Script

"Are You Opening Portals? 9 Everyday Practices and Rituals That Unlock Spiritual Gateways"

Hello, my magickal friend! Welcome back to the Reiki Witch Podcast, where we dive into all things energy, spirit, and the magick of healing. I’m Becca, your Reiki guide and spiritual mentor. Today, we’re going to explore a magickal—and sometimes misunderstood—topic: Opening Portals.

If you’ve ever asked, “Does Reiki open portals?” The answer is yes, it can. And I’ve also had people tell me that Reiki is dangerous because it opens portals. What some may not realize is that any form of spiritual practice, whether that’s ancestor veneration, yoga, breathwork, or even shamanic drumming, can open portals. Yes, even certain experiences like taking shrooms may open energetic doorways, but don’t worry! I know the idea of portals can sound intimidating or mysterious. Some of you might picture them as dark, mystical doorways to other worlds, but in truth, portals are a lot more common than you might think. They are simply energetic spaces that connect us to the divine, to other realms, or even to our deeper selves.

The truth is, portals can be opened in many ways—through intense emotions, sacred dance, intentional rituals, sacred architecture, and symbols. And yes, Reiki can certainly open them, but it’s far from the only thing that does. Every time you feel deeply connected to a space, or when you’re engaging in a powerful emotional release or spiritual practice, you might be opening a portal.

Today, I’m going to explain why portals are a natural part of many spiritual practices, including Reiki, and how they can actually enhance your healing experience when approached with awareness and intention. We’ll also examine different methods and how other traditions work with portals.

So let’s dive in, and remember, opening portals is simply another way to deepen our connection to the divine and the energies around us.

What is a Portal in Reiki?

Let’s start by defining what we mean by “portal” in the context of Reiki. A portal is essentially a doorway—a space that allows energies, beings, or vibrations to enter or exit our reality. In Reiki, we open these portals to connect with the higher realms, spirit guides, angels, and universal life force energy.

When we open a portal, it's not just about channeling energy. It’s about facilitating a deeper connection between the physical and spiritual realms, allowing energy to flow freely, and facilitating powerful healing. Opening a portal helps us access higher vibrations and bring in transformative energies that help us heal on a deeper, more profound level.

Think of it like opening the windows of your energy body—letting fresh, divine light come in and clear away any stagnant energy. When a portal opens, it creates an opportunity for both the practitioner and the client to experience a heightened state of consciousness, deep peace, and profound healing.

There are many different types of portals, each unique in how they open and what they connect us to. 

Some portals are Internal portals that exist within us—these can be accessed through deep meditation, emotional release, or shifts in consciousness. When we dive inward, whether through self-reflection, breathwork, or inner work, we’re opening portals that allow us to tap into deeper layers of our own being or connect with our higher selves. 

External portals, on the other hand, often come from outside ourselves. These could be ritual spaces, sacred sites, or even moments of spiritual connection with others. 

Then, some portals are opened through movement, whether it’s dance, kundalini spiraling, or other body-centric practices. These physical actions can move energy in a way that creates a doorway to higher realms or deep healing. 

Music and chanting also serve as powerful portal-opening practices. The rhythm and vibration of sound can shift our energetic frequency, opening a space where we can connect with the divine or the unseen. 

Whether through emotion, physical movement, or sound, portals are present in many aspects of our lives, and they can be used consciously to bring about healing, insight, and transformation.

Ok, so now that we know how we open portals in Reiki, let’s explore how other spiritual traditions also work with portals. It’s fascinating how many different methods there are to open gateways between worlds.

Shamanism

In shamanic practices, shamans open portals to journey into the spirit world. Through the use of drumming, chanting, or sacred plants, they enter altered states of consciousness and pass through energetic doorways to commune with spirit guides, ancestors, and healing energies. In my experience with shamanic journeying, it’s often a tunnel, circle of light, falling into darkness, or walking through a gateway.

Witchcraft and Ceremonial Magick 

Witches and ceremonial magicians also open portals in rituals. Using things like sigils, altars, and ritual circles, they create energetic gateways between realms. By calling in the elements or inviting spirits, they open a portal to connect with the divine or the unseen world.

Christian Mysticism 

In Christian mysticism, portals aren’t always as visible or tangible, but they are certainly present. Mystics and saints have reported passing through “heavenly gates” or experiencing visions of divine realms. In rituals, the use of sacred symbols, prayer, and meditation can be seen as practices that open a connection to God or the divine.

