What Is Reiki Healing Therapy? Techniques, Benefits & Tools

Reiki is an ancient healing technique originated in Japan used to reduce stress and promote relaxation by channelling the energy of the universe. Reiki is one of those practices that’s often mentioned by experts in wellness. But a good explanation about it is rare to find. A lot of people have heard of it, some have tried it, and many are still not sure what it actually involves.

We’ll start with the basics and work our way up. What is Reiki? Does it really work? And do you need anything like crystals or tools to get started or benefit from it?

What is Reiki Healing?

Reiki is about channelling the life energy available in the universe, specifically your surroundings, to you to help you heal physically, emotionally, and mentally.

Reiki is a Japanese healing technique that was developed by a man named Mikao Usui in the early 1900s. The word itself is made up of two parts: “Rei” which means spiritual or universal, and “Ki” which means life energy.

Reiki is not a religion, nor is it a religious practice. It doesn’t require you to have faith in anything specific; well, probably some in yourself. Reiki is simply a way of working with energy to support balance in the body and mind.

Steps in a Reiki Healing Therapy Session

Before the Session

Before the Reiki healing begins, the environment is prepared to promote calm and relaxation. The space is often dimly lit, with soft music or silence to create a peaceful setting. You’ll usually be asked to lie down fully clothed on a massage table or mat. The Reiki practitioner, sometimes called a Reiki Master, may take a few moments to center themselves and set an intention for the session.

During the Session

The practitioner places their hands lightly on or just above specific areas of your body. They typically don’t touch the skin directly, keeping a small gap that allows the flow of Reiki energy to move freely. This distance can vary as the practitioner senses different energy levels or imbalances.

They may use a technique called byosen scanning, moving their hands slowly to detect areas where energy feels blocked or uneven. The hands may hover, glide, or pause over certain spots, depending on what the practitioner senses.

Throughout the session, there’s no muscle pressure or physical manipulation—only gentle stillness and energy flow. Some people experience warmth, tingling, or a sense of lightness, while others simply feel calm and deeply relaxed.

After the Session

Once the session ends, the practitioner will gently signal that it’s complete. You might be invited to sit quietly for a few moments, drink some water, and take your time returning to normal awareness. Many people report feeling peaceful, rebalanced, and emotionally lighter afterward.

The effects of Reiki can continue to unfold for hours or even days as your body integrates the energy and releases tension or stress.

How Does Reiki Healing Therapy Work?

The foundational idea of Reiki is that a life force energy flows through all living beings. When this energy becomes blocked or disturbed, it can contribute to feelings of imbalance or illness. Reiki healing can help restore the natural flow of energy and bring your body’s energy centers back into harmony.

If you’re looking for the science of Reiki, you may become disappointed. But just because something is difficult to be explained by science, doesn’t mean it’s not real.

While there isn’t a scientific explanation that fully explains how Reiki works, many studies have been conducted to gauge the effects of Reiki healing. A 2017 review published in the National Institute of Health showed that Reiki had a positive effect on pain, anxiety, and depression in various patient groups.

Some people think it has to do with the body’s electromagnetic field. Others believe it’s related to calming the nervous system or activating the body’s natural healing response.

From a medical point of view, Reiki may not be measurable, but it does seem to help people feel better.

One theory is that Reiki helps switch the nervous system from “fight or flight” mode to “rest and digest.” That’s the mode where healing and repair can happen.

This alone might explain why people report feeling calmer, sleeping better, or experiencing pain relief after a session.

Reiki can also support relationships by helping you release old, stagnant energy that may be lingering in your body. This release makes it easier to let go of past experiences and reset patterns that might be drawing you toward the same kind of person again and again.

Benefits of Reiki Healing Therapy

Reiki offers a wide range of benefits for both the body and mind, helping to restore balance and harmony in subtle yet powerful ways. While each person’s experience is unique, here are some of the most commonly reported benefits:

1. Deep Relaxation and Stress Relief

Reiki promotes a state of calm by activating the body’s natural relaxation response. Many people feel their stress and anxiety melt away, leaving them centered and refreshed.

