A Reiki session feels, for most people, like falling into a very deep rest while still slightly awake. The most common sensations are warmth where the hands are, a heaviness in the limbs that turns into lightness, and a sense of time going strange — 45 minutes that feels like ten. A good number of people simply fall asleep. Some feel very little during and notice the difference afterwards, in how they slept that night. All of these are normal.

That's the direct answer. The rest of this is the detail people ask me for before their first session in Cannes, because "relaxing" doesn't tell you much and they'd like to know what they're walking into.

The first ten minutes

You lie down, fully clothed, on a table or a bed. I start at the head. Most people are still thinking at this point — about the day, about whether they're doing it right, about whether anything is happening. That's fine. There's nothing to do. Somewhere between minute five and minute ten, the thinking usually slows on its own. People describe it as the moment they "dropped". The jaw softens. The breath gets longer without being told to.

Warmth, pressure, weight

The most reported sensation is warmth from the hands — more than you'd expect from hands at rest. Some people feel it as pressure, or as a kind of pull, in places I'm not touching. Some feel the whole body get heavy, like sinking into the table, and then at some point very light. A few see colours behind closed eyes. A few feel tingling in the hands or feet.

I don't interpret any of this for you and I'd be wary of anyone who does. These are things the body does when it stands down. They're worth noticing; they don't need decoding.

The middle

By now most people are somewhere between sleep and waking. Time stops behaving. People who were sure they'd stayed awake the whole session are surprised when I tell them it's over. Some cry quietly for no reason they can name and feel better for it. Some snore. Both are fine. I keep working through either.

Coming back

I finish at the feet. You'll feel me step back. I let you lie for a minute before saying anything, because coming up too fast from that depth is unpleasant. Then you sit up slowly. People are often a bit disoriented, in a pleasant way, and thirsty. We talk briefly about what you noticed, if you want to. You're never asked to report an experience you didn't have.

When nothing happens

Sometimes people feel very little during the session — a bit of warmth, some rest, no drama. They're disappointed. Then they message me the next morning to say they slept eight hours straight for the first time in months. The session did its work; it just did it later, and in the place that mattered.

One client, Elena, wrote to me the day after: she'd spent the whole day before the session in bed with no energy at all, and afterwards felt, in her word, recharged. She hadn't felt anything dramatic on the table. The difference was in the day after.

What it doesn't feel like

It doesn't hurt. Nothing is manipulated. There's no incense you didn't ask for, no chanting, no crystals on your chest. You're not asked to visualise anything or believe anything. If you're analytical by nature — most of my clients are — you can lie there thinking "this is nonsense" for 45 minutes and the session will still do what it does. The body doesn't require your agreement.

Reiki is complementary. It's a relaxation practice that works alongside medical care, not a treatment for anything.

FAQ

What does Reiki feel like during a session? Usually warmth where the hands rest, heaviness that turns into lightness, and deep rest that blurs time. Many people fall asleep. Some feel very little during and notice better sleep afterwards.

Is it normal to feel nothing during Reiki? Yes. Some people's nervous systems are slow to stand down, and the effect shows up in sleep or mood the next day rather than on the table.

Do you have to believe in Reiki for it to work? No. You can be entirely sceptical and the body still responds to 45 minutes of stillness and attention. Most of my clients are analytical by profession.

If you'd like to find out what it feels like for you

One session, €180, at my space in Cannes or at your home. Message me on WhatsApp; I'll tell you what to expect for your situation specifically.