Day one is gentle. Check-in is at 12:00, lunch at 12:30, and the first Reiki class runs from 1:30 to 3:30pm. This session covers the basics: what the word Reiki means within the tradition, how Mikao Usui developed the system in early twentieth-century Japan, and the five Reiki principles about gratitude, kindness, honest work, and letting go of anger and worry. The rest of the afternoon and evening is free until dinner at 7pm. Many people use that time for the pool or a walk into Ubud.

Day two is fuller. Hatha Vinyasa yoga and meditation run from 6:00 to 7:00am, followed by breakfast at 8:30. The second Reiki class, from 10:00 to noon, is the practical one. You work through cleansing meditation, breathing exercises for relaxation and focus, self-healing hand placements, and the traditional aura exercises: sensing, cleansing and scanning. The school notes that these aura exercises are spiritual practices, not ways to diagnose anything medically. The class ends with the Reiki attunement, and you check out at noon.

In total the syllabus covers ten topics: introduction to Reiki, history, the five principles, aura awareness, aura cleansing, aura scanning, cleansing meditation, breathing techniques, self-healing techniques and attunement. Course materials listed by the school include a Reiki book, notebook and pen, along with a school bag and T-shirt. The school suggests confirming which of these items are currently handed out.

What sets this apart from a generic wellness weekend is that it's a structured certificate course from a school that mainly runs yoga teacher trainings. The certificate is issued through the Himalayan Yoga Association Yoga Society. If you want to keep going, Level 1 leads into the school's Level 2 and Level 3 courses, and there are combined Level 1 & 2 (4 days) and Level 1, 2 & 3 (6 days) options.

Bali Yoga School was founded by Yogi Himanshu. Its main teaching is Ashtanga-based yoga covering postures, pranayama, meditation, yoga philosophy and anatomy. The school runs 100 to 500-hour teacher trainings in Ubud and Uluwatu and has a sister ashram in Rishikesh, India.

Ubud sits in Gianyar Regency in central Bali. It's known for temples, rice fields, traditional Balinese arts and a large yoga and meditation scene, so it's easy to add a few days of your own before or after the course.

What's included

- 1 night accommodation in a shared or private room (residential packages) - Vegetarian or vegan meals: lunch and dinner on day 1, breakfast on day 2 (residential packages) - Two 2-hour Reiki theory and practical classes - Reiki Level 1 attunement - Morning Hatha Vinyasa yoga and meditation session - Massage (residential packages) - Reiki learning materials (book, notebook, pen) - School bag and T-shirt (confirm with the school) - Drinking water - Campus Wi-Fi - Swimming pool access - Reiki Healing Level 1 certificate

What's not included

- International flights - Airport transfers - Travel insurance - Visa fees - Accommodation, meals and massage on the course-only option - Extra nights before or after the course - Personal expenses

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