Studying Reiki

After decades of often disputed validity, the effectiveness of Reiki, a holistic energy treatment is gaining new respect within the medical community. Not only are highly reputable medical facilities throughout the world offering patients alternative healing programs such as Reiki, those facilities are analysing the benefits of their programs and are submitting them for review and compilation. The results of these Reiki research studies are nothing short of remarkable.

A Brief Explanation of Reiki

Reiki is an energy healing treatment that works holistically; on the whole body, mind and spirit. Not a system of religious beliefs, Reiki is simply a relaxing treatment whereas natural healing vibrations are transmitted through the hands of a Reiki practitioner (acting as a conduit) to the body of the recipient. The purpose of a Reiki treatment is to relieve stress and pain, induce relaxation, release emotional blockages, accelerate natural healing, balance subtle bodies energies and support other medical modalities including traditional therapies.

It is estimated that there are 4,000,000 people throughout the world who have taken at least one level of Reiki training. There are three traditional levels of expertise.

Today, Reiki education is offered free of charge in many Hospitals as a means to accelerate the healing process and to alleviate pain.

Why Reiki Has Been Discounted

For years Reiki, along with other methods of holistic therapies were looked upon with disdain, even contempt from medical associations, practitioners, mainstream scientists and clerics. The idea that the human body was permeated or surrounded by an invisible, etheric body of “life force energy” was considered to be no less than nonsense.

These negative conclusions were formulated on the premise that “life energy” fields such as those accepted in China as Chi or qi, in Japan as ki and in India as prana , were “unseen” and “immeasurable” by traditional research or scientific instrumentation.

But now all that is changing.

Reiki Clinical Studies, Improved Reporting

There’s never been a comprehensive list of controlled, evidence-based research that was accessible to the holistic, medical, and scientific communities. It wasn’t until 2005 when William Lee Rand, founder and president of the International Center for Reiki Training and a pioneer in worldwide Reiki awareness formed the Center For Reiki Research and developed what is now known as The Touchstone Process.

What is The Touchstone Process?

The Touchstone Process is actually a peer review method for analyzing the current state of scientific studies done on Reiki programs in hospitals, clinics and hospice facilities throughout the United States. The process of critique is rigorous, impartial, and consistent and incorporates the best practices for scientific review.

William Lee Rand began formulating The Touchstone Process after developing the Reiki In Hospitals website, considered to be the most comprehensive compilation of hospitals offering Reiki treatments throughout the world.

The Touchstone Process is unique. Never before have there been so many worthy studies of Reiki gathered, analysed and evaluated within a single source.

Reiki Case Studies

The most recent data analyzed (during 2008-9) shows strong evidence that Reiki is indeed responsible for a positive biological response in both humans and animals.

The strongest evidence (rated “excellent” in the Process) was reported in the most carefully controlled of all experiments; non other than laboratory rats. In both 2006 and 2008 stressed-out lab rats received Reiki treatments and they all showed significantly reduced stress, anxiety and depression responses. “Sham” or bogus Reiki treatments were given to the placebo group and they showed no reduction in stress, anxiety or depression.

Testing in humans performed between 1993 and 2006 showed ratings from Satisfactory to Excellent, all suggesting that the benefit of Reiki treatments were positive in controlling pain levels in humans. There were some “confounding variables”, which is typical in hospital (as opposed to laboratory) studies; however, the placebo Reiki treatments in this experiment were by contrast ineffective in controlling pain.

Vital Signs

New York Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Campus conducted one of the first studies ever performed to determine the effectiveness of Reiki treatments on the autonomic nervous system. This “blind, random study” included a Reiki treatment group, a “sham” treatment group and a “control” group. The testing began with all participants at “baseline” autonomic nervous systems levels. The results within the Reiki treatment group showed a lowering of these levels including heart rate, respiration and blood pressure. These positive results led the team to recommend further, larger studies to look at the biological effects of Reiki treatment.

It’s interesting to note that Columbia/Presbyterian was one of the first hospitals to offer Reiki as part of their Integrative Medicine Program (CIMP). The now famous cardiovascular surgeon, Dr. Mehmet Oz brought tremendous attention to Reiki when he invited Reiki practitioners to treat patients during open heart surgeries and heart transplant operations. Dr. Oz is often quoted as saying, “Reiki has become a sought-after healing art among patients and mainstream medical professionals.”

Words of wisdom from an internationally recognized Reiki Practioner and author who had been published in peer-reviewed medical journals

Reiki Passes Tests with Flying Colors

There have been many other controlled studies submitted to peer-journals and to The Touchstone Process for review. Ailments and disorders that tested favorably to Reiki treatment include:

1. Post operative pain after tooth extraction

2. Cognition in elderly, related to dementia/Alzheimers 

3. Pre-operative relaxation and post-op pain

4. Pain in chronically ill patients

5. Depression and stress

6. Well-being in Reiki practitioners

As of 2009, The Touchstone Process has evaluated 25 test studies that appeared in peer-review journals evaluating the merits of Reiki Treatments. Taking into consideration only the most rigorously controlled studies, the team reported that 83% showed moderate to strong evidence in support of Reiki as a viable, therapeutic healing modality.

