What Are Reiki Attunements and Other Energy Healing Attunements?
Everyone can practice energy healing, and many forms of energy healing include one or more attunements.
Hi, my name is Daniela, and I want to personally welcome you, to my online school, and my world
When I first started to learn Reiki Level 1, I had no expectations, but I knew deep inside that this was my way.
Even before the actual class began, I felt as if I had already received a kind of attunement. One night, while I was trying to fall asleep with my eyes closed, I saw many colourful mandalas coming toward me. It felt as if they were moving into my third eye. I could not sleep that night. I was only thinking about Reiki.
Later, during the class, my Reiki teacher explained that sometimes the energy already begins to work when we feel called to learn Reiki and sign up for a Reiki class. That made so much sense to me.
I will never forget my first Reiki Level 1 attunements, especially the first of the four attunements. My eyes were closed during the attunement, but with my inner eye I clearly saw a bright sun in front of me. In that moment, I felt as if I was coming home.
Afterwards, I was crying, and I did not even know why. At the time, it felt a little embarrassing, but today I understand that something very deep had touched me.
This was my personal experience with Reiki attunements. Of course, every person experiences attunements differently. Some people see colours or images, some feel warmth or peace, and some feel very little during the moment itself. All of these experiences are valid.
But what are attunements, and why are they important in Reiki and other energy healing systems?
What is an Attunement
An Attunement is a spiritual practice, and you can understand it as a ritual, to help a person to connect to their spiritual source. Or you could say an Attunement means to be tuned into a specific energy.
This can be done through a ritual, but also through meditations.
An Attunement cannot really be described through a logical mind. An Attunement, and of course any spiritual work, is an experience.
A Reiki Master, for example, gives their students Reiki Attunements. This is a tradition, through which attunements are passed on from teacher to student.
With a strong intention, and the help of Reiki Symbols, the Reiki Master will first connect to the Source of Reiki, to become a Channel for the Universal Life Energy.
Then the Reiki Master will perform a specific ritual on the student with the intention to help them to clear the Chakras, and the energy channels, so that they become a channel for Reiki.
This means that the Reiki Master channels the energy through the student’s chakras, to help to release any blockages. It is basically like an intensive Reiki session. My teacher compared it with a chimney sweeper, cleaning out the chimney.
During the attunement the teacher might only concentrate on the ritual, but stays open for input from their Spirit Guides, through which they follow their intuition. This might also be the reason that there are differences in the Attunement Procedures.
For some students an attunement can be a very wonderful, or emotional experience.
And if someone doesn’t feel a lot during an attunement, they often will have wonderful experiences later on, as long as they continue to use Reiki.
For example I had a Reiki class with 3 women, they were all friends. Two of them had intense experiences during the attunements, but one of them felt nothing. She was sad, that she couldn't feel anything during the attunements, but her friends did.
I told her that this is ok, maybe she needed to release some blockages first. I suggested that she gives herself Reiki every day for the next 21 days.
She followed my advice. She contacted me a few times, telling me that she still could not feel anything, but she practiced Reiki every day, as I suggested. I told her to keep giving herself Reiki, and to stay open without having any expectations.
I told her: "If you have expectations, like you think this or that should happen, because others had this experience, then you might block yourself from having your personal experience with Reiki."
On the 21st day of her Healing Period, she called me to say that she finally could feel the energy moving through her body. She was so happy about it. Soon she continued with Reiki Level 2, and finally did her Reiki Master and Teacher with me.
After a Reiki Attunement, you will be able to channel Reiki to help yourself, and others as well.
But an attunement does not mean that you are suddenly a great Healer, one who can heal everything and anything.
An attunement will not make someone special, or even enlightened. This would be awesome, but to be a great energy healer you have to master yourself first.
An attunement is just the first step to help you to shift your consciousness. You still need to do the work. This means, practice what you have learned, be mindful, watch your thoughts, release blockages, accept your own shadows, and work on them.
Reiki is not the only spiritual practice that includes attunements. I have learned many different healing methods, and a lot of them include similar attunements like for Reiki.
A good question: do you always need another person to attune you, for example, to Reiki?
From a traditional point of view, yes, you need someone who is a Reiki Master in the lineage of Reiki Masters, which leads back to Mikao Usui.
But if a child under 6 would like to learn Reiki, they don’t really need an attunement, because they are still very open and connected to the Source. They normally don’t have as many blockages like grownups do, and so it is natural for them to become a Reiki Channel.
I know this through my own kids.
Some people believe you can attune yourself to Reiki.
I personally can not tell you if this works, because when I heard about it, I was already attuned to Reiki.
But still, I can imagine that this is possible, if you are a very mindful, positive person, who has a naturally good connection to yourself and the Source, and with your Spirit Guides. I think through specific meditations, and a strong intention, it is possible to attune yourself to Reiki.
But maybe you are not really attuning yourself, maybe your Spirit Guides will assist you in this case, a lot.
But to be a good energy healer, it is not all about the attunements anyway.
An attunement is just the first kick, like when I kick a ball, so that the ball starts rolling; but in order to keep the ball rolling, you need to do something.
So, if you received an attunement, and you don’t work with the techniques that have been taught to you, or you just fall back into your old routines, then you can not expect to be a great Reiki Channel.
But the good news is that if you did not practice Reiki for a while, you can always start from the beginning, without learning Reiki again, and without getting a new attunement.
Of course, it is helpful to get the attunement again, but it is not necessary. Simply start to work on yourself by giving yourself Reiki again, on a daily basis, for a while. This will help you to let go of blockages, and to restart your Reiki Channel.
