Brushing down?

RE: Brushing down?

Hi Lavender rose

I am sure they will not be offended if you did this, saying that please remember that not everyone is taught the same and some will use one technique whilst others don't, as I say you can do it and then it is up to the others if they see the merit of it and adopt it or not 😉

RE: Brushing down?

Hi there. I agree with Paul. I joined a Reiki share group when I moved down to here and there are about 8 of us at a time and we all work in a slightly different way which is lovely! We were told from the start to work in the way we are used to and it is interesting to see how others work with this wonderful energy. So, do what feels comfortable for you and the others will be doing the same. Enjoy!

Love and light

reikiangel

xxx

RE: Brushing down?

Hi Lavender rose

I have heard of brushing down, but never have used this or taught it in any of my courses.

But not withstanding that, you should do what you feel comfortable with.

IMO your best idea is to discuss it with them, Let them experience your way and you experience theirs.
But remember it is a two way thing so please do not insist or try to impose.

Reikiangel is right when saying. "We were told from the start to work in the way we are used to and it is interesting to see how others work with this wonderful energy".

RE: Brushing down?

I agree with all said above.

At shares I have been to, I have come across many people working in different ways. After doing a treatment we sometimes discuss the different ways in which we are working and how we have been taught. Some people have only recently done their Reiki I and so work very strictly to the hand positions as they've been taught rather than using intuition; and you can see whilst doing the treatment that they are looking at what you are doing yourself curiously wondering why you are doing things differently. It's only from discussion these things that we can learn from each other; no point inkeeping quiet about things.

One thing I was taught on my course was at then end of the treatment, after brushing down, to just gently touch the client on the shoulder and say softly something like "In your own time, you can now open your eyes", just to let the client know the treatment is finished (especially important if you do a lot of hands-off work).

I've seen others who have been taught that at the end of the treatment they should press their thumbs firmly into the soles of the feet because this "will wake up the client". No Kidding!!!! [&:] I've been a client and had this done to me and I nearly jumped out of my skin as it'sa reflexology point that stimulates the body/stomach. IMO, not something you want done when you're in a deep state of relaxation.

I've also seen others who just don't know what to do at the end of the treatment and they just stand there expecting the client to know that the treatment has finished. The client usually figures it out for themselves eventually (again, something I've had done to me when I've been the client) when the practitioners start whispering to each other and saying things like "Oooo, he's gone really deep, shall we let him lie there until he wakes?". IMO, not a good idea, especially in a Reiki share where we aim to allow everyone to have a treatement and time can be limited.

Talk about it, share your thoughts and ideas. If people really are offended by what you are saying then they have issues they need to deal with, they aren't your issues.

Love and Reiki hugs.

RE: Brushing down?

just gently touch the client on the shoulder and say softly something like "In your own time, you can now open your eyes", just to let the client know the treatment is finished (especially important if you do a lot of hands-off work).

Well said Energylz.
All my healing students are taught to do that.

RE: Brushing down?

ORIGINAL: Reikiangel

Hi there. I agree with
Paul. I joined a Reiki share group when I moved down to here and
there are about 8 of us at a time and we all work in a slightly
different way which is lovely! We were told from the start to work in
the way we are used to and it is interesting to see how others work
with this wonderful energy. So, do what feels comfortable for you
and the others will be doing the same. Enjoy!

Love and light

reikiangel

xxx

Thanks for all the comments - I should have made it clear that the imposition would be them brushing me down!!

I do like going to Reiki shares to see how other people do Reiki, to
pick up tips and see what I can incorporate. It seems that some people
make a big thing of brushing down (smoothing the aura, taking away any
negative energies that have been produced) and others don't.

Yes, I was just laying there expecting something to say they had
finished the treatment! A "we've finished now as you mentioned,
Healistic and Energylz, would have been very helpful especially as they
were kind enough to let me have the first treatment so I hadn't seen
how they ended one!

RE: Brushing down?

One thing I was taught on my course was at then end of the treatment, after brushing down, to just gently touch the client on the shoulder and say softly something like "In your own time, you can now open your eyes", just to let the client know the treatment is finished (especially important if you do a lot of hands-off work).

Not only is the client consciously aware that the treatment is finished, but it also plants the same UNconscious thought as well, so they don't then equally UNconsciously go on drawing Reiki. It happens! 😉

Holistic

RE: Brushing down?

Holistic: Out of interestwhydo you perceive itwould beunwisefor a client to be unconsciously drawing reiki? Interested to hear your views.

LavenderRose:

I've always been taught that brushing down is essential to finish a treatment off[...]Should I insist on this happening? As a new person to the group I don't want to impose my ways on them because that's the way I've always done something!!

The key here, I think is the reasons behind doing it. If you haveresearched and consideredthe reasons why it is done (primarily the effect it has on the meridian system) and you feel it is important to do so, then introduce your perspective to the group.Things always go down better when you can explain why you work the way you do. Not only does it give you confidence and competence, but others can understand your reasons.

RE: Brushing down?

ORIGINAL: Azalia

Holistic: Out of interest why do you perceive it would be unwise for a client to be unconsciously drawing reiki? Interested to hear your views.

I didn't exactly say that, and didn't use the word 'unwise', but since you have, I would suggest it could be unwise for the Reiki practitioner to be vulnerable to a continuation of the Reiki treatment after it was supposedly finished.

