End clearly and keep a modest, useful practice record.
Practice workshop
Usable Template: Session Feedback & Practice Record
Use this format to keep concise, ethical, non-diagnostic practice notes:
- [POST-SESSION PRACTICE RECORD]
- 1. Session ID & Metadata:
- Date: ______________ Start/End Time: ______________
- Duration: ___ min Format: In-person / Distance
- 2. Practice Structure & Symbols Used:
- Framing symbols: [ ] Cho Ku Rei [ ] Sei Hei Ki [ ] Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen
- Hand positions used: ____________________________________
- 3. Direct Observations (Objective Facts Only):
- Posture & physical signs (e.g., recipient rested quietly, breathing slowed)
- Ergonomics & practitioner comfort (e.g., posture ease, chair position)
- 4. Recipient Direct Feedback (Use Exact Quotations):
- "________________________________________________________"
- 5. Key Learning & Adjustments for Next Time:
- ________________________________________________________
Make the ending easy to recognize
A session needs a clear ending, particularly when the recipient has been quiet. Tell them gently that you are finishing, move your hands away, and give them time to look around or change position. You might say: “The practice is finished. Take your time; would you like to sit quietly for a moment?” Avoid sudden touch or instructions that require them to move quickly.
Some Reiki traditions describe the ending as disconnecting or grounding. You may use a personal ritual such as Gassho, while also completing ordinary actions: setting objects down, noticing the room, adjusting posture and confirming that the session is over. Water can be offered for ordinary comfort; it is not needed to flush out a process you have diagnosed.
Keep a proportionate record
A learning note might read: “Tuesday, ten-minute seated practice; hovering agreed; checked shoulder comfort; partner preferred a shorter silence before ending; next time support my elbows.” You do not need a detailed account of the partner's personal life. Keep any identifying information private and do not post testimonials, photographs or session stories without specific permission.
Record uncertainty plainly. If you forgot part of the symbol sequence, note it and return to the reference. If a position was uncomfortable, adapt it. A useful record helps the next practice; it is not a document that proves an energetic result.
Sources and further reading
- Free Reiki Course Level 2 manual, page 41 — The manual's distance-session ending and grounding language, adapted to ordinary comfort.
- Free Reiki Course Level 2 manual, page 52 — Closing steps in the photograph practice.