What’s the Difference Between Intuition, Psychic Insight, and Imagination in Reiki?

One of the questions I\we hear most often in our classes and Reiki Shares is, “How do I know if what I sensed in a session is real, or if I just made it up?” I think we’ve all wondered that at some point.

Sometimes you’re giving Reiki and an image pops into your mind;  maybe it’s a color, a place, or even a word. Other times you might feel something in your body or just know something without knowing why. And then there are days when you don’t feel or see anything at all. It can leave you wondering if you’re missing something or doing something wrong.

Here’s the truth: intuition, psychic insight, and imagination all have a place in Reiki. In fact, they often blend together so seamlessly that it’s hard to tell where one ends and the other begins. They can all be valuable parts of your Reiki practice.

How We Explain the Three

When we talk about intuition, we mean that calm, steady inner knowing. It’s that nudge you just know is right. However, it is sometimes hard to hear yourself. Intuition is often misunderstood, underdeveloped or even suppressed. Reiki helps intuition rise to the surface by quieting the noise of everyday thoughts. I like to use CKR, which grounds you and strengthens trust in what you’re sensing. SHK connects your subconscious with your conscious mind so you can actually hear yourself. It is your higher mind, your divine heart. HSZSN is heart energy that brings inner truth to your awareness.

Psychic insight feels a little different. It’s often like receiving a piece of information from somewhere beyond you. It might arrive as an image, a sound, a physical sensation, or a sudden download of knowing. This is where symbols like HSZSN come in, opening the connection to higher consciousness, spirit guides, and other enlightened beings. SHK can clarify the message so it’s easier to understand, and Gnosa helps you recognize when it’s coming from the truth. HF ensures that what comes through is aligned with compassion and the highest good. DKM is grounded and stable.

Then there’s imagination, which so many people dismiss. In Reiki, we see imagination as a bridge between our subconscious perceptions and our conscious understanding. It’s the translator. Sometimes the mind turns energy into a picture, a story, or even a random symbol so you can relate to it. Reiki actually heals and strengthens imagination so it becomes an active, reliable sense instead of something you doubt.

we often call on SHK to heal old beliefs that imagination isn’t “real,” CKR to give it power, and Karuna Reiki® symbols like Zonar, Halu, and Harth to heal the parts of ourselves that were taught to hide this gift.

Why It Sometimes Feels “Made Up”

If you’ve ever had a beautiful image or a strange phrase pop into your mind during a session and immediately thought, Oh, that’s just me making things up, you’re not alone. Most of us grew up in a culture that valued “facts” over feelings and imagination. We were told to stop daydreaming or to prove what we know.

But Reiki is different; it’s about getting out of the way and allowing.  Sometimes you won’t understand an impression until later, when the client confirms it or you realize it fits perfectly with the session’s flow. We call this the “validation loop,” when you receive validation about the accuracy of what you received.  It is very important to remember you are never required to share intuitive information you receive. If you are uncomfortable, or question your accuracy, or feel as if you may scare the client, always defer to not sharing and trust that Reiki will find a way for the client to receive what they need to know. However, if you do share or at least acknowledge what you receive, you’ll notice those quiet validations showing up. And each time, your confidence grows.

How to Recognize Accuracy

A lot of students ask me, “How do I know if it’s accurate?” For me, an authentic impression usually feels calm and neutral, without emotional push. It often surprises me because it’s not what I would have imagined. I always say, I would be a world famous novelist if I could make up what shows up in Reiki sessions. You can ask yourself, “Is this what I would make up if I was making it up?”

If I want to be sure I’m receiving clearly, I start with Gassho meditation, asking Reiki for discernment. I might activate SHK for clarity, Gnosa for recognizing truth, and HSZSN to connect to the highest level of spiritual guidance. I also ask Reiki to show me confirmation in another way.

Again, invite discernment to determine if and how you are going to share intuitive insights with others.

How Reiki Brings Them Together

The beautiful thing about Reiki is that these abilities all work together.  In a session, you might start with a quiet intuitive nudge, then receive an image that feels imaginative, and suddenly know something about your client that comes through as psychic insight. They weave together, and Reiki helps you navigate when to share, when to simply observe, and how to let the Reiki do the work. Reiki is never dependent on the practitioner's ability to receive psychic or intuitive insights.

It is one of the reasons Mrs. Takata created her foundation hand positions; they allow the Reiki practitioner to channel the Reiki energy without intuition. Simply use the hand positions, and let Reiki do all the work.

Sometimes I like to combine symbols for this: CKR for grounding, SHK for mental and emotional clarity, and HSZSN for expanded spiritual connection. Used together, they create a balanced, open channel where all three abilities can work in harmony.

Bringing It Into Daily Life

One of the most empowering things we can do is take these gifts out of the Reiki room and into daily life. Start your morning with self-Reiki, inviting your intuition to be active throughout the day. If you have a big decision or conversation coming up, use SHK to bring mental clarity and emotional balance.

When you’re problem-solving, allow your imagination to play with possibilities while HSZSN connects you to higher solutions you might not think of on your own. Pay attention to those little insights you get while driving, cooking, or even watering your plants;  it's your intuition speaking in everyday language.

And write them down. Keep a small notebook or use your phone’s notes app. Over time you’ll see patterns, and you’ll realize how much these abilities are guiding you, even when you’re not in a formal Reiki session.

Why does this help? Because it strengthens your trust in your inner guidance. It makes you quicker to act on what you sense, more confident in your decisions, and more creative in your problem-solving. You’ll start to notice a flow to your life and the feeling of being connected to your higher consciousness.

For Those Who Don’t Feel Anything Yet

If you’re reading this and thinking, Well, I still don’t feel or see anything, please know that doesn’t mean Reiki isn’t working. Your energy is unique, and so is the way you receive information. Some people start by feeling sensations in their body. Others see colors. Some simply know things without knowing how. And yes, for some, it takes time.

Reiki is patient. The more you practice, the more you’ll notice and understand how it all works for you. Keep showing up for your daily self-Reiki, invite your symbols, and trust that your awareness is growing, even if it’s subtle at first.

Our Encouragement to You

Intuition, psychic insight, and imagination work together.  Whether you’re sensing, seeing, knowing, or simply holding space, Reiki is working through you in exactly the way it needs to.

So stay curious. And let Reiki show you what you sense and the way it works for you.

Activate your intuitive abilities — Next Step Reiki® Training Classes and Explore the 12 Heavens Class Combine Reiki energy with shamanic influences. These are year-long courses that start every January - December each year.