This is my first blog post in a little while but I thought heading into the new year was a good time to add this one. I held a reiki share just before Christmas….for those of you who are not familiar with this it is a meeting where reiki students, practitioners and masters alike get together to share positive reiki energy, experiences and developments with each other. At the meeting we discussed the question ‘What is Reiki?’

Whilst most people associate reiki with a relaxing hands on healing practice it is in fact a life journey. Like many ancient healing practices, such as yoga, reiki is also a way of life and a system for daily living. There are five main elements to the path of Reiki –

• Reiki Precepts (Gokai)
• Reiki Meditations and Techniques (one of these is the Hatsurei Ho Meditation)
• Hands on Healing (Tenohira)
• Symbols and Mantras (Shirushi and Jumon)
• Reiju and Attunements

Each element on it’s own can have a profound impact but when bought together as a complete system powerful change can occur.

KENYOKU HO (Part of the Hatsurei Ho Meditation)

Kenyoku means dry bathing and Ho means method. Kenyoku clears negative energy from the aura and, whilst at our meeting we discussed this being a good method for reiki practitioners to use before performing reiki healing, it’s a great method for everyone to use by setting the intention that you are using the process to clear any negative energy from the aura….here’s how….

1. Place the right hand on the left shoulder.  With the palm of the right hand, stroke diagonally down to the right-hand side of the waist.
2. Perform the same action with the left hand, ending on the left-hand side of the waist. Repeat steps 1 and 2, two more times.
3. Stretch the left hand forward. Place the right hand on the left shoulder and with the palm, stroke down the left arm until reaching the hand.
4. Repeat step 4 with the right hand. Repeat steps 3 and 4 two more times.
5. Raise your hands above your head, making a V-shape and imagine positive light energy flowing into your body.

As you practice steps 1 to 4 imagine that you are letting go of anything that might have become stuck in your energy system. You do not need to figure out what this might be. This prepares you for step 5 where you welcome positive light energy into your body. When we do Kenyoku, we are moving energy along our meridians and encouraging the energy to flow more freely.

Set your intention and let go of anything that nolonger serves you as you head into the new year!