Positions in Reiki Therapy

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The hands are clearly the 'instruments' of healing in reiki and although the position in which they are placed on the recipient is meaningful, it may not be possible, nor is it essential that the exact position is copied. Just placing the hands on the appropriate part of the body will suffice.

Reiki can be effected through clothing, as the energy will flow just as well, but many people prefer to have no material obstacles to the therapy. In this case, and particularly for partners, the reiki can be undertaken in the nude. If there are any physical blemishes such as a burn or other wound, the hands should be held a few inches above the skin at this area, around the corresponding acupuncture point, or reflex zone.

The head

On the head, the basic position is shown in the figure below. The hands are placed either side of the nose, with the palms covering the eyes; the thumbs rest by the bridge of the nose and the fingertips cover the cheeks and reach the upper lip. This arrangement covers the sinuses, eyes, pituitary gland, teeth and is useful for dealing with colds, sinusitis, eye complaints, allergies, fatigue and general discontent.

In the second arrangement for the head, the hands are placed over the ears, with the fingertips extending down the jawline to the neck, encompassing the ears of course which includes the semi-circular canals, responsible for balance. The effect also extends to the pharyngeal area. Diseases and problems of these organs- colds, trouble with balance, hearing loss, etc- are dealt with in this arrangement.

If the hands are placed on the back of the head, this helps with conditions such as headaches, colds, asthma and circulatory problems. It generally promotes relaxation.

The chest and abdomen

The next sequence of hand arrangements is for the chest and abdomen. Once again there are many variations, but a selection is presented here. The arrangement for the thymus, heart and lungs is as follows: one hand is laid across the thymus and the other is at 90° starting just below and between the breasts. The thymus is a bilobed gland in the neck which is an important part of the immune system. This arrangement therefore reinforces the immune system and helps the lymphatics, the heart, lungs and counters any general debility.

The next illustration in the sequence shows the hands placed either side of the navel and slightly to one side. The stomach and digestive organs are the focus of attention here and the conditions/symptoms addressed necessarily have a link with these body systems. As such this will help digestion and the metabolism in general terms, and specifically will combat nausea, heartburn, gastro-intestinal diseases and indigestion. Because the presence of such conditions often results in tension and worry, the relief of symptoms will similarly help relieve anxiety and depression.

Next are two positions in which the hands are placed in a position similar to that shown in the arrangement used to focus on the stomach and digestive organs but further away from the body midline. One version is to approach the body from the right side of the partner/client. The left hand is placed around the base of the ribcage and in this way the gall bladder and liver are the organs to be dealt with. This position is for diseases and conditions of these important organs and associated problems of a metabolic nature. The liver is a vital organ in the process of removing toxins from the body and this arrangement can therefore be very important.

The position related to this one is essentially a reflection, where the hands are placed on the left side of the body to encompass the area of the bowels, spleen and some of the pancreas. Accordingly diseases of these organs, indigestion and healthy blood are all dealt with.

The position of the hands where the pelvic bones are covered and meet over the pubic area is for a number of ailments, many associated with the appendix, intestines and urinogenital organs. In addition, this arrangement is considered suitable for allergies, general debility, problems of a sexual nature and related to weight and is appropriate to reinforce the immune system.

The back

There are a number of arrangements which can be adopted on the back and lower back. The figure shows one such position with a number of effects but it is likely that by gently experimenting, a slightly different yet equally beneficial arrangement can be found. Here the hands are placed across the shoulder blades at mid to upper point, to influence the intestines, lung, heart and various muscles in the neck and shoulder region. This will help lung and heart diseases, muscular tension, headaches and related conditions.

If the hands are placed lower down the back, around the midriff (on the lower ribs) this position will accommodate the kidneys and adrenal glands. (The adrenal glands are situated one each on the upper surface of each kidney and are important because they manufacture hormones that control a variety of body functions, e.g. adrenaline is one hormone produced).

In addition to these specific positions, there are many other reiki positions to deal with a multitude of complaints and the reader is referred to a more extensive account for greater detail. It must always be remembered that serious conditions or diseases of a particular nature should be dealt with by the appropriate specialist.