Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

“In the midst of movement and chaos, keep stillness inside of you.” – Deepak Chopra

We love getting questions at Evenstar Wellbeing, and we hope that all your FAQs will be answered here, but if there is anything that you’d like to know but you can’t see it here, please don’t hesitate to contact us!

What is Reiki?

Reiki is a gentle, hands on energy healing modality.

Where does Reiki energy come from?

Rei” means Universe/ God/ Creation and “Ki” means Energy/ Power (in other traditions you may also hear Ki expressed as “Chi” or “Prana”). So Reiki is Universal Life Force Energy. This energy surrounds all of us all of the time.

Is Reiki a religion?

Although the practice of Reiki is spiritual in nature, Reiki is not a religion. Practitioners and receivers do not need to change any religious or spiritual beliefs they may have. Reiki can also be a way of life, should you choose to follow the 5 guidelines specified by Dr Mikao Usui, the founder of Reiki. The 5 guidelines are: For today only I will (1) Live without Anger (2) Live without Fear (3) Live in Gratitude (4) Work Hard on Myself (5) Be kind to all Living Creatures.

What can I expect during a Reiki healing session? What’s the process at Evenstar Wellbeing? 

Prior to your consultation you will be sent a questionnaire that helps me to understand why you are seeking a Reiki Healing and also what your general health and wellbeing is like. At the start of your appointment we will do a consultation, most importantly so that I can understand what you want to achieve from the treatment – ie. what your goal/ intention is for the session.

Generally the treatment is conducted with you lying on your back on a massage table. If this is not comfortable or appropriate then your treatment can be provided in an alternative position, even sitting up. You do not need to remove any garments other than shoes during a Reiki healing.

Essential oils will be used aromatically during your treatment, unless you request otherwise.

A Chakra reading will be done at the start of your treatment to provide objective information to me as to what areas the session should focus on. The Chakras will be energized and balanced during the treatment.

After your treatment, we’ll have a chat about what you experienced and anything that I found, as well as any other information that I think may be of use to you on your healing journey. You should allow 75 minutes for your first session and 60 minutes for subsequent sessions.

Do I need to do anything to prepare for a Reiki session, or bring anything with myself?

Not really but it is best to come along in comfortable clothes. Also it is best not to have had a heavy meal immediately before your session.

I do also prefer that people don’t use strongly perfumed personal/ skin care products prior to their session due to the toxicity of most fragrances, which tend to linger in the healing space.

What does a Reiki treatment feel like?

The experience of having a Reiki treatment varies a lot from person to person, and session to session. However, feelings of deep relaxation are very common. Occasionally, however, the sudden flow of energy may bring out intense emotional or even physical reactions in someone. Many people feel a wonderful glowing radiance that flows through and surrounds them. Typically people will report feeling warmth, tingling, buzzing, a magnetic kind of drawing of negativity from the body and sometimes pressure, or even pain. Reiki will enhance your ability to let go of all tension, anxiety, fear or other negative feelings. Many people drift off into some level of sleep or report floating outside their bodies. Some people have visions and other mystical experiences. Generally at the end of a Reiki session you will feel clearer, lighter and more balanced.

What can I expect after a Reiki session? i.e. fatigue or tiredness? Should I avoid making plans right after?

I would always recommend that you don’t plan to rush around doing 300 other things after your appointment!

Some people can experience a bit of a spacey sensation for time after the session.  Others can feel extremely tired (you’ve done a lot of energetic work!) It is ideal if you can take some time for yourself to be fairly quiet and still, and get into nature eg. Going for a stroll barefoot on the beach.

Alternatively some people immediately feel on top of the world and able to take on anything, but even if you do your energetic system still has a lot of processing to do and should be allowed to do this in relative peace! For those who do not feel energised immediately, they can rest assured that this will come in the next few days!

You should also make sure that you drink plenty of water for 24 hours after your session to help your system keep the energy moving and keep cleansing itself.

What can be treated with Reiki?

Reiki has a positive affect on all forms of illness and negative conditions. This includes minor things like head or stomach aches, bee stings, colds, flu, tension and anxiety as well as serious illness like heart disease, cancer, arthritis, etc. There is also a growing body of research demonstrating that Reiki can help to reduce the side effects of regular medical treatments such as chemotherapy, post operative pain and depression, as well as improving the healing rate and reducing the time needed to stay in the hospital. Almost everyone who undergoes a Reiki treatment will experience some level of stress reduction and improvement in their physical, spiritual and psychological wellbeing.

Is Reiki a type of massage or similar to massage?

Reiki is NOT massage. There are a few similarities between reiki and massage: (1) you will be lying on a massage table (in most cases) (2) it is a healing modality (3) it is generally very relaxing. In all other respects Reiki is a very different way to improve your wellbeing than massage is – you will leave all your clothes on, I will not necessarily be touching you during the treatment, emotional and psychological issues are much easier to treat directly with reiki. Having said all of this, as you will see, at Evenstar Wellbeing we do also offer Aromatherapy Massage.

Do you only work on Chakras?

No. Reiki can be used on any part of the body. If you have a specific physical condition that you want to treat, I will be likely to work directly in this area, as well as the relevant chakra. As reiki is especially good for dealing with emotional and psychological issues, I will often do a lot of work around your head if you are seeking treatment for this sort of reason.

Can I stop seeing a medical doctor or psychologist, or taking my medication when receiving Reiki Healing & Chakra Balance?