Only one study proved solidly negative and that was for the treatment of fibromyalgia-associated pain levels. As is the case with conventional drug treatments, not all therapies prove to be effective.

Thinking Positively

Despite these findings and the impressive number of highly reputable hospitals offering Reiki Treatments to patients, there will be those who continue to deem Reiki and other forms of energy-medicine as being “nonsensical”.

As recently as 2009, reviews of randomised studies”of Reiki research conducted by Edzard Ernst, M.D., Ph.D. and his colleagues at the University of Exeter, concluded that most were poorly designed and presented insufficient evidence to suggest that Reiki was an effective method for healing any condition.

That same year, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops came out with a statement urging Catholic health-care facilities and clergy not to promote or support Reiki therapy. They issued a statement emphatically concluding that Reiki cannot be an effective method of healing “within the findings of natural science or in Christian belief”.

One can only look to the future of science and the evolution of scientific testing, evaluation and responsible reporting which began with The Touchstone Process to alter these perceptions.

Conclusion

A spokesperson from Columbia Integrative Medicine Program at the New York Presbyterian Hospital (CIMP) perhaps expresses it best, saying, “I find the practice of Reiki very rewarding, as a practitioner. Patients have reported deep relaxation and a sense of profound healing, after one session. I feel that Reiki is a huge asset for any hospital setting, because patients sense that they are in a truly caring environment.”

As Reiki continues to become “a huge asset” for the hospital setting, analytical reporting such as The Touchstone Process continues to add to the much needed pool of evidence that Reiki is indeed a worthy, effective method for facilitating the healing process; one that can contribute to the betterment of patients everywhere and to the betterment of our health care systems.

3 Pillars of Reiki Part 2 – Reiji-Ho

Besides the five REIKI principles, Dr Usui taught his REIKI system, which is based on these pillars: GASSHO, REIJI-HO and CHIRYO.

REIJI-HO

Translated into English, REIJI means “indication of the REIKI power”, and HO means “methods” (In Hawayo Takata’s journal, this method was mentioned in an entry of May 1936).

REIJI-HO consists of three short rituals that are carried out before each treatment:-

• Fold your hands in front of your heart chakra in the Gassho posture 

And close your eyes. Now connect with the REIKI power. This is very simple: Ask the REIKI power to flow through you. Within a few seconds, you will notice how it flows. Perhaps you will feel it enter through your crown chakra or you may notice it first in your heart chakra or in your hands (it doesn’t matter in which part of your body the indication first occurs). You can also use the distance (Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen) Symbol to connect with the REIKI power. Repeat the wish three times in your mind that REIKI may flow, then send the Mental/Emotional (Sei He Ki) Symbol and seal it all with the Power (Cho Ku Rei) Symbol. As soon as you feel the energy, continue on to the next step.

• Pray for the recovery and/or health of the patient/client on all levels. 

Here it is important to remember that we do not know what is “good” or “bad” for our patients/clients, why they “need” or have a particular illness and so, put the terms “recovery” and “health” in the hands of the REIKI power and become a channel for it (dedicating it, of course, for their highest good) – they will receive whatever is right for them.

• Now hold your folded hands in front of your third eye and ask for 

The REIKI power to guide your hands to where the energy is needed.

At first glance, this technique may seem strange to you, contradicting what you have already learned about REIKI. However, your hands know what is happening, so learn to trust them. We are all basically intuitive – we just have to learn to listen to the inspiration that is already there and “translate” it correctly. How you get in touch with your intuition and in what area it manifests itself is different for each individual.

3 Pillars of Reiki Part 1 - Gassho

Besides the five REIKI principles, Dr Usui taught his REIKI system, which is based on these pillars: GASSHO, REIJI-HO and CHIRYO.

GASSHO literally means “two hands coming together” and Dr Usui taught a meditation by the name of GASSHO MEDITATION. This meditation was practised each time at the beginning of his REIKI workshops/meetings. It is meant to be practised for 20-30 minutes after getting up and/or in the evening before going to sleep. Gassho can be done alone or in a group. Group meditations are a wonderful experience since the energy increases far beyond the sum of the individual participant’s energies.

The Gassho Meditation is so simple that individuals of any age can do it. After three days of practise, you will know on the basis of feelings whether it is “right” for you. Then, if possible, you should practise it every day for at least three months.

However, if after one or two days you have a feeling of restlessness, irritability or some other form of annoyance, this mediation may possibly not be suitable for you. Not every medicine works for each patient. Then you can simply try it again after a few weeks.

• When doing Gassho, sit down with closed eyes and hands placed

together in front of your heart chakra. Focus your entire attention at the point where the two middle fingers meet.

