Zen Mindfulness - Sei Ki HeartTouch - Tai Chi Qi Gong

A Sei-ki Session

So this is where I propose to start - with a Sei-ki session. Look through my eyes.

Like a kind of dance, an invitation is offered by Kishi to work with him, whether for free or paid, and this is met by a desire to participate from some person.

The pair will usually kneel on a futon and bow to each other Japanese style starting off the connection with mutual acknowledgement and respect.

First contact isn't rushed, time is given to see the person, their body, breathing, small movements, holding patterns. No need to rush.

And then the first touch often but not exclusively on the top of the shoulders near the base of the neck. There are no rules but this place offers good opportunities to enter into connection.

And a few moments breathing together, intense observation given to subtle changes. Seeing.

Perhaps some guided gentle movement of the head around the neck, or of the whole upper body and the person relaxes down, appearing to enter into an almost trance like state.

Position may change now, either done naturally by the person, or on Kishi's request, usually to lie on their front and work will proceed on the back.

Where to start? Again no rush, no busy-ness, no doing.

Kishi's hand or hands will move to their next place of contact, perhaps for just a seconds touch, perhaps for longer. Enough to achieve their work.

The various areas of the spine and sacrum may be of most interest, but again there is no form, no pattern for the head to follow, anywhere might be the most important point for the next moment. The hands know.

And contact might be maintained without touch, off the body simply using Ki from the hands or even from the eyes.

Then on to the person's front, the abdominal region, the Hara in Japanese culture usually taking the most attention, along with the occipital at the base of the skull. But still any place where the body is holding may be the next place - the solar plexus, the base of the sternum, the heart area, below the throat.

And the body will respond.

There may be subtle spontaneous movements, or even less than subtle ones as the body enters into what has been called Katsugen in Japanese culture. A state in which the natural ability and intelligence of the body to release stress and balance by itself becomes active.

External expression might be dramatic at times, physical shaking, laughter or the primal scream, but is not given attention or judged; value instead being placed on the internal Ki process that is going on within the body as it moves towards a more harmonious state of being.

Space is given when the person needs it.

Kishi once described such a moment as like a mother looking after a baby: protecting, giving full attention, taking total care, but at the same time allowing and giving freedom without judgement. Acceptance.

A sudden change in the breathing, often the deep inhale, what I would call 'the breath of life', when a single full unrestricted breath is suddenly taken, signals the end of a previous state of being and entry into something new.

Jaki coming out, the release of stagnant energy, may be indicated by Kishi from some point of the body, with his visual description of it, as a kind of dark smoke. Some see it, some don't.

And so the session comes to a close indicated not by the clock, but by the completion of the process. The body having changed to the extent it can at that time. A natural end.

Both people will usually bow to each other again and then part and few words will be spoken.

But from my own experience as a recipient, there is a feeling of warmth and connection in the contact which is enough.

So this is all I see - how do we go beyond this to communicate what this work really is?

© Anthony Fidler May 2010.