Connecting to Reiki Energy – Finding What Works for You
When I first started practising Reiki, everyone kept saying, “Just connect to the energy.”
Wonderful advice, of course — except no one told me how.
I remember sitting there, palms poised like a mystic in a film, expecting something dramatic. Maybe a flicker of light. A faint choir. A subtle humming from the universe announcing I’d successfully “plugged in.”
Instead, there was… silence. And me. Wondering whether I’d somehow missed the Wi-Fi password to the cosmos.
So, being the determined (and mildly obsessive) learner that I am, I went on a mission. I studied Reiki in both English and Spanish, read every author I could find, compared methods, and even cross-referenced translations when something didn’t quite add up.
What I discovered wasn’t a single, rigid method, but rather a constellation of ways to connect — each pointing back to the same truth: Reiki meets you where you are.
Still, there are traditional practices that help us tune in more deeply. They gave me the clarity I was searching for, and I hope sharing them gives a little nudge of confidence to anyone out there who’s still sitting with their palms up thinking, “Is this thing on?”
Gasshō – The Heart of Connection
Gasshō” literally means “two hands coming together.”
It’s that familiar prayer-like gesture: palms pressed together at the heart centre, fingers pointing upwards. When we bring the palms together, we also align the energy of the left and right sides of the body — yin and yang, giving and receiving. In this stillness, the mind settles, the heart opens, and the energy begins to flow naturally.
At first, I thought it was just a polite nod to spirituality, like saying grace before a meal. But Gasshō isn’t about performance; it’s about focus. When you bring your palms together, close your eyes, and breathe slowly, something beautiful happens — your mind finally sits down and listens.
It’s simple: hands together, spine straight, breathe in through the nose, exhale through the mouth, and focus on the space between your palms. That tiny pocket of air becomes an entire universe of stillness.
When I started doing this regularly, I realised Gasshō wasn’t about summoning energy, it was about remembering it’s already there.
Try this: Next time you prepare for Reiki, bring your palms together, take a deep breath, and let yourself melt into the quiet between them. That’s your doorway in.
The Tanden – Where Reiki Gets Real
Now, this one changed everything for me.
In Japanese Reiki, the tanden (or hara) is the energetic centre of the body — located a few finger-widths below the navel. Think of it as your personal power station; it’s where grounding meets flow.
Many Western Reiki manuals skip over it, which is a shame, because once you discover the tanden, Reiki stops feeling “floaty” and becomes beautifully embodied.
Here’s how I was taught to connect with it:
Start by breathing gently into that area — imagine a soft, golden light expanding with every inhale. When you breathe out, picture that light spreading through your body like warm honey, filling every cell.
Now, for a slightly deeper practice — one that’s part of the traditional Joshin Kokyū-Hō method (the “breath of purification”):
Sit or stand comfortably. Inhale slowly through the nose and draw Reiki energy down to your tanden.
Hold your breath for a few seconds — gently, never straining.
While holding, imagine that energy pulsing from your tanden throughout your entire body, awakening and energising every part of you.
Exhale slowly through the mouth, and visualise your breath and Reiki energy flowing outward — not just from your mouth, but also from your fingertips, palms, and even the soles of your feet.
This is how we become a clear channel for Reiki — energy flowing through us, up to the cosmos, and back again, in a calm, endless cycle.
A small but powerful detail: keep the tongue on the roof of your mouth when inhaling, and let it rest on the bottom when exhaling. It completes the energy circuit and makes the flow feel surprisingly alive.
If you try this while standing, you’ll likely feel the tanden even more distinctly:
Stand with your feet parallel, about shoulder-width apart, toes facing forward.
Bend your knees slightly, just enough to feel your centre settle beneath your navel.
Inhale and exhale evenly for around ten minutes.
As you breathe, notice how the energy and breath move together — grounding you, filling you, flowing through you.