• If it is painful for you to hold your hands folded together in this way for twenty minutes or so, then let your hands (keeping them together) slowly sink down to your lap into a comfortable position and continue to meditate.

• Energy phenomena may also occur, such as your hands or backbone becoming very warm: observe this but don’t let yourself be influenced by it. Always return your focus to the point where your two middle fingers meet.

• If you must change your sitting position, then move in slow motion: deliberately and consciously. It is easier to meditate when the spinal column is as straight as possible, and the head doesn’t tilt either forward, backward or to the side. Imagine that your head is attached to a balloon filled with helium, which gently keeps it in the perfect position. If you have back problems or are not used to sitting, you can sit on a chair with a back, with a cushion or pillow behind you, or with your back leaned against a wall. There are basically no objections to meditation while lying down, except that it invites us to fall asleep!

Feel the Force

Spiritual people, particularly those involved in what’s termed “spiritual arts,” use the word energy to explain the metaphysical, whether it’s healing, intuitive work, or shifting consciousness.

To the novice, it may seem an amorphous term, an umbrella of sorts to depict anything that happens on an unseen level, and to the skeptic, well, it is certainly the vocab of the New Age con artist.

If we can’t see it, and we can’t feel it, does it exist? 

Renowned mythological scholar Joseph Campbell emphasised humankind’s historical dependence upon that invisible world, stating very clearly in The Power of Myth, “The invisible plane supports the physical plane….What we don’t see supports we do know,” a theory which applies to everything from ancient Neanderthal burial rites to Cinderella’s transformation into ball spectacle.

Translating that into our ordinary lives doesn’t require magic or shamanic manifestation. All it takes is a couple of very simple physical exercises to lead doubters to recognize and respect those unseen elements. Opened and exercised, it is the palpable “ki” in Reiki, the “chi” in t’ai chi, flow of not just the life force but the spirit, and most deeply, that spark igniting the imagistic visions of our third eye.

BASIC FEELING ENERGY EXERCISE

Understanding energy as the core of all things becomes easier with hands-on energy experience. I always ask my students if they can see energy, the answer most usually “no.” We can see the effects of energy, feel energy, and comprehend energy on subtle levels. For example, we can’t see the wind but we certainly see the consequences of strong gusts on a tree with fallen branches and leaves as evidence. Or we feel the cooling effects of an ocean breeze on a hot, humid day. Likewise, we can feel the patterns of energy by exploring our own energy centre.

This basic feeling energy exercise will allow you to feel and control your own energy:

1. Sit in a relaxed position with your feet on the floor.

2. Place your hands together in Gassho position and gradually move them apart. That apparently empty space between your hands is energy,

3. Now bring your hands back together and rub them vigorously for a minute or two as if you were trying to make fire with sticks.

4. Slowly, very slowly pull your hands apart. What do you feel? Bring your hands back in and out gradually, stretching them and closing the space between them as if you were playing an invisible accordion. What sensation do you feel? If you feel nothing, try again. Relax. Even the slightest tingle or buzzing is the sensation of your own energy.

FEELING AN ENERGY CENTRE

The Chakra identifies seven major energy centres at the core of our being, the spinal column, that regulate our physical, emotional, and spiritual conditions. These centers are depicted as spinning disks, each with a corresponding color and sound used for healing. Yogis, Buddhist monks, indigenous people, and metaphysicians meditate on the chakra system to gain clarity and well being. When we begin exploring meditation and alternative healing we here. In addition to the major centers, the body has minor chakra centers, including centers in the palm of the hand and soles of the feet. Often we absorb energy through our hands and release energy through our feet. This exercise will acquaint you with the energy centres in the palm of your hand.

All reiki healing is conducted through the palms of the hand as is auric sweeping and smoothing.

PULLING ENERGY FROM YOUR PALM

Sit comfortably with both feet on the floor.

Open your left hand and face your palm upward.

Position the thumb and forefinger of your right hand so that they touch, but instead of holding your hand palm up, hold it palm down. Your thumb and forefinger position will serve as an imaginary “pen.”

Hold this “pen” about an inch above the centre of your left palm. Begin making rapid but very tight circular movements as if you were drawing tiny circles in the centre of your hand. 

Do this for close to a minute.

Now keeping your “pen” close to your palm, imagine it is attached to a taut string that runs through the center of your palm. Gradually pull upwards as if you were pulling the string. Do you feel the tension? Now bring your “pen” closer to the hand. Alternative pulling up and down, each time pulling a little farther away from the palm and then returning to the center. Keep repeating this, noting the strengthening of the magnetic pull you feel in the center of your palm.

This sensation is energy and your manipulation of it.

Again, if you don’t feel anything, it might be due to tension and anxiety or even fear.

Relax.

Take some deep breaths.

Try again.

You will feel your own energy.

Once you have identified your energy, you can begin working with it to discover its potency on many levels from healing to developing intuitive insight. If you take a yoga or meditation class, you will become even more energetically flexible. 

