Reiki hand positions are the key to either self-treating yourself with reiki, or treating others. Before your start your session, if you happen to be new at this, or even if you are not, check the charts for the correct reiki hand positions before you start.
Before your session with yourself or your client, once you have the reiki hand positions scoped out, you will likely (depending on what level you are at in your reiki journey) start by drawing your symbols. If you are an advanced practitioner, then start with Dai Ko Mio, then Cho Ko Rei, then Sei He Ki and finally Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen. If you are not advanced, you would be starting your session with the Cho Ko Rei and then assuming the reiki hand positions. Remember to draw the symbols and say the names of each symbol three times.
What happens next, now that you have drawn and called your symbols, is the universal life force energy starts flowing through your hands. By now you will have the first of the reiki hand positions already on your client. The first position is over the eye area. Very gently lay your hands there in the right reiki hand positions and begin. By starting at the top of your client and following all the proper reiki hand positions, you will allow the energy to flow where it needs to go, where the client needs it the most. Just don't force the energy to go some where, it will do that on its own.
A typical reiki session takes about 45 minutes, during which time you will have used your reiki hand positions all over the client's body – holding each position from 3 to 5 minutes in duration. You can use your intuition on the length of time to hold the positions. Cup your hands slightly, fingers holding together, and keep your touch light. Your client will likely either be on your reiki massage table or in a chair if they wish.
Your intent before starting your reiki session is to be clear that you are starting treatment to help heal and to have the universal life force energy flow through you to facilitate that. It's not a really complicated ritual, just the simple exchange of energy between two or more people. You need the desire to help heal and give. They need the desire to receive help and energy.
You don' t have to worry about where the energy is going once you have started working on the client. Reiki life force energy is smart and it knows where it needs to go. In fact, once you have started your session it's best to just get out of the way of the energy and let it do its own thing.
The treatment protocol usually taught Reiki practitioners involves a series of hand positions well spaced along the client's body. The way they are spaced out provides good coverage for the client. While the energy does go where it is most needed, it often stays near where the practitioner has placed her hands. Having said that, it makes sense that by covering all parts of the body evenly, the client gets the best treatment possible.
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