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How Do You Know If You’re Ready for Reiki Level 1?

Being ready for Reiki Level 1 does not mean you need special abilities. You don’t need to be “spiritual”, intuitive, healed, or certain.

The Quiet Way People Find Reiki

Many people come to Reiki quietly.

Not because they were never looking for it — but because something inside them starts listening a little more closely. A feeling. A curiosity. A gentle pull that doesn’t always have words.

Of course, some people first hear about Reiki through a friend who practices it, through a book, or even through an ad on social media. Sometimes it’s very simple and practical.

But often, right after that first spark of interest, doubts show up.

Is this really helping?
Is this something for me?
Am I really ready?
Do I know enough?
Is Reiki even for someone like me?

If you’re asking yourself these questions, you’re not alone.

I’ve heard them many times from people who were curious about Reiki. And to be honest — I asked myself the very same questions once, too.

That’s why I want to talk about what “being ready” for Reiki really means.

What “Being Ready” for Reiki Really Means

Being ready for Reiki Level 1 does not mean you need special abilities.

You don’t need to be “spiritual.”
You don’t need to be intuitive, healed, or certain.
You don’t need to feel energy strongly.
You don’t need to understand everything.

Readiness for Reiki is not about being perfect or knowing it all.
It’s about being open.

Open to learning.
Open to listening to yourself.
Open to meeting yourself with a little more kindness.
Open to new experiences.

Reiki meets you exactly where you are in your life, and it meets you just as you are.

Signs You Might Be Ready for Reiki Level 1

If you’re ready to learn Reiki, very often you will feel it. Sometimes you just know.

But if you’re still unsure, here is a list that might help. You don’t need to recognize yourself in all of these — sometimes one or two are enough.

You might be ready for Reiki Level 1 if:

you feel drawn to Reiki, even if you can’t explain why
you are in a phase of healing, change, or inner questioning
you are sensitive to emotions, energy, or your surroundings
you want a gentle way to support yourself
you’re curious about energy healing, but want something grounded
you feel a wish to reconnect with yourself more deeply
you’re willing to practice regularly — even in small, simple ways
you feel called to help others, such as family members, friends, or clients

For many people, readiness doesn’t feel dramatic.
It feels quiet.
Like a soft yes.

How I Found Reiki (or How Reiki Found Me)

I still remember the first time I heard about Reiki — I didn’t even know what it was.

On that same day, after hearing about it for the first time, I went into a bookstore and noticed books about Reiki. I bought one, started reading, and I knew immediately:

This is what I need to learn.

When I think about it today, it feels like I was gently pulled toward Reiki — maybe my Spirit Guides had something to do with it. Back then, I didn’t even know much about Spirit Guides either 😄.

If you’d like to read my deep-dive article about how I found Reiki — or how Reiki found me — you can read it here: 👉 Read the article

About Doubts (They’re Part of the Path)

Almost everyone has doubts at the beginning.

What if I don’t feel anything?
What if I’m doing it wrong?
What if an online Reiki course isn’t “real” Reiki?

These questions don’t mean you’re not ready.
They mean you care — especially when it comes to online Reiki courses.

Whenever possible, I always say: if you can take a Reiki course in person, do it. That can be a beautiful experience. But I also know that for many people, this simply isn’t possible — for practical, personal, or financial reasons.

And that’s okay.

Reiki experiences are very individual.

In my in-person classes, I’ve seen everything after the Reiki attunements:

people who felt a strong shift immediately after the first attunement
people who felt the energy very clearly
and people who didn’t feel much at all at the beginning
many who saw colours or had inner pictures and impressions

All of it is normal.

I remember that during my first Reiki Level 1 attunement, I saw a big, bright sun in my inner eye. Another woman in my class said she also saw a sun — with a few clouds.

And when I remember what I felt and thought back then, I can only describe it like this:

It felt like coming home.
Coming home to my true self.

And honestly, I’ve seen similar differences in experiences with distance attunements as well. Whether attunements are received face-to-face in a class or through distance work, people can have powerful experiences in both ways. The main difference is that in an in-person class, your teacher is right there with you — which can feel very supportive. But everyone has different preferences, and both ways can work beautifully.

I remember one student who told me she didn’t feel anything, but she really wanted to work with Reiki. I told her:

Give yourself Reiki every day. Be patient with yourself.

She did. And after 21 days — the traditional healing period after attunement — she called me and said:

“Daniela, now I finally understand what you mean — I can feel it!” (I don’t remember her exact words anymore 😀)

Sometimes it takes time. Sometimes there are blockages that make it harder to feel energy at first.

