Seven major chakras have been identified. If you refer to Figure 2-2, you can see the placement of these chakras in the body:
The first chakra is located at the base of your spine going down through the perineum, which is the region between the anus and the genitals.
The second chakra is located between the navel and pubic bone.
The third chakra is between your diaphragm (the bottom of your rib cage) and navel.
The fourth chakra is in the center of the chest at the level of your heart.
The fifth chakra is at the base of the throat.
The sixth chakra is in the forehead, between and above the eyebrows.
The seventh chakra is just above the top of the head.
Each chakra manages a flow of energy between the physical, etheric, emotional, mental, and spiritual bodies. When your body is healthy, energy flows along the meridians and chakras. But when there’s an energy block, the nearby meridians and chakras don’t experience the energy flow. If this energy block isn’t cleared, disease of nearby organs can occur.
The good news is that Reiki healing can open blocked chakras. When you perform a Reiki session, you can sense the energy of the chakra on both the front and the back of the body (except for the crown chakra).
Ultimately, the source of energy flow comes from outside the body and extends upward to the heavens for higher spiritual energy and below the body for earth energy. The chakras serve to bring in energy from outside the body. When the chakras are open and flowing, your energy is in balance and harmony.
Detecting Your Subtle Energy System with Reiki
You may be wondering how it’s possible to sense your subtle energy system if conventional equipment can’t see or measure it.
Whether you’re the provider or recipient of Reiki energy, you’ll probably sense the Reiki energy during the session. The recipient should relax and not worry about trying to sense anything during the treatment — just let it happen (see Chapter 5). If you’re giving Reiki, you can train yourself to detect this energy by using the following:
Your hands: During a Reiki session, the practitioner’s hands not only transmit spiritual energy but also receive certain information from the recipient. This information may be tingles, heat, visualizations, or other signs that give the practitioner feedback on where to treat and when to stop (see the technique Byosen Reikhan Ho in Chapter 11). The more you use your hands in treating others, the more sensitive you’ll be to this information.
Your intuition: Even without touching someone, you can sense the person’s energy.You can gaze gently and see the person’s aura, which may provide information on the person’s energy systems.The connection made during distant Reiki (see Chapter 15) may enable you to pick up on certain energy information.Meditation and visualization can also indicate where any energy disruptions are occurring.
A pendulum: Some Western Reiki practices use a pendulum as a diagnostic tool to see whether a chakra is open, closed, or somewhere in between. When a chakra’s energy is flowing, the pendulum is open; when energy is blocked, the pendulum is closed. You can find pendulums in stores that sell crystals (see Chapter 12). I suggest that you find out about pendulum use from your Reiki teacher. You predetermine the signs for “yes” (or open) and “no” (or closed) by “asking” the pendulum what a yes looks like and then what a no looks like. With practice, you can obtain repeatable results.
Developing the ability to sense energy is one of the gifts of Reiki practice. Many people intuitively understand this spiritual energy and have sensed it in their own lives. More people recognize and value their sensitivity, intuition, and empathic abilities.
Chapter 3
Exploring Reiki’s Roots and Branches
IN THIS CHAPTER