Attunements Beyond Reiki
Maybe you already know about my WhiteLight Self-Empowerment System, which also includes four attunements, one for each level.
Similar to Reiki, these attunements are there to help the student open to the energy and release blockages. After each attunement, the student still needs to continue working on themselves through meditation and regular practice.
When they do this, they may experience the energy becoming stronger and more intensive over time. This is because they are actively clearing and releasing more blockages, and in this way, they become a clearer channel for the White Light.
In Trance Healing an attunement is also included, but this attunement comes through your Spirit Guides.
And I remember when I was practicing Shamanic Journeying, I experienced an attunement through the process of finding my Power Animal.
This showed me that attunements can happen in different ways, depending on the healing system, the spiritual path, and the guidance we receive.
Can an attunement be dangerous?
Since an attunement comes from a place of love and light, and is for the highest and best wellbeing, attunements are not dangerous.
Sure, they can shift your energy, and help to release blockages, and this is why some people might be cold after the attunement, or feel very emotional.
This passes by very quickly and normally leads to a feeling of inner peace, especially when you work with the energy afterwards.
Attunements can not harm you, and you can not attract bad spirits into your energy, like some people believe.
But nothing will happen unless you allow it to happen. If you feel like something bad happened after an attunement, for example you feel some negative energy, then this is most likely a shadow self, that you can now acknowledge, and work on it.
Attunements are there to help you, and not to harm you.
If someone wants to harm a person by attaching bad energy to them, they would not use an attunement to do so. There are other practices for that. And if someone does something bad to another person, then the person who did something bad will get back this bad energy in some form, because any negative wish or curse for others always starts in the person who sends the bad energy first.
Frequently Asked Questions About Attunements
What is an attunement?
An attunement is a spiritual ritual, energetic initiation, or meditative process that helps a person connect with a specific healing energy or spiritual practice. In Reiki, an attunement is traditionally given by a Reiki Master Teacher to help the student open to Reiki energy and begin practicing Reiki for themselves and others.
Are attunements only used in Reiki?
No. Reiki is one of the best-known energy healing systems that uses attunements, but other spiritual and energy healing systems can also include attunements or initiations. For example, WhiteLight Self-Empowerment, some forms of energy healing, and certain spiritual development practices may also use attunements.
What happens during a Reiki attunement?
During a Reiki attunement, the student usually sits quietly with their eyes closed while the Reiki Master Teacher performs the attunement ritual. The teacher may work with symbols, intention, hand positions, and energy. The student may feel warmth, peace, tingling, emotion, or see colours or inner images. Some students feel very little during the attunement, and this is also completely normal.
Do I have to feel something during an attunement?
No. You do not have to feel something for an attunement to be meaningful. Some people have a very strong experience, while others feel calm, quiet, or nothing unusual at the time. The effect of an attunement may also unfold gently over the following days, weeks, or through regular practice.
Can Reiki attunements be given by distance?
Yes, many Reiki teachers offer distance attunements. Reiki is not limited by physical distance, and distance attunements are commonly used in many Reiki lineages and online Reiki courses. The student usually prepares by sitting quietly at an agreed time, or by receiving the attunement through a clearly set intention.
Are attunements dangerous?
In my experience, Reiki and energy healing attunements are not dangerous. They are gentle spiritual practices. However, attunements and energy healing should not replace medical or mental health care. If someone has a medical or emotional concern, it is always important to seek support from a qualified health professional.
Can I lose my Reiki attunement?
No. In traditional Reiki teaching, once you have received a Reiki attunement, you do not lose it. Even if you do not practice Reiki for a long time, you can return to it again. Regular practice helps you feel more confident and connected, but the attunement itself does not disappear.
Do I need to be re-attuned to Reiki?
You do not usually need to be re-attuned to Reiki if you have already received a proper Reiki attunement. However, some people enjoy receiving additional attunements as a refresher, a blessing, or a way to reconnect more deeply with Reiki energy.
Can I attune myself to Reiki?
Different teachers have different opinions about self-attunement. In traditional Reiki training, attunements are usually passed from a Reiki Master Teacher to a student. Some modern systems include self-attunement methods, but if you want to teach Reiki or receive a Reiki certificate and lineage, it is usually best to learn from a qualified Reiki Master Teacher.
What is the difference between an attunement and a meditation?
A meditation helps you relax, focus, and connect inwardly. An attunement is usually a specific energetic initiation connected to a healing system, lineage, or spiritual practice. Some attunements may feel meditative, but their purpose is different from a general relaxation meditation.
Can anyone receive an attunement?
Most people can receive an attunement if they feel drawn to the practice and understand what they are receiving. For children or vulnerable people, permission, emotional readiness, and appropriate guidance are important. An attunement should always be offered with respect and consent.
Why are attunements important in Reiki?
Attunements are important in Reiki because they mark the beginning of the student’s connection with Reiki energy and the Reiki lineage. They are often experienced as a spiritual opening, a blessing, or a deep reminder that healing energy is available to support us and others.
Learn Reiki with Attunements Included
If this article helped you understand Reiki attunements and energy healing attunements, and you feel called to learn Reiki yourself, I invite you to explore my Reiki courses.
My Reiki Level 1 course includes Reiki teachings, self-healing practice, and distance Reiki attunements, so you can begin your Reiki journey from home.
You can also explore my deeper Reiki and energy healing courses if you already have Reiki experience and want to continue learning.
Explore Reiki courses at GateLightElearning.com
Thank you for reading. Love and Light to you always.
