The Reiki Cafe 

I just had my first reiki treatment yesterday, and I was wondering about some things--

Well, first of all, I think that the Reiki Master I went to mixes Reiki with other therapeutic modalities, like foot reflexology and aura clearing/chakra clearing. This is the way the treatment went: I lay down on my back on a treatment table with a pillow under my head and a blanket over me. The reiki master started by massaging points on my feet and telling me which organs the sensitive spots correlated to. Then he made some motions above me with his hands, which I suppose was clearing my aura, like he was raking the air above my body from feet to head and shaking it off his hands. Then he sat down behind me for a long time, and it sounded like maybe he was mouthing words to himself, but I don't really know what he was doing. During this period, I started to feel cold and uncomfortable and I had to pee but I didn't know if I should disturb him or not. So finally he stood up and said he was going to clear my chakras. I said I needed to use the restroom, so I went. After I came back, I lay back down and asked for another blanket, since I really was freezing. Then he held his hand a few inches above my forehead, and wiggled his fingers slightly, then gradually drew his hand farther and farther out in slight circular motions until finally his arm was stretched almost all the way up. He did this several times at my brow chakra, then proceeded with my throat chakra and my other chakras as well. I still felt cold, and very tired, but I also felt at certain points some warmth in the core of my body, althought my hands and feet were still very cold. I may have dozed off towards the end of the treatment (the whole thing took about two hours), and afterwards, he told me that all my chakras had been blocked, so he had to clear each one of them, which is why it took so long. He also tried to get me to set up another appointment right away, which I didn't quite feel comfortable doing, because I was trying Reiki out for the first time just to try it out, and I wanted to see how I felt afterwards before deciding to continue with treatments or not. So then I paid him (his rate per session is 550 crowns, or about $30), and then left.

Afterwards, I was extremely tired, exhausted really. I bought a bottle of water (he told me to drink a lot of water after the treatment to flush out impurities that were stirred during the treatment) and went to have lunch w/ my friend who was the one who told me about her reiki master (she's going to have her second attunement soon). She told me I shouldn't shower for 24 hours after the treatment, which the reiki master i suppose forgot to tell me, and she asked me how i'd felt and if I'd seen anything during the treatment, like any visions or images.

I couldn't really remember at the time, but thinking back, I realize that I was extremely uncomfortable throughout the whole session, and that I kept thinking of situations where female patients were violated by male doctors or psychologists other practitioners during appointments. I don't know if it's just me, but I suspect the main reason I didn't feel comfortable during the session was because the reiki master was a male. I'm a young (25) female, and this could just be related to past personal issues I have and have nothing to do with the reiki master himself (he's an older male, probably about 50), but I think I simply felt uncomfortable being alone and in a rather vulnerable position with a strange man for two hours. I'd met him once before, and felt fine then, but that was with other people in the room, including my friend who told me about reiki.

Sorry this post is so long, but I want to know if this treatment was at all typical of a first reiki treatment session? I think the reiki master didn't even get to the reiki part of the treatment, since clearing my aura and chakras took a very long time. Is it typical for most reiki masters to combine different therapeutic methods with reiki? And I was also wondering if it's possible that all my chakras were closed because I was feeling uncomfortable, not just in the room, but with the reiki master himself? Also if all of my chakras were blocked before, but now they're cleared and opened, how do I keep them from getting blocked again?

I had a similar experience once while learning meditation. My yoga instructor (who is female), introduced me to her meditation teacher (who is, once again, male and probably about 50). I had one meditation lesson from bim in which we sat across from each other alone in a quiet room and meditated together (he told me to visualize first dark space and then stars like the universe and then a great light that got bigger and brighter until everything was light, and to chant om namah shivaya). the meditation itself was quite relaxing, but I didn't feel comfortable with the teacher himself, so I never went back.

Is it possible to have a bad "auric" or "chakrik" reaction with someone? Would it be better perhaps for me to only seek female practitioners of Reiki or mediation and the like? My yoga teacher (I also have started teaching with her) is female, and I feel completely comfortable with her. Is it unusual for me to feel uncomfortable with these men in these situations? I suppose it just seems quite personal to be giving and receiving energetic healing therapy, almost worse than going to a male gynecologist, because treatments like reiki deal with emotions, the mind, energy, and the spirit, as well as the body.

I'd really appreciate some thoughtful responses to this. The same reiki master is offering an attunement next Saturday, which I am considering taking part in, but I'm having trouble deciding whether I should. The other participants will be three other females, and my friend will also be there to translate, so my impression is that I probably wouldn't feel so uncomfortable there as in a private session with the reiki master.

Also I was wondering if having an attunement can be very disruptive in some way to your daily life, in terms of bringing up buried emotional issues or being very draining energetically.

Thanks in advance for your replies!

