Reiki and Chakra Balancing: What We Tell Skeptical Guests
Some guests say it before they have even settled onto the massage table: I will be honest, I am not sure I believe in any of this. It is a fair thing to say. It is also a good place to start.
This post is the answer we give. What Reiki and a Chakra Balancing Massage actually are, what happens in the room, what they cost, and what we will and will not promise. The short version first: Reiki is a 15-minute add-on to a massage for $35. The Chakra Balancing Massage is $190 for 75 minutes or $225 for 90. And you do not have to believe anything to book either one.
What is Reiki, in plain words?
Reiki is a Japanese practice. Your therapist rests their hands lightly on you, or holds them just above your body, and stays still for a while. From the outside, that is most of what you would see.
It is built on the idea that an unseen life force energy flows through all of us. That is a belief, and we say so plainly. We are not going to dress it up as science, and we are not going to tell you it treats anything.
What we can tell you is what it feels like: slow, quiet and very still. After a massage that has worked through your shoulders and back, fifteen minutes of nothing but warm, resting hands is a different kind of rest. Many guests notice their breathing slow down before they notice anything else.
Here, Reiki is the Reiki Add On: 15 minutes, $35, added to a massage.
And what is a Chakra Balancing Massage?
This one is a full treatment, not an add-on. A Chakra Balancing Massage is 75 minutes for $190, or 90 minutes for $225.
It combines massage techniques, reflexology and energy work, with Aveda's Chakra Balancing Blend aromas. The framework is the seven chakras, an old idea of seven energy centers running from the base of the spine to the crown of the head. Your therapist uses them as a map for the session.
In practice, that map looks like a full-body massage at an unhurried pace, focused time on your feet with reflexology (steady pressure on specific points of the foot), and quiet moments of still, hands-on work in between. The aroma is part of it from the first breath.
If you would rather keep your usual massage and add a taste of this, the Chakra Add On brings 15 minutes of chakra work to another massage for $70.
Why do the aromas matter so much?
At an Aveda spa, aroma is not decoration. Every massage on our menu is built on the Aveda Elemental Nature philosophy and the aromas you like best. The Chakra Balancing Massage takes that one step further with Aveda's Chakra Balancing Blend aromas.
Plant-based products are a choice we made in 2003, when Aveda became our partner, and we have never walked back from it. Aveda products are plant-based, 96% naturally derived, vegan and cruelty-free.
For a lot of guests, scent is the first cue that the day is over and the hour is theirs. If you already have a favorite Aveda aroma from your usual massage, mention it when you arrive.
What we tell guests who are not sure
We do not ask you to believe in energy centers. We ask you to notice how you feel when you sit up.
We say it often around here: coming into Amenities is not just about luxury and pampering, it is about wellness. For some people, wellness is firm pressure on a shoulder that has been sore since Tuesday. For others, it is an hour where nobody asks anything of them. These services are built for the second kind of hour.
And there is no hard sell. If you come in with a knot between your shoulder blades from a week at the desk, we will point you to deep tissue, not chakra work. If you come in feeling worn thin rather than sore, this is the one we would suggest.
Many guests tell us they feel calmer and a little sleepy afterward. That is as far as we will go, and it is enough.
What happens in the room
Your visit starts the way every visit here does, with Aveda's comforting tea and a warm neck wrap while you settle in.
Before anything else, your therapist asks a few questions: what brought you in, how you like your pressure, and whether strong scents bother you. A consultation is part of the service, not a formality, and the answers shape the whole session.
Then the room goes quiet. The lights are low, and the first thing you notice is the aroma, reaching you before the massage does.
During the Reiki portion, the hands come to rest and stay there, lightly in one place and then the next, sometimes hovering just above you. Some guests feel warmth from the hands. Some feel nothing in particular and simply drift. Both are completely normal.
When it ends, there is no rush to sit up. Take a minute, then get up slowly and drink some water.
Who it suits, and who should book something else
It tends to suit people who want stillness more than pressure, people who find a firm massage too much, anyone who already meditates or does yoga and likes a slower pace, and the openly curious.
It is not the right booking for a specific injury or ongoing pain. For that, talk to your doctor first, then book a massage built for the problem, like our Deep Tissue or Neuromuscular Therapy massage. Reiki and chakra work are not medical care and are not a substitute for it.
It also makes a thoughtful gift for the person in your life who never gets a quiet minute. Our gift cards never expire, so they can book it when the week finally allows.
Our massage therapists are California-certified (CAMTC), whichever service you choose.
How to try it without committing
Here is what we tell our friends: do not start with 90 minutes. Add Reiki to a massage you were going to book anyway.
One therapist on our team offers both the Reiki and the chakra work, so the add-on goes onto a massage booked with that therapist. A 60-minute Fullbody Massage with them is $125, so with the Reiki Add On you are looking at $160 for 75 minutes. If you love it, book the full Chakra Balancing Massage next time. If it is not for you, you still had a very good massage.
Because only one therapist offers these services, openings are more limited than for our other massages. Book ahead, especially for a weekend, and ask the desk to call you if an earlier time opens up.
If strong scents bother you, or you are sensitive to essential oils, tell us when you book so your therapist knows before you arrive.
Questions we hear at the desk
Do I have to believe in Reiki for it to work?
No. We do not ask anyone to believe in anything. Reiki is built on the idea of an unseen life force energy, and we say that plainly. What we can promise is a slow, quiet, very still stretch of time, and many guests notice they feel calmer afterward. Come curious and judge for yourself.
How much do Reiki and chakra balancing cost at Amenities?
The Reiki Add On is 15 minutes for $35, added to a massage. The Chakra Add On is 15 minutes for $70. The full Chakra Balancing Massage is $190 for 75 minutes or $225 for 90 minutes. One therapist offers these, so the add-ons go onto a massage booked with that therapist.
How is a Chakra Balancing Massage different from a regular massage?
It is still a full-body massage, but at a slower pace, with reflexology on the feet, quiet moments of still, hands-on energy work, and Aveda's Chakra Balancing Blend aromas. A regular Fullbody Massage is tailored to your favorite Aveda aroma and your pressure, and focuses on the muscle work itself.
Can I book Reiki on its own?
Reiki is offered as a 15-minute add-on to a massage, not as a separate appointment. The easiest way to try it is to add it to a 60-minute Fullbody Massage with the therapist who offers it. If you want more of that quiet, the Chakra Balancing Massage gives you a full 75 or 90 minutes.
You do not have to arrive a believer. Come curious, or just come tired, and let us give you an hour where nothing is asked of you. We are at 5054 N Palm Ave in Fig Garden Village, open seven days a week, with free parking and no meters. Call the desk and we will find you a time with the right therapist.
559-224-2667 · 5054 N Palm Ave, Fresno
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