by Laurelle Gaia
Creating Time and Developing Focus
When teaching Reiki classes I often speak of “my Reiki meditations”. This stirs questions and comments from many of the students. Frequently students exclaim “I just can’t meditate”, “My mind is always wandering”, “I don’t have time to meditate”, “How do I use Reiki to help me learn to meditate”, “I’ve meditated for years, why do I need to use Reiki?”
It wasn’t until I began incorporating Reiki into my meditations that I began to feel like I was really accomplishing something. I happen to be a Gemini with an Aquarius moon, talk about mental chatter! So if I can learn to meditate with the help of Reiki, I believe anyone can!
The purpose of meditation
First let’s consider the purpose of meditation and the forms it can take. Meditation is the art of creating a quiet mind and listening to the sound of silence. Where prayer is the act of talking with the Divine, meditation is the act of listening and truly hearing what God has to share with us. This can take place during special sacred moments that you set aside specifically for the purpose of meditation, or spontaneously. Activities when spontaneous meditations often occur are while brushing your teeth, in the shower, hiking, running, washing the dishes, mowing the lawn and yes, we have all had those auto-pilot moments while driving the car.
Creating time
Now, what about that challenge of making time to meditate? This is a challenge for nearly every person on the planet. Multi-tasking is a way of life for so many people, and time seems to be moving faster every day. So how does one make time? Simple… just DO it! Our communion with the Divine through prayer and meditation is THE single most important thing we can do each day. NOTHING holds more urgency for the development of our day, the events in our life and the growth of our soul. The most important relationship we have is our relationship with God. The quality of all our other relationships is influenced by our ability to commune with God as we would with a friend.
The best way I have found to create time to meditate is by starting my day earlier, and the first thing I do is my prayer, meditation and distant Reiki practice. Whatever the schedule of my household is at the time, I arise at least an hour before everyone else. This is MY precious time. These are sacred moments and they are just for me. You deserve precious, sacred moments to commune with and develop a relationship, a friendship with God and with the healing love of the Reiki energy.
Creating Focus
Usui Sensei taught his students the first pillar of Reiki, the Gassho meditation. Gassho means “two hands coming together”. Dr. Usui taught his students to place their hands in the Gassho position every morning and evening. Gassho teaches the art of quieting the mind and creating single pointed focus in meditation. One basically places their hands in prayer position, closes their eyes, and brings all their awareness to the tip of the fire (middle) finger. When the mind wanders, gently press the fire fingers together and refocus. This technique is detailed in “Reiki the Healing Touch”.
I begin my daily sessions with Gassho, and then I offer prayers for myself, for others and the planet. Next I send distant Reiki to all who have requested it.
A 21-Day Reiki Meditation Program
I have used the following 21-day program to learn more about Reiki, develop the ability to focus, to empower my prayers, goals and visions; and to receive answers.
Days 1-7 – Begin by creating an intention or a question. Draw the Usui power symbol in front of your body and with your hands, move the energy into your solar plexus. Breathe deeply, imagining that you are breathing in the essence of the symbol. As you exhale allow the energy to permeate every cell of your body, and expand out into your emotional body, your mental body, all the way into your spiritual body. State your intention or ask your question. Sit quietly with this energy for 5-15 minutes. If your mind wanders, simply invoke the name of the power symbol three times and visualize it. When you finish, acknowledge that you are holding the full light of the Reiki energy and it will be with you through your day. Write notes about your experience in a journal. Include any thoughts, words, images or feelings that came to you. Do this even if there seems to be no logic to it. Often Reiki and the Divine speak to us in symbols, or with pieces of a puzzle that will come together later by reflecting back on your journal.
Days 8-14 – Begin by creating an intention or a question. Draw the Usui mental and emotional symbol in front of your body and with your hands, move the energy into your heart. Breathe deeply, imagining that you are breathing in the essence of the symbol. As you exhale allow the energy to permeate every cell of your body, and expand out into your emotional body, your mental body, all the way into your spiritual body. Imagine any unhealthy mental or emotional patterns being rewoven into healthy thought, feeling and response patterns. State your intention or ask your question. Sit quietly with this energy for 5-15 minutes. If your mind wanders, simply invoke the name of the mental emotional symbol three times and visualize it. When you finish, acknowledge that you are holding the full love of the Reiki energy and it will be with you through your day. Write notes about your experience in a journal.
Days 15-21 - Begin by creating an intention or a question.Draw the Usui distant healing symbol in front of your body and with your hands, move the energy into your entire body beginning by moving the energy from the crown and down through your feet. Breathe deeply, imagining that you are breathing in the essence of the symbol. As you exhale allow the energy to permeate every cell of your body, and expand out into your energy field.State your intention or ask your question.
Take a moment to imagine or visualize the symbol taking the form of a bridge of light. This bridge reaches through time and through space. Allow the bridge of light to carry Reiki energy back in time as it permeates all levels of your consciousness and the multiple dimensions of your being.
Next allow the energy to flow forward in time creating harmonious energy in your future. Now bring the energy into the present moment. Sit quietly with this energy for 5-15 minutes. If your mind wanders, simply invoke the name of the distant symbol three times and visualize it. When you finish, acknowledge that you are holding the timeless healing power of the Reiki energy and it will be with you through your day. Write notes about your experience in a journal.
This 21 day program is designed for those who are attuned to level two Reiki. Level I practitioners could modify it using level I energy instead of the symbols. It is possible to also extend the program for another 21 days by replacing the symbols with the three Reiki Master symbols, or with the Karuna symbols of your choice.
I hope you find these suggestions helpful, and that you are willing to explore the importance of creating special time to deepen your relationship with the Divine and the love of the Reiki energy.
In the Light of the Creator . . .
We See Only Love
