What Is Reiki? A Practitioner’s Guide
Written by Neels Viljoen, Usui Reiki practitioner at Healing Light, Moreleta Park, Pretoria. Published 15 June 2025. Last reviewed 21 October 2026.
Reiki is a Japanese practice in which a practitioner rests their hands lightly on, or just above, a fully clothed recipient. Its stated aim is deep relaxation. Mikao Usui developed Reiki in Japan in the early 1920s, and Hawayo Takata introduced it to Hawaii in 1937. Research on Reiki is limited, and Reiki does not replace medical care.
Quick facts
| Origin | Japan, early 1920s |
| Founder | Mikao Usui (1865–1926) |
| Arrived in the West | Hawaii, 1937, through Hawayo Takata |
| Method | Light touch on or just above the body, with the recipient clothed |
| Typical session | 45 to 60 minutes |
| Evidence base | Limited; see the research section below |
What is Reiki?
The word Reiki combines two Japanese terms. Rei is usually translated as universal or spiritual, and ki refers to life energy, the concept known as qi in Chinese thought. Practitioners therefore describe Reiki as the guiding of universal life energy. Science has not measured such an energy, and the research section below addresses this point.
A Reiki session is passive. The practitioner keeps the hands still for most of the treatment and moves them only to change position. The practitioner does not diagnose, manipulate tissue or try to correct the recipient’s energy field. Practitioners describe the energy as arising in response to the recipient’s need at that moment, which is why one sequence of hand positions can serve every recipient.
Who developed Reiki, and when?
Mikao Usui was a Japanese lay Buddhist and a lifelong spiritual student. He lived at a time when Buddhist, Taoist and Shinto practices shared the same cultural space. Usui reported a decisive spiritual experience, most likely in 1922, and began to teach soon afterwards.
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1865 | Mikao Usui is born in Japan |
| c. 1922 | Usui reports the spiritual experience from which Reiki developed |
| 1922–1926 | Usui travels in Japan and teaches more than 2,000 students; he trains 16 of them as teachers |
| 1920s–1930s | Chujiro Hayashi, a retired naval officer and one of Usui’s teachers, opens a clinic in Tokyo where practitioners treat clients in pairs |
| 1926 | Usui dies |
| 1937 | Hawayo Takata, who had received treatment at Hayashi’s clinic, brings Reiki to Hawaii |
| 1980 | Takata dies in December, after training 22 Reiki masters |
Takata practised and taught for about 40 years before she began to train masters. Her students later spread Reiki through North America and then through the rest of the world, usually in forms that differ from the one she taught.
Which parts of this history are disputed?
The account above follows the version taught in most Western Reiki lineages. Historians and Japanese practitioners have questioned details of the version that Takata taught, including statements about Usui’s occupation and the circumstances of his spiritual experience. A memorial stone to Usui at a temple in Tokyo is among the primary sources that researchers cite. This guide therefore treats dates before the 1930s as approximate.
What does the research say about Reiki?
The National Centre for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) in the United States classifies Reiki as a complementary health approach and places it among the energy-based practices. (Reiki, a non-invasive complementary therapy, has shown early promise for pain management but lacks rigorous evaluation among American adults with KOA. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41183719/)
A 2015 Cochrane review by Joyce and Herbison examined Reiki for depression and anxiety. The authors found too few studies of adequate quality to reach a conclusion. A 2008 systematic review by Lee, Pittler and Ernst reported a similar position for other conditions.
Practitioners and clients often report calm, warmth or sleepiness during a session. These reports are subjective. Most trials of Reiki use small samples, and few of them can isolate the effect of Reiki touch from the effect of rest, attention and expectation. Healing Light therefore presents Reiki as a relaxation practice and as a complement to medical care.
| Reiki | Therapeutic Touch | Massage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contact | Light touch on or just above the body | Hands held near the body, usually without contact | Firm touch and manipulation of soft tissue |
| Practitioner’s role | Passive; does not direct the energy | Assesses the energy field and makes corrections | Applies physical technique |
| Assessment | None | Of the energy field | Of muscle and tissue |
| Clothing | Fully clothed | Fully clothed | Often partly unclothed, with a drape |
| Typical length | 45 to 60 minutes | Varies | 30 to 90 minutes |
Some practitioners compare Reiki with meditation, since the practitioner stays neutral and attempts no change to the recipient.
