Hands On Exercises
Power Moves
Power moves are movements that we make with our bodies that assist us in concentrating and directing the energy. Most martial art use power moves to one degree or another. When people dance from their hearts, they are doing power moves, allowing the power to speak through their bodies. Power moves are a dance of power. Tai Chi is an ancient example of power moves.
Whenever you handle energy, you receive it with your left hand and send it with your right hand. Your left hand acts as an antenna and your right hand broadcasts the energy you have received. If you are open to its direction, power will instruct you-it will “tell” you what to do. Flowing with that energy can be a powerful and centering experience. It can also be distressing when you fight it or cannot control it. This dance of power begins as you relax and become mentally centered.
Stand quietly with your legs shoulder-width apart. Mentally give the power permission to flow through you and ask it to guide you. Raise your hands and hold them in front of you. Let your hands and body move as you feel guided. Your movements will be smooth and rhythmic, almost like a ballet. Power moves are a form of moving meditation. They are relaxing and energizing. As you do them, you collect a great deal of power in your body. They are healing to both mind and body.
If it feels appropriate, you can play gentle music or light a candle. Relax and let the energy move your body. Notice how it feels as it flows through you. After you have relaxed into the energy, allow it to move you for about fifteen minutes and then stop. Gently sit down and close your eyes. Ask the universe how to use the energy you have collected. If you don’t get a specific answer, send the energy to Mother Earth so it can heal the planet, yourself, and the people you love.
Allow yourself to bathe in the joy of that energy. If you are having a difficult time feeling the guidance of the energy, start with your hands. Hold them in front of your face and move your right hand clockwise and your left hand counter- clockwise. Move them slowly and rhythmically in and out. Gently notice how it feels.
Then while you are sitting in a chair, begin moving your legs in a circular motion, noticing how it feels. After you are comfortable with those movements, stand up and again begin with your hands. First move one hand out and away from you and then step rhythmically out with one of your legs. Next do the same with the other hand and leg. Slowly begin moving around the room. Notice your body and let yourself enjoy its movements. Allow the process to be sensual and rhythmic.
Be gentle with yourself as you practice allowing your awareness to expand. Enjoy the process.
Exercises:
Practice finding power spots wherever you go.
Find your special power spot. We all have places on this earth that are sacred to us. Take time to find your sacred place. Once you find it, spend some time there. Let that place heal you and fill you with its love. Let your heart guide you to that place. It will call to you if you are willing to listen.
Buy a packet of seeds and divide it in half. Do some power moves and then sit quietly with half of the seeds. Allow yourself to feel their life energy and then slowly begin channeling energy to them. Mentally see them growing big and strong. Plant each group of seeds in separate pots and give them equal care. Notice how much healthier the energized group is.
Reiki Mawashi
Reiki current ~ Group exercise.
The Japanese word mawashi means current. In this exercise a current of Reiki energy is passed through a group of practitioners. The energy of a group often exceeds the sum of the energy of the participants, and spontaneous healing at all levels may occur. You can practice this exercise for 10 or 15 minutes.
Here’s how it works:
Sit in a circle, and hold your hands a few inches above / below the hands of your neighbors ~ so that the left hand extends to the neighbor on the left, and your right hand extends to the neighbor on your right.
Turn your left hand upward, and your right hand downward.
Begin the flow of energy, sending Reiki to the left.
The recipient receives the energy from his or her right hand, lets it flow through his or her body, and passes it on to the next individual through his or her left hand.
It’s best if the energy flows clockwise “sunwise,” but this is not mandatory. The exercise will work either way.
For my sources see: Recommended Reading
Balancing the Brain Hemispheres
This grounding technique is called, balancing the brain hemispheres. Many of my clients and I practice this exercise because it is so relaxing.
Place both hands on the sides of your head so the palms are resting on the temples and the fingers cradle (wrap around) the crown of your head. The fingers from both hands will possibly touch at the top of the head. Hold firmly but not too tight.
Close your eyes and take several deep breaths. This is an opportunity to become aware of what your body needs regarding how many seconds it takes before you feel grounded and balanced.