This standing practice isn’t recommended for anyone with asthma or blood-pressure issues, but for most practitioners, it’s a wonderful way to feel Reiki rather than simply think about Reiki.
When you experience the tanden yourself — that warm, buzzing centre of stillness — you no longer have to rely on what others say about it. You know.
I often use this exercise before or during self-Reiki sessions, especially when working on specific areas. It helps me sense the current of energy as something tangible, something living. And that, for me, is the moment Reiki becomes real.
Joshin Kokyū-Hō
The Breath of Purification
Joshin Kokyū-Hō is one of Usui’s original breathing techniques, designed to purify the mind and body by consciously moving Reiki energy through the breath. It’s a gentle but profound way to clear energetic stagnation and reconnect to the flow of universal energy.
In practice, you sit comfortably, spine upright, and bring your attention to the tanden. As you inhale, imagine drawing in pure, radiant Reiki light through the crown of your head down into your centre. Hold it briefly — feeling the energy expand — then exhale slowly through the mouth, visualising the light radiating from you into the world.
With each cycle of breath, the body relaxes, the mind quietens, and Reiki flows more freely. Many practitioners use this method as a daily meditation — not just to “cleanse” the energy body, but to remember that Reiki isn’t something we do; it’s something we are.
Visualisation & Intention
Reiki follows thought. If you sit down, breathe, and simply think, “I intend to connect with Reiki for the highest good,” the energy begins to flow. It really is that simple — but our human brains like to complicate things.
When I began, I over-analysed every hand position, every imagined beam of light. I worried that if I didn’t visualise the right shade of gold, the universe would send my healing to someone else by mistake.
Spoiler: it won’t.
These days, I just relax. I breathe, visualise light entering through my crown and flowing to my hands, and let it radiate outward. That’s it. Reiki does the rest.
Try this: Before you start a session, take a slow breath and quietly set your intention: “May Reiki flow through me for the highest good.” Feel the shift? That’s the connection forming.
Deepening the Connection with Symbols
Once you feel settled in your breath and grounded in the tanden, you can deepen the connection even further through the Reiki symbols. These symbols act like keys — each one unlocking a specific frequency or aspect of Reiki energy.
Before beginning any Reiki-hō technique, I like to draw or visualise the symbols gently in my mind’s eye, almost like tuning an instrument before playing. It’s not about “doing it perfectly” — it’s about aligning your intention with the vibration of the energy you’re inviting in.
Whether you use the traditional symbols or ones that have personal meaning for you, allow them to guide your awareness back to that calm, centred space in the tanden. From there, Reiki flows effortlessly — you, the energy, and the universe moving together as one.
Making It Your Own
After studying different systems and languages, I realised that there’s no single “right” way to connect — there’s only your way. Gasshō might be your go-to. Maybe you connect best through sound, breath, or movement. Reiki doesn’t judge. It flows through sincerity, not formality.
So, if you’re still figuring it out, please know this: there are no Reiki police. If your hands are warm, your heart is open, and your intention is kind, you’re doing it beautifully.
The Point of It All
In the end, connecting to Reiki isn’t about fancy rituals. It’s about building confidence — the quiet trust that this energy is available, that it flows through you, and that you can use it to help others.
Because that’s really what we’re here for, isn’t it? To heal, to support, to bring a little more light into the world — starting with ourselves.
If my own slightly obsessive bilingual journey helped me find that clarity, I hope this helps you find yours.
Reiki doesn’t need to be complicated. It just needs you — calm, centred, and willing to show up.
Hands together. Heart open. Breathe. You’re already connected.
Try This 3-Step Connection Ritual
Gasshō: Hands together, focus on stillness.
Tanden & Joshin Kokyū-Hō: Breathe into your lower abdomen, hold gently, and let the energy circulate through your whole body.
Intention: Silently affirm, “I am connected to Reiki for the highest good.”
That’s it. You’ve officially connected — no cosmic password required. ✨
