The Importance of Gassho Meditation

Sitting in Gassho meditation is one of the most important part of a Reiki practitioner’s practice. Several reasons come to mind as I write this.

• Quieting the mind
• Becoming present in the ” now moment”
• Bringing your awareness to the energy flow and how it works with you
• Self healing begins

Quieting the mind happens for the practitioner when he/ she sits in Gassho meditation and uses the breath as a tool to focus his/her awareness on. Often when we sit in Gassho meditation our minds are busy with I like to call our “to do list” or it rambles on with our fears that keep us attached to the mind. By using the breath as a tool we can shift our awareness from our thoughts/ emotions/ fears and bring it to our breath. It may seem difficult at first but with a few minutes of practice you’ll find that it is very simple and effective. It’s as simple as this example: when say, your emotions are controlling your thoughts and all you can do is focus on the thoughts that carry the sadness that is keeping your awareness, simply ask your self where is my breath at this moment; then bring your awareness to your breath and follow it with your mind’s eye for several minutes of breathing with full awareness. Whatever was pressing on your mind it will fade( maybe only slightly but faded). Continue following your breath until the mind becomes bored with trying to regain your awareness and is quiet. The mind will of course try many different avenues to regain your awareness but simply take a second to sit back and look at what it presents, recognize the attachment and then just breathe it away.

Becoming present in the “now moment”. This to me happens as a side benefit from sitting in Gassho and using the breath to quiet the mind. I call it the “now moment” because most of us are too busy living in our past experiences or are worrying about our future and are never really truly present in this very moment. (even now as you read this you’re also thinking of the 20 other things you need to do. Lol joking but probably true). By sitting in Gassho and following your breath with your awareness you’re allowing your mind to become quiet which then allows you to become present in your own presence noticing the functioning of the universe in you and around you….. as a great master once said,”not only feeling the wind, but seeing, smelling and tasting the wind; not separate from but one with…”

Bringing your awareness to your energy flow. By sitting in Gassho meditation allows the practitioners to begin to feel the energy of the universe flowing through them and out through their hands. At first it may be only slightly noticeable but with time and practice the energy flow in you will strengthen as well as your perception to the energy will grow. During the time it has taken you to do both (a) and (b) with your hands in Gassho you will have done mini healing session because the Reiki will have been flowing the entire time. In TCM and reflexology the hands and feet are maps to the entire body so as you’re sitting in Gassho you’re also doing self healing.

The beginning of your self healing. Flowing energy to your entire body, mind, spirit..just by sitting and being present with the loving energy…..

For some reason I felt inspired to write this article this morning. Hope you enjoy …

Namaste

Article written by Reiki Master Raymond Self 

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Raymond Self was born and raised in San Francisco. He has been practicing massage (graduate of N.H.I. & n.c.b.t.m.b. certified in 2003) and Reiki for the last 13 years. He acquired the Reiki teachers training certificate in Aug of 2014 from the Wu Wei Reiki school in Berkeley and recently he had been studying with master Sonnet Godfrey from India learning the higher grade Reiki levels 5&6. Now his studies continue  with master Sonnet (Sony) as he branches out and begins to help people to reconnect with the source and find the balance. Raymond is a product of the Wu Wei school of Reiki in Berkeley and Master Bronwyn was his teacher/guide for over 6 years. Reach Raymond at www.masterraymondself.massageplanet.com and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/raymond.self.