Source: Balanced Woman’s Blog
Gedoku-Ho
The Detoxification Technique.
The Japanese word doku means “poison” or “toxin” and the word ge means “to bring down.” This technique is used to detoxify a client or yourself.
Here’s how:
- Place one hand on the tanden and the other behind it on the lower back.
- Leave your hands there for 13 minutes while simultaneously imagining all the toxins leaving the body of the Reiki receiver.
- Encourage the person receiving treatment to also imagine all the toxins leaving the body.
You can imagine that the toxins are flowing out through the bottoms of the feet into the care of Mother Earth for purification and recycling.
When complete, give the client a glass of Reiki charged water, and encourage them to drink plenty of water for the next 3 or 4 days to facilitate the detox.
Also suggest an Epsom salts bath to be taken that evening. This will leach the released toxins out of the system, and the person will be physically more comfortable the next day.
You might also mention that a detox may have a physical effect on the body. The person might experience a “healing crisis” as the body adjusts.
If Gedoku-ho is done at the end of a Reiki treatment, or if it is done as a stand alone treatment, remember to sweep and seal the aura, and detach yourself.
If Gedoku-ho is done at the beginning, or middle of the session, you would then continue with the treatment. Always follow your inner guidance and allow yourself to be directed by Spirit.
For my sources see: Recommended Reading
Techniques to Intensify the Power of Reiki
Here are a number of different techniques that can be used to intensify the power Reiki.
The “Homeopathic” Touch
Almost without touching them, very gently massage the zones that you would like to treat for somewhere between 20 seconds and 2 minutes. Then lay hands on them a usual.
According to the Arndt Schulze Rule (from the field of bio-cybernetics), fine impulses stimulate life activities while strong ones inhibit them. The fine impulses of the massage technique explained above direct the attention of the body consciousness to the appropriate area and intensify the body’s perceptive abilities. At the same time, the receptivity is increased. Prepared in this manner, Reiki is absorbed in a much higher degree.
Aura Massage
Calmly hold your hands about 2 or 3 inches above the area to be treated for about 20 seconds, and attune yourself to it. Then let your hands begin to move gently as though you are giving a very gentle massage. Be sure that the palms are always facing your client’s body.
After 20 seconds, again hold your hands calmly still for another 20 seconds and attune yourself. Repeat this technique several times, and then treat as usual.
By relaxing the aura, the possibilities of energy flowing to the body are improved because Reiki clears the aura. In addition, through the fine impulses of aura massage, the attention of the body consciousness is directed to appropriate places. This, in turn, increases the receptivity.
Wherever the attention is focused, the energy will flow more freely in that direction.
Singing Vowels
During the treatment, sing or intone the vowels, A, E, I, O, U, and the sound of the letter M. This stimulates the chakras and the aura to gently increase their vibrational level.
The higher the vibration of a being, the greater the willingness of its organism to absorb Reiki.
Rubbing Hands
Shortly before the beginning of the Reiki treatment, lightly clap your hands together and rub them intensely for a moment. This stimulates the hand chakras, through with Reiki is transmitted, to more intensive activity.
Baby Oil
Rub your hands together with a few drops of baby oil. During the treatment, be careful of sensitive clothing and treat within the aura, if this is possible.
I can’t explain why this technique functions so well, but it is widespread among faith healers and has great results,
For my sources see: Recommended Reading
Reiki For Yourself
The practice of Reiki is that of sharing and caring. Caring for oneself is a necessary precursor to effective caring for others.
Regardless of whether you choose to sit or lie down to give a self-treatment, you should always make sure that you are comfortable. Try to ensure that there are as few distractions as possible – mute your phone, or even put it on airplane mode.
Some people like to give themselves a treatment while they soak in the bath. A favorite time for many people is on weekend mornings before getting up and before sleep at night. If you give yourself a treatment before you go to sleep you may find that you drop off before you get through all the positions. Don’t worry if that happens – at least you will sleep well.
It’s good to give yourself a complete treatment using the guidelines on the following pages. However, if you only have a few minutes to give yourself Reiki, perhaps while traveling or watching television, you may prefer to concentrate on just one area of your body, such as the throat, heart, or stomach.