Do this, and expect miraculous journeys!

A question of Balance

After a conversation with a friend today I thought this was a good question, so I did some research.....

What does it mean to be out of balance with spirituality?

If you’re out of balance with spirituality, it means that you are giving the spiritual side of existence too much importance in your life. You may spend all your time focusing on activities such as psychic development and being immersed in that which is supernatural or otherworldly.

You may find it difficult to relate to the rest of the world (when it’s not about personal or spiritual development). And you may take your spirituality so seriously that you have forgotten to have fun in life too. If you are imbalanced in your spirituality, you may also find that you have neglected other, more earthly areas of your life such as making money and your social life.

Steps to balance yourself (without losing your spirituality)

If you recognize that you are out of balance, here are some lifestyle changes to help bring more balance back into your life. I’m sure you’ve heard recommendations to ground yourself such as ‘walk on the grass in bare feet’ etc. Those suggestions are good for people with a temporary imbalance but they are not good for people who are totally out of balance – such people will need to take bigger steps to redress the imbalance.

Note that one of the most effective ways to become more grounded is to get a healing session (such as a cord-cutting, chakra balancing or reiki) and at the beginning of the session, set the intention to bring about more balance between your lower and upper chakras. 

Apart from that, here are some lifestyle suggestions to help bring more balance into your life:

Symptom of Imbalance #1: You feel lightheaded and spacey in your body.

Suggestion: Check in with your eating habits.

Your eating habits can either help tether you to the earth plane or they can destabilize and unground you.

Both veganism and raw veganism I find to be ungrounding for me, personally. Often people ask during spirit guide coaching if a raw or high raw vegan diet is right for them at this time and the answer is usually something along the lines of ‘no, not unless you are willing to suffer some imbalance.’ Being on that kind of diet as a psychic or very spiritual person requires a very strong foundation and a good connection to reality. If you don’t have that, it will unbalance you.

I bring this issue up because many people do become drawn to a really pure and light diet when they begin to get interested in spirituality or psychic development. When you open your upper chakras, you might be drawn to giving up meat (the meat-eating students on my spirit guides coaching course often tell me that they notice an aversion to meat as the weeks go by). 

Then as people become even more sensitive, they may be drawn to giving up fish. Then some people take it one step further and give up animal products. Some then feel drawn to giving up cooked food and become raw vegans. This is a natural (but rather extreme) progression and one I went through about 18 months ago. First, I was vegetarian, then vegan for a while, then I tried raw veganism for 2-3 weeks, twice. Now I have come full circle and I’m eating fish and chicken again. Some people have arguments against eating meat but this is the most grounding diet for me personally.

Other ways to unground yourself with your diet include…

Not eating enough and not eating regularly. Eating three good meals daily and at regular intervals is more grounding than eating small snacks here and there because it sends your energy out of your head and into your digestive system on a regular basis. If you miss meals regularly or if you fast, it isn’t good for the lower chakras – or put in a non-jargon way, it’s bad for you as a human being who is trying to stay tethered to the Earth plane. Regular eating connects us to the earth.

Symptom of Imbalance #2: You neglect your body habitually and you don’t care about your personal appearance

Another Suggestion: Pay more attention to your body

A great way to take your focus away from your upper chakras and put it on your lower chakras is to pamper your body (on an ongoing basis) and really pay it some attention.

Ways to do this include: spending more time and money on grooming – getting a new haircut, painting your nails; getting a pedicure or manicure; updating your wardrobe (throwing out all your old clothes that you no longer wear and getting some new ones that you love wearing and which make you feel great). Investing money and energy on your appearance and the way you feel in your body (instead of investing it in psychic development, spiritual growth or some such thing) will help to move energy out of your upper chakras. If you’re very out of balance, it might be a good idea to set aside some of your budget each month especially to celebrate and take care of your physicality and beauty.

I know that this may seem not a very appealing task, especially if it’s the middle of winter and you have no money but those are the times when you really need to go shopping (even if it’s to the thrift/charity shop). I myself have been guilty of wearing jogging bottoms to work and brown and black all the time (especially in the winter and seeing as I work from home). But it’s great for your sacral chakra if you can dress up in something beautiful and colourful more often, and allow yourself to wear nice things even if you’re not leaving the house.

You have probably seen those TV shows where they take a drab, unhappy-looking person and turn them into someone who looks and feels ten times better because of their haircut and the way they dress. That’s the power of spending time and money on your appearance – it gives yourself and others the message ‘I honour, love and celebrate my physical aspect.’ And that’s important if you are out of balance with spirituality.

Another way to honour your physicality is to exercise regularly – walking is OK but something that raises your heart rate on a regular basis is even better. I walk a couple of miles per day but presently I don’t have activities such as cardio which raise my heart rate. I have done in the past, though and I have noticed the difference it makes to feeling physically present.

