Before Beginning a Reiki Treatment:

Both the practitioner and client should remove watches and all jewelry.

The receiver should remove his/her shoes, belts and loosen tight clothing.

The practitioner should cleanse the area with the First Symbol and charge the room with positive energy.

The practitioner should relax and center him/herself before starting the treatment.

The practitioner must wash his/her hands in cold running water before and after the treatment.

The receiver should keep his/her legs uncrossed.

The practitioner should clear the space before the client arrives, and create a meditative atmosphere conducive to healing.

Give the treatment in silence; no chit-chat or talking in order to allow the client to relax completely.

Cover the client with a light blanket, like a beach towel or sarong.

Always remind yourself before and afterward that you are being used as a channel for healing energy.

Afterward, smooth the client’s aura three times and draw an energy line from the coccyx up over the head.

Allow the recipient to come back to the present slowly after the treatment; allow the person to rest for as long as they need to before getting up.

-Adapted from “The Power of Reiki:  An Ancient Hands-on Healing Technique,” by Tanmaya Honervogt (New York:  Henry Holt & Co., 1998)