The Japanese have a very complex and thus well developed system of Reiki as an art. In the book The Japanese Art Of Reiki (2005), Bronwen and Frans Stiene focus on the self-development and self-healing aspects of Reiki, "If you really want to help others, taking the healing journey to find out who you are is the first point of call." There is no way to harm others by trying use Reiki to heal too early. However, the lasting effects of Reiki will not have the same impact as they would if the practitioner's Ki was well developed. Ki does not come from the practitioner. Rather it is the universal energy which flows through the practitioner. If the practitioner has only the preliminary knowledge of Ki then the flow of Ki from the universe may not be smooth. This can create blockages, stagnant energy, and can even drain the practitioner. These problems are not dangerous, but the patient would heal quicker and feel better without them.

To feel Ki, rub your hands together and then pull them a few inches apart. Imagine a ball between your palms. Keep your hands relaxed while you roll the ball of energy between your palms. You may feel warmth or a tingling sensation on your palms. This is the energy that keeps you alive and to be aware of it is the beginning to understanding it. Exercises such as this should be practiced often if you want to learn Reiki.

The Six Principles

1. These six principles are adopted from the book The Japanese Art Of Reiki (2005) and should be done before any exercise. They are simple principles that help you begin the exercise. First simply think of your intention. Keep your intention in mind even if it is only to feel grounded in Earth Ki. This will keep you on track so that you do not get distracted. Also, intent is one of the most important aspects of Reiki.

2. Secondly, sit or stand depending of what you are about to do. Sitting and standing are art forms in themselves. You should not do them without thought and dedication. At first this will take effort, but in time you will find yourself sitting and standing in these particular ways all the time. This may help your posture dramatically so do not brush these directions off as nothing. Sitting in traditional Japanese form is done with the legs underneath the body and the bottom resting on the ankles. This is called sieza. Start by bending your knees and placing your left knee and then your right knee on the ground. Place your knees shoulder width apart but angle your legs so that your big toes touch softly. Lean over your knees briefly and then sit back on your ankles. Keep your back erect, not straight, but with its natural S shape. Open your chest, roll your shoulders back, and extend the vertebrae of your spine. Relax and feel comfortable. If this is uncomfortable then you can sit in a firm chair or on a stool but keep the same principles of good posture in mind. If you are standing then, you will stand in what is often called horse stance. Place your feet shoulder width apart. Distribute the weight evenly between the balls of both feet. Your heel should act as an anchor. You would not place weight on an anchor, but merely use it to keep your body from floating away from your center. Bend your knees and hips slightly as if you were about to jump. Be alert but relaxed. Be flexible, yet sturdy. Keep your spine upright in its natural S shape. There is an axis in the center of your body that runs from above the top of your head to below the bottom of both feet. Be aware of this axis and let it hold you up as if it is being held like a string from the sky. These positions should be effortless and comfortable. If it is not, then do not do it. Never do anything that causes your body harm or discomfort.

3. The third principle deals with the eyes. Your eyes should be open to keep yourself aware and alert. Do not stare at anything in particular. Gaze gently at the ground in front of you, but do not bend your neck. If you cannot find a peaceful space and there are distractions in your view then it may be all right to close your eyes briefly to attain a peaceful space inside yourself.

4. The fourth principle is to simply relax. Sometimes when a teacher says relax a student will collapse, but this is not what the teacher means. Relax does not mean to fall out of the aware position. You can be relaxed and still be aware, alert, and ready to jump. In fact, being relaxed helps sharpen your awareness and reaction time while easing your mind. Let worries, thoughts, and distraction fade away. If you had to close your eyes to achieve this state, then once you feel relaxed open your eyes again.

5. In your relaxed state, begin the fifth principle, focusing on your hara. It is located three inches below the navel. Try to feel grounded and connected to the Earth with your hara. Breathe and fill your hara with energy from the world around you.

6. The last, sixth, principle is the position called gassho. This word literally means "to bring your palms together" and that is exactly what you do. Place your palms together gently in front of your heart. Do not press them together with force. Instead, touch the base of the palms and the tips of the fingers. This act symbolizes the bringing together of "in" and "yo" (or yin and yang in Chinese). These are the dual aspects in everything, the masculine and feminine, the dark and light, the above and below, the earth and the sky. All opposites share that link of being opposite. When you balance the dual forces of "in" and "yo" within yourself then you become centered in the Oneness of the universe. This delicate balancing act is an art to be mastered through a lifetime. Every practice will begin and end with gassho, but do not merely do the movement with emptiness. Think of the balancing of "in" and "yo" in your own body as well as in the universe.