Symptom of Imbalance #3: you spend loads of time working on your beliefs, goals and plans but you rarely create real change in your life or accomplish anything

Suggestion: Get out of your head and just take the next obvious step in front of you.

When you have a lot of energy in your upper chakras, you may need to get something done, but you can be stuck in planning, visualizing, dreaming, theorizing, tying yourself up in knots and going nowhere fast with that. At those times, you will need to turn your brain and mind’s eye off and just ask yourself – what is the next step that I could take now to move towards what I want (even if it is really a baby step). And take it. That takes you straight out of the realm of ideas and into the realm of action.

Symptom of Imbalance #4: The world seems like a very harsh and tragic place all the time

Suggestion: Stop taking everything so seriously and go and have some fun (stimulates the sacral chakra)

Spiritual, empathic people can feel people’s plight and are often thinking about how to save the world. From there it’s not an easy transition to having fun and seeing the light side of life, yet you need that too as a human being. Remember that life is not just a school and your purpose isn’t to save the world from itself. Life is also a fun playground, so switch off from your spiritual mission and make sure you do something that really tickles you regularly. This isn’t about going for a walk on your own or something dull like that. I mean real fun. Go and see a stand-up comedy act, see a friend who makes you laugh really hard, go dancing, etc. Connect with the fun and playful you. Find something that you can do regularly in your week to fill this need for fun and playing.

Symptom of Imbalance #5: You are neglecting the practical side of your life

Suggestion: Focus attention on your finances and physical survival (stimulates the root chakra)

Checking your bank balance every day is good because it connects you to your financial reality. Making a budget is very grounding because it reins your energy in and makes you aware of your present limitations.

Cleaning, organizing and tidying is especially good for grounding, as is attending to errands and all those little jobs you have been meaning to do for a while. Preparing food, cooking and baking are all very grounding too. All those aspects of physical life are what you need to attend to, in order to stay grounded.

FINALLY…

All this talk of cooking, baking and budgeting is all helpful stuff to some degree, but let’s get to the heart of the issue.

If you are out of balance with your spirituality, you might be running away from something or someone. Imbalanced spirituality can become a form of escapism.

What are you trying to escape from?

It could be a past situation that is too difficult to address and process in a normal, human, emotional way, so you spiritualize it. It could be someone who hurt you.

Here’s a good way of knowing what you could be escaping from:

What is the thing you still cry about for seemingly no reason? (especially when you’re ill or feeling down)

What do you dislike about your life that you want to change?

At some point, we all have wounds that make us want to stay in bed and hide away from the world. There are very few people who reach a certain age and have no wounds at all. Find out what yours are and address them in an emotional way. We can resolve things on the level of spirit, but we must bring the healing down into the emotional and physical plane for anything to change. Sometimes action needs to be taken to put them to bed.

If you feel your spiritual addiction is connected to something traumatic that happened in the past (or to someone else), you might want to think about booking a cord cutting session. I am passionate about this technique because it is the one that has helped me most with becoming more grounded.

What about you? What keeps you from engaging fully with life?

Sending Energy to yourself and the World - Reiki Meditation

Sit down in a relaxed manner on a straight back chair or crossed legged - which ever way suits you. Hold your hands palm upwards on your knees, in a prayer form or in your lap - which ever you feel convenient.

Tune in to OM Chants or some light music.

Close your eyes and say OM three times.

Meditation on the chakras with Reiki, the universal life force, and with colours, gives you deep relaxation which is very helpful for the body organs.

Steps for energizing body and mind.

Take a deep breath. Close your eyes slightly, just listen to the sounds. Do not try to identify them. Tell yourself that your senses are getting relaxed.

To relax the mind

Take a deep breath in through the nose and out through the mouth. Keep breathing deeper and deeper like this three times. To relax further/ go into deeper relaxation, count from 10 to 1 slowly and you will go into deeper relaxation. Now your mind is completely relaxed.

To relax the body 

Relax the body organs one by one. While relaxing them thank them for their support and request them to do so throughout your life, in a healthy way.

Relax the right toes, right foot, right ankle, the right leg, the right knee, right thigh and the right hip. Now your entire right limb from hip to toe is completely relaxed.

Relax the left toes, left foot, left ankle, left leg, left knee, left thigh, left hip. Now the entire left limb from hip to toes is completely relaxed.

Now relax your pelvic region, and the organs there. Relax the back muscles, relax the abdomen , relax the stomach, liver on the right side and the spleen on the left. The ball bladder and the pancreas bowels in the center and the kidneys at the back. Now the total abdomen and the connecting organs are completely relaxed.

Now relax the chest, heart and lungs . Feel them completely relaxed. Now relax the entire rib cage and the shoulder blades. Feel them completely relax.

Relax the right shoulder, right upper arm, right elbow right forearm, right hand and the right fingers. Now your right upper limp from the right shoulder to the right fingertips is fully relaxed.