It seems you have answered a few of your questions already Miaou. If you are not comfortable with a male practitioner or teacher then you should keep looking for the person you feel very right with. There is no rush. I can't say if he did Reiki along with the other work as I was not there. You do not have to make a follow up appointment unless you feel you want to.
You got a lot of energy work done, 2 hours, for the price you paid, and this is usually not a normal amount of time for a treatment. Saying this though most do take more time for the first session.
One can feel cold, hot and many other things during a treatment. Many say cold feelings indicate blockages.

It is always good to void before any type of treatment or test.

I do not agree with not showering right away. In my opinion a daily shower is the way to go to get any impurities or things flushed out of the system. Drinking water or fluids is always recommended.

There are many of we practitioners that do use more than just Reiki. You should have been told this ahead of time.

It is apparent that you were not comfortable for the most part and as you said have some past issues with men. You need to think on this and perhaps this treatment will now help you bring these past issues up to the surface to revisit and deal with.

You can give this person another chance now that your chakra's have been opened. You might even ask if your friend can sit in the room with you. Your other choice is finding another practitioner and I would suggest you then try a woman and see how that feels to you.

I would suggest you get more comfortable with Reiki before you decide to get attuned. Yes, there can be some issues and some uncomforatble feelings that come up after an attunement, but not necessarily always the case either.
One should think things through before concidering taking on any energy work path. There are plenty of books and info online about it and keep talking to your friend about Reiki.

You are very observant with how you feel and feeling energy. This is a good thing!

I look forward to hearing how this goes for you and what down the road you decide to do.

Good luck Miaou...

Donna

Hi Miaou,

I agree with everything that Donna has already said.

If your friend has already been attuned, would it not be possible for you to receive a Reiki treatment from her?

I always encourage anyone receiving Reiki for the first time from me to bring a friend with them, if it helps them feel more comfortable and also to feel free to say at any time during the session that they are not comfortable, in which case I would end the session immediately.

Like Donna I don't think that this person is the right person to attune you, since you felt so at unease with him. I would be inclined to try Reiki with someone else and see how you feel. A good practitioner will be more than happy to explain everything to you first about what it is that they do during the Reiki session.

Chakras can become blocked again, physical illness and emotional discord can cause this to happen. Reiki can help to keep the energy flowing through the body, clearing the chakras and facilitating self healing. With regards to an attunement, every student is different, but yes some students(not all) do experience a release of emotional issues. The way that these are dealt with is regular self Reiki sessions and if possible Reiki treatments from others. An attunement should not drain you energetically. You might feel tired but in a relaxed way rather than a drained way.

Hope this helps.

Gentle Blessings
Helen

Hi Miaou

I dont know if this master has developed his own non-triditional treatment or not But a Reiki session should
always be comfortable for both master and claint.
Brushing the U is a good practice( I always do it after
the session.)
Drinking pure water after a session helps ground you, and about not taking a shower for 24hr?... A nice shower will help center you and feels great.

My advice is find another master who will explain what thay are going to do before you have the session. It don't have to be a master to treat you, any Reiki with a Reiki I attunement can do the session and you can learn a lot.

Please try again Reiki fells wonderful
Even if you have a reliese it is just something comeing to the serfice that you neen to let go of.

Blessings

TNT

You have gotten some wonderful advice here and I only have just abit to add. Comtinue to drink the water, more than you would usually drink as this helps to flush out your system. During Reiki toxins can be released cleansing on the physical level.

The cold you describe happens to me every time I have energy work done. My first reiki Master describes it as a "divine wind". When the stagnant energy is moved out and the good is moved in it creates a wind of sorts in your body. Perhaps this is what you experienced.

The need to relieve yourself is also a natural reaction to reiki as your body is releasing waste on many levels.

Hope all this helps, Come back anytime!

Love and light,
Tracey

Dear Miaou,
Just typed a darn term paper length response to you & hit the wrong button..so this will be much shorter & to the point. Lucky you!! :)
Reiki does not involve massage or manipulation of skin & tissues. However, many massage therapists are Reiki Masters and combine the two, though this should be discussed with you beforehand. Reiki involves hands above or placed on the body in a stationary position. Hands above can involve circular, sweeping movements or be relatively stationary. There are different styles of Reiki with different add ons. I know of some practitioners who do very little movement above the body except gentle calming sweeping motions. Finding someone you are comfortable with is important.
Try to find a Reiki share where Practitioners get together to Reiki each other & the public. In my neck of the woods,there is no charge for this though a voluntary contribution to cover room rental is sometimes standard courtesy. Check with your friend. This will give you a comparison of Reiki hands on, you can get to know the people there & see if you are comfortable with it all. I dont advocate taking a Reiki attunement until you are ready, meaning your questions are answered & you feel comfortable with it. What would be the purpose in rushing into something you are not sure of? When you are better prepared for the session, know what to expect, have seen the practitioner work, know a bit about Reiki, you can generally enjoy the session more. Sounds like you werent sure what to expect & that can certainly make anyone uncomfortable. Two hours is a long session to remain on a table, eh? 30 dollars for 2 hours seems reasonable to me.
The first session is often longer than routine sessions which generally seem to last an hour. If you need more time it can run into "overtime" though Ive never personally known a Reiki Master to charge extra.
Cold & heat may be experienced during a session but do not hesitate to ask for a sheet or blanket. Sessions go better when you are comfortable. But sometimes its just the room temperature, nervousness, etc.
Have no idea why you should not shower after Reiki, that is a new one for me.
Yes, Reiki, massage and energy work can bring up emotions. Each person reacts differently simply because we are individuals.
Have you ever noticed than anything new you take on generally tends to disrupt your life, even if nothing more than your nice calm schedule or the way you see the world and/or self?

