| Before we define what an attunement is not, | | | | through their own fear. Reiki is known to only |
| maybe it is easier to define what an attunement | | | | work with you if you let it, so it makes sense |
| is. A Reiki attunement is a special form of initiation | | | | that this extends to the attunement process too. |
| into Reiki at a certain level. During the attunement, | | | | Some students feel nothing, others see lights and |
| the Reiki Master traps the energy into their body | | | | hear angels, others are transported to a magical |
| and pass it onto the student. This usually involves | | | | place, and some just feel relaxed. Just because a |
| a form of ceremony or initiation, for example by | | | | student does not feel the attunement does not |
| leading into a meditation or having soft music. The | | | | mean that it did not happen. Each person will have |
| attunement is said to tune the student into the | | | | their own experiences. |
| Reiki channel, pretty much like we would tune a | | | | Having said that, it is not about what sensations |
| radio to a particular frequency. | | | | the student feels during or after the attunement |
| Then there are Reiki Masters that give | | | | itself, but whether they can effectively channel |
| attunements over a distance. These range from | | | | the Reiki afterward that shows whether they |
| get-rich-quick schemes over the internet to | | | | have been attuned properly. A complication arises |
| genuine caring Reiki Masters who believe in what | | | | with natural healers, who can channel the energy |
| they are doing. So is a distant attunement real? | | | | anyway, so it is not always easy to tell. However, |
| Well, one usually does not get a certificate with | | | | a good and experienced Reiki Master can often |
| distant attunements, the time to practice | | | | tell if the student has been attuned or not. It is |
| self-healing and healing others in a supportive | | | | the responsibility of the Reiki Master to attune the |
| environment, in-person after-care in case there is | | | | student correctly. Some systems even allow for |
| a rare abreaction to an attunement, or guidance | | | | mistakes made in the process, with the Reiki |
| on how to incorporate Reiki effectively into the | | | | Master having to repeat the process to make |
| student's life. And whilst there are many genuine | | | | sure that the attunement takes hold. |
| Reiki Masters out there who give excellent distant | | | | As well as the above considerations, how can you |
| attunements, with most, you may well wonder if | | | | tell what is real Reiki that you are supposedly |
| the attunement was actually done. After all, the | | | | being attuned to and what is not? For example, |
| Master may have been reading a book or cutting | | | | there are 142 recognized and valid Reiki disciplines |
| their nails or cooking instead of doing your | | | | in the UK alone. There are new variations on Reiki |
| attunement! A distant attunement often works | | | | all the time, so your attunement could well be so |
| and is real, but Reiki training consists of more than | | | | far removed from Reiki that is is no longer a Reiki |
| just the attunement. A good course or workshop | | | | one. It helps to talk to your Reiki Master first and |
| will guide you in using your new-found skill and | | | | ask them about the attunement process. For |
| support your development and growth, whether | | | | example, you may wish to ask them how strict |
| on a personal or professional level. There may | | | | the process is, what variations they use, or if |
| also be legal or association requirements in your | | | | they can give you your lineage tracing back to |
| country about whether your attunement can be a | | | | Mikao Usui. |
| distant one. | | | | Like anything else, recommendation is the best |
| People who have had both usually find the | | | | way to make sure you get the Reiki attunement |
| in-person attunement more fulfilling. However, | | | | you seek. Otherwise, do your homework first. |
| sometimes a student is disappointed by an | | | | You can go and speak to your Reiki Master, have |
| in-person attunement. Maybe the student and | | | | a treatment from them, and many have a |
| Master do not gel, or perhaps the Master is | | | | newsletter or regular Reiki shares in-person or |
| having an off-day. Some would say that | | | | over the internet, so you can get to know them |
| attunements always work. What may happen is | | | | better and make an informed decision about your |
| that the student is not aware of any change or | | | | attunement. |
| may be unconsciously blocking the process | | | | |