Master Teacher, which allows them to channel Reiki energy. It’s important to note that the practitioner does not give you their own energy.

They simply serve as a channel for universal, divine energy.

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Prefer to watch? Here’s the video version of this blog👇

What Does Reiki Feel Like?

Everyone experiences Reiki differently. Some people feel warmth, tingling sensations, or gentle waves of energy. Others see colours, images, or different memories. The most common experience, however, is a deep sense of calm. Reiki is profoundly relaxing. About 80% of my clients fall asleep during their sessions. That’s the energy doing its work, as healing often happens most deeply in states of rest. It’s also completely normal to feel nothing at all, especially if you’re new to energy work or still learning to sense subtle energies. This doesn’t mean it isn’t working.

Distance Reiki

Reiki can also be offered remotely. Because energy transcends time and space, distance Reiki is just as effective as in-person sessions. Many practitioners, including myself, offer virtual Reiki sessions. (More on that in a future post!)

How Can Reiki Help?

Reiki is a wonderful practice for reducing stress, improving sleep, relieving pain, fostering emotional healing, and deepening your connection to your spiritual nature. It can also complement other healing modalities beautifully.

For example, if you experience anxiety, you might already be working with a psychotherapist, taking prescribed medication, or seeing a massage therapist for muscle tension. Adding a Reiki practitioner to your care team offers another layer of support—one that addresses healing from an energetic and spiritual perspective.

A Reiki practitioner can identify which energy centers are out of balance and explore the root causes of your symptoms. This approach allows you to begin addressing your healing from a powerful perspective.

Even if you’ve done years of therapy or self-development, the body may still hold onto trauma or emotional residue. Reiki helps bridge the gap between mind and body, helping you fully embody your healing. Because everything is energy, Reiki can support you through almost any area of life—from emotional release to spiritual growth to physical well-being.

Is Reiki a Proven System?

There is growing research indicating that Reiki can reduce stress, anxiety, and pain, and improve sleep and recovery after surgery. In the United States, Reiki is even used in hospitals and hospices as part of integrative care, especially for patients recovering from surgery or receiving end-of-life support.

While Reiki is a regulated practice in parts of the U.S., it’s not yet regulated in Canada, though I believe that will change as its popularity continues to rise. I am also starting to notice some of my clients' insurance companies are beginning to cover Reiki treatments. 

With that being said, the true beauty of Reiki lies in its magic that we cannot yet describe. Science is beginning to understand its effects, but there’s still a vast realm of Reiki that can’t be quantified—because it operates beyond the physical, in the space of consciousness and spirit. If you open yourself to the mystery of Reiki, you may begin to experience benefits that words (or science) can’t fully explain yet.

I always tell people not to take anyone’s word for it. Try it for yourself and see what happens. You don’t need to believe in Reiki for it to work. You just need to be open to receiving it.

How Can I Experience Reiki?

If you feel called to experience Reiki, I encourage you to find a practitioner you resonate with either locally or online. Every Reiki practitioner has their own unique energy and style, so trust your intuition when choosing who to work with. You may also notice that each practitioner has a particular specialty. While a skilled Reiki practitioner can support you with just about anything, it can be helpful to find someone who has experience working with clients who share similar challenges to yours. This helps you find alignment with your practitioner, and you’re more likely to receive deep value from your sessions together.

Many people I work with are on a journey of transformation. They feel called to explore their inner world, deepen their spiritual connection, and understand the deeper “why” behind their life experiences — whether emotional, energetic, or physical. They are seeking clarity, purpose, meaning, and a more conscious way of being. I also support clients in healing deep core wounds that have been running their lives so they can step into their higher selves.

If you feel drawn to work with me, I would be honoured to hold space for you. I offer in-person Reiki sessions in Toronto as well as virtual sessions worldwide. You can visit my website to learn more or book a session.

I also offer Reiki trainings for those who feel called to become a practitioner, or for anyone who simply wants to learn Reiki as a way to heal themselves and others. You can contact me here to find out when my next training is.

And if you stopped by simply to learn more about Reiki, I hope you found this post valuable and informative. Perhaps the next time Reiki comes up in conversation, you’ll be able to help shed some light on this incredible healing modality.

With love & light, 

Liv✨💗

Liv Arcangeli - 

Usui/Holy Fire® Ⅲ Reiki Master Teacher,

Deep Transformational Coach,

& Yoga Teacher