2. Emotional Clarity and Balance

Energy healing through Reiki can help release emotional blockages and bring greater mental clarity. It supports emotional healing, helping you process difficult feelings with more ease and acceptance.

3. Enhanced Physical Well-being

Reiki may assist the body’s natural healing processes by improving energy flow. Regular sessions are often used to ease physical discomfort, fatigue, or tension, and to support overall vitality.

4. Better Sleep and Restfulness

The deep relaxation that comes with Reiki often leads to improved sleep quality. Many people report falling asleep faster and waking up feeling more restored.

5. Spiritual Growth and Awareness

Beyond physical and emotional benefits, Reiki helps individuals connect more deeply with their inner self. It encourages mindfulness, intuition, and a greater sense of harmony with life.

Does Reiki Healing Require Any Tools?

You do not need any tools to practice or receive Reiki. Traditional Reiki, as taught by Usui, only involves the hands, the energy, and intention. That said, some modern practitioners like to use tools to enhance the experience. Crystals are one of the most common additions.

These tools are optional. They are not essential to Reiki, but they can support the practice in interesting ways. Crystals can elevate the results you get as they are said to amplify the energy channelled to you.

How Crystal Healing Stones Support Reiki Healing

Crystals are not a requirement. They are more like tools that help tune the experience.

Crystals have been used in healing traditions for centuries. Cultures in Egypt, India, China, and South America all used stones in rituals or spiritual practices. Crystals are used to remove energy blockages and spread positivity in your surroundings and these qualities make them a good aid in Reiki healing.

In the context of Reiki, crystals are used to enhance or support the energy channelling being done. Crystals help to focus intention and some believe the carry their own energy that resonates with certain parts of the body or mind.

For example, if you are feeling anxious you might place amethyst near the crown of your head to encourage calm and mental clarity. If you’re working through grief, you might use rose quartz near the heart area.

Common Reiki Healing Crystals and Their Uses

If you’re looking to try crystals in your Reiki sessions, here are some of the most commonly used ones and what they’re believed to support:

Clear Quartz

This crystal is called by the practitioners an “energy amplifier”. It is said to amplify intention and balance your chakras as well. It also amplifies and enhances the effects of other crystals when used in combination. During Reiki, you can place clear quartz on or near your body, sometimes over specific chakras, to help focus and intensify the energy being channelled.

Amethyst

Amethyst is traditionally associated with peace, intuition, and higher states of awareness and this is exactly what you need if you’re in a Reiki session. Amethyst gives you emotional balance and a relaxed mind. During a Reiki session, you can place Amethyst near your head or third eye area.

Rose Quartz

Rose Quartz is linked to love, compassion, and emotional healing. It helps open the heart to forgiveness and self-acceptance while encouraging a sense of inner peace. During a Reiki session, you can place Rose Quartz over the heart chakra to support emotional release and balance.

Black Tourmaline

Black Tourmaline is known for its grounding and protective qualities, which are valuable in a Reiki setting. It helps you feel safe, stable, and connected to the earth while shielding against unwanted energy. During a Reiki session, placing Black Tourmaline near your feet or root chakra can create a strong energetic foundation and promote a sense of security.

Citrine

Citrine is often associated with joy, confidence, and motivation. These are qualities that can uplift your energy during Reiki healing. Citrine stimulates the solar plexus chakra, which governs personal power and self-esteem. In a Reiki session, Citrine can be placed near the stomach area to encourage positivity and a renewed sense of purpose.

Lapis Lazuli

Lapis Lazuli is traditionally connected to truth, wisdom, and clear communication. It resonates with both the throat and third eye chakras, helping you speak your truth and strengthen your intuition. During a Reiki session, Lapis Lazuli can be placed near the throat or forehead to support honest communication and spiritual clarity.

