HOW TO FIND THE BEST REIKI PRACTITIONER NEAR YOU
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Finding the right Reiki Practitioner can feel overwhelming. A search for terms such as "Reiki Near Me" or "Best Reiki Melbourne" can return hundreds of practitioners, all claiming to offer authentic, traditional, or Japanese Reiki.
What many people don't realise is that Reiki Practitioners can vary enormously in their training, experience, lineage, daily practice, qualifications, and even the system of Reiki they practice. Two Practitioners may both call what they do "Reiki", yet offer vastly different treatments, techniques, and approaches to healing.
Understanding these differences can help you make a more informed decision about who is best placed to support your needs.
The guide below outlines some of the most important factors to consider when choosing a Reiki Practitioner. Whether you choose me or another Practitioner, my hope is that these tips help you find someone who is authentic, experienced, and the right fit for your healing journey.
FINDING THE BEST REIKI PRACTITIONER
OVERVIEW & CHECKLIST
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1. AUTHENTIC LINEAGE
RECOMMENDATION
Choose a Reiki Practitioner who has trained in person with a qualified Reiki Teacher or Shihan and can clearly demonstrate their lineage back to Mikao Usui. If their lineage is not listed on their website, don't be afraid to ask for it.
DETAILS
Not everyone who claims to practise Reiki has been formally trained in Reiki.
Reiki (Usui Reiki Ryōhō) is a system of spiritual and healing practices developed by Mikao Usui in Japan.
Traditionally, Reiki is passed from Teacher to student through Reiju, an in-person process that opens the student's capacity to channel Reiki.
The line of Teachers through which Reiki has been passed is known as a lineage.
An authentic Reiki Practitioner should be able to trace their Reiki lineage directly back to Mikao Usui.
For example:
Mikao Usui
↓
Chujiro Hayashi
↓
Chiyoko Yamaguchi (Japanese Reiki)
↓
Your Practitioner's Teacher
↓
Your Reiki Practitioner
OR
Mikao Usui
↓
Chujiro Hayashi
↓
Hawayo Takata (Western Reiki)
↓
Your Practitioner's Teacher
↓
Your Reiki Practitioner
2. IN-PERSON TRAINING
RECOMMENDATION
Ensure that the Practitioner trained in-person (rather than online).
DETAILS
Reiki Practitioners receive their capacity to channel Reiki through an essential process of Reiju (see Tip #1). This is an essential aspect of Reiki training and is traditionally done in person. This opens a student’s capacity to channel Reiki, and works much like tuning a radio to the right station.
With the rise of online courses, some do not provide proper (or any) attunements. Most Reiki Associations do not recognise Reiki Healers who have trained online.
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3. THE SYSTEM OF REIKI PRACTICED BY THE REIKI THERAPIST
RECOMMENDATION
Take time to understand the difference between Western Reiki and the lesser-known Japanese systems. Find a Practitioner who practices a system that resonates most with you and offers the depth you’re seeking.
DETAILS
There are over 100 different Reiki systems that exist today and a vast majority of them have undergone major changes from the original system and practice.
In Western Reiki, for example, which is any system whose lineage branched off from Hawayo Takata (See Tip #1 for lineage), a large portion of the original practices and advanced techniques were removed or changed, whilst fundamental elements like Reiju (See Tips #1 & #2) and symbols were modified. Many Western systems have added symbols, techniques, new-age elements and concepts and even practices and concepts from other cultures, that have nothing to do with the original spiritual and healing system, making it hard to know what is truly Reiki and what is not.
In some Japanese Reiki systems like Komyo ReikiDo and Gendai Reiki (the latter being more of a hybrid Japanese/Western system), fundamental aspects of the practice have been removed, replaced, stripped back or changed, diverging from the traditional practices. You can read more here about the difference between Jikiden Reiki and Komyo ReikiDo.
In others, like Jikiden Reiki and the Arjava Reiki Institute, they have retained the traditional practices, unmodified, including the traditional Reiju, Symbols, emphasis on Byosen (sensing of troubled areas in the body through hands sensations) and the full set of traditional advanced healing techniques.
It is important to know what system of Reiki your Practitioner practices so that you can know what to expect and to get the most from your energy healing session. Read more about Reiki training and Lineage here.
4. CERTIFICATION LEVEL OF THE PRACTITIONER
RECOMMENDATION
Find a Practitioner who has acquired a minimum of Level II Training or higher.
DETAILS
There are usually 3 levels of Reiki training (this can vary between systems).
Level 1 (Shoden / Beginner) focuses on self-healing and self-cultivation. Students are encouraged to practice mainly on themselves, close friends and family. This foundation period is important for deepening personal healing and spiritual growth before moving into professional practice.
Level 2 (Okuden/ Practitioner Certification) Distance Healing is taught at this level. In Japanese Reiki, but not Western, advanced healing techniques for more targeted and effective self-healing and healing of others are also taught, both for physical and mental healing. Students are also prepared for working with others (either personally or professionally).
