Gassho Meditation Technique

(an excerpt from the "Renewed Spirit Reiki 1 Workbook")

Gassho is a great meditation technique for beginners and was said to be practiced by Dr. Usui’s students before every session.

• To begin we sit down in a comfortable position, one that we will be able to stay in for up to twenty minutes.
• With closed eyes and hands placed together in front of our chest.  We focus our entire attention at the point where our two middle fingers meet and try to release any incoming thoughts.
• If a thought does come to us, we acknowledge it and let it go, bringing our attention back to our middle fingers.

 As we practice this each day, our thoughts will become less intrusive and our minds will begin to quiet more easily.  Not only does this allow us to quiet our minds before a session, we can use it at any time to bring our minds back to a calm and peaceful state.
 
“The problem with mental activity isn’t thinking itself but the compulsion to think that does not give a moments rest.” - Frank Arjava Peter, “Reiki, The Legend of Dr. Usui