What happens when you visit the Reiki Patio
Getting here
You can BART, bus, walk, bike, or drive to the Reiki Patio, which is
near the 24th St and Mission BART Station in San Francisco. You can
park your car in my driveway or your bike in my breezeway (behind a gate).
Intake
Once you arrive, you’ll put your stuff down and take your shoes off in
my home office which is right off the entry way. We’ll share some
water or tea and discuss what you’d like to get out of the session.
This might mean focusing on specific aches and pains, anxieties or
depressions, or any other mental, emotional, physical, or spiritual
issues. I’m not a trained talk therapist, so I’ll mostly listen during
this time and do my best to integrate your needs into your session.
Sometimes just saying things out loud can help you and your body focus
on something in your session.
Session
From there you’ll lie down on your back on the heated massage table on
my tree-lined deck. Reiki is performed fully clothed, and sheets and
blankets on top add to an extra cozy experience. I also offer a
bolster under the knees, a lavender eye pillow, and noise cancelling
headphones with meditative music or whatever you want to listen to.
My lineage of Reiki has taught us to place hands directly on the body
to transfer Reiki energy. (Some lineages prefer to hover over the
body.) I start at the bottom of the rib cage and go around the body,
hovering over or skipping sensitive or personal areas. I cover the
torso, hips, knees, ankles, heart, head, and neck in that order before
having the client flip onto their back. Then I go from the back of the
head to the shoulders, all of back, hover over tailbone, back of
knees, and then bottom of feet. People generally feel either hot,
cold, or vibration as I go through the different positions. Clients
frequently mention that they “go somewhere else” which I take to mean
that the body has gone into a deep relaxation state (parasympathetic
system engaged) which is very nourishing to all body systems.
After all the positions, I do a quick energy clearing technique and
then the session is over. I take off the headphones and bring the
client a glass of water while they come back to Earth. The client is
usually deeply relaxed or feels altered at this point. Everyone is a
little different and a little similar in their reaction to the Reiki.
At this point, I ask for any questions or comments about the session.
I might also tell the client any observations I made.
After the session
I recommend drinking lots of water, eating nourishing food, and
avoiding intoxicants for the rest of the day. Most people tend to
sleep well and eliminate often after a session, and some people feel
“sparkly” for up to a few days after. People sometimes notice
transformations in their lives as well. I can’t explain this but it’s
something I’ve seen over and over again!
When to come back
Clients frequently ask me how often they should come back. I asked my
mom (also an energy worker) about this and she said she generally
suggests the following: “Ask the client to tune into their higher self
/ body / spirit guides / wisdom and ask it that question. Come back
when it says to.” I thought this was a great answer.
