Gassho Meditation

Gassho meditation is part of the “secret method of inviting happiness” that was developed by Mikao Usui, the founder of Reiki. It is a lovely part of my daily life as a Jikiden Reiki practitioner.

Gassho is a Japanese word that translates as “2 hands coming together” with our palms and fingertips meeting.

Science today tells us that when we place our hands together, palm to palm, it balances both the right and left hemispheres of the brain… Bringing harmony and inner peace to our whole being, if we do it long enough.

As with all meditation techniques… we begin by getting the posture right.

Let yourself be sitting in a upright position, back straight so the body can relax around an erect spine. Imagine a thread is gently pulling the top of your crown up to the sky.

Hands together in front of the body, they should be high enough so you can feel the breeze from your out breath over the finger tips… so a bit higher than in the picture above. Just let the weight of your arms drops down to the elbows, so they are not resting on your body… then breathing is not constrained in the chest area.

Breathe in through your nose and out through the mouth… Belly breathing. Its what we used to do as a baby, its the most natural breathing pattern for us. Just let the breath come and go… come and go…

So what makes Gassho Meditation different to any other meditation technique?

The simple answer is Reiju.

Reiju is our gift from Usui Sensei, who developed the system of Reiki following many years of religious training and his enlightenment on Mt. Kurama… The gift is, we do not have to undertake years of religious training, to be able to transmit the healing energy of Reiki. Receiving Reiju opens and activates our natural healing ability, reconnecting us with the divine energy of the universe; reconnecting us with Reiki.

So is that the secret part?

The secret part, is that we all have this innate ability… it lies dormant in many of us. Our modern busy lifestyles have got in the way… Our connection has become blocked… Once a person has received Reiju they will be able to transmit Reiki too. Gassho Meditation… Enhances the flow of Reiki and increases our awareness of Reiki as it radiates through our body… our minds become still and the body heals itself from within.

At the Jikiden Reiki Shoden level training, Gassho Meditation is taught on the first day… Along with other techniques to enhance the sensitivity of your hands for giving Reiki treatments to self and others… So that from day one, you can practice this simple self healing Reiki technique… As often as you wish.