Hands on Healing

In Reiki, hands-on healing is one of the five core practices of the system, and it’s often the most visible and immediately felt aspect of Reiki work. It is both a method of energy transmission and a meditative practice of presence, and its purpose is to support the body, mind, and spirit in returning to their natural state of balance and harmony.

At its simplest, hands-on healing means the practitioner places their hands gently on or just above the client’s body in a series of positions, allowing Reiki (universal life energy) to flow through them and into the recipient. The practitioner is not “sending” or “giving” their own energy — rather, they are acting as a channel for Reiki, which naturally flows where it is most needed.

Because Reiki is guided by innate intelligence, the practitioner does not need to diagnose or direct it. The energy moves beyond physical touch, affecting not just the physical body but also the emotional, mental, and spiritual layers of being.

Hands-on healing is more than just a method — it is a meditation in action. The practitioner cultivates qualities like non-attachment, compassion, non-judgment, and presence, allowing Reiki to flow unobstructed. Over time, this practice becomes a way of experiencing the interconnectedness of all life and aligning with one’s true nature.

As Mikao Usui, the founder of Reiki, taught: “Reiki is first and foremost a path of self-realisation.” The hands-on practice is one doorway into that path — a tangible way to dissolve the layers that obscure our innate light.