Reiki or a surf session: which one does your body actually need?
By Vanessa Chugani · Updated September 2026
If your mind will not stop and you are running on empty, Reiki gives you stillness and support for a nervous system under strain. If you are restless and need to move, a surf session works that energy out through your body. Choose the one that matches what you are carrying, not the one that sounds more appealing.
Canggu makes both easy to find, often within a few minutes of each other, and people ask which one they actually need. They are not really doing the same job. A surf session asks your body to work: paddling out, reading the swell, the cold shock of a wave breaking over you. A Reiki session asks the opposite. You lie still, fully clothed, while someone works with a nervous system that has been running hot for too long. One wakes you up. The other settles you down. The right choice depends on the state you are arriving in, not which one sounds nicer.
| A Reiki session | A surf session | |
|---|---|---|
| What happens | You lie down, fully clothed, while I place my hands lightly on or near you for about an hour. | You paddle out, wait for a set, and try to catch and ride a wave, over and over. |
| What it costs | EUR 188 for a private session in Canggu, or EUR 138 for a distance session. | Depends on the board rental or lesson you book, not something I can price here. |
| Effort required | None. You are not asked to do anything except lie still and breathe. | A lot. Paddling, balance and strength in open water, especially if you are new to it. |
| What it helps with | Stress, exhaustion, a mind that will not switch off, grief, anxiety, sleep that will not come. | Restlessness, pent-up energy, a body that wants to move rather than settle. |
| How you tend to feel after | Calmer, steadier, often asleep earlier than usual that night. | Tired in a good way, salt-crusted, often more alert than before. |
| Who tends to book it | Someone overwhelmed, carrying more than they can put down, or wired at 2am. | Someone with energy to burn, or wanting a physical challenge in the ocean. |
Which one suits you
Book a surf session if you are restless, if your body has energy that needs to move, or if you want a physical challenge that keeps you in the present through effort rather than stillness. Someone who feels caged indoors, or who processes a hard week by getting into the ocean and working hard, will get more from a wave than from lying still. Book a Reiki session if you are the opposite: exhausted, wired at 2am, carrying grief or overwhelm, or so overstimulated that another physical activity would only add to the pile. It will not diagnose or treat anything, and it is not a substitute for medical care, but for a nervous system that has been running hot for a long time, an hour of stillness and support is often exactly what is missing.
Related questions
Can I do a surf session and a Reiki session on the same day?
There is nothing stopping you. Some people surf in the morning and book a session in the afternoon to settle back down. If your body is worn out rather than restless, Reiki after a hard surf can help you settle.
Is Reiki a substitute for exercise?
No. Reiki is rest and support for a nervous system that has been running hot, not a workout, and it will not build fitness, strength or balance the way surfing does. If you need to move your body, a surf session is the better choice.
I have never tried either. Where should I start?
Start with whichever problem is louder right now. If you cannot switch off or you are not sleeping, a private Reiki session is the simpler starting point. If you have energy to burn and want to be in the ocean, find a surf lesson instead.