A good position when you feel tired or particularly if you feel upset or off balance is to place one hand on either side of your head over the temples, or place one hand on the Heart Chakra and one on the Sacral Chakra. This is also a position you can use when preparing yourself to give a Reiki treatment to another person. Let your intuition guide you to where you most need Reiki at that moment and you will feel the benefit, even if you have not given yourself a full self-treatment.
For a visual pictorial of the hand positions for self treatment as recommended by William Rand, see this post.
In some books on Reiki there is frequent ;mention of the hands instantly becoming hot as the energy begins to flow. This is not necessarily the case, especially when doing a self treatment. If your hands don’t feel hot or tingly, rest assured that the energy is still being channeled through your hands. Also, don’t think that just because your hands aren’t hot you are “not doing it properly.”
When I start a self-treatment I sometimes find that my hands go colder rather than hotter. Usually, after a few minutes my hands warm up and I can feel the energy flowing through to remove any blocks (cold often means blockages). But if that doesn’t happen, I don’t worry. I use my intuition to determine when enough energy has been taken in, and then I move onto the next position.
There is naturally a difference between whether you treat yourself, or let someone else pamper you with a whole body treatment. Consider making a commitment to a monthly Reiki treatment, where you are the receiver, and can simply relax and enjoy the blessings of universal life energy.
For my sources see: Recommended Reading
Exploring The Reiki Energy
Here are some simple ways to explore the energy of Reiki that is available to you after receiving your first degree attunement. These exercises are also fun and helpful if you haven’t used Reiki for a while.
Experiencing The Energy
With another person put your hands out, palm to palm, a couple of inches apart. Say a short prayer or affirmation to trigger the flow of Reiki. You may soon feel a sense of warmth, a coolness, or a tingling.
If you move your hands toward your partner’s very slightly, you may even feel a sense of pressure, as if you were pushing against a magnet or a very light balloon. Now move your hands even farther away and check for sensations again.
Make A Reiki “Bubble”
Hold your hands about 6 inches apart, keeping your fingers together, cupping your hands slightly. Say a short prayer, or affirmation, to trigger the flow of Reiki and notice what you feel.
Gently explore this energy field. Focus on the feeling in your hands, and see how the energy intensifies. Breathe deeply as you do this, and notice what happens.
Play with the “bubble” until it seems to be tangible, and then gently blow it away, with the intention that the healing energy to to wherever it may be wanted and needed.
For my sources see: Recommended Reading
Joshin Kokyuu-Ho
Breathing technique to purify the spirit.
This technique magnifies your Reiki energy and helps you feel like a piece of hollow bamboo – a clear channel for energy. When practicing this, you will realize that energy does not belong to us. It is simply the all-pervading force that makes everything pulsate with life.
With practice, you will find that the forces you thought to be your own personal energy melt and merge with the cosmic energy within your body-mind system. Then it becomes exceedingly difficult to draw the line between where the universe ends and “I” begin.
Preliminary exercise:
- Stand in a comfortable position, feet shoulder-width apart.
- Take a few deep breaths.
- Release all the tension in your body and think of something pleasant.
- Let your mouth open slightly.
- Breathe in through your nose.
- Rest your tongue on the roof of your mouth as you inhale.
- Exhale through your mouth, and let your tongue come down naturally as you do this.
- Bend your knees in slow motion while focusing your attention on your lower abdomen.
- Do each step very, very slowly.
Suddenly you will become aware of a point in your lower abdomen, 2 or 3 fingers below the navel. It is where your life force dwells, the center of your being. This is called the Tanden.
Now begin the main exercise:
It may help to put one or both of your hands on your lower abdomen and breathe into the spot you are touching.
- Inhale through your nose, and imagine drawing Reiki energy into your body through your crown chakra.
- Pull the energy down to your Tanden.
- When the energy reaches your Tanden, keep the energy there for a few seconds without straining yourself.
- Visualize how this breath is expanding and permeating your entire body.
- Then exhale through your mouth and imagine the energy flowing out through your fingertips, your hand chakras, the tips of your toes and your foot chakras.
Continue for 5 or 10 minutes.
