You Learned Reiki. Are you doing it right?

You took the class. You received the attunements. You have the manual. Maybe you even have a certificate to prove it.

So why are you still wondering whether you're doing Reiki right?

A certificate and confidence aren't the same thing

Learning something in a class and feeling confident using it are two different things. You can understand the hand positions, know the principles, and still get nervous the first time someone asks, 'Will you do Reiki on me?'

That doesn't mean the training failed or you are a failure. It means you're at the part where learning becomes practice.

Confidence comes from doing

I can share Reiki. I can demonstrate it. I can answer your questions. But I can't hand you confidence in a binder on the last day of class.

Confidence grows when you use what you've learned. You give yourself Reiki. You work with someone you trust. You notice what you notice.

Then you do it again.

I’ll invite you to resist the urge to use another person’s Reiki story or experience as your measuring stick of what success and confidence look like, because comparison is one of the fastest ways to lose confidence.

Someone says their hands were burning hot. Yours weren't. Someone saw colours. You saw the inside of your eyelids. Someone felt energy moving through the room and you're thinking, 'I mostly noticed my back was itchy.'

Good. That's what you noticed.

Your Reiki practice doesn't become more legitimate because your experience sounds impressive. Notice what's actually happening for you instead of creating the experience you think you're supposed to have.

Questions don't mean you're doing Reiki wrong

Questions mean you're learning.

Ask why. Ask what other practitioners notice. Ask about something that felt different. Ask what to do when you're unsure. Then take what makes sense, practice it, and build your own experience.

I would be much more concerned about a new practitioner who thinks they already know everything than one who keeps asking thoughtful questions. In my experience, the more we learn, the less we know. So I hope you never stop asking questions.

You also don't need to rush into working with clients

Maybe you learned Reiki for yourself. Maybe you want to offer Reiki to family and friends. Maybe professional practice interests you eventually.

There isn't a deadline. You don't have to turn every skill you learn into a business. And if you do want to work professionally, give yourself room to become comfortable with the practice first.

Community Matters

Reiki can get lonely after class.

You go from learning with people around you to practicing at home and suddenly every question feels much bigger.

That's one reason I believe so strongly in Reiki Shares, mentoring and continued practice. Not because you need someone permanently checking your work, but because it helps to have somewhere to ask questions while your confidence catches up with what you already know.

Eventually the question changes

At first, the question is usually, 'Am I doing this right?'

With practice, it starts becoming, 'What am I noticing?'

And eventually, 'I feel confident that I know what I'm doing.'

That's where self-trust begins.

You don't need to force it. You need to use what you've learned, stay curious, and give yourself enough patience and experience for confidence to grow.

Doing it often will help build your confidence enough to believe that.

Start where you are.