Hinduism

In Hinduism, portals are often associated with the chakras, which are energy centers within the body. Each chakra acts as a doorway that can be opened and balanced through meditation, breathwork, or chanting. By opening these internal portals, you can access past-life trauma, memories, and spiritual messages specifically related to that chakra. During most of my Reiki healing sessions, I’m clearing out and balancing chakras. Just don’t forget the back of the chakras! Many people don’t think about the back. 

Mirrors and Water as Portals

In MANY cultures, it is believed that mirrors and water can be used to access the spirit world. You’ll see these beliefs in Native American and Chinese cultures. In Chinese culture, Water is important because it is usually considered a conduit to the spirit world. Water is seen as a medium through which one can communicate with ancestors or deities. 

Water can also be seen as a reflective surface, like a mirror, through which the past, present, and future can be accessed. 

In certain Voodoo practices, mirrors are often covered, especially following a death, to prevent the soul of the deceased from becoming trapped or using the mirror as a gateway to the living world. Mirrors are believed to have the ability to allow spirits to pass through, and covering them is seen as a protective measure to shield against any unwanted spiritual interference.

Tarot and Pendulums

Tarot cards and pendulums are well-known tools for divination, and in many ways, they serve as portals for connecting with the higher self, spirit guides, or other unseen energies. Tarot, with its rich symbolism, allows us to open energetic pathways that lead us to deeper insights and messages. Each card in a tarot deck is like a doorway that holds access to certain energies, archetypes, and realms. As a practitioner, by focusing on your intention and asking specific questions, you can open a portal to receive guidance from spiritual sources.

Pendulums work in a similar way, acting as a divinatory tool that responds to subtle energetic movements. The pendulum’s motion, whether swinging or still, can open a direct connection to the spiritual realm, providing answers or guidance based on the movement. You can use pendulums to communicate with your wounded parts or your higher self. You can use pendulums to talk with spirits. And you can also use pendulums in Reiki to check on the health of chakras. 

Both tarot and pendulums use energetic channels that open up a space for communication between our world and the divine.

Breathwork

Breathwork is an incredibly powerful tool for accessing altered states of consciousness and, therefore, opening portals to spiritual or transformative experiences. By intentionally controlling the breath, you can shift your awareness and open doorways to higher realms. Techniques like holotropic breathwork, which involves rapid, connected breathing, allow us to enter non-ordinary states of consciousness. This practice helps you access deeper layers of the psyche, repressed emotions, and even spiritual realms, making it a way to open portals that facilitate deep healing and transformation.

Breathwork connects you to your energetic flow, allowing you to harness the breath as a means to transcend ordinary consciousness and journey into other dimensions or planes of existence.

Dancing and Movement

Ok, now I want to talk about movement and music. Movement, whether it’s in religious ceremonies, sacred rituals, or as part of personal expression, can serve as a powerful portal-opening practice. In various cultures, dance is used to enter trance states and communicate with the divine. 

Have you ever been in church, and you’re dancing and singing, and you’re feeling your vibrations rise, the vibrations of the entire building rise, and then maybe you start feeling the spirit enter your body? Yep, that’s opening a portal. When you see people speaking in tongues and losing themselves in dance and almost go into a trance, a portal is opened. 

So many traditions use dance and movement to raise energy, to connect each other in community, and yes, sometimes during spiritual rituals to connect with the Otherworld. You’ll see this in traditional African, Middle Eastern, and Native American ceremonies. You’ll also see this in Romani traditions as well. 

Same as going to a club or rave. If you listen to EDM or trance music, have you ever been able to go into a trance before you even have alcohol or drugs? While the term "portal" is often associated with spiritual practices like rituals or divination, it can also refer to any moment or space with a significant shift in consciousness, energy, or connection. In the case of a rave, the music, rhythm, and communal experience can serve as a form of collective energy, opening a space where people transcend their individual experiences and become part of something larger than themselves. The combination of the music’s frequency, the energy of the crowd, and the shared experience can allow participants to feel more connected to each other, to the present moment, and to a greater universal energy—much like how a traditional ritual or dance in a spiritual context might facilitate a connection to the spirit world. 

