The Science of Uniqueness: Why There Is No One-Size-Fits-All in Reiki
Each and every one of us is unique. Even if we try to replicate an idol, an influencer, or someone in our life, we can never be even a percentage close to being the same as them. Even if we have similar facial features and characteristics as someone or are twins, we can never be fully identical. Our lives are made up of our own experiences. From the moment we are born, we begin to grow and adapt. There are certain traits that we inherit in our genes from our parents, grandparents, and ancestors. These alone already separate us from each other.
Your brain rewires itself according to your personal experiences. In his book The Brain: The Story of You, neuroscientist David Eagleman explains that as trillions of new connections continually form and re-form, every brain develops a completely different internal life. No one like you has ever existed or will ever exist. Think about how many experiences you have every day or every minute. A comment someone makes, an advert you see, a choice of food, or a decision to stand up or sit down all shape you. Think of all the infinite choices you could make. As Eagleman notes, each of us is on our own trajectory, steered by our genes and our experiences. Even the smallest decision can put you on a different path than if you had chosen something else. So even you are unique from potential alternative versions of yourself, as one single decision sets them apart. If you choose to stand, you might twist your ankle and then need to deal with healing, which impacts your days to come and any plans you had. If you are thirsty and decide to have one more sip before leaving the house, but the bus is early, you miss it simply from that one-second choice, which creates a knock-on effect for your day.
You might wish to be someone else, begin to copy and wear their exact clothes, copy the way they talk, use the same words, enter the same job, and live in the same area. But you can never truly be them. They have their own life experiences, trauma, and dreams that are likely very different from your own. Trying to copy them is a surface-level change and will not bring true happiness. We cannot compare ourselves to others because we only see a tiny glimpse into their life. We do not know their inner world of experiences and thoughts. We also have different facades that we show to different people, such as our work personality, or how we act with our parents, lovers, or alone in public. You will only see one or a handful of someone's facades, even with your partner or parents.
In Reiki practice, understanding these distinct layers is essential. Reiki does not work on the superficial facade a person presents to the world. Instead, it interacts directly with the subtle energy system beneath that surface, where long-standing emotional patterns and individual life experiences are held. Because everyone carries a distinct energetic footprint shaped by their personal history, a Reiki session addresses the specific needs of the individual rather than applying a rigid, one-size-fits-all approach.
When we are children, we begin to develop values and belief systems. A lot of this comes from our parents and can stay with us as adults even when it is no longer suitable for us. These beliefs, values, and life experiences impact how we view things in life and how energy moves through our body. If past experiences lead to stress, fear, or unhelpful belief systems, those emotional responses can create blockages in our energy field, affecting our overall well-being.
As David Eagleman points out, the meaning of something to you is based entirely on the history of your life experiences. You do not perceive objects as they are; you perceive them as you are.
If I were to put a shiny green apple on the table in front of four people, none of them would see the apple the same way, emotionally or physically. The differences might be:
Seeing the apple in a different shade of green, although this would be hard to share as we cannot see what each other sees.
Green might have a negative connotation for someone, so they dislike the color and automatically have negative feelings toward the apple.
Someone might dislike the taste of apples.
Someone might hate the texture of apples and the skin getting stuck in their gums, causing them to bleed, so they avoid eating them.
Someone might adore apples because their grandmother used to give them one every Sunday, giving them happy feelings.
The list could be endless, and that is just a single apple. Think about all the other objects and situations we view differently based on our unique life experiences.
This is why Reiki is inherently an individualised practice. Two people can receive Reiki for the exact same physical issue or stressor, yet experience the session in entirely different ways. One person might feel warmth or see colors, while another feels a deep emotional release or simply falls asleep. The energy flows to where that specific person requires balance, responding directly to their unique emotional memories, physical state, and personal perception.
You will continue to change each and every minute with new decisions, experiences, jobs, grief, loss, love, and world events. You are only the version of you within that one moment before you change. This means you are completely unique and experiencing life unlike anyone else in the world now, in the past, or in the future. Recognising this constant change reinforces the core purpose of Reiki: supporting a person in their present state, clearing stagnant energy from the past, and helping them remain grounded as they continue to evolve.
© 2026 Laura Noonan Reiki. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted for commercial purposes without prior written permission. Attribution is required for all shared insights.
