These Reiki methods belong to the original teachings passed on from Sensei Mikao Usui to Sensei Hawayo Takata.

They can be used by any Reiki practitioner, from the first level up to the master level.

These techniques incorporate different breathing and meditation exercises that can be applied before and after Reiki self-treatment.

You may use them as small, stand-alone meditations after waking up and some of them before going to bed.

Their purpose is to channel the universal life force energy in order to cleanse and energize the physical, mental, emotional, and energetic structures of your body.

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Understanding The Basic Structure

There are 3 important things to remember before putting these techniques in practice. Be mindful of their order: relaxation > intention > visualization.

Relaxation provides a better flow of the universal life force energy through your physical, mental, and energetic structures. It is extremely useful for a healthy visualization process. To aid the effect of relaxation, try to have a few deep breaths before any form of meditation or self-treatment.

Intention is key. Before you do anything in Reiki declare your clear intention to yourself and to the universe. You can use a simple formula like “Now I will start the Reiki self-treatment”. You can ask for the help of your Reiki spirit guides to assist you. “I ask for the help of my spirit guides for (…)”.

The same applies after you finish a Reiki meditation or self-treatment: “I have finished Reiki self-treatment”. And then you thank your Reiki spirit guides for their assistance.

Visualization is the process that helps us see how the universal life force energy manifests itself in the physical plane. This will allow you to better guide it through your body then your life. Visualization differs from imagination. The latter implies the use of your brain to take control of the images that you receive at the cerebral level. Visualization is not influenced by the brain.

Gassho Meditation

This is the basic meditation that each Reiki technique should start with. It can also be used as a stand-alone method for calming the mind and general relaxation.

How To Perform The Gassho Meditation

• Sit comfortably in a chair or use the “seiza position”.
• Focus on the lower abdomen area, one inch below the navel. This is one of the power centers of the human body. It is considered to govern most of the energy flow throughout the body.
• Stay on this area for a few minutes and cultivate an awareness for this center of power, also called Seika Tanden or Hara in Japanese.
• Declare your clear intention that you will now start the Gassho meditation. 
• Bring your palms together as in a prayer position. You should hold them near the heart area, at a palm length from the body. This is called the Gassho position.
• Shift your focus on the tip of your fingers. Be mindful of your breathing and slow it down. 
• Empty your mind. 
• Whatever thought comes along, ignore it, and let it fade.
• Stay like this for a few minutes or more if you feel like it.
• Now shift your focus back to your Tanden power energy center and declare that you have finished the Gassho meditation. Thank your spirit guides for their help.

Here Are A Couple Of Things To Keep In Mind

In the Japanese tradition, the unification of the palms has multiple spiritual meanings. They represent an action of recognition towards Divinity, people, and ourselves. It also represents the process of shifting your awareness towards the inner-self where the true changes have to take place.

By bringing your palms together you create an energetic balance of the two brain hemispheres. This will provide a better focus and channeling of the universal life force energy.

Kenyoku Ho Method (Mediation)

Also known as the “dry cleaning of your body”, it can be practiced before and after self-treatment as well as a stand-alone, short meditation.

You can choose to do this either in the seiza position, sitting in a chair or standing.

It implies firm but not aggressive swipes of your hands in order to remove residual energies and cleanse the energy channels. You can do this with an intense exhale for each swipe.

1. Start Gassho meditation. Relax and focus on the Tanden energy center, below the navel;
2. Declare your clear intention to start Kenyoku Ho;
3. With your right hand, while you exhale, firmly swipe your body from the left shoulder to your right hip;
4. With your left hand, while you exhale, firmly swipe your body from the right shoulder to your left hip;
5. Now once again use your right hand to swipe from your left shoulder to your right hip while exhaling. Notice that we finish this with the repetition of the first swipe. You may use your intuition and do this as many times as you feel. Just remember that the first swipe repeats one more time at the end;
6. Raise your left arm parallel to the ground. Keep it stretched with your fingers straight. Use your right hand, while exhaling, to firmly swipe your left arm from the shoulder to the fingers;
7. Raise your right arm parallel to the ground. Keep it stretched with your fingers straight. Use your left hand, while exhaling, to firmly swipe your right arm from the shoulders to the fingers;
8. Repeat number 6;

Again, we can do this as much as our intention dictates, just make sure to finish by repeating the first swipe.

