“Where do I put my hands?” is a natural question when learning Reiki.
It can be very helpful, especially in the beginning stages, to have a simple hand placement chart nearby to refer to as you give a treatment; to yourself or another person.
A clear guide gives you confidence which helps you relax. This improves the flow of energy, and has a positive impact on the session overall as you are less in your head, worrying about your hands.
That said, a clear, one sheet chart was hard to find! (believe me, I’ve looked….and looked) So I had some made! My intention was to create charts that are clear, informative and easy to use. I hope you like them.
As you are aware, through Reiki’s development there have emerged many variations of hand positions. I compared numerous charts from Japan and the West, before deciding on these sequences.
This lack of a “definitive” sequence often perplexes new practitioners; it is the consequence of a practice that has been taught orally for several decades. Usui introduced hand positions (around the head), Hayashi created a Reiki Healing Guide detailing specific placements for specific ailments, and Takata taught a foundation hand placement sequence that her Reiki Masters recorded with variations and adapted and expanded in their own practices.
I encourage you to see these as “suggested” hand placements to provide a foundation for a session that also includes intuitive flow.
I see them as akin to learning basic chords of an instrument before diving into improvisation, and I encourage you to get very comfortable with them. The more you use them the more natural they feel, and the more natural they feel the more you use them and your sessions flow easily as your mind is relaxed and open.
I also highly recommend the wonderful professional illustrator who designed these charts. Elizabeth Moss is trained in anatomical drawing and she is a delight to work with. She is also a gifted artist; you can see her work and reach her directly at https://www.emoss-illustration.com/about A 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 professional.
Here are your charts! Happy practicing 😊 ✨ ❤ and please let me know your thoughts.