Now relax the left shoulder , left upper arm, left elbow, left forearm, left hand and the left fingers. Now your left upper limp from the left shoulder to the left fingertips is fully relaxed.

Relax the neck muscles from the front and back. Feel them completely relaxed. Relax the face muscles around the mouth the eyes and the forehead. Relax the eyes the mouth and also the skull and muscles.

Now your total body is completely relaxed. All muscles and all the organs from the head to toes are completely relaxed. Feel the relaxation. Enjoy the relaxation of the body and mind. 

In this state repeat mentally: ‘I have full faith in Reiki. Reiki will energize and heal me’.

Now let us proceed to energizing the chakras. 

Take a deep breath; inhale through the mouth and exhale through the nose. 

Visualize a beautiful golden glowing ball floating above the top of your head, see it float down and blend with the violet chakra of the head. See the golden violet rays spreading to the various systems energizing the nervous system and the right eyes. 

Say to your self: ‘I am divinely protected, guided and at peace’.

Now imagine the golden ball gently separate from the violet chakra and floating down to merge with the brow chakra and blend with the beautiful indigo wheel of the brow chakra. Visualize the golden indigo rays energizing the pituitary, hypothalamus, nose, the left eye and ears and repeat to yourself: 

‘I am open to new ideas, people and situations and follow my gut feelings’.

See the golden ball separate from the brow chakra and slowly floating and descending into the glowing blue wheel of the throat chakra. Imagine the golden blue rays energizing the entire throat, upper lungs, digestive track, bronchial and upper stomach areas. 

Say to yourself: ‘I feel safe to express my feelings. I love, trust and respect my creative gifts’.

Now imagine the golden ball all separate and descend into the glowing green wheel of the heart chakra. See the golden green ray flow into the thymus, heart, blood, lower lungs, upper liver and arms. 

Repeat to yourself: ‘Love is the purpose of my life. It is everywhere’.

Now see the golden ball separate and enter the solar plexus chakra and blend with the yellow wheel there and spread the golden yellow rays into the entire digestive system, pancreas, liver, gall bladder, intestines and spleen. 

Repeat to yourself: ‘I trust my worthiness. I am worthy of the best in life’.

Now imagine the golden ball separate from the solar plexus chakra and floating down to the sacral chakra, to the orange wheel found three fingers from the navel. Imagine the golden ball blending with the orange wheel and the golden orange rays pass into the entire reproductive system. 

Repeat: ‘What I do is enough, what I have is enough’.

Now see the golden ball separate and floating down to the base chakra, the seat of kundalini energy. See it blending with to the red colored wheel. The golden red rays are spreading into the entire excretory system and energizing the kidneys bladder, spine and lower limbs. Feel the warmth. 

Repeat: ‘I am safe and secure all the time. I love my feet, they show me the way. I love my legs they support me’.

Continue breathing in through the nose, out through the nose. Feel totally at peace. Feel the centers are all flowing with abundance of love. All disruptive emotions have flown away. You are calm, fully relaxed/grounded.

Now imagine that all light is surrounding you. Feel your aura expanding and being protected with white light. No negative energy can harm you. You are fully protected. Relax Relax Relax. Now you are fully energized with Reiki. Imagine yourself in front of yourself. Pass Reiki to yourself. Heal yourself, your family members. Forgive yourself, your family members.

Now with Reiki energize the 5 elements. 

Imagine the earth in your hands

- thank the earth, energize the earth and bless the earth with Reiki. 

Imagine water in your hands,

- thank the water, energize the water and bless the water with Reiki energy. 

Now imagine the fire in your hands

- thank the fire, energize the fire and bless the fire with Reiki.

Now imagine the air in your hands

- thank the air, energize the air and bless the air with Reiki energy.

Imagine the space/sun/stars/moon/planets in your hands,

- thank the space and energize the space with Reiki energy.

You can thank god/angles/spiritual guides etc in a similar manner. 

Your meditation is now over. You are beginning to come back, slowly. From your head, your ears, your torso, your legs to the tips of your toes. Stretch arms and legs slowly. Slowly open your eyes and become aware of the environment. You are fully charged and feel fine in every aspect. 

The 5 Principles to promote a loving life

Whether you're familiar with Reiki or not, you may not yet have heard of the Five Reiki Principles by Dr. Mikao Usui. These five principles are a suggested guideline for all Reiki practitioners and enthusiasts to strive for and live by on a daily basis, which allows us to fully embody Reiki energy.

The Five Reiki Principles are guidelines that everyone can live by, to promote a healthy, loving way of living. 

1. Just for today, I will not worry.

For most of us, stress is a major issue in our daily lives. If just for one day we could try to stop worrying so much, we could all live more peacefully which in turn, will also bring peace to others. Not to mention, lowering your stress will also benefit your health! So just for today trust in Spirit, Source, God (or yourself!) and know that everything is going to work out just fine. It always does.

