Hands on Healing and the Reiki Precepts (a case study)

Into her clinic Tracy welcomed the client who had suffered chronic back pain since childhood. During the treatment Tracy’s hands on her client’s lower back started to twitch quite noticeably. Suddenly Tracy began to worry if she was doing the right thing. Was she exerting too much pressure on the lower back or were her hands in the ‘wrong’ position? At these thoughts the energy shifted and a new thought entered Tracy’s mind, it was the precept Do not worry. Then she remembered; there is no need to worry, all she need do was trust that all is well. The worry moved on.

Before she knew it the worry was replaced with anger. Tracy was now angry at herself for being worried, she should have known better! Yet another new thought entered her mind, it was the second precept Do not anger. That’s right, she thought, and she focused on her hara, took a deep breath and let the anger dissipate.

Having let her worry and anger dissolve, she suddenly found that she had a much deeper connection with her client. This space opened her to an overwhelming sense of deep compassion for herself and her client. 

In this profound state of mind she began to see the energy very clearly and certain images flooded her mind. Before long the treatment had finished. Was she going to tell her client about all of the images she had seen during the session? Tracy decided to be humble and not boast about her experiences. With a shock she was amazed at the connection she’d just made. She now understood that she was genuinely being honest in her work!

As a Reiki practitioner Tracy had performed a true Reiki treatment; it was undertaken with an awareness of the precepts at the forefront of her mind.

And from this authentic experience she had the realisation that the precepts really were the foundation of the system of Reiki.

After her client left, Tracy felt the need to sit down and practice the Reiki meditation hatsurei ho. As soon as she sat, the recent experience with her client came rushing back into her mind. She started to worry that all this ‘thinking’ was not beneficial to her meditation…

Aha! As she consciously dissolved her worry, and any anger that arose as well, she knew that she could practise her Reiki meditations in the same way as she had her treatment – all could be practised from the viewpoint of the Reiki precepts. She felt she finally understood the purpose of the amazing Reiki precepts and the unparalleled effectiveness of the system of Reiki.

The Reiki Precepts
Do not anger
Do not worry
Be humble
Be honest in your work
Be compassionate to yourself and others

Bronwen and Frans Stiene

Bronwen and Frans Stiene are the co-founders of the International House of Reiki and co-authors of The Reiki Sourcebook, The Japanese Art of Reiki, Your Reiki Treatment, The A-Z of Reiki Pocketbook and the Reiki Techniques Card Deck. Bronwen and Frans teach in the USA, Europe and Australia. Visit the Courses page to find a course near you.