Before you begin
Choose a quiet room where you won't be interrupted. Dim the lights, and let the person receiving lie down or sit comfortably, fully clothed. Take a few slow breaths together to settle. Many practitioners begin in gassho — palms held together at the chest — to focus and mark the start.
A little preparation helps the session feel unhurried. Switch off phones, warm the room if it is cold, and have a light blanket to hand, since the body cools as it relaxes. Some practitioners like soft music or none at all; the aim is simply an atmosphere in which both people can slow down. Washing your hands and taking a moment to settle your own mind is part of the courtesy — you are about to give the other person your quiet attention for a while.
It is also worth a few words beforehand. Explain what will happen, that they stay fully clothed, and that there is nothing they need to do but rest. Invite them to say if a hand position ever feels uncomfortable. Setting a gentle intention — for their ease and well-being — is, in the tradition, as much a part of beginning as the posture itself.
The hand positions
The practitioner rests their hands lightly on or just above the body, holding each position for a few minutes before moving on. Hands stay still and relaxed; there is no pressure or massage. A common sequence moves from the head down toward the feet, though the exact positions vary between teachers and lineages.
Keep the hands soft, fingers together, and let them rest with the natural shape of the body rather than pressing into it. There is no need to hurry from one place to the next. With time, many practitioners let the sensation in their hands — what the tradition calls byosen — suggest where to linger, so the standard sequence becomes a starting map rather than a fixed rule.
Hands resting lightly over the crown, eyes, or temples.
Cradling the base of the neck and the tops of the shoulders.
Hands over the upper chest, following the breath.
Resting over the stomach and lower torso.
Moving down the back, finishing at the knees or feet.
Closing the session
When the sequence is complete, rest your hands for a moment and let the person come back slowly. Offer a glass of water, and give them time before standing. Many practitioners finish with a quiet word of gratitude, mirroring the way the session began.
Some practitioners close with a brushing gesture down the arms or back — a light version of kenyoku, or "dry bathing" — as a way of clearing and settling at the end. Afterward it is kind to let the person rest a while and to keep conversation gentle. They may feel deeply relaxed, a little drowsy, or simply refreshed; whatever the response, there is nothing they need to report or interpret.
Practicing on yourself
Self-practice follows the same idea, with your own hands moving through comparable positions. It's often done in the morning or before sleep, and is the most common way people keep a daily rhythm.
Because it needs no partner and no special setting, self-practice is where most of the value of Reiki quietly accumulates. Lying in bed, you might rest your hands over the eyes, then the back of the head, the chest, and the belly, staying a few minutes at each. There is no need to stay awake to the end — drifting off with the hands in place is common and perfectly fine. Consistency matters far more than length, and even a few minutes a day, kept up over weeks, does more than an occasional long session.
Even ten quiet minutes is enough to keep a steady daily habit.
Let your hands be soft; there’s nothing to force or push.
Anchoring practice to morning or bedtime helps it stick.