How on earth does distance Reiki work?

When I first read about distance Reiki I was dubious to say the least. How on earth can you connect with someone who is miles away and perform a treatment which is supposed to be hands-on? And then, during my training when the technique was demonstrated, the ‘client’ was represented by a yoga bolster, although we were told we could use anything – “a teddy bear, a pillow, or just use your imagination”. What?! There were a lot of nervous giggles at that point – was this for real or were we about to be put onto YouTube under the title: “Gullible would-be healers fall for hilarious prank”. One of my massage clients was similarly suspicious. She had had numerous, very effective Reiki treatments in the past but never over distance. “I can’t get my head around how this will work”, she told me prior to our first distance session. Sure enough, afterwards she said, “It was very relaxing but to be honest, I didn’t feel the Reiki”. However, she also explained that she had been lying there “feeling ridiculous” and going over in her mind how the treatment couldn’t possibly work. When she had mentioned it to a particularly sceptical friend, they had laughed and said, “Oh, she’ll probably be doing the washing up and vacuuming whilst you’re lying there!” If someone is unsure about a treatment, they will find it harder to relax and their lack of belief potentially creates a resistance to it. Even for a spiritually open person, it can be difficult to get your head around the idea of sending Reiki vibes through space. I find it useful to remind people that energy is around us all the time, being sent in all directions without us being able to see it. For example, you stub your toe, information is sent via neural pathways to your brain where it registers and sends a signal to your mouth to emit an expletive. All within a second or two! Think about the internet. No one questions the concept of information being sent around the world in milliseconds, or that it can be stored in a “cloud”. We feel the wind, but we can’t see it. A chair that looks completely solid is actually vibrating with energy – just at a very, very low level. You can sense if someone is watching you – that’s energy, travelling unseen, through space! The funny thing is, when you open your mind to something, there’s a shift. When you open your heart – the very centre of your energy – to something, there’s even more of a shift. I asked my massage client if she wanted to try another distance treatment. “Yes please”, she said, “now I know what to expect, I feel more prepared”. We spoke immediately afterwards. She told me that she saw colours this time, as with previous in-person treatments, and that she felt a glow from within. The following day she sent me this: “I definitely felt I got something from yesterday’s session. I have felt extremely calm and relaxed all day today and sort of at peace if that makes sense. I feel very positive and sort of in control.” If you’re thinking about trying distance Reiki, it means that you are open to it. If you are open to it, you will benefit. Sometimes we don’t need to know exactly how something works – just that it does. I first heard this saying around eight years ago and use it all the time: “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear”. If you are seeking out Reiki, you are ready to receive it and over distance it can be just as powerful as if you and the therapist are in the room together. Within and without ourselves, we are connected.