It is more important to experience Ki before trying palm healing because the procedure is less important. There are many different hand positions to note, but the positions alone are not as significant to Reiki as the understanding and development of Ki. As a general rule it is a good idea to give Reiki to both sides of the body to keep balanced, unless there is a certain part of the body that is in pain, because pain means that there is an imbalance of Ki in the body so concentrating Ki on pain can resume harmony and enhance healing. When giving yourself Reiki there are no wrong hand positions unless it puts your body in an uncomfortable position. Nevertheless, the traditional hand positions will be discussed in this next section.

First, there is a particular way to hold your hands while doing Reiki. Press all of your fingers and your thumb together gently, without force. Hold your hands in a slightly cupped position so that your muscles and tendons are not tense or strained but relaxed. Both hands are usually used for healing at the same time, because when channeling energy, the energy will flow through both hands whether they are both on the body or not. However, one hand can be used at a time, just be aware of both hands. Also, the hands can be placed on different parts of the body for different effects. Another method is to place the palm of one hand down on top of the back of the other hand. The hands can be place directly on the body or up to a few inches off the body. For some people it is easier to feel Ki when the hands are not touching the body, for others it is easier to feel Ki when the hands are touching the body. The last method of holding your hands is used to heal a single point of pain or an injury. It consists of pointing your index and middle fingers at a particular part of the body that needs healing, while the remaining fingers make a partial relaxed fist.

Next I will include many of the traditional and modern Reiki hand positions used on yourself. Remember that these are simple suggestions, the possibilities are endless. You can place your hands anywhere on your own body, even the private places if you feel comfortable doing so. The only place on your own body where you should not put your hands is where it does not feel good to do so. Never force yourself into a position that does not feel comfortable.

Before beginning palm healing you should relax, stand in horse stance, or sit in sieza. Also practice the six principles just as you would with any Ki exercise. You may also want to cultivate a little Ki with one of the exercises above or some other exercise that appeals to you.

One frequently used position for a quick treatment is to place one hand on the forehead and one hand on the hara. This helps connect the mind and body or the Heaven Ki and the Earth Ki within your body. This position is a good one to use if you are stressed out or just need a little extra energy. It is also beneficial to use this to center yourself and connect your hara to your crown before a treatment on yourself or another person.

A common place to begin is the head. Traditionally, from the head to the feet is the direction to work because that is the direction Ki naturally flows. If there is a particular spot on your body that is causing you pain then that can be treated first. However, the head is a good starting point of two reasons: one, because many problems, apart from the head, can be healed by giving the head Reiki; two, because once you become more advanced you will be able to perform a head treatment that will guide your hands to areas of the body in need of work.

Common positions include placing one hand on each side of your head near the temples. Then move each hand to rest over the eyes. Next, place one hand on top of the other on the back of the head. Also, embrace the crown by placing your hands just off your head with the fingers almost touching at your center. At last, place one hand on the forehead and one on the back of the head at the base of the skull. Once you have covered your head, you can move onward down your body in a logical manner.

Logically, after the head the neck would be the next place to treat. It is not advised to press the hands on the neck; therefore, you should leave the hands just off the neck or embrace it gently. You can treat the left and right side simultaneously and then the front and back. Giving Reiki to the neck usually helps the throat most. If the muscles and tendons in your neck are sore then it is a good idea to also work in the shoulders because the root of most neck problems originates in the shoulders and upper back.

When working on your shoulders it is a good idea to work on one at a time since the position of the arm you are working on is important. Keep your right arm relaxed while giving your right shoulder Reiki with your left hand. Then switch sides. Then reach your right hand down to your left shoulder blade and give it Reiki. Switch sides and give your right shoulder blade Reiki with your left palm. Next the chest can be worked on by placing your hands side by side with your fingers pointing toward each other. Traditional there are three chest positions, upper chest, middle chest, and lower chest. Depending on the size of your hands compared to your chest you may find room for more positions. Generally you should work from the top downward toward the hara.

The back is a more difficult part of the body to work on yourself. If you are flexible you may be able to reach around and place your hands diagonally on your lower back. If it is easy for you to reach other parts of your back with your palms then you can do so, but do not strain yourself. Reiki will have a harder time flowing if you stretch into a position that pulls your arms to their fullest extent. So always remember to do only what is comfortable.

After you have worked on the head, the neck, the torso, and the hara, you can move on the the limbs. When working on your arms, only use one hand at a time unless you are working on your palms themselves and in that case you can place your palms together. Move from the shoulder down the arm, over the elbow, past the wrist, and to the hand. Repeat on the opposite side to keep the body's energy balanced. Once you have given Reiki to both arms you can work on the legs. Again, start at the hips, move down over the knees, the ankles, and to the feet. Then switch legs and repeat. To reach the entire leg you can sit in a chair and place the lower part of the calf of the leg you want to give Reiki to on top of the knee of the other leg. Another position is to sit on the ground or the floor with both knees bent and both legs turned off to one side, then change sides. To work on the insides of your legs you can sit in a position sometimes referred to as the butterfly. This position is when the bottoms of your feet are together, while your knees and thighs are spread apart. If you find these positions to be uncomfortable and you know of an easier way to work on your legs then you are welcome to do that instead.

Once you have practiced Reiki for a while you may be able to intuitively know where your body needs more Ki and give Reiki to that part of your body, resuming balanced Ki. Use your intuition, especially while you are giving Reiki to your head. If you feel an urge or a tingling sensation in a particular area that your hand goes over, then work on that area even if you don't think that you know of a problem there. Ki flows through the meridians in your body. These meridians have points which are stimulated in acupressure to achieve healing purposes. For the same reason, you may find yourself working on a point in your hand but not feel any problems with your hand. That point could be linked by a meridian to your liver or your spleen. Therefore, when giving Reiki to your hands or your head you are also giving Reiki to the Organs that are connected to the meridians that have points in those places. Understanding the pressure points and the meridians can be a very beneficial ascent to Reiki. Let Reiki guide and teach you. Additional information about meridians can be found in The Web That Has No Weaver (1983).