What to Expect During a Reiki Attunement

Attunement experiences vary as widely as the types of people having them! But there are a few things you may experience during and after your Reiki attunement that you can keep in mind.

1. Tingling sensations. Many people feel tingling in their hands, the crown Chakra at the top of the head, or in other parts of the body. This is the Reiki energy being transmitted to you and is similar to what some feel during Reiki treatments.

2. Seeing colors. You might see different colored light during your attunement. The most common colors are violet, lavender, purple, green, and blue. Shades of purple indicate the crown Chakra is opening; green means the heart Chakra is opening to develop more compassion. And blue opens the fifth Chakra at the throat, enhancing communication. You may see other colors as well, and these are nothing to be alarmed about.

3. Seeing people, angels or other figures. Don't be afraid if you see a figure, whether it's an angel, person or animal, during your Reiki attunement. This is probably one of your Reiki guides introducing itself to you. Guides help you when you ask them to and only work for the highest good of everyone involved. It's a gift when they present themselves to you, so you may want to thank them after your attunement and any time they help when you give Reiki.

4. Feeling spacey. This may happen after you Reiki attunement. But don't worry. It just means you need to sit quietly for a few minutes and ground yourself. Slowly sip a glass of water, or dip your fingers into a bowl of salt--salt represents the earth and its grounding properties. You can also imagine roots growing from your feet into the earth, getting rid of all negative and excess energy.

5. Cold-like symptoms. When you receive an attunement, it opens you to higher energetic vibrations than you're used to. So for a few days, you might experience physical symptoms, as your body clears and balances, integrating the higher vibration of Reiki into its systems. Let this run its course if it isn't too severe, and do daily self-treatments with Reiki. If it persists, see your Reiki Master/Teacher and seek medical treatment if needed. Symptoms are very rarely severe enough for medical intervention, however, and the more you practice Reiki, the sooner you'll feel better.

6. Emotional clearing. You may feel more emotional after your attunement, for the same reason you have physical symptoms. Just be gentle with yourself, and do Reiki as often as you can. You can even intend to treat yourself as you go about your daily activities, if you don't have time to sit and do a Reiki treatment alone. Drinking more water--at least eight glasses daily, eight ounces each--can ease any detoxification after your attunement.

7. Nothing! Other than having the knowledge that you were attuned, you may not experience anything! No sensations during the attunement, no colors, no detoxification afterward. Don't worry! Your attunement still worked! It's just that your energetic channels were already pretty clear, so the attunement didn't have to "work" to open them much.

No matter what you experience during and after your Reiki attunement, know that you've been attuned. Some people always feel tingling when they give or receive Reiki, and some never do. Reiki works, whether you feel it or not. You don't even have to believe in it for it to work. Once you've been attuned, you can't lose your ability to give Reiki. You may decide not to use it, but you don't need to be re-attuned if you later want to do it again.

Enjoy your Reiki experiences, and cherish their uniqueness!