2. Just for today, I will not be angry.

If a typical morning for you involves being cut off by another driver on your way to work, you probably default to anger. Why not just take a deep breath, relax, forgive and let it go. What will you achieve by remaining angry and cutting him off to "get back at him?" Nothing. All that you'll end up with is an elevated heart rate (and more stress!) which is not good for your well-being.

3. Just for today, I will be grateful.

We are always asking for more and only seeing what we don't have. Let's try for one day to be grateful for what we do have — like a job, a car that takes you where you need to go, a roof over your head, good health and a family that loves you unconditionally and supports you. When we are grateful for what we have, we will attract more good. The law of attraction states that like attracts like and lack attracts lack, so stay positive and be grateful for what you have.

4. Just for today, I will do my work honestly.

Doing your work honestly brings more purpose and meaning into your life. When you do your work honestly and with purpose, at the end of the day you'll feel good about yourself and more fulfilled about your work.

5. Just for today, I will be kind to every living thing.

What you give out, you receive back tenfold. Be nice, loving and caring to everyone, even if it's not your favorite person in the world. We all deserve love and kindness. At the end of the day we will feel better about ourselves for bringing some light and love into someone else's day, even if it's just for a moment.

Even though it might seem a bit overwhelming to live by all five of this principles every single day, you can start today by trying just one. You will be much more happier at the end of the day, I promise.

Namaste.

Treating Depression with the Push of a Button.. the belly button

Depression is a mental illness, classified as a mood disorder, it is not a mere case of “the blues”, but a chemical imbalance of serotonin and norepinephrine levels the brain. Both neurotransmitters are excreted by one neuron and received by another through receptors located at the signaling site. Serotonin and norepinephrine levels trigger the structure of the brain that regulates emotion, stress, appetite, and sexual drive; the hypothalamus. When a person becomes stressed, norepinephrine is synthesised and serotonin is up taken into the cell triggering the hypothalamus to activate the pituitary gland and produce a hormone called CRH. 

This hormone activates the adrenal gland (located near the kidneys) to release another hormone, called cortisol, into the blood stream. Cortisol gives a fight or flight response by increasing glucose levels, heightening cognitive function, and reducing susceptibility to physical pain by numbing the senses to prepare for “impact”. 

If the re-uptake of the neurotransmitters is disrupted, the adrenal gland is kept in the “on” position and continues to release cortisol into the blood stream. High levels of cortisol in the blood for a lengthy period of time causes bodily reflexes associated with the fight or flight response to fatigue and ultimately malfunction, initiating s feeling of continuous stress on the body. Antidepressants target serotonin receptors in the brain by inhibiting the re-uptake of the neurotransmitter and giving the body the ability to regulate the pathway leading to the adrenal gland, thereby preventing the release of more cortisol into the blood stream. 

However, Reiki can focus on the lower half of the body, such as the naval and the kidneys where the adrenal gland is located. It is believed that there are three blocked chakras associated with people suffering from acute depression; the first being the Root Chakra.

The Root Chakra, located in at the base of the spine, anchors a person to the earth, and is responsible for driving the physical will of a person. The branches of the body involved with the root chakra are the blood, the spine, anus and rectum, teeth, nails, and prostate gland. Reiki healers claim that an unbalanced root chakra is unable to acknowledge reality and receive it joyfully; therefore the person overindulges in food, alcohol, or sexual actions, resulting in unhealthy habits and obesity. If the Chakra is completely blocked, the person lacks emotional drive or physical energy, in addition to feelings of sadness and anxiety.

The second chakra, referred to as the Naval Chakra, is centred right below the naval. This chakra encompasses the kidney, the pelvic girdle, the liver, the bladder, and body fluids such as gastric and lymph fluid as well as the blood. When the Naval Chakra is blocked, the person views life as uninteresting or expressionless, and they have an inability to form sensual and meaning personal relationships. Due to their “emotional paralysis”. the person acquires low self-esteem, causing low self-worth and contemplations of suicide.

The third chakra, called the Solar Plexus Chakra, is located above the navel at the base of the rib cage. This chakra was corresponds to a person’s self perception and ego. The solar plexus governs the lungs, diaphragm, spleen, stomach, and the pancreas. If the aura of this chakra is perceived as black, the solar plexus is unbalanced, causing the person to feel moody and unharmonious. The person becomes restless with life and its results thereby affecting their sense of security and accomplishment. Usually the person blames others for preventing their advancement in life, and exudes hostile tendencies towards others.

The Reiki practitioner, or the “healer”, is able to see the unbalance of the three chakras through the colour of the surrounding aura of the patient. Next, the healer lightly places his finger tips around the origin of the chakra, or alternatively positions both hands about an inch above origin of the chakra, being careful to keep the fingers close together. Once the hands are in place, the transfer of energy can begin. For example, when the healer focuses on the Solar Plexus chakra, the healer intently concentrates on the healing the patient while centering each hand an inch above the base on each side of the rib cage. The positive energy from the healer initiates the body of the patient to accelerate its own natural process of restoration. The healer loses no energy, but is simply a medium from which positive energy from the environment can flow.

