Reiki ethics: the question every practitioner must face
October 27, 2026
Do not give a treatment if you feel unsafe with the person. Do not make yourself do it because you think you should. Only give a treatment when you know you can be open and safe with that person; if you cannot, wait, or decline.
I would say do not do a treatment if you feel you are putting yourself in danger. You might feel unsafe with someone. Then do not do it. Do not make yourself do something because you think you should.
Only do it if you know you are able to be open and safe with that person. I would not offer someone a treatment if I did not feel safe.
When this happens. A new client who makes you uneasy on the phone, a family member in the middle of a row, a friend who is drunk, someone who wants a treatment for a reason that sounds like a test. And, days when you are unwell or upset yourself.
What is actually going on. A treatment asks the practitioner to be open, and openness is not available on demand. If you are guarded, distracted or frightened, the space you offer is thin, and the client feels it. Waiting is not a failure of compassion; it is the condition for it.
What to do. Have a sentence ready: “I’m not able to give a treatment today; let’s find another time.” You owe no reason. For clients you never want to see, “I don’t think I’m the right practitioner for you”.
You might also ask: When should you refer a client on? · Should a Reiki practitioner have insurance? · Is it weird to give Reiki to your romantic partner?
Boundaries, and the practitioner’s own safety, are taken seriously inside Shinpiden+.
More questions answered: Reiki Questions Answered.