It is recommended that students wait 6 months before commencing Professional Practice, students become Certified Reiki Practitioners and can offer Reiki to others.
Level 3 (Shinpiden / Teaching)
This level prepares practitioners to teach and pass on Reiki through Reiju (attunements).
In the West, the highest level is most commonly called Reiki Master. In traditional Japanese Reiki, the title is Reiki Shihan (meaning 'Teacher').
5. DAILY SPIRITUAL AND ENERGY HABITS AS THEIR FOUNDATION
RECOMMENDATION
Find a Reiki Practitioner who has a substantial, committed, and integrated daily spiritual and self-healing practice. If you can't find this information online, don't be afraid to ask them.
DETAILS
Try and get a sense, through the Reiki Healer's website, social media or from speaking to them, about their daily spiritual habits/practices. It is not only about integrity, walking the walk, but it may impact the quality of Reiki they Channel.
The deeper their spiritual, healing and energetic self-practice, the more effective they are at channelling Reiki. Therefore, having a daily, committed spiritual and self-healing practice is very important.
If the Practitioner tends to only practice on others, rather than having a committed, daily self-healing and spiritual practice, they may not be the best Practitioner for you.
And beyond their daily practice, try and get a sense of how deeply their practice is integrated into their life and has shaped them. Reiki is ultimately a practice for spiritual growth and healing - this is a life-long pursuit, and must be the primary focus of the Practitioner - as opposed to something they simply offer others.
6. EXPERIENCE OF THE PRACTITIONER
RECOMMENDATION
Choose a Reiki Practitioner for whom Reiki is their main profession, not a side offering.
Consider how long they’ve been practising Reiki and the variety of clients they’ve worked with.
DETAILS
IS REIKI THEIR MAIN FOCUS?
Is Reiki that practitioner’s main focus or more of a side offering.
While part-time Practitioners can still be effective, those who are deeply immersed in the work often have more consistent experience and a stronger energetic presence. Reiki practitioners continue to deepen their spiritual cultivation the more they practice, both on themselves and with others. The more time spent in the healing and spiritual space, the more opportunity they have to embody and truly integrate the practice into who they are and how they serve.
HOW LONG HAVE THEY BEEN PRACTICING?
While time alone doesn’t guarantee a Practitioner is an effective channel, those who have worked as Reiki Healers over a longer period are more likely to have developed greater sensitivity, depth, and experience working with a wide range of people, issues, and ailments, especially if Reiki has been their main professional focus over that time. When combined with the other factors listed here, this can be an important consideration.
7. INTUITIVE PRACTICE vs SET POSITIONS AND TIMING
RECOMMENDATION
Find a Practitioner who works intuitively rather than set and timed hand positions.
DETAILS
Try and find a Practitioner who works intuitively rather than uses set hand positions that are timed. This ensures your Practitioner targets the areas where you uniquely need Reiki the most, and stay there for as long as it is needed, which is determined by your energy body.
In Traditional Japanese Reiki, Practitioners are trained in an advanced technique known as the 'Byosen Technique', where different levels of energetic feedback, guides the Reiki Practitioner to sense the 'troubled ' areas on each client and work intuitively. It is the most efficient and effective approach to a treatment rather than using a standard set of hand positions (this standardised practice was introduced in Western Reiki).
Intuitive hand positions are not timed - it is the Reiki practitioner’s role to tune in and follow the need, rather than interfere or restrict the energy prematurely.
8. HANDS ON vs HOVERING REIKI
RECOMMENDATION
Find a Practitioner who offers hands-on Reiki as their primary approach, rather than hovering.
DETAILS
Find a Practitioner who practices with 'direct contact' hand positions rather than hovering. Hover is, however, recommended if an injury is too painful to the touch or for sensitive areas.
Traditional Reiki practice understood that the combination of touch and Reiki energy creates a profound sense of connection, often helping clients feel more held, nurtured and deeply relaxed. It also allows your energy body to know where the Reiki is being directed - and where the attention goes the energy flows - in other words on an sub-conscious level, you participate in your own healing through this subtle awareness. In traditional Reiki there is also an advanced healing technique used to break up toxins and hasten healing, which is best done with direct touch.
Hovering-style Reiki is a modern adaptation that arose in a few US states with restrictive touch laws. Over time this method spread worldwide to places without such laws and became a trend in teaching. Most practitioners today are unaware of its legal origins.
9. CLIENT TESTIMONIALS AND REPUTATION
RECOMMENDATION
Read reviews on Google and the Practitioner's website and get a feel for the Reiki Practitioner. Trust your gut feeling as you read them.
DETAILS
Get a feel for the Reiki healer through their reviews and testimonials. Look for a Practitioner who has at least 20–30 reviews or more in order to get a clear and consistent sense of who they are and how they work. It isn't about 'the more the better', it's about having enough quality reviews to give you a sense about them and their sessions.
Pay extra attention to the energy and feel of the Practitioner through the eyes of their clients: their character, ability to hold space, and the depth of their Reiki experience, as reflected in client outcomes.
10. WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA
RECOMMENDATION
Read through their website to get a feel for who they are, their journey, their style of Reiki, values, and how clients experience working with them.
Check their social media to get a better feel for them personally and professionally.
DETAILS
Take time to explore the Practitioner’s website and social media pages, as these often offer valuable insight into their style, values, and approach to Reiki.
When looking through their website, take time to get a feel for their practice approach and overall style. Be sure to check their 'About Me' page as this often gives a sense of who they are beyond their qualifications.
If they have a photo of themselves, tune into how you feel energetically and in your body when you look at it - do you feel drawn to them, is there a feeling of comfort and warmth?
For social media, it isn't about who has the most followers, it's about the energy and tone they communicate with, and the way they speak about Reiki which can reveal a lot about their depth of understanding and the kind of experience you might have with them. It's a great way to get a more personal insight into their engagement and connection with their practice.
All of this helps build a clearer picture of whether they’re the right fit for you.
11. PERSONAL CONNECTION & ENERGETIC FIT
RECOMMENDATION
The best way to approach finding the right Practitioner for you, is to get a feel for them via their website and testimonials. Even better, reach out to connect with them directly before booking in a session if you feel that will help you determine your connection. And always trust your instinct - it truly is your greatest guide!
DETAILS
Reiki is personal. You’re entrusting someone with your energy body, your vulnerability, and your healing process.
A Reiki Practitioner may appear to have impressive credentials, have years of experience, lots of qualifications and have a substantial daily committed spiritual and healing self-practice, but none of that ensures that they have integrated that into the way they work or within themselves.
Moreover, even after crossing all those things off the list, If you don’t feel safe, connected or intuitively at ease with them, you won't get the most out of your session. Trust your instincts.
12. BE GUIDED BY YOUR INSTINCT
RECOMMENDATION
Tune in to your body and inner voice - trust your instinct - it’s often the most reliable guide.
DETAILS
After considering all the practical factors, from their training and experience to the style of Reiki they offer, it’s just as important to tune into your own instinct.
Notice how you feel when exploring their website, reading their reviews and when speaking to them (if you decide to reach out to them before making an appointment).
Do you feel safe, at ease, or drawn to them? Do you get a sense of their warmth and integrity?
Our bodies often register truth before our minds do. While credentials matter, the energetic connection between you and the Practitioner plays a significant role in the effectiveness of your healing experience.
13. PRICING, VALUE & UNIQUENESS OF OFFERING
RECOMMENDATION
Session prices can vary substantially. When considering your investment, look beyond the cost of the session and consider the overall value being offered.
DETAILS
Factors such as training, lineage, experience, daily practice, qualifications, treatment approach, and the depth of the practitioner's Reiki practice can all influence the quality of a Reiki session.
It is also worth considering how much hands-on Reiki you are actually receiving.
Some practitioners offer 60-minute sessions, whilst others offer longer treatments or include consultation and aftercare as part of the experience.
Ultimately, the best value is not necessarily the cheapest session, but the practitioner whose training, experience, approach, and energy feel most aligned with your needs.
14. INSURANCE, FIRST AID & WORKING WTH CHILDREN
RECOMMENDATION
Ensure the Practitioner has the relevant professional certifications, insurance and safeguards.
DETAILS
INSURANCE
Although Reiki is very low-risk, it is always recommended to only see a Reiki Practitioner who is covered for negligence & Public Liability.
FIRST AID
A current HLTAID011 Provide First Aid certificate, renewed every three years, should also be held as part of basic client safety requirements.
WORKING WITH CHILDREN
A valid Working With Children Check if the practitioner works with children or offers sessions to minors, demonstrating appropriate screening and safeguarding practices
15. LEGAL REQUIREMENTS - CODE OF CONDUCT
RECOMMENDATION
Ensure the Practitioner is aware of and complies with the relevant State and National Codes of Conduct.
DETAILS
NATIONAL & VICTORIAN CODE OF CONDUCT
Reiki practitioners in Melbourne are classed as 'unregistered healthcare workers' and must practise in accordance with the Victorian Health Complaints Commissioner’s Code of Conduct.
The Code sets standards around ethical practice, informed consent, and client privacy.
Practitioners are legally required to display the Code of Conduct and provide clear information about how a complaint can be made.
Quick Checklist: Choosing a Reiki Practitioner
✓ Can they showna Reiki lineage back to Mikao Usui?
✓ Have they trained in person (rather than online)?
✓ Are they at a Level Reiki Level II (Practitioner) certification or higher?
✓ What system of Reiki do they practice - does this align with you?
✓ Do they maintain a regular self-Reiki and spiritual practice?
✓ How much experience do they have working with clients?
✓ Do they work intuitively and tailor treatments to the individual?
✓ Do they primarily use hands-on Reiki (rather than hovering)?
✓ Do they have genuine reviews and testimonials?
✓ Do they hold appropriate insurance and professional safeguards?
✓ Most importantly, do they feel like the right fit for you?
