Reiki Self-Treatment

Hands cupped lightly above the top of the head, not touching.

GovernsOverthinking, insomnia, feeling scattered

You may noticeHeat or a heaviness that settles as the mind slows.

Palms resting over closed eyes, fingertips at the hairline.

GovernsEye strain, sinus pressure, tension headache

You may noticeColour or light behind the lids; jaw releasing.

Both hands cradling the base of the skull.

GovernsOld fear, startle response, neck holding

You may noticeA long exhale that arrives unasked.

Hands hovering either side of the throat — never pressing.

GovernsUnsaid things, hoarseness, swallowing anxiety

You may noticeTingling, or the urge to speak.

One hand on the sternum, one over the upper back.

GovernsGrief, loneliness, guardedness

You may noticeWarmth spreading sideways under the ribs.

Both palms flat below the ribs.

GovernsWorry, control, digestion, self-worth

You may noticeGurgling — a good sign, not an embarrassing one.

Hands low on the belly, fingers meeting at the midline.

GovernsCreativity, cycles, intimacy, appetite

You may noticeA soft ache that fades into looseness.

One hand at the base of the spine, one at the pubic bone.

GovernsSafety, money fear, restlessness

You may noticeLegs becoming heavy against the surface.

A hand on each knee, then each sole in turn.

GovernsMoving forward, stubbornness, grounding

You may noticeCool air at the soles as the session drains.

Power symbol

“Place the power of the universe here.”

Switches the session on and concentrates energy in one spot. Used to open and to seal.

Drawn asA horizontal stroke, a vertical drop, then a spiral of three coils turning anticlockwise.

Harmony symbol

“God and humanity become one.”

Emotional and mental healing — habits, grief, fear, addiction. Drawn over the head and heart.

Drawn asA tall curved spine with three horizontal strokes crossing it, like a stylised wave.

Distance symbol

“No past, no present, no future.”

Sending a treatment across distance or time — to an absent person, a past wound, a future event.

Drawn asFive stacked kanji drawn top to bottom in a single column.

Master symbol

“Great being of the universe, shine on me.”

Soul-level work and attunement. Held in the crown before any other symbol is drawn.

Drawn asA single flowing kanji, begun at the upper left, finished with a long descending sweep.

Completion symbol

“Lightning bolt.”

Grounds and separates at the end of an attunement, returning both people to their own field.

Drawn asA zigzag drawn from crown to floor in one unbroken stroke.