Reiki and the Possibility of Human Transformation

There are experiences that profoundly change the way we see human beings. My main professional journey took place over more than a decade working in a prison environment. It was an intense period, where I encountered stories of suffering, loss, hope, and, at times, genuine human transformation.

Those years led me to reflect on a question that still guides me today: what allows a person to reconnect with themselves?

I did not find the answer in a single discipline or a single experience. Instead, I began exploring different paths. I became self-taught in personal development, studied spiritual and esoteric traditions, and sought to understand what lives within each of us and how it shapes the way we experience the world.

It was along this journey that Reiki entered my life.

Contrary to what many people imagine, Reiki did not offer me ready-made answers. Above all, it invited me to cultivate presence. To observe without judgment. To listen before reacting. To recognize that genuine care often begins with the way we relate to ourselves.

Over time, Reiki became more than a personal practice. It became part of the way I live and relate to others. I dedicated myself to studying, practicing, and teaching Reiki, sharing what I have learned through experience.

Today, I coordinate the Reiki Center of Vila de Rei, collaborate with the Portuguese Reiki Association, and lead Vila de Reiki, a project dedicated to practice, education, communication, and community sharing, always through a human, accessible, and integrative approach.

At the same time, I continue my academic journey as a university student of History, deepening my understanding of religions, symbols, and traditions. I believe that learning about humanity’s past helps us better understand the practices we preserve today.

We live in a world marked by speed, constant stimulation, and an increasing difficulty in embracing silence. Perhaps that is why Reiki continues to resonate with so many people—not because it promises immediate solutions, but because it creates a space where we can pause, breathe, and reconnect with ourselves and with others.

I believe that human transformation does not arise from formulas or imposed ideas. More often, it begins with simple acts of presence, attentive listening, and compassionate care.

It is this perspective that I hope to share through my articles for Mundo Reiki: a space for reflection, dialogue, and learning, where Reiki is presented as a practice of integral care that builds bridges between tradition, experience, and our shared humanity.

Justino da Silva Pereira is a Reiki Master, founder of Vila de Reiki, coordinator of the Reiki Center of Vila de Rei (Portugal), collaborator with the Portuguese Reiki Association, and a university student of History. He is dedicated to teaching, practicing, and promoting Reiki through a human, accessible, and integrative approach to holistic care.