Remote Reiki
Yoga Journal|January - February 2022
Can the healing energy technique work across distance and space?
By Megan Johnson, Photography and Illustration by Westend61; Sadik Demiroz/Getty Images
Remote Reiki

When the pandemic first hit, I dove deeper into the home practices that provided comfort and calm. I channeled my anxiety into daily meditation sessions, which I continue to do a year and a half later. I adapted my need for exercise into five-mile walks that I kept up until the gym reopened. But I found options for alternative therapies, such as massage, to be limited. Then I learned that Reiki managed to pivot its practice in the same manner as many other things: It went virtual.

I’ve always been a little skeptical of the technique, in which practitioners assist with the transmission of energy through gentle placement of the hands either on or slightly above a client’s body. But everyone I know who has tried Reiki staunchly asserts that the sessions eliminated emotional blockages and relieved physical pain. Several friends insisted that they felt more like themselves after having a session. One person said it’s as if all her baggage had been suddenly taken away. Another friend shared that she and the practitioner felt an “amazing energy” in her sacral area; two days later, she found out she was pregnant.

Curious, I wondered if Reiki’s renowned transfer of energy could work through a computer screen as well as it would through a practitioner’s hands. I turned to Google and soon found Molly Coeling, an experienced practitioner and teacher of Reiki based in Chicago, who was offering remote sessions. I reached out for more information.

HOW REIKI WORKS

This story is from the January - February 2022 edition of Yoga Journal.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the January - February 2022 edition of Yoga Journal.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM YOGA JOURNALView All
Learning to Hear the Voice of Self-Care
Yoga Journal US

Learning to Hear the Voice of Self-Care

How to discern what really matters.

time-read
6 mins  |
Summer 2022
Inclusive Yoga for All
Yoga Journal US

Inclusive Yoga for All

A Down syndrome diagnosis set this family on a path to make yoga accessible to everyone.

time-read
4 mins  |
Summer 2022
For the Joy of Practice
Yoga Journal US

For the Joy of Practice

Doing yoga without attachment to the outcome can bring unexpected gifts.

time-read
4 mins  |
Summer 2022
Be Kind to Your Spine
Yoga Journal US

Be Kind to Your Spine

Your vertebral column is a series of complex, interconnecting parts that support your every movement. Here's how to keep it safe.

time-read
5 mins  |
Summer 2022
A Skeptic of Chakra Balancing
Yoga Journal US

A Skeptic of Chakra Balancing

The experience helped me make peace with things that can't be explained.

time-read
6 mins  |
Summer 2022
Are We Having Fun Yet?
Yoga Journal US

Are We Having Fun Yet?

Bring play back into your practice with three styles of yoga that can get you out of your head and bring a smile to your face.

time-read
9 mins  |
Summer 2022
12 Ways to Use Blocks You've Probably Never Tried Before
Yoga Journal US

12 Ways to Use Blocks You've Probably Never Tried Before

The beauty of blocks? They not only meet you where you are in your practice, they take you beyond where you ever thought you could go.

time-read
10+ mins  |
Summer 2022
THE SCIENCE OF AWE
Yoga Journal US

THE SCIENCE OF AWE

THOSE MOMENTS IN LIFE THAT STOP YOU IN YOUR TRACKS IN ASTONISHMENT? RESEARCH SAYS EXPERIENCING MORE OF THEM CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE.

time-read
8 mins  |
Summer 2022
What Your Doshas Say About Your Dharma
Yoga Journal US

What Your Doshas Say About Your Dharma

Ayurveda can explain so much more than what's out of balance.

time-read
4 mins  |
Summer 2022
The Future of Yoga
Yoga Journal US

The Future of Yoga

Yoga has been evolving for thousands of yearsfrom a mind-and-body spiritual practice to a billion-dollar "lifestyle" practice. What's next? We asked futurists, teachers, and thinkers what to expect in the next decade and beyond.

time-read
10+ mins  |
Summer 2022