If you've heard of Reiki but aren't quite sure what it is, or if you're wondering how energy healing works when you're not in the same room, you're not alone. Reiki can sound abstract, mystical, or too "out there" to be real. I get it. I offer Reiki sessions remotely, and I still have to explain it regularly. So let's clear it up. What Reiki Actually Is Reiki is a Japanese energy healing practice developed in the early 1900s by Mikao Usui. The word itself breaks down to "rei"