Return to Gassho position and focus on the Tanden energy center. 

Thank your spirit guides for their assistance.

Declare your intention that you have finished the Kenyoku Ho Reiki method.

Unlike other Reiki methods, Kenyoku Ho implies physical contact. It is an excellent method for removing residual energies from your energetic body.

Joshin Kokyu Ho Meditation

This meditation is also called “The purification of the soul and spirit”.

It usually follows the Kenyoku Ho, but compared to it Joshin is a relaxing, non-physical method of cleansing.

• You can choose the seiza position or simply sit in a chair. Keep your back straight and your chin up. Place your hands on your lap, relaxed and with the palms facing upwards;
• Start with Gassho and focus on your Shika tanden;
• Declare your intention for starting Joshin Kokyu Ho Meditation;
• Visualize how a beam of golden-white light starts flowing through your crown chakra and all the way to the Seika tanden;
• On each inhale, this beam starts to slowly fill your body with the universal life force energy. Every inch of your body and every organ becomes flooded with light;
• On each exhale visualize how the universal life force energy expands outside your body through your skin. The energy will start filling the whole room. It will slowly expand within the whole house too. Allow it to do so as much as your intuition dictates;
• Do this for 5-10 minutes or until you feel completely filled with energy;
• Return to Gassho and focus on your Seika tanden;
• Declare your intention of finishing Joshin Kokyu Ho Meditation;

Gassho Kokyu Ho

Also called the “hands breathing method”, this technique is another form of meditation.

Although it can be used as a stand-alone practice, I recommend using it following Joshin Kokyu Ho Meditation.

• Sit comfortably with your back straight either in seiza position or in a chair;
• Start with Gassho and focus on Seika Tanden. Stay in the Gassho position;
• Relax your breathing and your mind;
• Declare your intention to start Gassho Kokyu Ho;
• On each inhale visualize how the universal life force energy starts flowing through your palms all the way down to your Seika Tanden;
• On each exhale visualize the energy flowing from your Seika Tanden back through your hands in the Gassho position;

Byosen (Reykan Ho)

Also called “the scanning method”, this practice is recommended before self-treatment. You can use it to detect the energetically unbalanced parts of your body. 

Additionally, I recommend asking for guidance from your Reiki spirit guides.

You can practice Byosen after mediations or self-treatment. It will help you identify the areas that need more energy.

Byosen is very useful for both yourself as well as others. 

You may sit in the seiza position, in a chair or stand.

Applying Byosen On Yourself

• Start with Gassho and focus on your Seika Tanden;
• Connect to the Reiki light;
• Relax your breathing and your mind;
• Declare your intention to do Byosen;
• You may use the dominant hand or both hands to start the scanning on yourself;
• Slowly start from the head, going down to the neck, chest, and then the rest of the body;

Whenever you reach an area that gives you a tingling, cold or extreme heat sensation through your palms, that’s the area that you need to focus on. You can stop there and balance it out by sending Reiki for a few minutes.

Remember that you do this in a very slow rhythm on your aura.

Applying Byosen On Others

• Always ask for approval first;
• The person can stand or sit in a chair with their back straight;
• Slowly start scanning her/his energy fields with either your dominant hand or both;
• As before, whenever you feel an imbalance, tingling sensation, cold or extreme heat, you have found the area that needs more energy;
• Stay there for a while;
• Follow up with a complete self-treatment on the patient;
• After you have finished your practice return to the Gassho position and focus on your Seika Tanden;
• Thank your spirit guides for their help;

These techniques and meditations are classic Reiki practices. They were passed on from Mikao Usui to Sensei Hawayo Takata and then to her students.

With daily practice, they can considerably raise your energy level and help improve your awareness.

You can use all of them together with Gassho.

However, keep in mind that they won’t replace a full self-treatment. Although they do work as stand-alone meditations, it’s advisable to use them together with the Reiki self-treatment.