Distant Reiki Experiences – Get Inspired!

Article by Deb Karpek

I discovered Reiki in 2001 at a Women’s Wellness conference. I sat mesmerized by a nurse giving a talk on Reiki; something I had never heard of, and wasn’t really looking for. For the next year, I read everything about Reiki I could get my hands on and in early 2002 I began studying Reiki in earnest. Almost immediately, after my Reiki Level One class I began practicing. I bought a table and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on my friends, family, and co-workers! I set every Saturday morning aside for my “practice”. I had many folks that were interested and for six months I practiced pretty much every weekend. I loved it so much! The thing that I loved best about Reiki is that it didn’t come from me; it flowed through me, not from me. That meant I couldn’t do it wrong! That freed up my mind, quieted by fear and allowed my ego to stand aside.

After six months I was ready to move on to Level Two. I loved meeting the symbols. I felt they made Reiki more tangible. I could relate to the symbols; I thought of them as little people, each with their own personality, there to help me navigate and better understand the Reiki energy. I was especially drawn to the distant symbol.

I began to practice distant healing immediately. So much so that I was no longer interested in my table practice. I felt like Reiki was making this decision for me; I seemed to have no choice, as the feeling was so strong. I took my table down, put it in the basement and asked my husband to sell it on E-Bay, where we found it.

I had friends all over the county thanks to an Internet group I was involved in at the time and they became my distant guinea pigs. Every night I would set up an altar with either a picture of them or a card with their name on it propped up again a candle. I would evoke the distant symbol, recite my prayer of intention and then beam my Reiki hands towards the candle. I did this for about 15 minutes. I would then check in with my friends via email. I had asked their permission before hand and a time was set up. Most of them said they could feel some sort of energy flowing towards them.

I continued to do this for many months, a few evenings a week. I stopped the table practice and didn’t feel any pull to go back to it any time soon. In retrospect I see it was a way for me to really immerse myself in the symbols and get a feel for them. At the time I didn’t think about it too much; I just did as I was guided. I really enjoyed it and practiced this type of distant Reiki for about six months. I never charged for it, as I hadn’t yet developed a Reiki business. I looked at it as practice and I felt it was a good way for me to really connect to that distant symbol.

About a year later I went on to my Master Level. Not long after that I started my practice in earnest, at a local health club, as part of their Spa. I did that part-time for a year until I opened a full-time practice. I was fortunate that it took off immediately and I found myself with a busy, thriving practice.

My distant Reiki practice fell by the wayside, as my table practice thrived. I would send distant Reiki if someone asked for it, using the method I previously described and I created a Reiki crystal grid and put people in it when they asked, but that was the extent of my distant work. I still never charged for it, because it was nothing like the sessions I did. At the time it never occurred to me to do a real time session via distant Reiki. I was used to these quicker 15-minute bursts.

A few years ago I co-hosted a Summit for Reiki Rays. One day I interviewed a couple of different Reiki Masters who did a lot of distant Reiki in their practice. I was intrigued and after the interview I asked them many questions about how they did it. They were so passionate about their work, yet there was a part of me that just couldn’t wrap my head around it. I KNOW distant Reiki works, and I believe in and trust Reiki, yet I just didn’t feel like it was something I’d ever do.

Fast forward a year and again I was co-hosting another Summit for Reiki Rays, and again I interviewed a couple of Reiki Masters who practiced Distant Reiki. I asked more questions, and this time I could feel something shifting in my perceptions. They were so passionate about it and all of them talked about how effective it was. I decided to give it a try.

I was living in Arizona at the time and I had some long time clients back in my home state. I let them know I was going to start doing this and asked them to consider having a distant session. One of them took me up on it and we set up a time for a session.

This time I did it differently; no quick 15 minute bursts.

• I set the room just like I would for a regular session.
• I used the symbols to clear and set sacred space.
• I brought in the distant symbol and asked it to connect me to my client.
• I said my prayer of intention.
• I set pillows upon the table, to resemble a person.
• At the appointed time I called my client and we spoke for a while. I like to do this when they are face to face, as it helps to settle the client and many times an intention bubbles up.
• I then hung up and went to the table, and did a full hour table session, using the same hand positions I was guided to use as if they were lying there.
• After an hour, I called them back and we talked about what we both felt during the session.

I was surprised and amazed at how powerful that session was! It felt like a face-to-face session, only stronger. I couldn’t believe how much I could feel! It was as if the person was lying on my table. I could feel their energy, and many of the same sensations. I even received messages; just like an in person session. In fact, it felt even stronger. It was if I had a direct connection to the person via Reiki. The energy of the person and their personality did not get in the way; it was a straight shot.

My client, too, felt the energy, the same as she would have had she been on the table. We talked for a long time after the session, both of us excited that this first time was just as real, if not more, than a table session.

Since that time I’ve done monthly distant sessions with this client, as well as a few others. Now, in this time of social distancing, it has become the only way I can give Reiki and many new clients are considering it. I now understand the passion and excitement of those teachers that told me about distant Reiki. I feel the same way and regret not doing it sooner.

A few days ago I did a distant Reiki with a new client. After it was over she told me she preferred it over a table session. She said she got her room ready for the session, lighting a candle and playing soft music. She loved that she didn’t have to drive to and from the session. She said she felt so much, and was relaxed and happy after the session. She was going to spend the rest of the morning in her room, in this peaceful state. I am so glad she was guided to do this!

I was taught Reiki transcends time and space. I’ve always known this, but now I understand it in a way I never have. As I have evolved, and trusted Reiki, it reveals more of itself to me. After seventeen years of practicing Reiki I am learning something new. I love this so much and I look forward to what this new adventure brings.

Free eBook download: We’ve created an eBook with our best articles on this topic, and offer it for free to all our newsletter subscribers.

Deb is a Reiki Master Teacher and the owner of Peaceful World Reiki located near Sedona, Arizona. She's been studying Reiki since 2001, practicing since 2003 and began teaching Reiki in 2006. She is an Usui and Karuna Holy Fire II Reiki Master/Teacher, receiving her Reiki Certifications from the International Center for Reiki Training. Deb received her Master of Spiritual Psychology from the School of Integrated Psychology in Glendale, Wisconsin. She is certified as a Level I breathwork practitioner, is a Reiki Crystal healer, Reiki drum practitioner and performs Reiki and sound healing with tuning forks. Deb is one of our featured guests on our Reiki Rays - Reiki Age of Light video which can be found on YouTube. Deb is also the author of a book about the nuts and bolts of starting a Reiki practice, including the emotional highs and lows that go along with that. Her book is called “The Reluctant Reiki Master’s Step-by-Step Guide to Creating and Sustaining a Thriving Reiki Practice” and can be found on Amazon.
Having experienced profound life changes as a result of Reiki, Deb continues to study and practice the various modalities of energy medicine. She devotes her life to walking the Reiki path and helping others discover the benefits of Reiki. Deb can be reached on Facebook at www.facebook.com/deb.karpek.