If you’d like to understand more about this, you can read my blog post about energetic blockages here:
👉 Blog-Post about Blockages

Learning Reiki Online and Distance Work

Reiki is not limited by space or time.

Learning online, at your own pace, can actually allow the practice to settle more deeply. Even though I learned Reiki in person with a wonderful teacher, I later chose to take additional Reiki courses online, simply because I was curious and wanted to see how others teach.

I can’t fully speak about distance attunements as a complete beginner, because I was already attuned for many years. But I can speak from the experiences of the many students who took our online Reiki courses.

And just like in in-person classes:

some felt the energy very strongly
others felt it more gently
some people see inner pictures or colours
many described it as calm, grounding, and real

Whatever the person who received the attunements experiences during or after the distance attunements, it is Reiki.

And the beautiful thing is: this is an energy they can now connect to whenever they need it or want to. Reiki will be there for them for their whole life.

What Reiki Level 1 Is Really About

Reiki Level 1 is the foundation of the practice.

It’s mainly about:

self-healing
awareness
grounding
and learning how to support others with Reiki

In Reiki Level 1, you are gently introduced to:

the principles and spirit of Reiki
working with Reiki energy in a safe and respectful way
self-Reiki as a regular practice
becoming more present in your body and daily life
giving Reiki sessions to others

In our course, you also learn about:

chakras and how to balance them
using Reiki for food, animals, and everyday situations

You receive Reiki attunements as well. In our distance Reiki Level 1, these are given in one session — you can also call it an energy transmission 😊. Attunements are like an opening — a ritual that supports your connection to Reiki energy. They can also support the release of blockages, so the energy in your body can flow more freely.

After that, the real practice begins. The attunements are just the beginning of a wonderful journey back to yourself.

For at least 21 days, you give yourself Reiki regularly. This healing time allows your system to integrate, adjust, and settle into the new frequency.

Reiki as a Lifelong Practice

Learning Reiki is something you can carry with you for the rest of your life.

If you practice regularly, Reiki can bring:

relaxation
comfort
more awareness
deeper intuition

In many ways, Reiki is similar to meditation. It helps you relax and release stress. And as we know, stress is often at the root of many challenges — including health issues.

Reiki does not replace medical care. But it can be a powerful, supportive practice.

My teacher used to say:
“Stress makes you sick. When stress is reduced, healing can begin.”

About Attunements and Energy

Some people ask if they can do Reiki without attunements.

In my experience, yes — you can work with energy without attunements. But when you are attuned to Reiki, you learn to channel Reiki energy, and that makes it different.

I’ve spoken with people who do hands-on sessions for friends or clients without being attuned to Reiki and feel exhausted afterward. I can imagine this happens when personal energy is used instead of channeling Reiki.

Reiki Level 1 gives you a strong foundation — not only energetically, but also through understanding, ethics, and practice. And it supports any other energy healing system you may work with later.

How to Choose a Reiki Teacher (and Listen for the Signs)

Of course, it’s also important to find the right teacher for you. When you look for a Reiki class, I truly believe you should feel good about the teacher. Trust that feeling.

Something else that matters is lineage. A Reiki teacher should have a Reiki lineage that goes back to Usui, the founder of Reiki. (Yes — I have a lineage as well.)

And you know what? When you decide to learn Reiki, the energy work often already starts. Your Guides on the other side can help you, and the moment you reach out or enroll in a course, the energy can begin to move and flow in some way.

I remember it was like this for me. I could not stop thinking about Reiki. And at night, I experienced something like lucid dreaming. In my inner eye, I saw many mandalas coming toward me — so colourful, like I had never seen before. For me, that was a sign that I was on the right path.

Maybe you can also look for the little signs before you start learning Reiki 😊.

A Gentle Invitation

Maybe you are already a Reiki practitioner and have had similar experiences. If not, but something in this blog post resonates with you, you may already be ready.

If you are still unsure about Reiki, it might simply mean you need more time — or it’s not the right time for you. There is no pressure. No rush. Reiki will still be there when your timing feels right.

And if you’d like to explore further, you can take a look at our Reiki Level 1 online course. It’s designed to be self-paced, supportive, and grounded — so you can begin in a way that feels safe and aligned for you.

Closing Thoughts

Reiki is not something you need to chase.
Often, it arrives softly — when you’re ready to listen.

Whatever you decide, trusting your own rhythm is already part of the practice.

I hope you could relate to this post. And if you have any questions or would like to share your thoughts, you can find me in the GateLightElearning.com Community.

Categories: : Reiki