Hatsu Rei HoWith thanks to Taggart King of Reiki Evolution (http://www.reiki-evolution.co.uk)

The Reiki attunements give everyone baseline ability, so you all start off on the same footing.

However, how effective or how 'clear' a channel you are depends on what you do with the energy.

It is very important to get regular practice, particularly in first few weeks after being attuned, by doing self-treatments and treating others, but from Japan has come a series of energy exercises specially designed to be used by Reiki people.

These exercises are called 'Hatsu Rei Ho'. 'Hatsu Rei Ho' originates in Tendai Buddhism, and the

exercises have correspondences with Tibetan Buddhist purification rituals, Taoist or meridian massage, and QiGong too.

They are used within the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai, and it was only in 1999 that the techniques were revealed in the Western world by Hiroshi Doi who is a member of Usui's Association.

Hatsu Rei Ho is designed to be carried out every day for at about 10-15 minutes, and is the basis of the practice of Reiki in the Gakkai.

It is something that is done conscientiously at all levels: First, Second and Master levels.

x The Japanese word ‘Ho’ means ‘technique’, so you will find it attached to a number of Reiki techniques. ‘Hatsu Rei’ means ‘start up Reiki’, and ‘Hatsu Rei Ho’ can be taken as meaning a technique to start up and strengthen your Reiki.

x This method, together with the Reiju empowerments that you received on the First Degree course, are the basic techniques of Usui's Reiki training as it is practised in Japan today.

x Reiju is used for transmitting the Reiki ability to another person, and Hatsu Rei Ho is used to strengthen that connection and to purify the Reiki energy that passes through the student.

x Hatsu Rei Ho is begun as soon as the student starts training with the Gakkai, and students would receive Reiju empowerments every week, to enhance their intuitive abilities and accelerate their spiritual development.

xIt was taught that it is not enough simply to receive a Reiki empowerment, although the Reiki ability will never leave you.

xIf a student wanted to progress on their spiritual path, they needed to do three things:

xContinue to receive Reiju empowerments on a regular basis,

xPractice Hatsu Rei Ho daily,xLive the 'Reiki Principles' as part of their

life.

This is How to do Hatsu Rei Ho…Stage One: Relax

Relax and close your eyes, and place your hands palms down on your lap.Focus your attention on your Tanden point: (an energy centre two fingerbreadths (3-5 cm) below your tummy button and 1/3 of the way into your body.)

• Stage Two: Mokunen (Focusing)

Say to yourself "I'm going to start Hatsu Rei now".• Stage Three: Kenyoku

This means 'Dry Bathing' or 'Brushing Off'Kenyoku can be seen as a way of getting rid of negative energy. It has correspondences with Taoist massage, or meridian massage. Here is what to do:

Place the fingertips of your right hand near the top of the left shoulder, where the collarbone meets bulge of shoulder. The hand is lying flat on chest.

Draw your flat hand down and across the chest in a straight line, over the base of the sternum (where your breastbone stops and your abdomen starts, in the midline) and down to the right hip.Exhale as you do this.

Place the fingertips of your left hand near the top of the right shoulder, where the collarbone meets bulge of shoulder.The hand is lying flat on your chest.

Draw your flat hand down and across the chest in a straight line, over the base of the sternum (where your breastbone stops and your abdomen starts, in the midline) and down to the right hip.Exhale as you do this.

Inhale and again, draw your right hand from left shoulder, in a straight line across the sternum, to the right hip, and again exhale as you make the downward movement.

Inhale and again draw your left hand from the right shoulder, in a straight line across the sternum, to the left hip, and again exhale as you make the downward movement.

Inhale, and again, draw your right hand from left shoulder, in a straight line across the sternum, to the right hip, and again exhale as you make the downward movement.

Inhale and again draw your left hand from the right shoulder, in a straight line across the sternum, to the left hip, and again exhale as you make the downward movement.

Inhale. Now put your right fingertips on the outer edge of the left shoulder, at the top of your slightly outstretched left arm, with your fingertips pointing sideways away from your body.

Move your right hand, flattened, along the outside of your arm,

Keep the hand moving all the way to the fingertips and beyond, all the while keeping the left arm straight. Exhale as you do this.

Inhale. Now put your left fingertips on the outer edge of the right shoulder, at the top of your slightly outstretched right arm, with your fingertips pointing sideways away from your body.

Move your left hand, flattened, along the outside of your right arm,

Keep the hand moving all the way to the fingertips and beyond, all the while keeping the right arm straight. Exhale as you do this.

Inhale. Repeat the process on left side with right fingertips again, Exhale as you do this.

Inhale. Repeat the process on right side with left fingertips again, Exhale as you do this.

Inhale. Repeat the process on left side with right fingertips again, Exhale as you do this.

Inhale. Repeat the process on right side with left fingertips again, Exhale as you do this.

Stage Four: Connect to Reiki

Raise your hands high up in air on either side of head, with palms facing sky & fingers pointing towards midline. Visualize energy / white light entering your hands running through your arms into body & connect to Reiki.

Feel the sensations. As you become aware of Reiki flowing, slowly lower your hands. This position is the first of the "Eight Brocades" in Qi Gong: connecting heaven and earth.

Stage Five: Joshin Kokkyu Ho

This means "Technique for Purification of the Spirit" or "Soul Cleansing Breathing Method". This is a meditation that focuses on the Tanden point.

Put your hands on your lap with your palms facing upwards and breathe naturally through your nose. Focus on your Tan den point and relax.

When you breathe in, visualize energy or light flooding into your crown chakra and passing into your Tan den and, as you pause before exhaling, feel that energy expand throughout your body, melting all your tensions.

When you breathe out, imagine that the energy floods out of your body in all directions as far as infinity.

Feel energy / tingling in your hands and feet, as meditation progresses.Stay with this energy for some time.

Stage Six: GasshoGassho means "hands together", and the correct position to hold is to have your hands together in front of your chest (like praying hands) a little higher that your heart, so that you could breathe out onto your fingertips.Hold this position for meditation.

An important aspect of this meditation is that you should focus your awareness on the point where your middle fingers touch.

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You might try putting your tongue up to touch the roof of your mouth with each in-breath, and release the tongue on each out-breath, and see if this makes any difference to your experience of this stage.

Stage Seven: Seishin Toitsu

This means "my mind is focused" or "my spirit is gathered", and is the stage when Reiju is given by teachers in the Gakkai.

Stay in the Gassho position.

When you breathe in, visualize energy or light flooding into your hands & passing into your Tan den: breathe in through your hands.Feel the energy accumulating there.

When you breathe out, visualize that the energy stored in your tan den floods out through your hands.

Stage Eight: Gokai Sansho

Say the 5 Principles aloud, three times. xJUST FOR TODAY, I WILL NOT GET ANGERY. xJUST FOR TODAY, I WILL NOT BE WORRIED. xJUST FOR TODAY, I WILL BE HONEST IN LIFE.

xJUST FOR TODAY, I WILL LOVE & RESPECT ALL.

xJUST FOR TODAY, I WILL BE THANKFUL TO ALL.

Stage Nine: Mokunen

Put your hands back on to your laps with your palms down. Say "I've finished Hatsu Rei Ho now" to your sub-conscious.

Open your eyes and shake your hands up/down/left/right for a few seconds.

Start your routine.