For my sources see: Recommended Reading
Power Points On The Body
Scattered over the surface of an individual’s aura are various power points. These points are areas where a person’s energy varies in density or form, appearing either thicker or thinner than the rest of his or her energy field. Energy can be channeled into these points so the person can experience healing or have his/her consciousness pushed into another reality.
The human aura is actually a complex web of energy fibers. Power points are areas where these fibers intersect or join. By manipulating these points you can rearrange the fibers to adjust the person’s energy field. Moving these fibers can change the person on an emotional, spiritual, or physical level. This in turn can heal a person of physical diseases or emotional turmoil. It can also bring him/her closer to the sacred self.
As with any technique, learning how to sense power spots will take patience and diligence. It is something we learn to do intuitively, not intellectually. You will have to work with a partner.
One person should sit comfortably in a chair while the other person practices locating that person’s power points. To locate your partner’s power points, stand behind the person and relax. Allow yourself to go into a light meditative state. As much as possible release your mind. In order to feel another person’s power points, you must see with your spiritual eyes, you don’t see as much as feel; you sense at a deep level of you being.
After you are relaxed, slowly begin to move your hands over the other person’s body, being sure not to touch the body. Place your hands about six inches from the body and notice how it feels. Place all you attention to the area between your hands and the person’s body. Close your eyes and breathe deeply; let your mind relax.
- What do you see?
- What can you sense?
- Allow your hands to become sensitive to the temperature and texture of the person’s body.
- Move your hands in and out as well as over the surface of the body’s energy field.
- Stay relaxed and breathe deeply.
- Don’t try too hard.
- Simply allow yourself to really feel from deep within your being.
- Instead of thinking with your head, feel with your heart.
- Ask the universe for help in sensing this person’s power points, and let your sacred self guide you.
At first, as you move your hands over a certain spot you may feel a strange pulling or tugging at your hands. This is a power point. It may feel like a slight shift in temperature. A particular spot may feel warmer or cooler. Certain areas may feel sluggish or sticky or you may feel static electricity. Allow yourself to be sensitive to any change in sensations. Trust your inner knowing. Don’t debate it with your mind. If you think it is a power point, it is a power point.
Once you find a power point, ask the person how it feels as you move your hand over it. Without touching the individual, ask him/her where you are working. Both of you then can build the sensitivity. Take turns practicing until you can easily locate at least several points on each other.
The locations of the power points varies from person to person, and from one day to another. Be patient with yourself. Learning how to feel and sense on these levels is a new experience for your mind. You have been trained most of your life to filter out any information you receive from these levels. When you learned to walk as a child, you fell down often. If you had given up, you would still be in your crib or crawling around on your hands and knees. Be patient with yourself. Let yourself learn how to walk through these new levels. Have fun and enjoy the process.
~source unknown
Energy Exercise #4
Like your ball of energy in Exercise #2 was an exercise in control, with this next experience, you will learn how your energy can affect and influence other people in very subtle ways. Again you will need a partner.
1) Stand facing each other, with only a few feet between you. The receptive partner should have their eyes closed. Make sure this person is standing up straight, but is not braced against any structures.
2) You then try to use your willpower, breath, and intent to “push” your personal energy out and influence your partner. Use a gathering motion in the space around you to gather your personal energy as you inhale. Use pushing motions as you gently exhale, sending the energy toward your partner.
3) Take notice of your partner. If there is a third person in the room, this person might notice the action more than either of the exercise partners. Usually the receptive partner looks like they are swaying back, even if they do not consciously feel it.
4) Reverse the process by gathering the energy between you both, and pull the energy forward with your intention. Inhale and sweep your arms toward your body as you bring the energy closer. You may notice your partner pulling forward a bit. Repeat these steps several times until you feel comfortable with them. Then ask your partner, still with eyes closed, what they are feeling.
For my sources see: Recommended Reading
- Cindy Plante: Gedoku-Ho
- Gregory: Natural Power Spots
- Alexander Boyd: The Seven Subtle Bodies
- Alexander Boyd: The Seven Subtle Bodies
- Alexander Boyd: The Seven Subtle Bodies