What is Reiki?
Reiki and Energy
Reiki is a Japanese energy practice that uses gentle touch—or, in the case of Distance Reiki, focused intention—to offer energetic support. While different practitioners describe Reiki in different ways, I think of it as creating the conditions for the body, mind, and spirit to settle into a more balanced and receptive state.
Everything in our world is made of energy. Our bodies are no exception. When we are stressed, overwhelmed, exhausted, grieving, or moving through change, it can feel as though we're carrying that tension everywhere we go.
Reiki invites us to slow down.
Many clients describe feeling deeply relaxed during a session. Others experience a sense of peace, clarity, emotional release, or renewed connection to themselves. Often, the greatest gift of Reiki is simply creating space—space to breathe, to rest, and to listen to what your body and inner wisdom may be trying to tell you.
From a wellness perspective, Reiki can support the body's natural relaxation response—the "rest and restore" state that allows us to recover from the constant demands of daily life. In a world that often asks us to keep pushing forward, Reiki offers an opportunity to pause.
Tradition with Deep Roots
While Reiki was formally developed in Japan by Mikao Usui in the early 1920s, the idea of healing through touch, prayer, intention, and the laying on of hands can be found throughout cultures and spiritual traditions around the world.
Following a profound spiritual experience on Mount Kurama, Usui developed a system of practices and teachings that became known as Reiki. The practice was later introduced to the West by Hawayo Takata and has continued to evolve over the decades.
Today, Reiki is practiced throughout the world in many different forms. Some practitioners focus on traditional Japanese methods, while others incorporate meditation, intuition, crystals, sound healing, or other complementary practices.
My Approach
For me, Reiki is less about fixing something and more about creating a supportive environment for healing, insight, and balance to emerge naturally.
Whether you are seeking relaxation, navigating a life transition, processing stress, exploring your spiritual path, or simply carving out time for yourself, Reiki offers a gentle invitation to slow down and reconnect.
You don't need to believe anything special for Reiki to be beneficial. You simply need to arrive with an open mind, a willingness to receive, and a little curiosity about what might unfold.
Distance Reiki
Distance Reiki offers a gentle opportunity to pause, receive, and reconnect with yourself—wherever you are.
Reiki is a calming, energy-based practice that supports relaxation, balance, and overall well-being. In a Distance Reiki session, Reiki is shared remotely through focused intention, offering energetic support wherever you are.
One of the unique aspects of Distance Reiki is that you do not need to be available at the exact time the Reiki is offered. While some clients enjoy setting aside quiet time during the session, it is not necessary. Many people go about their day as usual and then intentionally create space later to rest, reflect, meditate, journal, take a walk, or simply be present with themselves.
Distance Reiki is offered as energetic support, and there is no "right" way to receive it. If you are able to create quiet time for yourself, you may find it helps you notice the experience more consciously. If your day is full and that isn't possible, that's okay too. Many clients report feeling the effects of a session gradually unfolding over the hours and days that follow, often as a greater sense of ease, clarity, balance, or well-being. The invitation is simply to remain open to receiving the support in whatever way feels natural for you.
There is nothing you need to do to prepare beyond creating a little space in your life for rest, reflection, or self-care when it feels right for you.
Clients often choose Distance Reiki when they:
Live outside the Bay Area
Prefer the comfort and privacy of their own space
Are traveling or unable to attend an in-person session
Desire ongoing energetic support between appointments
Need a gentle reminder to slow down, reset, and reconnect
Many clients describe feeling:
Deeply relaxed and refreshed
More grounded and centered
Less weighed down by stress and daily pressures
More connected to their intuition and inner wisdom
Greater clarity around a situation or next step
A renewed sense of peace, balance, and possibility
Every experience is unique. Some people notice sensations such as warmth, tingling, emotions, imagery, or insights during or after a session. Others simply enjoy a period of rest and find themselves feeling calmer, lighter, or more present in the days that follow.
After your session, I will send a brief follow-up email with any observations, themes, or intuitive impressions that arose during our time together. You are welcome to take what resonates, leave what doesn't, and trust your own inner knowing.
Whether you are navigating change, seeking greater balance, supporting a personal intention, moving through a challenging season, or simply carving out space for self-care, Distance Reiki can be a gentle and supportive addition to your wellness practice.
After Care
A Reiki session doesn’t end when you leave the treatment room; the energy continues to work with you as you move back into your daily life. As your body adjusts and integrates the work, listening to its needs can really help the process.
These tips can support you as the energy unfolds over the coming days:
Hydrate: Drink plenty of water over the next 48 hours. This supports your body's continued clearing and balancing.
Be Gentle: Take it easy on yourself for a few days. It is common to feel more emotional as your energy clears, and that’s perfectly fine.
Honor Your Body: Whether you feel rested, ready for a nap, or energized, listen to your body. Rest is often a sign your energy is clearing.
Grounding: A few minutes of gentle walking in nature can help rebalance and anchor your energy.
Journal: Note any sensations, colors, or insights that surface. These are your body’s messages. How you felt in that moment.
Reiki is intended to support relaxation and overall well-being and is not a substitute for medical, psychological, or veterinary care.
Sharon McWilliams
Reiki Practitioner
About Sharon
Sharon is a Level II Reiki practitioner, trained by Dr. Eric Rubin, DC, BA, CMT, through the San Francisco School of Massage, with supplemental training through the HCH Institute.
Sharon has studied and taught meditation, healing and yoga for over 20 years, and is certified as a Clinical Hypnotherapist, and Guided Meditation Facilitator and coach. She also he hold a bachelor degree in Theatre Arts from UCLA.
Let Me Guide You Within
