Frequently Asked Questions

What will I feel during a session?
During a Reiki Session, you may feel energy moving through your body. It can be experienced as tingles, waves, muscle release/twitches, heat, cold, and more. Some people see colors or have visions. Some people fall asleep, or experience being in a state that is somewhere between waking and dreaming.

Some people don't feel anything. Many people notice the results of the sessions later, once the session has ended and they go home.

The most common experience is a deep sense of relaxation.

Are the results immediate? Will they last?
With some people, the results are immediate. With others, there seems to be a period where their body integrates the healing, and then results follow within a week of the session. For long-standing or deep issues, it may take many sessions to achieve the result you are seeking, but you will see progress over time.

The results of sessions can last, and sometimes they go away. It depends upon the nature of the issue, the person, their readiness to heal, and their ability to shift their body to accommodate the healing. For example, if you come to Reiki for a hurt shoulder, the session may make the pain go away. If your shoulder hurts because you always carry heavy things on it, and after the Reiki you go right back to carrying heavy things, then the results of the session will not last and the pain will come back.

Are there any negative side effects?
There are none. Sometimes Reiki brings up toxins or emotions that may seem negative, but need to be released for a sense of healing to follow. Reiki has no contra indications, making it an excellent option for people who are sensitive to massage or unable to receive physically manipulative sessions because of existing medical conditions. Reiki is amongst the gentlest and safest forms of natural healing.

What kind of Reiki does your school practice?
We teach a form of Reiki called Traditional Usui Reiki, or Usui Shiki Ryoho.

This is the western style of reiki passed down thru the lineage of Mikao Usui, Chujiro Hayashi, and Hawayo Takata. Ms. Takata was the first person to bring Reiki out of Japan and to America.

What qualifications do your teachers and practitioners have? Is there licensing for Reiki?
All of our teachers and practitioners are fully certified and insured to practice Reiki. There is no state or nationwide licensing for Reiki, and in Pennsylvania, it is not legislated under the category of massage or other forms of bodywork because it is non-manipulative and non-invasive. It also escapes the category of faith or religious healing because it is not a religious practice. Reiki certification is conferred privately by teachers to students. Some teachers and schools, like ours, have a detailed list of qualities and skills that a student must possess in order to receive certification. We also have a lineage that is traced directly back to the founder of Reiki, Mikao Usui.

What are the differences amongst different styles of Reiki?
Today there are many different forms and styles of Reiki, so many that I cannot list all the differences amongst them. I can say, however, that any form of Reiki that is not Traditional or Japanese probably includes some addition to the practice, such as the use of tools, guided imagery, angelic contact, symbols or attunements that are not included in the traditional practice. It is up to the student to research and decide if these kinds of Reiki feel right to them.

Does my Reiki practitioner need to be a Reiki Master for the session to work well?
No, any practitioner who has had attunements and basic training can give a quality session. I like to use the analogy of a pipe. If the student is a pipe or vessel for the healing Reiki energy, and their pipe is rusty, a little clogged, old, or it hasn t been used in a while, the energy will still get through when they open to it. As they open more and more, practice more and more, their pipe will get clearer, and more energy can come through.

Do you need to have a special ability to do Reiki?
Definitely not! Anyone, everyone is born with the ability to heal. It is our natural gift. When we take classes or learn Reiki, we open to the gift that we have inside ourselves that we were never taught to use. It's as natural and normal as walking or talking. We just have to learn to use it.

Why are your classes longer than most Reiki classes I've seen?
Take a look at the following educational principles that drive our practice:

• Practice: - In order to learn we need to do, and do again. In fact, the best questions and answers come from hands-on experience with the subject matter.
• Patience/Process: Learning takes time, Rome wasn't built in a day. It's easy to integrate any new tool if the information isn't thrown at us all at once, without time to digest it, process it, ask questions and practice.
• People - We learn from each other. Our peers ask the questions that are on our minds, show us examples, listen to us, and provide mirrors for our growth. Our teachers give us ongoing support, direction, and guidance. With our teachers and peers we create an understanding community of learners -- especially when we may be learning something that others in our lives may not accept or understand.

After I take a course at your school, will I be certified to practice Reiki professionally?
Yes, you will have a certificate that allows you to practice professionally. Some employers, however, may request or require that you have a specific level of training. For example, a spa may require a Level III certification for practitioners at their facility, and you may only have a Level I certificate.

Also, be mindful that certification does not give you a business license or insurance. You may be required to have these things to practice professionally and legally.

What kind of people take your classes?
All kinds of people. Nurses, artists, massage therapists, educators, corporate employees and business owners and more. People of all ages and stages take our classes. Some people have personal, familial or professional reasons for taking the classes. You do not need to have a professional interest in Reiki in order to learn it or to be trained. Reiki can be a wonderful gift to give yourself and those you love.

Do I need to read or prepare before I take a class?
No. You just need to have an open mind. Sometimes it's better not to read, and therefore let go of expectations before you begin.

I want to sign up for a class, what do I do?
We recommend that you come to an open house or schedule an appointment to tour the school. However, if you are ready to sign up, you can get the application and registration information for classes on line, on our registration page. The registration page will give you several options for filling out and submitting an application to us.

I've taken Reiki before, in a weekend class, and I'm not comfortable doing Reiki. What can I do?
There are many options, and they differ depending on each person. I recommend coming in for a consultation, so we can hear your personal Reiki story. It may be best for you to come to Reiki Shares to gain confidence and practice, or it may be better to re-take a Reiki class at our school, where you will gain the missing information and experience that you need. Again, it depends on the individual.

What is a Reiki Share?
Continuing practice, support and sessions for practitioners. It is great to give and receive! At a Reiki Share you can trade sessions with other practitioners, and discuss questions about your practice with other practitioners as well as with a Certified Reiki Master. You can gain experience, knowledge and support for all stages of your Reiki journey!

Where are the classes held?
Classes are held at our school at 525 South 4th Street, Suite 248. We are just off off South Street in Philadelphia.

- or -

Yogawood, 688 Haddon Avenue, Collingswood, NJ 08108. We are right on the main street of this lovely town!

Click here for travel directions.

What forms of payment do you accept for classes and sessions?
We accept payment in the form of cash, check, or money order or online prepayment through PayPal.

Do you offer a discount for seniors?

Yes, we offer a 10% discount on Treatments + Services for anyone who has reached their 65th birthday. Please mention your senior status when you schedule your session.