Solar Eclipse Reiki Meditation

Each month I offer a pay-what-you-can Reiki Meditation Technique session at the Village Healing Centre. If you are interested in attending future Meditation sessions, please feel free to contact me for dates at melanie@korechanges.com. 

I wanted to share this month's meditation techniques, as combined, they are great for clearing and charging, and work well with today's solar eclipse.



The Energies of the Solar Eclipse
A solar eclipse brings the sun's vitality into the lunar void of possibility. The solar eclipse reveals what needs to be resolved or released in service of our highest good, and cracks the seed open of a major new beginning.

About the Meditations
The meditation begins with the "Reiki Meditation" by Hiroshi Doi, as practiced in Gendai Reiki Ho. We begin each class with this technique, to increase our sensitivity and connection to source. 

Following the Reiki Meditation, we moved into "Hatsurei Ho" - a shoden or okuden technique, practiced by the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai. Other versions are taught in a number of other Reiki lines as well. This method cleanses the body using energy, in turn allowing for a greater flow of energy through the body. Cleansing and clearing is particularly well times on new moons, although it can of course be done at any time. Literally, it translates to:

Hatsu – to generate
Rei – spirit
Ho – method

Each of these meditations are available in a variety of formats online and in a few books as well. I personally like the Reiki Sourcebook  by Bronwein and Frans Stiene, which has had excellent reviews by beginners and masters alike.
 
Gassho

Gassho means to put the hands together. It signifies the oneness of Buddha and all beings. It also expresses reverence and gratitude.The palms of both hands are placed together with the fingers and thumbs extended. Both elbows should be fairly close to the body and the hands should be at mid-chest level. To bow during the gassho, the hands should be held steady, while the body is bent forward from the hips and then back to the upright position. Gassho is the natural expression of reverence and gratitude.
 
Reciting Waka
You'll note that in the Hatsurei Ho Meditation, there is a mention to "recite waka written by the Meiji Emporor". Waka is a form of poetry with a history that extending back over a thousand years, and Usui recommended that his students recite Waka as a first step to spiritual work. Many of the ancient poems were written by Emperors, 100,000 of which were written by Emperor Meiji, known as the "Sage of Poetry".

For this meditation, you can select from a range of Waka written by Emporer Meiji, or you can create your own to incorporate the power and symbolism of your cleansing and new beginning. I used an online Waka Workbook to create my own for today (written below), and suggest you do the same to help it be more meaningful for you!

Solar Eclipse Waka Meditaton

Dark Moon eclipses
Apollo's shine clears, renews.
Quiet alignment,
Inner spiral brings the charge
and cracks the seed of fresh starts.

REIKI MEDITATION

1. Close your eyes. Reach your hands up to the sky with both hands facing each other (forming a funnel shape), contacting the universe. Feel the connection to Reiki and feel the energy moving through you and surrounding you. 
2. Bring your hands down in front of your face in the gassho position. Keep your fingers straight and the tip of your middle finger at the height of your third eye. Feel the energy moving through the whole body. Breathe naturally while imagining you are breathing through your hands. Continue for a while and relax. 
3. Raise the non-dominant hand into the air and place your dominant hand, facing up, on your lap. Feel the energy coming in through your non-dominant hand and out through your dominant hand. 
4. Bring your non-dominant hand down into your lap with the dominant hand. 
5. Feel the universal love and energy for as long as you like. 
6. End in Gassho.

HATSUREI HO TECHNIQUE 

1. Sit in seiza and gassho – to center the mind and set intent. Close your eyes. (to learn about Seiza, see James Deacon's Reiki Pages)
2. Recite waka written by Meiji Emporor 
3. a. Place your right hand on the left shoulder where the collar bone and shoulder meet. Breathe in and on the out breath sweep diagonally down from the left shoulder to the right hip.
   b. On the in breath place your left hand on the right shoulder and on the out breath sweep down diagonally from the right shoulder to the left hip.
   Breathe in returning your right hand to the left shoulder and on the out breath sweep diagonally down from the left shoulder to the right hip. 
4. a. With the left elbow against your side and with your arm horizontal to the ground, place your right-hand on the left forearm. Breathe in and on the out breath sweep downward along the arm to the fingertips.
   b. With the right elbow against your side and your right arm horizontal to the ground, place your left hand on the right forearm. Breathe in and on the out breath sweep down along the arm to the fingertips.
   c. Breathe in and with the left elbow against your side and with your arm horizontal to the ground, place your right hand on the left forearm. On the out breath sweep down along the arm to the fingertips. 
5. Place your hands in your lap, palms facing upwards. 
6. With each in breath feel the energy coming in through the nose, moving down to the hara and filling the body with energy. 
7. On the out breath expand the energy out of the body, through your skin and continue to expand the energy out into your surroundings. 
8. Repeat steps 6 & 7 until finished. The exercise may take anywhere from 5 minutes to half an hour. If you begin to feel dizzy then finish the exercise and slowly build on the amount of practice time. 
9. Place your hands in the gassho position. Focus on your hara. On the in breath begin to bring the energy into your hands. Feel the energy move along your arms, down through your body and into the hara. 
10. On the out breath visualize energy moving from the hara back up through the body and then to the arms and out through the hands. 
11. Repeat steps 9 & 10 until finished. The exercise may take anywhere from 5 minutes to half and hour. If you begin to feel dizzy then finish the exercise and slowly build on the amount of practice time. 
12. Recite the 5 precepts. 
13. Gassho – give thanks.