Much might also depend on whether or not the practitioner is giving their own energy, again inadvertently, and thus might end up feeling depleted.

Way back when Itook Reiki 1, I was taught that this should not happen, not with Reiki, but we all know from the very many posts and threads in this forum that sometimes it can, and protective measures should be taken. For everyone who says that, it is almost immediately countered with a contradiction, that protection is not necessary with Reiki.

Something of an aside, prompted by Giles':

I've also seen others who just don't know what to do at the end of the treatment and they just stand there expecting the client to know that the treatment has finished. The client usually figures it out for themselves eventually (again, something I've had done to me when I've been the client) when the practitioners start whispering to each other and saying things like "Oooo, he's gone really deep, shall we let him lie there until he wakes?". IMO, not a good idea, especially in a Reiki share where we aim to allow everyone to have a treatement and time can be limited.

When I'm teaching Reiki 2, and very often on a 1-2-1 basis, I askmy student to have a practice session at sending Reiki to me, and I leave the room, very often going to lie down upstairs. I used to take my dogs with me (now sadly dogless *sob*), and on one occasion the treatment was over, I returned to my student and we proceeded with the teaching. Over two hours later, I suddenly missed one of the dogs, and a search revealed her still lying on my bed, out for the count with an expression of sheer bliss on her face ... she had been lying against me while the distant healing was happening, and happily absorbing the healing. On being gently brought back down to earth, she looked as if she was feeling rather silly:D

Holistic

RE: Brushing down?

LOL Holistic, I could just 'see' your dog's expression!

I just wanted to add that I also have been at the receiving end of Reiki many years ago when I wasn't told the session had finished. I spent the whole time with one eye half closed so that I could see when she had finished, therefore not relaxing at all!!! I swore to myself that if ever I became a Reiki healer I would never do that to my clients lol.

I say to clients at the beginning of the session that this is their time and to relax and drift off to wherever they feel drawn and that I will let them know when I have finished by touching them gently on one shoulder andquietly saying "when you're ready". This allows them to relax and 'programmes' them to come back when given those signals. Works every time although sometimes I need to do it twice if they have gone very deep!!

Love and light

reikiangel

xxx

RE: Brushing down?

ORIGINAL: Azalia

key here, I think is the reasons behind doing it. If you haveresearched and consideredthe reasons why it is done (primarily the effect it has on the meridian system) and you feel it is important to do so, then introduce your perspective to the group.Things always go down better when you can explain why you work the way you do. Not only does it give you confidence and competence, but others can understand your reasons.

Thanks for this - please can you explain about the meridian system as haven't heard about this reason from the way that you describe it! Yes - different people have different reasonings behind it, this was the discussion I hoped would start up!

Two more things to say:

Crystal Cub wrote to me (and gave permission for me to quote this in HP) "In William Lee Rand’s paper Reiki News Magazine there is an article this quarter on Mrs. Takata and how she practised and taught Reiki. This is a quote of the relevant paragraph:

At the end of a treatment, Takata used a technique that involved running the gingers on either side of the spine and manipulating tissue from the neck to coccyx to improve blood circulation. . . . .Since performing this technique requires a massage license in many [ US ] jurisdictions, Gray and other practitioners have devised alternate techniques that accomplish the same goal with manipulation of tissue. One method is to sweet the hands through the energy field from head to foot several times. "

The other is from someone who I was talking to as she was questioning the "waving hands around in someone's aura which might disturb the aura" She was taught in France in the 1980s not to touch within the aura, but to find out where the edges were and smooth that down - in other words not to work close to the body as people tend to in my experience, but to work at least 3' away from it.

Regards
LR

RE: Brushing down?

ORIGINAL: LavenderRose
involved running the gingers on either side . . . One method is to sweet the hands "

Ooops, I think I need to improve my typing! I meant to say fingers and sweep when writing to you, LavendarRose. Thanks for including that. Here's some more info on the possible roots to aura brushing down that some Western Reiki practitioners have been trained in.

As far as I can tell from my research, Mrs Takata used one approach that she adopted from Dr Hayashi. Mrs Takata's was the simpler but it still involved manipulating tissue. In the Reiki Sourcebook, Bronwen and Frans Stiene refer to Mrs Takata's 'Finishing Treatment'. This incorporates several steps in gently brushing by touch or stroking the back to end the treatment.

The Stienes recognise this as being based on the traditional Japanese Reiki Hayashi technique of 'ketsueki kôkan hô' . I can't find specific details of how the Stienes would perform ketsueki as this is missing on page 205 in my version (1st edition) - they just introduce the technique and its background. Perhaps a type setting/publishing error.

Arjava Petter teaches this technique in his course on traditional Japanese techniques. It has 8 stages and is complicated, involving putting power symbols into the back, various stroking movements on the back and legs, tapping and stretching. It takes about 10 minutes to do. I've not used it out of the class as I didn't want to frighten my clients! I find the sweep-through-the-aura less intrusive and easier on the client, especially when they're so relaxed. I worked with ketsueki in class and really enjoyed receiving it, as well as giving it as it was great for grounding and balancing. But perhaps a bit alien from how we practice in the West . . . ? In class the group also had concerns about whether some people's insurance would cover them for a technique that involves tissue manipulation. The best we could suggest was to practice it at a Reiki share to start spreading the knowledge.