Group Reiki circle or a private one-to-one session: which is right for you?
By Vanessa Chugani · Updated August 2026
Choose a private one-to-one session if you have something specific going on: grief, a big transition, pregnancy, or anything you would rather talk through before you lie down. Choose a group circle if you want a lower-commitment first taste of Reiki, or you like having other people quietly in the room with you.
A group Reiki circle and a private one-to-one session are both still Reiki: the same practice, the same aim of settling a nervous system that has been running hot. What changes is the room. In a circle, several people receive Reiki at the same time, often in the same space, with attention moving between them. In a private session, it is one person and one practitioner, with time at the start to say what is actually going on for you. Neither is a lesser version of the other. The right one depends on what you need that day: company, or full attention.
| a group Reiki circle | a private one-to-one session | |
|---|---|---|
| What happens | Several people receive Reiki together in the same room, with the practitioner moving from person to person. | One person and one practitioner for the whole session, with nobody else in the room. |
| Attention | Hands-on time is shared between everyone in the circle, so it is usually shorter per person. | The practitioner's attention stays with you from start to finish. |
| Talking first | Little or no time to say what is actually going on for you before the session starts. | Time at the start to talk about what brought you in, before you lie down. |
| Setting | A shared space, with other people settling and breathing nearby. | A private treatment room in Canggu, or a distance session from wherever you are. |
| Cost | Usually cheaper per person, since the cost is shared across the group. | EUR 188 in person, EUR 138 by distance, with three and five session packages available. |
| Best for | A first, low-commitment taste of Reiki, or people who like a group feel. | Something specific: grief, a big transition, pregnancy, or a period that needs more than one visit. |
Which one suits you
A group circle suits someone curious about Reiki who wants to try it without committing to a private appointment, or who likes the feel of other people quietly in the room. It is a reasonable, low-pressure way in. A private one-to-one session suits someone with something specific going on: the weeks after a loss, a pregnancy, a period at work that will not let up, or anything you would rather say out loud before you lie down. It is also the better call if you know you will want more than one visit, since the sessions are built around a three or five package. Reiki itself, in either format, is rest and support for a nervous system that has been running hot. It is not a treatment for a medical condition. What people report afterwards is sleep that comes more easily, and feeling less alone with whatever they walked in carrying.
Related questions
Does Vanessa run group Reiki circles?
No. Her sessions are private, one-to-one, either in person in Canggu or by distance. If a group circle is what you are looking for, this page is here to help you decide between the two formats, not to sell you one she does not offer.
Is a private session stronger or more effective than a group circle?
Not in a way that has been measured. The real difference is attention and privacy, not strength: a private session gives you the whole hour and the space to talk first, which matters more for some people than others, and less for someone who just wants to try Reiki once.
How many private sessions should I book?
One session is a fine place to start. A 2025 review of eleven trials found that sessions of an hour or more, and eight or more of them, showed the best results for quality of life, which is the honest case for a package rather than a single visit.