Have you ever had a persistent thought or emotion that you just cannot shake ̶ even though you’re trying hard to let it go? This experience can be incredibly frustrating. Unlike unwanted physical objects, which can be given away or thrown out, it’s hard to relinquish negative thoughts and feelings. They tend to linger, like house guests who don’t get the hint that it’s time to leave.
Reiki supports the release of thoughts and feelings by treating them as stuck energy that needs to move through and out of the body. The energy may flow downwards to be received into the ground, or it may move upwards, sent out to the skies.
The most effective way to clear, though, is to funnel the energy in both directions at once. I’ve developed a process for promoting this kind of two-way release. It’s very simple and something you may use any time you feel sluggish, anxious, or triggered:
- Take a moment to sense what’s going on in the area around your solar plexus. This area is associated with power – think of it as the central source of your energy.
- Now sense where in your body unwanted thoughts and feelings reside. Those are the spots where your muscles feel tight. Common stuck spots include the heart, throat, jaw, the abdomen, and the colon.
- Envision the active energy from your solar plexus traveling down through your lower body, opening up any stuck areas. Focus on relaxing where you feel tight so that the energy keeps moving.
- At the same time, envision the solar plexus energy traveling up through your chest, throat and head to release what’s trapped in the upper body. Again, notice where your muscles are tight and relax them.
You may use this process as a meditation lasting five or ten minutes. Or, when you’re feeling especially challenged, envision a portal that remains open all the time, draining in the background while you continue through your day. It’s like a software program converted into energy, quietly working to calm and restore, so that you may fully enjoy the moment.