What to Expect at Your First Reiki Session

The most common question s and comments I get from first-time clients — is some version of: " I have never done this before, It's my first time and I am nervous. " or "Is there anything I need to do beforehand?" or " I'm kinda slepteical, will it still work? "

You don't need to do anything nor hold a particular belief system. Reiki meets you where you are.

If you've never done this before, let me walk you through exactly what happens at a Reiki session — from the moment you arrive to how you'll probably feel the next morning. I've been practicing Reiki for years and I've sat with hundreds of first-time clients. Nothing you ask me will surprise me, and nothing you feel during the session is wrong. Here's what to expect.

First, a quick word about what Reiki actually is

Reiki is a gentle, hands-on (or hands-just-above) energy-healing practice that originated in Japan in the early 1900s. The word itself translates loosely to universal life energy — the idea being that there's a subtle, living energy that moves through all of us, and that when it gets stuck, we feel it: as anxiety, as fatigue, as emotional heaviness, as a cloudy mind that won't quiet down.

A Reiki practitioner is trained to support the movement of that energy. We don't add anything to you, and we don't take anything away. We create the conditions for your own system to rebalance.

Here's what Reiki is not:

• It's not massage. You stay fully clothed, and there's no deep pressure.

• It's not therapy, though clients often have emotional releases.

• It's not religious. I work with people of every faith and no faith.

• It's not a substitute for medical care. I always tell clients: see your doctor, do your therapy, take your medications. Reiki sits alongside all of that.

  
  

Before your session — what I recommend

A few small things to set yourself up well:

Eat lightly beforehand. A full meal can make you sleepy on the table. A small snack an hour before is ideal.

Hydrate. Water before and after helps your body integrate the session. I'll always have water waiting for you when you sit up.

Wear comfortable clothes. You stay dressed the whole time. Soft layers work well because the room may feel warmer or cooler as your body shifts. No jewelry, no tight waistbands, no shoes needed during the session.

Give yourself 15 extra minutes on either side. You won't want to rush in frazzled, and you definitely won't want to rush out. The integration happens in the first 20 minutes after you get off the table.

Come with an intention, or don't. Some people arrive with a specific area they want to work on — grief, a decision they're facing, anxiety that won't quiet down, a physical pain that won't resolve. Others come with no agenda and say "I just need to reset." Both are fine. You don't have to bring anything to the session for it to work.

Walking in the door

My space in Beverly Hills is calm, quiet, and warm — intentionally. The first thing I want you to feel is that your nervous system can exhale here.

We'll start with a short intake conversation, maybe 10 minutes. I'll ask you a few things:

• What brought you in today?

• Is there anything in your body or life you want to focus on?

• Have you had any kind of energy work before?

• Is there anywhere on your body you'd rather I not place my hands?

That last question matters. Reiki can be done entirely with my hands hovering a few inches above your body — no physical touch at all — and that's the default for some clients. We'll decide together what's comfortable for you.

Everything you share stays between us. Always.

The session itself — what actually happens

You'll lie down on a massage table, face up, fully clothed. I'll cover you with a light blanket if you'd like. I'll let you know before the session begins, and I'll often play soft music or burn a subtle essential oil — both optional.

Then I place my hands (or hover them) at a series of points along your body, beginning at the crown of your head and moving slowly down: forehead, throat, heart, solar plexus, lower abdomen, hips, knees, feet. This corresponds loosely to the chakra system, though you don't need to know anything about chakras for the session to work.

At each position I stay for a few minutes. Sometimes I stay longer where the energy feels stuck, or where you've told me there's a specific concern.

Your only job is to breathe and be comfortable. That's it. You can close your eyes or keep them open. You can think or not think. If your mind wanders, that's fine. If you fall asleep, that's great — that means your nervous system trusts the space enough to drop into rest.

A standard session is 50 minutes. I also offer 90-minute sessions for anyone working through something significant, because the extra time lets the work settle deeper.

