There are seven major energy centres in the body and these are called “Chakras”.
The Reiki hand positions most commonly used cover the major chakras of the body. Chakra is a Sanskrit word meaning wheel and chakras can be seen to be coloured energy vortexes within our body.
Each chakra is linked with a physical organ and a different layer in the spiritual aura. They are a part of the consciousness or soul and they are a way in which the higher self is connected to our physical being.
Many Reiki practitioners use chakras to focus and direct Universal energy. Energy is absorbed by the charkras and distributed within the body.
Through working with and understanding the different chakras, you can attune your own and other people’s mental, physical, emotional and spiritual energies.
Chakras are not taught as part of the traditional Reiki System but have been added on in later years. Some Masters teach Cchakras as part of the system along with Reiki. It is useful for the student to become familiar with the chakras as in traditional Western Reiki these are where the hand positions are held.
Some schools teach techniques such as opening and closing the chakras, some use pendulums to determine the spin of the chakras and to use this as a yes/no oracle if the chakra is blocked.
How much emphasis to be placed on the Chakras in Reiki is up to the individual student. Remember however the basic principles of Reiki: by doing nothing, everything is done. Manipulating chakras is an active act and would therefore seem to conflict with the original precepts of Reiki.
The seven chakras are:
- Crown Chakra
- Third Eye Chakra
- Throat Chakra
- Heart Chakra
- Solar Plexus Chakra
- Sacral Chakra
- Root Chakra
- Lie down in a comfortable position with a pillow under your knees to take the strain off your lower back.
- Place your left hand over your third-eye chakra and the other over your 1st chakra.
- Close your eyes, breathe slowly and open up to Reiki energy. Imagine the light and energy flowing down through the top of your head, through your heart chakra and out through your hands.
- Take several minutes over this until you feel it is time to change.
- Now move your left hand up to your 2nd Chakra and the other down to your Throat Chakra. Hold this position for a while.
- Then move your left hand to your Heart Chakra and your right up to your Solar Plexus Chakra. Hold this position for a while, then just keep switching your hands around your chakras at random for as long as you desire.
Carrying out the above and similar Reiki exercises is important as this allows your body to attune itself to the energy. This will help you balance your energies and feel good.
Also, you will be more in tune with energy vibrations and how the energy feels. A teacher can guide and explain but everyone experiences Reiki in different ways and you need to experiment with the energy and see how it feels. These exercises will also help you trust your feelings and intuition.
