Reiki Revisited: A Personal Spiritual Experience (2023)

This article reflects a personal spiritual experience and interpretation. Readers are encouraged to draw their own conclusions.

As 2023 began, I set an intention to focus more deliberately on self-healing, spiritual reflection, and personal growth. Over the coming year, I planned to write regularly about topics including self-healing practices, spiritual counseling, case studies, and guidance for personal development. I decided to begin by revisiting my own personal spiritual experience with Reiki and its role in my spiritual journey.

A Personal Spiritual Experience with Reiki

About a year prior, I had written about a client I referred to my close friend and Reiki practitioner, Melissa. My client’s experience — and what I perceived psychically during her session — prompted me to consider Reiki more seriously. If I was going to recommend Reiki to others, it felt important to experience it firsthand.

I scheduled my first Reiki session in the late summer of 2022. Before the session, I set several intentions — not as demands, but as areas of focus. I approached the session much like a medical appointment: open, purposeful, and receptive. My understanding of Reiki is that it works on what is needed, not necessarily what is requested. With that in mind, I entered the session open to whatever the experience might bring.

A calm treatment space similar to those used during Reiki sessions.

First Session: Energy, Color, and Guidance

As the session began, I used a familiar grounding technique, counting backward from ten to enter a meditative state. Melissa began working at my head, and almost immediately I felt a strong sense of energetic connection.

What followed was an intense rush of energy moving through my body — stronger than anything I had previously experienced. Initially, I was surprised by its intensity, but after a few moments I accepted the process and allowed it to continue.

The most vivid elements of this session were the colors I perceived. They began muted and gradually became vibrant before clearing entirely. In that space, I perceived one of my spirit guides, who introduced me to another. My personal belief is that spirit guides assist us along our life paths, offering direction rather than protection.

The guide I was introduced to appeared to be from an ancient time, dressed in elaborate attire, and identified herself as “Malay.” She reassured me that I was on the correct path and encouraged me to prepare for continued growth. After this message, the figures faded back into color, coinciding with the end of the session. The experience left a lasting impression.

Second Session: Release and Reflection

As the new year approached, I felt the need to consciously release the energy — both positive and negative — of the previous year. I scheduled a second Reiki session with specific intentions: to shed lingering negativity, to create space for personal clarity, and to reinforce a commitment I had made to perform daily acts of kindness.

The session began similarly to the first. As Melissa prepared, I focused on my intentions and allowed myself to become centered. Early on, I experienced a sensation of fog, similar to mist rolling in from the water. At that point, I perceived one of Melissa’s spirit guides, Clara, who firmly encouraged me to stop analyzing and simply allow the process to unfold.

I followed that guidance, returned to my breathing and counting, and let go.

Symbolism and Interpretation

Abstract imagery used to support reflection and personal interpretation.

As the fog cleared, I again perceived vivid colors — predominantly green, blue, and purple — followed by a sensation of weightlessness. I found myself immersed in water, observing silhouettes of whales and stingrays moving gracefully above me. The experience felt expansive and calm.

Later, I experienced a strong pulling sensation from my feet, which I interpreted as a release or extraction. Though uncomfortable, I did not resist. This was followed by a sensation of rising — moving through water, clouds, and eventually into the night sky. What remained consistent throughout was a sense of peace and acceptance.

Afterward, I researched symbolic interpretations associated with whales and stingrays across different cultures. Many traditions associate whales with wisdom, healing, protection, and transformation. Similar themes appear across Native American, Celtic, Christian, and Eastern symbolic frameworks.

For me, these interpretations aligned closely with the intentions I had set going into the session.

Reflection

My experiences with Reiki were deeply personal and meaningful. They are not presented as proof, prescription, or universal truth — only as one individual’s spiritual experience. I attribute gratitude for these experiences to God, and I recognize that others may interpret similar experiences differently or not at all.

Reiki experiences vary widely, and they should. I encourage anyone interested to approach the practice with openness and discernment.