No. Reiki works in conjunction with regular medical or psychological treatment. Reiki energy works in harmony with all other forms of healing, including drugs, surgery, psychological care or any other method of alternative care, and will improve the results. If I feel it is appropriate to refer you to another health practitioner I will do so.

How many treatments will I need?

There is no definitive answer to this question. It will be largely dependent on what your symptoms are, how much you want to be healed, what resources you have available for the healing to occur (inner self, other people, money), and how willing you are to participate in the healing process. I will discuss further treatments with you and other things you can do to heal yourself at the end of each consultation.

I have heard that Reiki can be sent to others at a distance. How does this work?

Reiki can be used to heal in a different time or place. I offer Remote Reiki (Distance Reiki) for yourself or a loved one (animals too!) no matter where they are. Distance Reiki can also help to heal a past situation or manifest the future you desire. This works because Reiki is Universal Energy that surrounds all of us all the time, so it can be ‘conducted’ to anywhere.

Is there a difference in outcome from a Remote Reiki session or in-person session?

That is really up to you! When you come into my studio everything is set up for you to get maximum benefit from the healing by being deeply relaxed.  When you are receiving Remote Reiki the physical space that you receive the healing in is managed by you.  It is best if you can be physically relaxed (lying down or in a comfy chair) and remain undisturbed (eg by children, animals, loud noises).  I always recommend that remote reiki clients play some relaxation music, use some essential oils and do a meditation during the session.

However, the way the Reiki healing energy is sent and received is EXACTLY the same via distance healing so all things being equal the outcome is exactly the same.  There is more information here, including testimonials from Remote Reiki clients of mine.

What should I look for in a wellness coach or holistic healer?

There are many, many people out there calling themselves ‘coaches’ or ‘healers’.  I would certainly suggest that you look for someone who has some kind of qualifications, so that you know they have been trained in their practise.  Someone who is registered with a relevant professional association will have had their qualifications verified.  I write a lot more about choosing a reiki healer in this Blog.

Anyone who is going to help you with your wellbeing needs to be someone whose energy, values and approach is closely aligned to your own and no practitioner is going to be the best one for everyone.  Check out their online presence to see what feel you get from them.  Reviews are also very useful, so that you can read first hand what someone else thought of the practitioner.  If you get a personal recommendation from someone you know that is a very strong reason to give one practitioner a go, over another.

What’s included in a holistic health coaching session? Do I need to prepare in advance?

Yes you will definitely need to do some work before a coaching session with me!  I will send you two questionnaires when you book in and they’ll take you about an hour in total to complete.  You need to get them back to me no less than 24 hours before your appointment.

My Holistic Health Coaching program is called Nourish & Heal the Whole You.  Nourish & Heal the Whole You brings in all components of Evenstar 5 Star Wellbeing, therefore including all the things that we can and should carefully nourish ourselves with: Food, Movement, Sleep, Surroundings and Being.  A coaching session with me allows you to delve into which of the 7 essential types of energy you need in order to balance and improve your overall health and wellbeing. You’ll be provided with detailed guidance to make changes so that you can get your energy back through nourishing yourself in new and different ways: using specific foods, types of movement, enhanced sleep, detoxified surroundings, meditations, visualisations, affirmations, communication, creativity and self-exploration.

Why do people choose a holistic healer versus traditional general medicine or a GP?

Often it is because they have explored all other options and have not gotten the results or changes that they want.  The nature of ‘holistic’ health is that it considers you as a whole being – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual – and none of these components can be separated from eachother when it comes to your wellbeing.  Often in western allopathic medicine, practitioners try to treat a symptom, but do not consider the whole person who has the symptom and what else is going on in their life.

However, I would always say that my practice offers services that are certainly complementary to general medicine and there is no reason why you can’t do both if it means getting what you need for your health and wellbeing.

Does a holistic healer ever work with other providers? i.e. nutritionists, doctors, etc?

Yes definitely. It is very common for me to recommend clients work with a nutritionist or naturopath, and I also regularly advise people to seek counselling support from psychologists and the like.

What kind of outcomes do clients experience from a holistic health coaching session?

That really depends on what your goal is going into the session! However, in general clients will have undergone a deep learning experience, about themselves and the nature of their energy and underlying causes of the health and wellbeing issues that they have.  They will also have a detailed understanding of practical things that they can do to help themselves heal. My goal in a coaching session is always to have you achieve your goal for seeking it.

What is a lineage?

Reiki is a technique that is passed on from teacher to student over and over, so every Reiki practitioner is part of a succession of teachers leading back to the founder of the system of Reiki one is practicing. I practise the Usui system of Reiki and both of my Master Teachers have a lineage back to Dr Mikao Usui, the founder of Reiki.

These are my lineages:

First –

Dr Mikao Usui sensei

• Dr Chujiro Hayashi,
• Mrs Hawayo Takata,
• Denise Da Tayna
• Russell Carlon
• Geoff Favaloro
• Erik Teichmann

Second –

Dr Mikao Usui

• Dr Chujiro Hayashi
• Mrs Hawayo Takata
• Iris Ishikura
• Arthur Robertson
• Dianne McCumber/Marlene Schilke
• William Lee Rand
• Christine Cobden
• Jason Irving
• Krista Jane Hoffs/ Anthony Salerno
• Michelle Bean
• Janine Barron