I came across a Reddit thread where someone asked, “Is Reiki a scam?”
They had paid for their first Reiki session, and weeks later, they still felt nothing. This raised a bigger question. What even is Reiki? How do you know if it’s working? How do you know if you’ve been scammed?
I read through the replies. Some said Reiki is fake, while others defended it. Almost no one explained what Reiki actually is. They did not explain how it really works or what’s happening beneath the surface.
Let’s talk about that.
What Is Reiki, Really?
According to the textbook definition, Reiki is a Japanese healing art. It channels universal life force energy. This promotes healing and relaxation. But unless you’re already on board with energy medicine, that just sounds like spiritual jargon. And it reinforces the idea that Reiki is some magical fix.
But Reiki isn’t a miracle cure. It’s a gentle, supportive practice for nervous system regulation and energetic alignment. It’s more like meditation or breathwork than a one-time healing spell.
For the practitioner, Reiki is a spiritual practice. It serves as a way of connecting with something greater. It is much like prayer or quiet reflection. But when you’re on the table receiving it, it doesn’t have to be spiritual at all. It’s a chance for your body to finally rest.
Reiki helps shift your nervous system out of survival mode (fight-or-flight). It moves you into a parasympathetic state, the place of rest, digestion, and healing. When your body gets to that place, even once, it starts to remember what balance feels like. That’s where the healing begins.
The practitioner’s role is to create a calm, attuned presence, whether through gentle touch or focused intention. That presence invites your system into regulation. When your body feels safe, you experience subtle shifts. These include sleeping through the night, unclenching your jaw, or feeling hunger again. These shifts can signal deeper healing underway.
Why Some People Think Reiki Is a Scam (And Why It’s Not)
In a world that prizes instant gratification, it makes sense that you’d expect something big—maybe colors, maybe tingles, maybe tears. When none of that happens, it’s easy to think, “Did it even work?”
Here’s the truth: Reiki is a subtle, long-term practice of nervous system support. And if you didn’t feel anything, that doesn’t mean it didn’t work. Here are some possible reasons:
1. Your body didn’t feel safe enough to relax.
If you’ve spent years in survival mode, the first session is just your system learning it’s safe to rest. That process takes time.
2. The shifts were too subtle to notice.
You may not realize until days or weeks later that your sleep improved. You notice your digestion is easier. Or you didn’t spiral after that one conversation.
3. You expected something dramatic.
Pop culture sets us up for big catharsis. But Reiki often feels like stillness. Like space. Like breath. If you’re waiting for fireworks, you will miss the quiet recalibration already happening.
4. It got worse before it got better.
As you start to regulate, unprocessed emotions rise to the surface. It feels uncomfortable, but it’s actually a sign that your system is thawing and beginning to heal.
5. The practitioner wasn’t a good fit.
Reiki is relational. If you didn’t feel safe or respected, your body may not have opened up. That doesn’t mean Reiki doesn’t work, it means the container wasn’t right.
6. Reiki might not be the right fit for you right now.
That’s okay. Some people need different kinds of support: more structure, more talk, more movement. Reiki isn’t the only path.
7. You already have a well-regulated nervous system.
If you’ve done a lot of healing work, Reiki feels familiar. That’s not nothing. That’s your system saying, “We know how to do this already.”
What Actually Is a Scam? Reiki Red Flags to Watch For
While Reiki itself isn’t a scam, that doesn’t mean every practitioner or experience is safe. Here’s what to look out for:
Grandiose promises
Anyone who says they’ll heal you in one session, erase trauma, or fix your life? Red flag.
Overuse of jargon
If you’re leaving a session more confused, it is more about performance than support. Hearing about blocked chakras or curses without any explanation is a red flag.
Spiritual superiority
Anyone who claims they’re more evolved or uses spiritual language to avoid accountability isn’t practicing in integrity.
Pressure to keep coming back
Yes, Reiki works better over time. But you should never feel manipulated or guilted into booking more sessions.
Blaming the client
Healing isn’t about perfection. If a practitioner says, “You weren’t open enough” or blames your energy when things don’t shift, that’s not supportive.
Lack of consent or body awareness
You should always feel comfortable, safe, and free to say no. Your boundaries matter.
A good practitioner won’t position themselves as the authority on your healing. They will walk beside you and help you connect to your own.
What a Good Reiki Experience Can Feel Like
A great session may not feel magical, but it will feel safe.
You might feel tingles, warmth, or waves of breath. Or maybe you’ll fall asleep, cry, or drift somewhere in between. Sometimes, you just lie there wondering, “Am I doing this right?”
What matters is the container:
- You feel accepted and safe.
- You feel held without pressure.
- You’re honored, not diagnosed.
- Stillness is welcomed.
- You’re supported afterward, not left alone with your feelings.
Reiki at its best is simple, sacred, and slow.
How to Approach Reiki as a Long-Term Practice
Reiki isn’t something you get once. It’s something you build a relationship with. Each session lays another brick in the foundation of your inner safety.
Here’s how to work with Reiki as a nervous system practice:
Let go of the need to feel something big.
Instead of asking “Did it work?” ask: How am I sleeping? How did I respond to stress this week? What feels easier?
Treat it like maintenance, not emergency care.
Reiki can be preventative. Like exercise or sleep, it’s not just for when you’re falling apart.
Stay curious.
Journal. Ask questions. Track subtle shifts. Patterns often reveal themselves over time.
Trust your timeline.
There’s no right pace. No gold star for feeling everything. Your body knows how to heal. Give it space to do so.
Still Wondering, “Is Reiki a Scam?”
If you’re still unsure, I get it. It can be confusing—especially with all the mixed messaging out there. But the best way to know is to experience it for yourself, with someone you trust.
Final Thoughts: Reiki Isn’t Here to Fix You
I’ve had sessions where I felt cracked open, and others where I wondered if anything happened at all. But over time, I noticed the difference:
- I stopped clenching in my sleep
- I caught myself not spiraling after a trigger
- I felt safe in my body again
That’s the healing Reiki offers, not flashy, not instant, but deep and steady.
If you’re curious about Reiki, I invite you to explore it. It’s not a cure-all. But, it can offer your nervous system a place to rest.
You don’t have to believe in Reiki for it to work. But if you believe in healing that honors your pace, this is the place to start.
Want to experience Reiki for yourself? Book a session or read more on my blog.
