Reiki helps us to heal from within ourselves.

Reiki is a form of Japanese energy healing. "Rei" translates roughly to "universal life force" and "ki" translates roughly to "energy".  Universal Life Force Energy.  That is a pretty fair description of the basis of the whole Reiki practice.  

It's important to note that Reiki is not a religion, and is not associated with any particular theological practice.  It is used by a variety of practitioners whose spiritual beliefs range through all sects of all religious practices. The practitioner and recipient reach out to their own set of gods/goddesses, guides, guardians, angels, ancestors - whatever connection is meaningful to each person.  The practitioner and recipient do not need to hold the same belief system, and do not even need to know what belief system the other party follows. 

Reiki is performed with the recipient dressed in loose fitting, comfortable clothing.  It can be performed on a massage table, a chair, or a mat on the floor.  In higher levels of training, it can also be performed from a distance.

Reiki works with the energy fields that are a part of the human form.  It can be performed hands-on or without touching the recipient at all.  This is an excellent option for a person who has an aversion to being touched, or has a condition which would cause discomfort at any level of touch.  

While receiving Reiki healing, a person may feel a variety of sensations (or no sensation at all) coming from the practitioner's hands or on themselves in the area that is being manipulated by the healing energy.  These sensations may include heat, tingling, cold, fluttering, or any number of other types of feelings.  

So what does Reiki do for the recipient?  In short, Reiki clears blockages in a person's Ki - energy. It works with the seven main Chakras (which follow the path of the spine from the coccyx all the way up to the crown) to align the recipient's energy and create a proper flow of Ki throughout the whole being.  When I say, "the whole being", I mean it literally.  Our energetic bodies are comprised of seven layers of energy fields that penetrate deep into our core and radiate outward into the world/universe around us.  These are generally invisible, but for those who are able to see "auras", these appear in a range of colors like a rainbow.  

A Reiki practitioner may use a variety of tools (aside from simply channeling the Reiki) to aid in opening and clearing the Chakras - stones/crystals, and aromatherapy (scented oils, candles, incense) are commonly used tools. Stones and crystals are cleared and recharged before and after the session. 

What should you do while receiving a Reiki session?  You can just lie there and relax, and let the Reiki flow through you.  You can meditate on your issue(s). You can sleep. You can concentrate on objects in the room, on the music being played, on any stones or crystals being used...  You get the point. You don't actually have to do anything unless the Reiki practitioner guides you to do something. Something you may wish to do, however, is to share the wonderful energy that passes through you. Share it with a specific person or group, or with the place where we are, or the Earth, or the Universe - wherever you feel the energy will bring healing and peace. 

Reiki is a wonderfully gentle healing tool, and our own trust and belief in its power can aid its effectiveness greatly.  But, please be aware that Reiki in itself is not a cure-all.  While it can help you recover, if a serious medical condition or injury is present, please seek proper medical attention.