When I first learned to give Reiki treatments to others, I was taught twelve hand positions to use during the treatment. I would hold my hand over each position for 3-5 minutes or until I felt the energy flow stop. However, this is not the way Usui performed treatments. In fact, most advanced Reiki-ho practitioners do not perform treatments this way. Most of them develop a talent with Byosen Scanning to perform Reiki treatments.
What is Byosen Scanning?
Byosen Scanning or Byosen Reikan Ho is the practice of using your hands to detect energy imbalances in the person you are giving a Reiki treatment to. Over time, you become more experienced with working with energy and the subtle energy flows. Then, you will be able to detect the energy imbalances. This allows you to send Reiki energy directly to these areas instead of performing the standard hand positions.
Why do we need Byosen Scanning?
Well, technically we do not “need” it. Reiki will automatically flow to these imbalances on it’s own. Sending Reiki to other parts of the body is beneficial. So, performing the traditional hand positions is definitely a beneficial practice and will provide great benefit to those you are treating.
However, Byosen Scanning allows us to target the specific imbalances and provide the quickest and most effective way of eliminating them. We focus Reiki energy directly on the imbalance and eliminate it much quicker.
How do I do Byosen Scanning?
Byosen Scanning is fairly easy to perform but somewhat difficult to master. The actual practice involves moving your hands through the recipient’s energy field and “feeling” energy imbalances. Sometimes, you will “feel” something like a tingle or hot or cold spots. Some people “see” the imbalances as colors or some other visual, while others “hear” or “smell” them.
No way is incorrect, in fact you should endeavor to find the way that works for you best. Just like some people are good at numbers and math while others may be good at art or music; you should find the sensing method you are good at.
The key to success with Byosen Scanning is practice, practice, practice. See you at Carnegie Hall.
Great post! I was taught to scan during a Reiki session, but didn’t know the practice had a specific name. Now that I do, I see more research in my future.
Thanks! 🙂
Thanks for stopping my and commenting. Next week’s post will talk about this some more, so I hope you will come back and read more about Byosen Scanning.
My experience has been that many practitioners either aren’t learning to feel byosen, or else they’re choosing to not do it. And you know, I think that’s a shame: not because it’s always been a part of Reiki since Dr. Usui began teaching, and not because a session goes faster to just not feel byosen and jump right into the session, but because it’s such a fundamental skill for lightworkers and Reiki practitioners regardless of their tradition. Thanks for sharing, I enjoyed this article.
Appreciate the visit and comment. I agree that people don’t practice this skill enough. I think one of the reasons is because teachers don’t know how to teach this skill. They either sense the energy or they don’t. Like anything, this is a skill that needs to be developed.
That is why I will be including exercises to develop these skills in my upcoming 21 Day Reiki Challenge Course. The goal of the course is to develop a daily practice that increases your connection to Reiki and increases your ability to sense energy.
really interesting! thanks for posting!
Thanks, Amanda. I appreciate you stopping by and leaving a comment.
Very nice article. I learned this 12 years ago when I was going through master/teacher level. It ties in perfectly with intuitive reiki.
Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment. I have been practicing Reiki for eight years, and I like this technique because I “feel” energy better than I “see” it.