The Imagery Spectrum: Is Visualisation Necessary for Reiki?
I recently discovered that not everyone sees mental images in their mind and that some people see them much more clearly than others. This got me thinking about how much seeing images impacts Reiki practitioners. To explore this, I put up an Instagram poll to find out what other Reiki practitioners experience.
The Spectrum of Mental Imagery
This article looks into whether the ability to visualise is needed for Reiki. Those that joined the Instagram poll were categorized based on their visualisation style:
Aphantasia: An inability to visualise images (however, they might be able to when sleeping).
Phantasia: The standard ability to visualise images. This exists on a spectrum where some images may be clear and vivid, while others are more vague or fleeting.
Hyperphantasia: The ability to create exceptionally vivid and lifelike mental images.
Methodology and Results
19 Reiki practitioners were included in the final data:
Master Level: 11
Level 2: 6
Level 1: 2
Distribution of Visualisation Types
The results indicate that Reiki practitioners exist across the entire spectrum of visualisation, proving that seeing images in the mind is not required to give Reiki.
Key Finding: 16% of the practitioners who answered the poll have Aphantasia. Since these individuals are active at both Level 1 and Level 2, it is clear that mental imagery is not a requirement to perform Reiki.
Imagery Experiences During Sessions
Participants were asked when they experience images: while giving a session, receiving one, both, or neither.
Reported Imagery in Both Contexts (Giving and Receiving):
Master Level: 91%
Level 2: 50%
Level 1: 0% (Note: Both Level 1 participants are Aphantasic).
Interpretation: While the results show that imagery reports increase at the Master level (91%), the Level 2 results (50%) confirm that half of the Reiki practitioners see images regardless of being at the highest level. Additionally, the Reiki practitioners at Level 1 and 2 with Aphantasia confirmed they do not see images during either giving or receiving.
Outliers
This poll found that even with the ability to visualise (Phantasia), imagery is not guaranteed. One Master Level practitioner with Phantasia reported seeing images in neither context. With only 1 out of 19 participants showing a disconnect between their ability to see and their experience during Reiki, further research would be needed to find out why some practitioners do not see images during sessions.
Conclusion
The results suggest that it doesn’t matter whether a person can see images in their mind regarding their ability to perform Reiki. While those with Hyperphantasia or Phantasia may experience vivid visual feedback during sessions, those with Aphantasia are equally capable. Visual imagery should be viewed as a subjective experience rather than a functional requirement for Reiki practice.
© 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.
