Reiki Healing and Meditation Techniques

Reiki healing, combined with frequent meditation, is an effective way to improve your spiritual, emotional and physical self.

Reiki (pronounced Ray-Key), is a Japanese healing method that relies on the transference of energy through the hands of the Reiki practitioner to the patient. Reiki provides a wonderful way for practitioners to heal both themselves and others. Practitioners channel the healing energy of Reiki to harmonize and balance the patient's energy field. Practitioners also benefit from having the ability to provide Reiki healing to themselves.

The word Reiki is made of two Japanese words – Rei which means "God's Wisdom or the Higher Power" and Ki which is "life force energy". So, Reiki is actually "spiritually guided life force energy." Many who receive Reiki healing have reported feeling very warm in the area that is being treated.

Reiki is a very simple and effective method of self-improvement and natural healing that is safe and can be used by anyone. It is based on connecting spirit to the body and works well in conjunction with other treatments or therapies. This healing art is very easy to learn and is often taught by a Reiki master who passes "attunements" to the novice healer. The attunements open a connection to an unlimited supply of "life force energy" which enhances the new practitioner's overall health.

Reiki's Five Major Principles

While many find the practice to be quite spiritual, it can be used by anyone regardless of religious affiliation. Reiki has five major principles that are believed to enhance your quality of life. These principles focus on clearing your mind of negative energy and focusing on the positive aspects of life and the world around you. The principles are viewed as both guidelines for living and for becoming a Reiki practitioner. The principles are:

Just for today, I will not be angry.
Just for today, I will not worry.
Just for today, I will be grateful.
Just for today, I will do my work honestly.
Just for today, I will be kind to every living thing.

The Spirit and Health Connection

Reiki healing is viewed as a holistic healing practice. Webster's Dictionary defines holistic as "concerned with wholes or with completed systems rather than with the analysis of, treatment of, or dissection into parts." Simply put, holistic medicine attempts to treat not only the illness but also the mind, body and spirit.

It is commonly believed by metaphysicians and natural healers that true healing must begin in the soul. One of many books that supports this idea is "Realized Religion: Research on the Relationship between Religion and Health", by Theodore J. Chamberlain and Christopher A. Hall. This publication documents over 300 studies which demonstrate the correlation between spirituality and health.

While this particular publication speaks mostly to the Christian community, its findings cannot be denied regardless of religious beliefs. Whether you are Christian, Jewish, or Buddhist, integrating your spiritual and physical selves is necessary for optimal overall health and is one of the major cornerstones of holistic healing.

As a Reiki practitioner, it is important to maintain both your physical and spiritual health. Meditating, both as a general practice and before performing Reiki, helps to balance the chakras and increase your resistance to illness. Below are two exercises that are great for Reiki practitioners and those who would just like to practice some meditation and visualization techniques.

Relaxation Meditation for Optimal Reiki Healing

Choose a quiet place.
Sit in a comfortable chair.
Close your eyes.
Relax your muscles.
Become aware of your breathing.
Choose a pleasant word or visual image that you can hear and see in your imagination. Think of this word or image every time you exhale for about 15 minutes each day. If you have an intrusive thought or feeling during your mediation, return to the repetition of your relaxing word or image.

Meditation for Awakening and Cleansing the Third Eye Chakra
This exercise incorporates a yoga breathing technique called Anuloma viloma. Sit in a comfortable position. Place your thumb by your right nostril and your ring and little fingers by your left. Inhale through your left nostril for two seconds by closing the right nostril with your thumb.

Close both nostrils and hold your breath for eight seconds. Then, breathe through your right nostril while closing the left with the ring and little fingers for four seconds. As you do this breathing exercise, visualize a bright white light from above shining onto your third eye chakra.

Visualize this light filling your chakra and causing it to glow a beautiful indigo hue. This indigo ball of light begins to spin clockwise and you feel you chakra awakening. With each inhalation, visualize more light from above being fed into your Third eye chakra and you feeling more connected to spirit. This exercise works best if practiced at least once each week.