Reiki is energy work, not fortune telling. A practitioner places their hands on or just above the body while you lie clothed on a table, working through a set sequence of positions. Sessions are quiet, and most people book them for stress, sleep problems, tension or recovery rather than for answers about the future.
What a session is like
Sixty to ninety minutes on a table, usually with music and low light. You stay dressed. Practitioners describe warmth or tingling under the hands; clients most often report deep relaxation and, sometimes, falling asleep. Some practitioners combine reiki with massage or with a short intuitive reading, so check what is included before booking.
Training and levels
Reiki is taught in levels: first degree for hands-on practice, second degree for distance work, and master level for teaching. Attunement comes from a teacher, and lineages are traced back to Mikao Usui. There is no state licence for reiki in the United States, so what you are checking is training, lineage and how long someone has practised.
Prices
$60 to $120 for an hour in most cities, more in major metros and in spa settings. Distance sessions cost less and are usually shorter.
What it is and is not
Clinical trials have not shown reiki to treat disease, and practitioners with any sense present it as relaxation and support, not treatment. Nobody should tell you to stop medical care, delay a diagnosis or replace medication with sessions. That is the one warning sign worth taking seriously here. Reiki sits well alongside conventional care, and a good practitioner will say so plainly.