Unlike antidepressants, which claim that effects and restoration of serotonin and norepinephrine levels may take years before improvements are noticed, most Reiki patients claim that they leave the session feeling relaxed and rejuvenated.

Reiki Meditation

A simple Reiki Meditation using Reiki hand positions and sending to yourself a beautiful loving and healing energy.

1 - Sit or lie down comfortably with your back straight. Take few deep breaths imaging that the most pure loving and healing energy is entering your body. When you exhale imagine that all tension, all negativities, pain, anger, frustration, depression etc are flowing away from your body together with your breath out. Let them go….let them go….

2 - You will place your hands on each major chakras on the front of your body and hold them over each one for about three minutes unless your body will ask you to hold them a bit longer or shorter. It is a perfect opportunity now to get in tune with your body. Listen to it and trust. As you hold your hands over your chakras, imagine life force energy from the universe entering your body and feel it flowing through your hands to the rest of your body for the highest good of all concerned. Feel the peace, deep relaxation, vitality in whole your body.

3 - Place your both hands with fingers together over the top of your head. Hold and listen to your body - gently with loving attention. Breathe in and out - nicely, slowly and deeply. Focus on positive qualities and let go of negatives.  Relax.

4 - Very gently take your hands and place them on your forehead covering your eyes if that feels comfortable. Hold and relax.

5 - Gently move your hands to the back of your head. Find the position there which is the most comfortable for you and hold your hands there.

6- Next, place your hands on your throat, very gently, do not push too much as you need to breathe and feel comfortable. You might put both hands on the front of your throat or one on the front and the other one on the back of your neck. Find a position which works for you, hold and relax.

7 - Now place your hands over your shoulders behind you with fingers pointed down. Hold and relax.

8- Place your hands now on your chest covering your heart. Do it very gently. Hold and listen and relax.

9- Now gently move your hands to your lower chest near the bottom ribs. Hold and relax.

10 - Place your hands over your stomach. Hold and relax.

11- Next, move them gently and place your palms over your lover abdomen gently touching just over your pubic bone. Hold and relax.

12- Gently place your hands on both hips. Hold and relax.

13 - Move your hands and place your palms on each knee. Hold and relax.

14 - Next place your hands on your both feet - cover either top or bottom of your feet whatever is more comfortable for you. Hold and relax. Do this position only if it is comfortable for you.

15- Now, bring your hands together in a Gassho position or just put one on the other one and hold for about three minutes breathing naturally and feeling the energy moving through your whole body. Feel that all negativity were flushed away and replaced with love, healing and joy.

Self Healing with Universal Energy

As many of you realise from reading my blog, my spiritual path has been somewhat disrupted. However, now it seems that the path is a little clearer and I am beginning to flow back into the flow.

Being a Usui and Tibetan Reiki Master for over 25 years, I have had the honour of attuning and guiding many people into the Universal Energy of Reiki. But in recent years I have not been so involved and I have neglected my own spiritual awareness and progression.

Having now undertaken a shift in many factors in my life, it seems the energies are also shifting with me and it is time for more self healing.

Giving yourself healing is a very important aspect of Reiki. And I always recommend to my students that they perform self healing regularly, preferably daily in the beginning. This is one aspect which I have neglected quite significantly.

As well as improving your health, Self healing will balance and centre your mind/ body/ spirit system, thereby allowing for a dramatically increased flow of Reiki energy during healing sessions. Most importantly, it will definitely increase your inner guidance, helping you to pilot everyday situations more successfully, and provide guidance for your growth when appropriate. 

Although you can give yourself a healing by simply relaxing with your hands in one position on your body, such as one on the Anahata (Heart) Chakra and the other on Svansihthana (Sacral) Chakra, many people use different hand positions. You can give yourself a self healing whilst in a chair or laying on a couch or bed.

So here are some basic self treatment hand positions:

1. Hands overlapping on the top of the head

2. One hand on the forehead, the other hand on the back of the head midway between the crown of the head and the base of the skull

3. Hands resting on the eyes

4. Hands resting on the ears

5. One hand on the upper chest and the other on the solar plexus (where the ribs come together)

6. Hands on the hip area

Relax in each position 2-5 minutes. Practice these positions until they are familiar and you have some confidence. Gradually let your hands be guided by your intuition. As you practice and have a little patience you will gain experience and begin to trust your inner guidance. You cannot really make a mistake. Your healing sessions are always watched over by the Divine to ensure that your efforts will always be rewarded.

Begin a self-treatment with the same respect and reverence you would when giving Reiki to someone else. Bring your hands into "Namaste" Position at the heart and bow gently. Silently ask for the Reiki to Flow into and through you. You may also ask for your Reiki Guides, and Reiki Angels to direct the Reiki treatment.