What happens in a Reiki session at Healing Light?
- The practitioner asks about your reasons for the visit and about any medical conditions or injuries
- You lie on a treatment table or sit in a chair, fully clothed.
- The practitioner places both hands on or just above your body in a series of positions from the head to the feet, and holds each position for [confirm: three to five] minutes. Hands rest just above the body when a wound or burn is present.
- The session ends with a short conversation and a glass of water.
Clients describe warmth, tingling or a gentle pulsing, and some report emotional release or sleepiness. Others notice nothing in particular. A shorter treatment of one area is possible when a full session is not suitable.
Is Reiki safe?
Reiki involves no manipulation, no medication and no insertion of any kind. Some people feel tired or emotional after a session, and these effects usually pass without treatment.
Reiki does not replace diagnosis or treatment by a doctor, psychologist or other health professional. A person with persistent symptoms, a diagnosed condition or a mental health concern should consult a qualified professional and may add Reiki to that care. A Healing Light practitioner does not diagnose, prescribe or ask a client to change or stop any treatment.
Reiki has Buddhist-influenced roots in Japan, yet people of many faiths receive it. Belief is not required to receive a session.
What are the levels of Reiki training?
| Level | Common Japanese term | Usual content |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Shoden | Introduction to Reiki, hand positions, self-treatment and treating others |
| Level 2 | Okuden | Further practice, including the symbols and the distance method taught in the lineage |
| Master | Shinpiden | Preparation to teach and to pass on attunements |
Terms and content differ between lineages. A qualified teacher gives the training, and most people can learn the basics in a Level 1 course.
Reiki in Pretoria
Healing Light offers Reiki sessions at 690 Rubenstein Drive, Moreleta Park, Pretoria. A single Reiki session costs [R400, confirm current price]. Reiki combined with chakra balancing costs [R500]. A home or hospital visit costs [R750].
The practice is open from 10:00 to 21:00 on Monday to Thursday, and from 10:00 to 18:00 on Friday to Sunday. The telephone number is 061 517 7025. Book online through the booking page, or read about the Reiki service in detail.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to believe in Reiki to receive it?
Belief is not a requirement for receiving a session. Scientific studies have not established whether belief changes the outcome.
How long is a session, and how many sessions do I need?
A typical session lasts 45 to 60 minutes. No research has established a standard number of sessions. Some clients book once, and others return at regular intervals.
What does Reiki feel like?
Clients commonly report warmth, tingling or a gentle pulsing, along with calm or sleepiness. Some feel an emotional release, and some notice no sensation.
Can Reiki be combined with medical treatment?
Reiki can be received alongside medical or psychological care. It does not replace that care, and a practitioner does not ask a client to change or stop any treatment. Tell your doctor that you are receiving Reiki.
Are there side effects?
Some people feel tired or emotional after a session. These effects usually pass on their own.
Can I learn to do Reiki myself?
Yes. Reiki is taught in levels by a qualified teacher, and most people can learn the basics in a Level 1 course.
Reviews
About Your Facilitator:
Neels Viljoen
Hello, I’m Neels Viljoen, and I am deeply committed to guiding others on their journey of spiritual awakening and healing. Over the past 30 years, my path of self-discovery has been shaped by profound personal experiences, including the loss of my partner and the tragic passing of my son. These life events have strengthened my resolve to dedicate my life to helping others heal and find peace.
My Credentials:
When you book a session with me, I feel truly honored to be part of your healing and transformation. My home offers a sanctuary of love, peace, and safety—where you can freely express yourself without judgment.
I specialize in a range of energy healing techniques and hold certifications in the following:
- Hypnotherapy
- Past Life Regression (Various Courses)
- Usui Reiki Master
- Life Between Lives Regression
- Certified Life Coach
- Age Regression Hypnotherapy
- Art of Energy Healing
- Spirit Releasement Therapy
- Parallel Quantum Lives Diploma (PQL) – Living Beyond Time
Each session is a unique and personal journey of self-discovery and transformation, tailored to your individual needs. I look forward to meeting you and walking this path together.
Until then, blessed be!
Visit me at our Wellness Centre in Moreleta Park, Pretoria or online
Are You Ready To Tap Into Your Power?
690 Rubenstein Drive, Moreleta Park, Pretoria, 0181
Contact us for a free 15 min consultation to answer your questions