peace & joy,
holobon

Otoharo!

The replies you have received sum this up nicely. I just want to say, you really have not had a reiki treatment yet. Reiki does not need all these add-ons.

finality

I think all the advice has been wonderful. Also, for myself, finding the right master/teacher has been of the utmost importance. Find someone who complements you.
Also, Holobon, actually Dr. Usui himself used massage and tapping and small body manipulations in his Reiki sessions from the beginning.(The original Reiki handbook) I can't remember the author but I will find out.
I use my hands to massage when working on specific body parts mostly muscle pain and back pain.
Namaste all,
Matthew

Miaou,

I'm sorry your first "Reiki" experience was not what you expected it to be. Yours is the type of account I am hearing a lot lately, in which people are expecting one thing and getting another, such as overly-lengthy sessions (a full session should take about an hour, in my opinion), odd feelings, mistrust, etc. It's too bad.

I'm not sure what to attribute these experiences to, but it seems like a lack of communication - and professionalism - is at the root of it all. If you felt like your session wasn't proceeding as you expected, then developing a level of trust with the practitioner was bound to be difficult. Know that you should feel free to end a session any time you want.

I understand the "male-female" issue and if you feel uncomfortable with a male working with you, then by all means, try a female. My first Reiki session was with a female practitioner and I felt like I was being "worked on" in a strange way... It actually turned me off of Reiki for quite a while. I found my way to it, though, and have studied and practiced and work to be the best I can be. I am a male practitioner and have had occasions when I could feel a pull from a female client. It isn't comfortable on that end, either.

I question some folks' intentions with healing work, and that's distressing to me. But Reiki is like anything else, and some will use it for their own purposes. Sometimes those purposes - and intentions - aren't the purest. Reiki won't stay in their hands for long and their "practice" will ultimately fail.

Trust your instincts. Do what feels right to you. It sounds like you are not turned off from Reiki and that's important! It is the best and I hope you stay with it.

Ken

Dear Jollygiant,
I did read something years ago about a hand position on the back that, if memory serves right & sometimes it does not, involved a light form of massage in Japan during the early days of Usui Reiki. Is this what you refer to? I dont remember reading anywhere that this is still done in Japan today.
In the US, massage therapy generally requires training and licensure. Manipulation may fall under chiropractic, osteopathic and orthopedic medicine, physical therapy, etc. But Reiki?I am not aware of Reiki classes that are taught in the US with a massage or manipulation technique or that advocate massage by a Reiki practitioner who is not trained and licensed as a massage therapist. Several massage therapists let me know loud & clear that massage by a Reiki practitioner in Florida was not appropriate.
Peace and Joy,
holobon
P.S. Dont get me wrong, I love massage therapists especially those who are also Reiki!

Well, now I have learned something new.
I read of the techniques of which I speak in the original Handbook of Dr. Usui by Frank Arjava Petter I Believe.
I don't do any deep tissue manipulation but occasionally light touch and tapping. Check the book out and see if it makes sense to you. But if there are ethical concerns I haven't ever heard of them.
I guess I should be very careful where I tread.
Thanks for the info,
Matthew

thanks everyone for the responses, advice and encouragement. and thanks ken for validating my feelings of discomfort with a male reiki practitioner. it's nice to know that it isn't just me, at least, and i know that if i decide to try reiki or any other healing treatment again, i'll find a female practitioner who i feel comfortable with and can trust.
there was one more question i had, which i don't think was addressed--i was wondering how sensitive chakras are to things like moods, emotional states, and the energies of other people around us. is it possible for chakras to close as a sort of self-protective reaction to the energy of another person or to a threatening or uncomfortable situation? and is it possible again for the chakras to open up again once the threat is removed? or are changes in the chakras' energy levels more long-term and less fluctuating depending on surrounding energies and circumstances? just trying to get a grasp on how all this works.
thanks in advance for your replies

Otoharo!

Miaou, I can not answer your questions about chakras. that is not a part of reiki.

finality