Essential Reiki: A Complete Guide to an Ancient Healing Art

by Diane Stein

To begin, find on yourself the two Bladder-10 acupuncture points. The pair is located on the back of the upper neck, on both sides of the spinal column where the boney structure of the head meets the neck. The points are two tiny depressions in the neck muscle under the skin. You know that you have found them by the strange sensation, which I describe as feeling like a thumbtack in the brain. It is not usually painful, unless your neck is out of alignment or the muscles are tense. Most of the time it will give you only an odd feeling. If you find one point, feel around for the other just across from it. Once you learn to find these points on yourself, try to find them on other people, until you become familiar with them. When you are doing healing and your hands are under the receiver’s head is the time to use this technique. Her head is resting in your palms. First find the points using the index fingers of both hands, one on each side of the neck. The woman can tell you when you have found these points, if you ask her help. It is important to be exactly on the points or nothing will happen. There are many pairs of such points along the line where the skull meets the neck, and most of them work. The Bladder-10 points are the closest to the spine but not directly over it. Once you have found the points, keep your fingers on them and apply a light pressure. The woman receiving this feels your fingers on the oddly sensitive spots. Then watch her breathing. Placing pressure o...