The Treatment Room
A treatment room is not required to do Reiki. all that is necessary is to place your hands on the body (your’s or the person you are working on) while sitting, standing or lying down.

If you choose to set up a treatment room here are some guidelines:

Select a room away from high traffic and noise areas.

Create a safe, relaxing, quiet atmosphere. Use soft colors, have blinds over the windows, living plants, possibly even an aquarium in the room.

Dim the lights or use candles to help in creating a relaxing, peaceful, safe environment.

Basic equipment needed are a massage table, comfortable rolling stool, pillows for head and under knees, tissue, blankets,

CD or tape player, soft soothing music CDs or tapes.

A shelf, table or bookcase to put the above items so that they are stored in the room, ready to use and in easy reach.

Scented candles, incense (I like Nag Champa), or an aromatherapy diffuser help to aid in the ‘transition’ from the hustle-bustle world outside to a relaxed state, in readiness to receive Reiki.

Before you begin the Treatment:
Demonstrate on yourself the hand positions and areas of the body you will touch during the treatment.

Go over the possible detox (purification) of 3 to 21 days. Stress that not everyone goes thru it.

Stress the importance of drinking enough water, NOT liquids, during the next few days after a treatment. Four 1 liter bottles of purified water would not be ‘too much’.

Ask about what the recipient’s goals are for the Reiki treatment. Listen but do not promise any outcome. Listening is what is most important.

Do NOT remove clothing, either yours or the recipient’s.
Ask recipient to remove bulky jewelry, ties, shoes and belts, and to loosen tight garments.

Put a small pillow under the recipient’s knees while they are on their back and under their feet when they are on their stomachs.

Never promise a healing. You may tell them that Reiki works on all levels; mental, emotional, spiritual and physical, to balance and relax their body.

Keep tissues handy in case Client experiences an emotional release, and blankets nearby as even on the hottest day some people may become chilled.

Wash your hands just before beginning the treatment.

During the Treatment:
There are traditional hand positions. Hold each 3 or more minutes (or until your hands tell you to move).

Do a complete treatment - all positions (except in emergency situations, accidents or for on the spot stress relief)

Add additional positions, (such as head for headaches, stomach for ulcers, etc) after the complete treatment. The more you practice Reiki, the more Reiki will teach you about where to put your hands. Trust me on this. More importantly, trust yourself. That is what “Reiki Reiki Reiki” is all about.

Keep your, and your recipient’s, legs uncrossed.

Keep your fingers and thumbs together and your hands slightly cupped.

Your hands may feel different sensations such as heat, cold or tingling. Your hands may not get hot every time. Do not judge Reiki’s effectiveness by what you feel. Reiki is working.

Soft, peaceful music is wonderful during a treatment. Collect a variety of different CDs and choose the one that speaks to you before each treatment.

It is not necessary to be in a meditative state for Reiki. Remember, you are not DO-ing Reiki but, rather, are BE-ing Reiki.

Talking during a treatment is fine. Silence enhances the feeling of relaxation for the recipient. Let them set the tone.

Reiki seems to be accepted more readily when the recipient is asleep. It is thought that this is because there is no resistance from the conscious mind.

Reiki is intelligent, benevolent and infinite. It adjusts to the needs and conditions of the recipient.

After the Treatment:
Finish each session by gently stroking the energy field an inch or so above the recipient’s body from head to toe, as if you were smoothing a cat’s fur. When you come to the feet, place your hands on the soles for a brief moment and then sharply shake your hands down to the earth and chop across your abdomen to release their energy ties to you. (This is not a Reiki teaching, but it feels really nice to the recipient.)

Both you and the recipient should drink lots of water. Offer some before the recipient gets off the table.

Give the recipient time to ‘come back’ from wherever they went before getting off of the table.

Stay close to the recipient until you are sure they have their balance back and will not fall off of the table.