One of the first things I noticed about Reiki hand positions while gaining my master knowledge, was how the hand placements are all spots we gravitate toward innately for many reasons.

We were instructed to place our hands on or above an area, and direct the "divine light" through our crown chakra, down through our meridian lines and out through our hands, and to remain holding them there for a few minutes. I immediately thought of a mother comforting a child after a bump or bruise. It is indeed what most mothers or nurturers will naturally do at first instinct, perhaps followed by a kiss, which is of course the ultimate concentration of lovelight!

Looking a little further into the practice, it became very obvious just how much of this we do, often on the daily! Take position #1 for self healing; covering the eyes with the hands. What is one of the first reactions to upset or overwhelm?! You got it- we already do this on instinct! The next one, #2 is often a combination of hands on chin/over ears, both of which we do intuitively to gain focus. These poses both effect the third eye or pineal gland.

The 3rd position as shown here in these great illustrations by Russian artist Olga Gringa is usually the 5th in our teachings but no matter, there is no wrong way! This is the throat chakra and we often notice we put our hands to our throats when we feel stifled or shocked. As you begin to see, these are all innately used to soothe and strengthen, but we rarely if ever, put intention and the power of belief behind these actions.

In position #4* we see the ultimate in kicking back and relaxing; hands behind your head, Position #5* is the one we go to when we feel an "oh no" or head scratcher coming on; heads on top of head. As a note, these two are for the crown chakra and are also reversed from our teachings. However, as my teacher wisely taught us, there is no need to feel any way of doing the positions is off, because Master Usui the creator of Reiki never used them at all, but simply used intuiting to show him the best way. I believe anyone can access energy healing and use these positions with or without Reiki attunement, as made evident by our very innate use of them in our daily lives.

Position #6/#7/#8 is a combination of hand over the heart chakra and hand over the solar plexus. You can try just the heart, or both hands high, and then add the solar plexus lower hand, and see if you feel a difference. Most people seem to find it most comforting to activate both chakras here, as shown in #7. This is something we do often to self soothe and is often seen in times of stress.

Oh the tummy troubles. So many of us suffer from gut aggravations these days, and a lot of that is due to carrying around stress + anxiety, as well as the lifestyle we lead often not being conducive to healthy, home cooked food. I know I find myself clutching my stomach in many instances, in bad times moaning and groaning as well, just wanting relief.

This is true more in the past than now, as I am doing so much better there anyway, and when I do have issues, can simply put my hands over it and send love and intention instead of an unconscious affectation. In #9 the sacral chakra is in focus, this is an area where many people feel discomfort and naturally rub and hold. The final position is the same as #9 but lowered to the root chakra; just on or above your hip bones, with your palms resting on the lower stomach. Another place we grasp often, this one is where our fight or flight is centered so no surprise it hits hardest when we are shook.

You can see from example now too, just how instinctual energy healing really is! So how do we really direct intention and belief behind these previously unconscious actions?

First, we can know everything is energy, right? That is the one thing that helped my skeptic mind get behind all of this "flakie Reiki" stuff I once resisted so vehemently. Even the scientific community is also beginning to understand and study meridian lines, While it may seem a little airy fairy to some to consider the energy body; while we have flesh and bone, at source we are an energy field embedded into another energy field. Our bodies are electromagnetic in nature, and science has measured these frequencies with advanced machines, like EKG’s and MRI scanning, for many years. Numerous studies demonstrate these energy pathways and points conduct electricity even when needles aren’t used.

Recently scientists at Seoul National University confirmed the existence of meridians, which they refer to as the “primo-vascular system.” They say that this system is a crucial part of the cardiovascular system. If we too recognize the energetic body, we can begin to believe that we can make changes by altering currents.

3 facts about your body: 1: Your body can manufacture and administer the precise balance of neurochemicals that can reverse illness and cure virtually any disease. Your body possess the innate capacity to heal itself. 2: Science has proven beyond doubt that the contents of our thoughts and emotions directly and immediately affect our biochemistry. 3: We can consciously influence and direct the body's output of healthy chemical information through mediation and other mental techniques.

So, by seeing the possibilities available to us in energy healing, and believing it's worth a real try to set aside any disbelief and just do the thing... miracles may just occur! It won't be the first (or the last;) time something unexplained and mystical makes magic happen.