What you might feel during the session

Everyone experiences Reiki differently. These are the most common sensations my clients describe, and all of them are normal:

• Warmth — often in the area where my hands are, sometimes spreading through the whole body

• Tingling or gentle pulsing — like the feeling right before a limb falls asleep, but pleasant

• A sense of floating or deep weight — either feels like the body is melting into the table, or lifting slightly off of it

• Emotional release — tears, a sudden memory surfacing, an unexpected smile or laugh. This is common and I never ask you to explain it

• Deep quiet in the mind — like the inner radio finally turned down

• Nothing at all — just rest. This is also complete and valid. The work is happening regardless of what you consciously notice

Some people come out of a session saying "I saw colors" or "I felt my grandmother." Others come out saying "I just took the best nap of my life." Both are Reiki doing its job.

After the session

When I gently bring you back, you'll probably feel a little dreamy. I'll bring you water and we'll sit together for a few minutes. I won't ask you to explain what happened — most people can't articulate it immediately, and that's fine. If something important came up, you can share it. If it's private, keep it.

The 24 to 48 hours after a session are the integration window. Here's what to expect:

• Deep, easy sleep that night — most clients tell me they slept better than they have in weeks.

• Vivid dreams — sometimes the subconscious processes what moved in the session.

• Emotional shifts — you may feel unusually calm, or unexpectedly sad, or lighter, or tired. All are part of the body doing its housekeeping.

• Sudden clarity — a decision you've been stuck on may feel obvious. An answer to a question you didn't ask may arrive in the shower.

• Physical release — sometimes a headache or body ache you've been carrying simply isn't there the next morning.

  
  

What I always ask my clients to do in the 24 hours after: drink twice as much water as usual, go gently on caffeine and alcohol, and — if you can — skip the news. Let your system do its work.

Frequently asked questions

Is Reiki safe? Yes. Reiki has no contraindications, is completely non-invasive, and supplements any medical or therapeutic care you're already receiving. It's been used safely in hospitals (including major cancer centers) for decades.

How many sessions do I need? Some people come once for a specific reset. Others come monthly for maintenance, or weekly during a hard season. I never pressure anyone into a package. After your first session we'll talk about what feels right.

Can I do Reiki remotely? Yes. Distance Reiki works — I know this sounds like the most "woo" thing I could say, but it's been part of traditional Reiki practice since it was founded. I offer remote sessions for clients outside Los Angeles or those who prefer to stay home. We connect by phone or video for the intake, and then I work with you while you lie down in your own space.

What if I'm skeptical? Good. Bring the skepticism. You don't have to believe in Reiki for it to work — the same way you don't have to understand physics for gravity to hold you down. Most of my most dedicated long-term clients came in skeptical. The work speaks for itself.

How is Reiki different from massage or therapy? Massage works with muscle and fascia. Therapy works with thoughts and stories. Reiki works with the subtle energy system that underlies both. Many of my clients do all three, in different weeks, for different reasons.

Is Reiki right for you?

Reiki tends to help most with:

• Chronic stress and an overactive nervous system

• Anxiety that won't quiet down, even when life is "fine"

• Grief, loss, and major transitions (divorce, career changes, caring for aging parents)

• Trauma that has already been worked on in therapy and needs somatic integration

• Feeling disconnected from yourself, your body, or your purpose

• Sleep issues, burnout, and the kind of exhaustion that sleep alone doesn't fix

It's probably not the right fit if you're in an acute medical crisis, looking for a fast physical cure, or expecting a single session to replace longer-term work with a therapist, doctor, or spiritual director.

Ready to experience it?

If you've read this far and something in you is curious — that curiosity is usually the signal. The body knows before the mind does.

I offer a complimentary 15-minute phone consultation before every first session. On the call we'll talk through what you're working with, what you're hoping for, and whether we're a good fit. No obligation, no sales pressure. If Reiki isn't the right support for you right now, I'll tell you that honestly, and I'll often know someone who is.

You can book your free 15-minute consultation here. Sessions are available in person in Beverly Hills, and remotely for clients anywhere.

Whatever you decide — thank you for being curious about your own healing. That's already the first step.

Soraya is a Certified Usui and Reiki Tummo Master practicing in Beverly Hills. White Light 26 offers in-person and remote Reiki sessions, chakra balancing, intuitive guidance and coaching and cord cutting for clients moving through stress, anxiety, trauma, and transition.