Common misconceptions about Reiki

“Reiki cures every illness”

No. This is the most harmful claim made in Reiki's name. Reiki is not medical treatment, it does not diagnose, and it must never be offered as a definitive cure for any condition.

What Reiki does is support the body's own effort to find balance and contribute to a person's general wellbeing. It stands alongside a doctor's care, not in place of it. If you have a health concern, never delay seeing your doctor.

“Reiki isn't real, it's placebo”

I do not present Reiki as a scientifically proven treatment — I make no such claim. What I can say is that responses are also seen when it is given to infants, animals and plants, none of whom can form an expectation.

My suggestion is not to build up an expectation of what you should feel. Try it and reach your own conclusion. You are the only person who can decide what Reiki does for you.

“It could be harmful or get out of control”

Reiki is not a forceful energy. It does not impose more than a person can take; it goes where it is needed and leaves the rest. You remain fully conscious and can stop at any moment.

In the days following an attunement you may feel tired, emotionally changeable, or have vivid dreams. These are signs of clearing rather than harm, and they usually pass within a few days.

“You need a special gift”

You do not. You need not be a healer, have strong intuition, or have meditated for years. The attunement opens the channel; the rest is practice.

It also does not take long to learn. The difficult part is not learning — it is keeping up a regular practice.

“I'll learn it from a book”

You can read about Reiki, see the symbols and understand the technique. But without an attunement that knowledge does not become functional. An attunement is not read — it is passed on.