Clearing Mental Clutter

Article by Angie Webster

I’m sure you have all had times where your mind just wouldn’t settle down. It often happens at the most inconvenient times, such as in the middle of the night when we’re trying to sleep, when we’re preparing to meditate or when we need to focus on a task that requires our mental attention. The harder you try to make the mental clutter go away, the louder it gets and the more full your head seems. When this happens to me, I notice my jaw gets tight and if I don’t take a moment to tend to it, I will soon have a headache.

All of these are classic signs of excess stress. Something is happening on a spiritual, mental or emotional level that is trying to get our attention. If it continues, it will manifest on the physical level in some way—such as the tight jaw and headache, in my case. The cause of stress doesn’t have to be external, though it is often caused by a conflict or imbalance between our inner and outer worlds.

We can use Reiki to help us clear the mental clutter away at any point.

When you first notice your mind is very full and active is a good time to offer yourself Reiki. When this is happening with me, I often find that it feels uncomfortable to treat my head directly, almost as if the energy is too much for my already overactive head. If this is the case with you, remember, you don’t have to follow any strict routine with the hand positions. The hand positions are guidelines, so use your intuition and do what works in each situation. Place your hands where you feel led and go with the flow! You can come back to the head later.

Wherever you decide to begin your self-treatment, if you are a level 2 or above, use all three main symbols, and especially the Mental and Emotional Symbol. You can put these over your body, in your hands or both.

If you have already developed some tension in your body or have a headache from an unsettled mind, you may feel best if you begin over the area of the most tension or pain, but go where you feel led and change hand positions as you feel you are ready.

Here is a short guided meditation help lift the mental clutter as you do self Reiki:

As you begin treatment, imagine a small lake in your mind. There are ripples in the lake as the water is disturbed and turbulent.

Imagine a beautiful white bird flying over the lake. It skims the surface with one of its wings and as it does, the surface of the water becomes peaceful and still. As the bird lifts back up into the air, the water is completely calm. It is as if the bird has carried away all the ripples in the water, leaving behind only stillness.

The water is now as smooth as glass. You may notice that there are soothing colors in the sky, reflecting in the water. They ease you and fill you with comfort.

You feel as if a wave of peace has washed over your body, over your legs, shoulder, jaw, eyes and forehead. You are letting go completely. You are restored.

Free eBook download: We’ve created an eBook with our best articles on this topic, and offer it for free to all our newsletter subscribers.

Angie Webster made a significant contribution to the Reiki community, with a particular focus on Animal Reiki, which she had a deep affection for. As a knowledgeable Reiki Master Teacher and Author, she conducted online courses on energy healing, herbalism, flower essences, and personal growth.
She is the author of “Animal Reiki: How it Heals, Teaches & Reconnects Us with Nature” and “Reiki from A to Z”. Currently, Angie has decided to retire from her professional life to devote more time to her health, family, and the little joys of life.