What are some helpful tips you have learned along the way?

Hello all! I am in my 2nd level of reiki and have practiced on a few people.
Though as time goes on I find myself a bit confused. Sometimes I feel as if I am sending my own personal energy rather than the reiki energy, and then I try to stop that and make my intention to send reiki energy stronger.
When I first was attuned, a mistake I made was being in my head all the time! Wondering if I was doing it right? Is the person feeling anything? Those questions left me when I was done and the person was ecstatic about the experience.
However I still don't know the state I should be in when sending reiki. I've been advised to tap in to my energetic self, which I have tried, but I'm still confused as to what is reiki vs what is not when I send the energy to plants, etc. (I've paused working on people until I have my questions answered, or unless I'm at a circle)

Put more simply,

1) what state do you get in before sending reiki?
2) what do you think about when sending reiki? Do you intend for reiki to go to a certain spot? Or is your mind silent?
3) in a general healing, *what* do you intend? When starting out on someone, I'm at a loss. What do I do? Just stand there and be open for the energy to send through? Do I have to direct it anywhere?
4) what are YOUR typical steps of doing a reiki healing for someone?
5) when communicating with your guides or theirs, do you send the reiki to their guides to send to the client, or do you send it to the client directly?
6) the two ladies I did reiki on both felt it and were excited after (and tired) but they both described the feeling as "uncomfortable." I've had reiki done to me, of course, and I've never had uncomfortable feelings arise... Does this mean anything?
7) the effects after I do reiki don't ever seem to last very long. Is thee a way I can change this?

Thank you.. I hope my questions make sense! I'm ridiculously confused. I've read and rented out books but these are the questions that are still lingering. I would like to do reiki more intuitively but I have too many questions to be doing that confidently yet.
I would love to hear your input!
<3

Hi radi8

Welcome to the Lounge!

I am sure you will find different answers to your questions because people are taught and practice Reiki in many different ways nowadays! But here are my answers (coming from a more traditional Japanese approach):

1) I try to achieve a quiet peaceful state, with a sense of Connection and Oneness.
2) My mind is generally silent but receptive.
3) No need to intend anything, no need to direct anything. In an appropriate state of mind, Reiki will arise and emanate from the Reiki practitioner and do what is needed to move towards balance and harmony.
4) I explain that Reiki is a Japanese Spiritual Healing Practice that can help bring balance to mind body and spirit, demonstrate hand positions that I may use (check these are OK), centre myself and place my hands (usually over the eyes first)
5) I am not aware of any guides. Guides are not a part of the original teachings of Reiki practice.
6) In what way did they feel 'uncomfortable'? Are you a male? Do you work hands on? (If so check you do not put weight on your hand positions). If hands off how far away? (if too close may interact with little hairs on body). Could also be feelings arising in clients as part of the healing rather than anything you are doing.
7) Reiki does what it needs to do, it is not up to us to decide how long the 'effects' last. Reiki helps balance the mind/body/spirit but if the client does not change the behaviour, lifestyle or way of thinking that caused the imbalance then imbalance will return.

Hope that helps