Reiki is one of the most accessible tools for relaxation available today. Its primary and most immediate effect is the induction of a profound sense of calm. This relaxation is not just a pleasant feeling; it is a physiological event. Reiki techniques work by calming the body’s stress response, shifting it from a state of “fight or flight” to one of “rest and digest.” While a full session from a Master provides the deepest level of rest, there are foundational techniques you can learn and use daily to manage stress and center your mind.
The Mechanism: How Reiki Induces Relaxation
Reiki’s ability to induce relaxation is a direct physiological process. It works by activating the body’s parasympathetic nervous system.
Our bodies have two primary operating modes:
- Sympathetic Nervous System (Fight-or-Flight): When we are stressed, anxious, or overwhelmed, this system is active. Our heart rate and blood pressure increase, muscles tense, and our bodies are flooded with cortisol. We are in a state of high alert.
- Parasympathetic Nervous System (Rest-and-Digest): This system is responsible for healing, recovery, and calm. Our heart rate slows, muscles relax, and our body can focus on restoration.
Reiki is a non-invasive therapy that provides a gentle, coherent signal of safety to the body. This signal effectively “flips the switch,” shifting the body out of the sympathetic state and into the parasympathetic state. The muscle-unclenching, the deep, slow breaths, and the feeling of inner peace are all physical proof that your body has left the “danger” mode and entered “healing” mode.
Foundational Technique: Gassho Meditation
For any beginner wanting to cultivate a sense of calm, the starting point is Gassho meditation. Gassho means “two hands coming together.”
This technique is beautifully simple. Sit comfortably with your spine straight, close your eyes, and bring your palms together in a prayer position in front of your chest. The focus of the meditation is the single point where your two middle fingers meet.
Breathe naturally and simply hold your attention on that single point of contact. When your mind wanders (and it will), gently bring your focus back. By quieting the mental chatter and bringing your energy to one central point, you create an immediate sense of stillness and balance. This technique can be used as the foundation for all other Reiki practice; use it as the “home base” for your energy.
Clearing Technique: Kenyoku Ho (Dry Bathing)
Kenyoku Ho, or “dry bathing,” is a traditional Japanese technique for energetic cleansing. It is exceptionally useful for relaxation because it physically and energetically severs your connection to stressful events, people, or thoughts. Think of it as “brushing off” the day’s accumulated stress.
While there are several variations, a simple and effective one is as follows:
- Place your left hand on your right shoulder.
- Sweep your hand down across your chest in a smooth, firm motion to your left hip.
- Place your right hand on your left shoulder.
- Sweep your hand down across your chest to your right hip.
- Repeat step 1 (left hand to right shoulder, sweep to left hip).
- Hold your left arm out straight. Place your right hand on your left shoulder and sweep it firmly down and outside of your arm, all the way to your fingertips, as if brushing something off.
- Repeat with the other arm (left hand on right shoulder, sweeping down the right arm).
This ritual acts as a clear “stop” signal to your energy field, disconnecting you from what was bothering you and allowing you to settle back into your own space.
Simple Practice: Self-Reiki Hand Positions for Relaxation
For those who have been attuned to Reiki, the most direct relaxation tool is self-practice. By placing your hands on your own body, you deliver that calming, parasympathetic-activating energy directly to the sources of stress.
Positions for the Head (Mind)
When your mind is racing with anxious thoughts or you have a tension headache, these positions are very calming.
- Temples: Gently rest your fingertips or the heels of your hands on your temples.
- Eyes: Lightly cup your palms over your eyes without applying pressure. The combination of darkness and gentle energy is calming to the nervous system.
- Base of Skull: Place both hands at the back of your head, cradling the base of your skull (the occipital ridge). This is where the brain stem sits and is a primary center for stress.
Positions for the Torso (Heart and Solar Plexus)
When you feel stress emotionally or in your “gut,” these positions provide immediate comfort.
- Heart Chakra: Place one or both hands over the center of your chest. This is like a direct energetic “hug” for your heart, soothing anxiety, fear, or grief.
- Solar Plexus: Place your hands on your abdomen, between your navel and your ribs. This is where we store “gut-wrenching” anxiety. Applying Reiki here helps to “unclench” that internal knot.
Professional Sessions for Deep Relaxation
While these beginner techniques are essential for daily maintenance, the relaxation experienced in a professional session is far deeper. When you are performing self-Reiki, part of you is still “doing.” When you receive a session, you have only one job: to let go.
In my private practice as a Reiki Master-Teacher, I create a dedicated space where a client can safely surrender to this process. If you are interested in experiencing this level of relaxation, I offer online Reiki sessions designed to melt away stress. I also provide attunements and teachings for those who wish to master these techniques and become practitioners themselves.