Salantine

Selenite is traditionally associated with clarity, purification, and high-vibration energy. It is believed to cleanse stagnant energy and create a peaceful, uplifting environment. During a Reiki session, you can place it above the head or used to gently sweep through the aura to clear blockages and promote a deep sense of calm and lightness.

How to Choose the Right Crystals for Reiki Healing

Not all crystals feel the same to everyone, and choosing the right ones for your Reiki practice often comes down to intuition and personal resonance. Some practitioners select stones based on chakra associations, while others choose by color, texture, or the energy they sense from the crystal. 

Here’s how you can choose the right crystals:

• Start with versatile stones: Clear quartz and amethyst are great beginner choices because they’re believed to work well for a variety of intentions.
  
• Match crystals to chakras: If you are focusing on a specific blockage or emotional problem, find the chakra associated with it and choose the crystal linked to the chakra.
  
• Trust your intuition: Your intuitions are more powerful than you think. You can choose stones simply by noticing which ones you feel drawn to at the moment.
  
• Pay attention to energy and feel: The weight, temperature, or even the “vibe” of a stone can influence your choice.
  
• Use color as a guide: Many people match crystal colors to corresponding chakra colors, for example, green for heart, blue for throat, and so on.

How to Use Crystals for Reiki Healing

Crystals can be added to a Reiki session in simple, practical ways. There is no need to follow strict rules and you can just focus on creating a comfortable, balanced environment for yourself.

Here are some points to keep in mind while using crystals during your Reiki session:

• Place them on chakra points: We’re already told you how some crystals are linked to your chakras. You can choose the right crystal and place them on your chakra points during the session.
  
• Arrange them around the body: Create a circle or grid of stones around the person receiving Reiki to create a gentle, supportive energy field.
  
• Hold them during the session: In Reiki, holding crystals in your hands can be a simple way to connect with their energy while receiving or giving healing. Even if you do not physically place crystals on the body, simply holding them can serve as a point of focus for intention and meditation during Reiki.
  
• Use them with intention: Before starting, set a clear intention for what each crystal will support, such as emotional healing or energy clearing.
  
• Incorporate them into a crystal grid: Combining Reiki with sacred geometry patterns can help amplify the session’s purpose. There are grids and crystal beds you can use to amplify the effects of your session.
  
• Cleanse before and after each use: This keeps the crystals’ energy clear and ready for the next session. Common cleansing methods include rinsing with water (for water-safe stones), placing under moonlight, or using sound vibrations.

Crystal Reiki Healing with Chacrys Tools

At Chacrys, we create tools designed to support both beginners and experienced Reiki practitioners. These tools combine crystal healing stones with sacred geometry to create a focused and balanced energy field.

Geometrically cut crystals like Vogel Crystal can create a sort of energetic blueprint that supports stability, intention, and focus. It’s like adding an extra layer of grounding and clarity to the space. You can choose your own Vogel crystal, amethyst, citrine or rose quartz, based on your chakra and emotional need.

Another popular tool is our crystal grid panels, which use shapes like the Flower of Life or Sri Yantra, embedded with stones like clear quartz or amethyst. Some practitioners place these under their Reiki table or in the room to hold the energy during a session.

We also make handheld tools like crystal points and spheres, which are sometimes used to direct energy more intentionally during Reiki.

Reiki healing is an ancient technique that has now transcended time and cultures. With the right practitioner, Reiki is an amazing way to channel the universal life energy to you. It does not require tools but healing stones and crystal grids can be useful. They help some people focus. And for others, they simply feel good to have around.

If you’re new to Reiki, you can start without anything at all. If you’re more experienced or just curious, crystals might be worth exploring.

If you’re looking to explore crystal Reiki healing, check out our tools at Chacrys. We offer handcrafted pieces made from natural stones and designed to support both personal and professional healing practices.

Want to learn more about how crystals work in healing? Or which stones to choose based on your energy type? Head over to our blog for more in-depth guides.