I’ve Been Attuned to Reiki, But I Feel Nothing—What Does That Mean?

Do you feel the Reiki energy?

If you’ve recently been attuned to Reiki and feel nothing when giving yourself or others Reiki, you're not alone. Many new practitioners experience this, and it's natural to have concerns or wonder if something went wrong. The good news is: *you are still doing Reiki, even if you don’t feel anything.* Let’s unpack what might be going on and how to deepen your connection with Reiki energy.

What Happens During an Attunement?

Attunement to Reiki, whether Usui or Holy Fire, is a profound energetic process that opens your energy channels to the universal life force. You become a conduit for healing energy, which flows through you and into others. Attunements shift your energy and may (re)activate your intuitive gifts.

However, it's important to remember that this process is individual. Some people feel sensations immediately—tingling, heat, or pressure in their hands—while others may feel nothing initially. That doesn’t mean Reiki isn’t working or that the attunement didn’t “take.” Each person’s experience is unique.

Reiki Doesn’t Depend on Sensations

One of the most important things to understand is that Reiki doesn’t require you to feel anything for it to work. Reiki is an intelligent energy—it goes where it’s needed, regardless of whether you physically feel it moving through you.

When we first start working with Reiki, we often expect big, noticeable sensations. But Reiki can be subtle. It's not about dramatic energy shifts every time. Trust that whether you feel it or not, Reiki is always flowing through you when you call upon it.

Let Go of Expectations

Sometimes, we block ourselves from feeling energy because we’re holding onto rigid expectations. You might expect Reiki to feel like warmth or vibrations, but what if your unique experience is more subtle?

Instead of focusing on what you think you *should* feel, approach each session with openness. Try saying to yourself, “I trust Reiki is working through me, even if I don’t feel it.” This mindset shift can open you up to noticing smaller, more nuanced sensations or intuitive insights that you may have overlooked.

You Are Still Learning to Connect with Energy

Like any skill, your sensitivity to energy can grow with practice. A Reiki attunement is a starting point—it opens the doors, but your daily practice helps deepen the connection. Just like building muscles at the gym, sensitivity to Reiki energy strengthens over time.

In my Reiki classes, I often tell students that feeling energy is like developing a new sense. It’s there, but you have to become familiar with it. The more consistently you practice, the more in tune you’ll become with the energy as it flows through you. Keep showing up, even if you feel nothing at first.

Trust Your Intuition—It’s Working, Even If You Don’t See It

One misconception I often hear is that you need to be “intuitive” to practice Reiki successfully. You might feel unsure if you’re doing Reiki correctly because you’re not getting instant validation. I promise you, Reiki is working even if you’re not clairvoyantly seeing energy fields or sensing major shifts.

Sometimes, results show up in different ways. Maybe after a session, your client feels lighter or you notice a shift in your own emotions. These are just as valid as any physical sensation during the session itself.

Common Blocks to Feeling Reiki

There are a few common blocks that might make it harder to feel Reiki energy when you’re first attuned:

• Overthinking: When you overanalyze whether you’re feeling the energy, you can actually block yourself from experiencing it. This can happen when we’re in our heads instead of being present.

• Emotional Blocks: Unresolved emotions or stress can temporarily make you feel disconnected from the flow of Reiki. Reiki will naturally work on releasing these blocks over time.

• Comparing Yourself to Others: Everyone’s experience with Reiki is different. You may hear other practitioners say they feel intense heat or tingling, and wonder why you don’t. This comparison can create doubt in your own practice. Trust your unique journey.

If you’re still concerned about not feeling Reiki, here are a few practices to help deepen your connection:

• Meditate Before Reiki: Before beginning your self Reiki or a session for someone else, take a few minutes to ground yourself through meditation. Focus on your breath and allow yourself to center into the present moment. This can quiet the mind and help you become more attuned to the energy.

• Use Crystals or Tuning Forks: If you already work with crystals or tuning forks, you can use them to amplify your energy sensitivity during Reiki sessions. Holding a crystal in your hands as you call in Reiki, or using a tuning fork to clear your energy field before a session, can help heighten your awareness of the energy flow.

• Experiment with Your Aura: In my own practice, I’ve noticed that when I give myself Reiki using hands-on techniques, I don’t always feel the energy as intensely. But if I move my hands away from my body and let them hover in my aura, the energy really comes alive. This is a great reminder that Reiki flows through and around us, not just in direct contact. If you’re not feeling the energy with hands-on methods, try moving your hands just above your body and exploring your aura. You might find that this method enhances your sensitivity to the energy.

• Journaling After Sessions: After every Reiki session, journal about your experience. Even if you don’t feel anything, write down any thoughts or shifts in your emotions. This can help you start to recognize more subtle changes that you might not have noticed initially.

• Ask for Feedback from Clients: If you’re giving Reiki to others but not feeling anything, ask them how they feel after the session. Sometimes, clients feel profound shifts, even when you don’t. Trust that the energy is flowing.

Final Thoughts

Feeling disconnected or like you’re not experiencing Reiki fully can be frustrating, but it’s part of the journey for many practitioners. Trust the energy, let go of expectations, and remember that you are always giving Reiki, even if you don’t feel it physically. With time, patience, and consistent practice, you’ll become more sensitive to the energy and may even surprise yourself with the depth of your connection.

If you’ve been feeling discouraged, I encourage you to keep going. Reiki is a lifelong journey of deepening your connection with healing energy, and your experience will evolve with time.

Keep evolving,

Vickie