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No attachment to outcome. We are not gifted with the knowledge
of what form the healing will take. Human self can hope for and expect whatever; it's just not part of the Reiki. We have
the opportunity to say "thank you, mind, for sharing" and then continue on with our healing.
While many
people consider hot hands to be the hallmark of a Reiki practitioner, each person's experience is different and not necessarily
related to the effectiveness of the Reiki channeling.
My own experiences differ from time to time. Each of the
following is a recently experienced phenomenon:
` my hands have felt glowing hot to myself and the receiver
` the energy has felt glowing hot to myself and/or the receiver, while my hands themselves have felt cool to the touch.
` I have experienced no sensation of heat in my hands.
` often (not always) the receiver and giver
(when I've been in either role) have felt the sensation of heat similarly.
Most (not all) people find the
heat increasing over time with practice doing Reiki. The highest raising of that energy for me happens when I pass attunements.
OK to visualize (getting into Level II skills)
You can ask for your higher self to connect to other's
higher self and take what it needs from your higher self.
Music (I often use it) and candles (be sensitive to
possible allergies to aromas) and atmosphere are nice but not essential to Reiki - personal choice. Ditto taking off jewelry.
I tend to take off all jewelry; others keep it on.
For me, the continuous flow of healing energy is enhanced,
during a hands-on session, by my keeping at least one hand on the receiver as I make transitions between hand placements.
Regarding self-care and comfort
The primary consideration of the practitioner during a hands-on session
is the giver's own comfort. The practitioner cannot be fully effective if the action is painful or uncomfortable to her/himself.
Softly bending the knees while standing is helpful. I tend to sway a lot (back and forth, side to side, etc.) to keep from
getting stiff. I often rest my elbows, or even my head, on the table. Decisions need to be made about whether receiver will
sit or lie down and whether giver will stand or sit. This can be adjusted during any session.
Regarding comfort
of receivers
A. Sometimes receivers will get very hot or very cold - good to have a blanket nearby (be mindful
that this sometimes makes it harder to find where to put hands)
B. Nice to have a glass of water ready for the
giver and receiver before starting a session. Most people tend to be thirsty after body work or cleansing experiences. During
healing experiences, the body releases toxins; it's good to invite people to flush away the toxins by drinking a lot of
water, especially in the following day or two.
Let yourself be guided; trust intuition. Reiki cannot be used for
evil intent. If there is negative intent, it's not Reiki. With loving intent, all decisions are opportunities for a learning
experience - usually for both the giver and the receiver - even if something, in the moment, seems as though it might have
been a "wrong" decision. An example would be touching a person with a pressure that turns out to be uncomfortably
light or firm to the receiver - or sharing an insight that the receiver thinks is off-base.
Standard order is
from head to feet (from ethereal at the beginning to grounding at the end for "re-entry." Full session might be
45 minutes to an hour. Receiver can start on back, turn over later. Some like to begin with receiver on belly - or begin at
the feet or in the middle - let yourself be guided. There is no right or wrong order or place to start or length of time.
We are a touch-starved society. Most people don't get nearly enough human touch in their lives. Assume that
it will be good to put your hands on the receiver. If it's not right for any reason (skin pain or issues of past abuse,
etc.), Reiki can be just as effective with hands near, rather than on, the receiver. For sensitive areas or private parts,
hands are best placed a couple of inches from the receiver's body. Exceptions, with permission, might be (1) if the giver
and receiver already have an intimate relationship or (2) in rare cases where the receiver specifically asks for hands on
an area that needs healing (an example might be sciatic nerve pain through the buttocks).
Sessions can be silent
or talk-y, depending on circumstances. While most people prefer relative quiet, things pop up - for example, a strong feeling
or impression on the part of the giver or receiver that feels like it just HAS to be shared. Let yourself be guided and not
distracted by thoughts of what is "the" right or wrong way.
There are no contra-indications for using
Reiki. It is compatible with other healing disciplines and belief systems as long as all are used with positive intent.
Sending distance Reiki is a way to do something when you think you're helpless to do anything (earthquakes, World
Trade Center attack, injury or illness in a loved one).
copyright April, 2002, by Marcia S. Bernstein. All rights reserved.
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