My first experience going into trance was actually when I used to go clubbing a lot and I would get completely consumed by the music and dancing. The music would take over my body and I would go into this deep trance and just lose myself. And this was BEFORE I drank alcohol by the way and no I was not on drugs. I’ve never done drugs actually because I always researched them heavily before trying them. My plan was to always take them safely and planned. And well after researching them, that was enough for me to never try them haha. I still have never met anyone that researched how to take a drug before trying it. I don’t know how but the music was always enough for me. 

In the context of sacred or spiritual dances—whether in a church, temple, or other sacred spaces—the dancer moves between worlds, using their body as a conduit for divine energy. This energetic shift through movement can serve as a powerful means of opening portals to receive divine insight, connection to ancestors, or union with the divine. Even in more intimate or sexual movements, such as those practiced in certain Tantric traditions, the flow of energy through the body can unlock spiritual and transformative experiences.

Celtic Beliefs

Ok, Now I want to talk about portals in the Ancient Celtic beliefs. The ancient Celts believed in the existence of an Otherworld—a parallel realm where spirits, deities, and ancestors reside. This Otherworld could be accessed through natural portals, such as hills, trees, stones, or bodies of water. The Celts viewed sacred sites like fairy mounds (sídhe - shee) as places where the boundary between the physical world and the Otherworld was particularly thin. These portals allowed for easier communication with spirits and deities, as well as access to other realms for healing, wisdom, and guidance.

My favorite Celtic magical portals are mushroom circles, or fairy rings. These circles, created by the growth of mushrooms, were believed to be portals leading directly into the fairy realm. Those who stepped into the ring would supposedly be transported to another world, filled with magical beings and transformative experiences. In a lot of fairy tales, these were actually seen as bad and children were often warned to stay away from them because time could be completely warped. I remember reading fairy tales where people would fall into these, be transported to the fairy realm, think it was only an evening party with the fairies, only to find out when they found their way back to the human world, years had passed. What’s strange is for some reason, these stories just didn’t scare me. I still searched high and low for these mushroom circles when I was a little girl. I wanted so badly to meet the fairies. It never happened. I would sometimes find like half a circle but I could never find a whole one. Oh well, maybe in another lifetime hehe. 

Drawing the Similarities

Across all these practices, the common thread is clear: portals serve as energetic conduits to higher realms, whether they’re used for healing, divination, or spiritual connection. Whether through the use of tarot cards, breathwork, mirrors, or sacred natural sites, portals are methods of opening spaces for energies to flow and connect us with something greater than ourselves. In Reiki, we open portals to channel universal life force energy, just as shamans, witches, and mystics do in their own practices.

The key elements in all of these practices are intention, visualization, and sacred ritual. The ability to open and close portals with care and focus ensures that we invite the energies we seek without allowing unwanted influences into the space. In this way, portals serve as safe and sacred passageways to healing, insight, and transformation.

The Importance of Closing Portals

Ok, now you don’t want to be going around opening portals left and right. The last thing you need is a bunch of unnecessary gateways all over the place letting in god knows what. As important as it is to open a portal with intention, it’s just as crucial to close it properly. Leaving a portal open for too long or failing to close it can leave you feeling ungrounded or disconnected.

To close a portal, visualize it gently closing, like a door or a vortex slowly dissolving. This helps return the space to balance and ensures the energy that flowed through the portal is properly integrated. Always take a moment to thank the energies that came through and offer a prayer or intention of gratitude.

After any sort of healing session or spiritiual service, it’s important to ground yourself and your client. Use breathing techniques, call upon earth energy, or use crystals to help anchor the energy back to the physical plane. This helps both the practitioner and the client feel whole, centered, and protected.

Conclusion

And there you have it—portals in Reiki, and how they show up in various spiritual practices. Whether through Reiki, shamanism, witchcraft, or other traditions, we see a common theme: portals act as energetic conduits to higher realms, allowing us to channel healing, wisdom, and spiritual guidance.

When working with portals, remember to always set clear intentions, stay grounded, and be sure to close the portals once your work is complete. This helps ensure the energy remains balanced and integrated.

Thank you so much for joining me in today’s episode. I hope this gives you a deeper understanding of portals and how you can work with them in your Reiki practice. If you found this episode helpful, please share it with a fellow healer. Also, be sure to subscribe so that you don’t miss my new episodes. And as always, keep shining your light, keep connecting to spirit, and keep working with the magick of the universe.