The Reiki and Reflexology link: why the feet are important in Reiki.

In Reiki, we always end a session by gently placing our hands on a client’s feet. Have you ever wondered why this simple gesture feels so deeply calming and grounding? Let’s look at the connection between Reiki, reflexology, and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and discover why focusing on the feet is such an essential part of holistic healing.

What Happens When You Do Reiki On The Feet?

The feet play a key role in grounding energy during a Reiki session. While they don’t directly correspond to our major chakras like the heart or crown, they contain minor chakras that exchange energy with the Earth. These chakras are also closely linked to the Root Chakra, which governs stability, security, and connection to physical reality. By including the feet in a Reiki treatment, practitioners help clients feel more centered, calm, and balanced.

• Energy is Grounded: At the end of a Reiki treatment—especially after working with higher chakras like the third eye or crown—clients can sometimes feel a bit “floaty” or disconnected. Grounding is therefor essential for stabilizing and anchoring clients’ energy. Placing the hands on the feet at the end of a treatment stabilizes their energy field and prevents feelings of disconnection after a session. When the Practitioner uses visualizations—such as imagining roots growing from the soles of their feet into the Earth— it can enhance this grounding effect. Seeing as the practitioner is touching the client’s feet and intending for the client’s energy to be grounded, it’s it their visualization and intention that creates the grounding for the client.
• Energy is Released: The soles of the feet act as natural release points for incompatible energies that were released during the whole body treatment. During Reiki, placing hands on the soles helps gently guide these unwanted energies out of the body. Practitioners can also use symbols or set intentions to open these energetic pathways, allowing negative emotions and blockages to flow out effortlessly through the sole of the feet during the treatment. This is also why it is recommended to point the client’s feet towards an open window during a treatment.

This position is naturally suitable for grounding, the balancing of the energy flow within the body, harmonizing and strengthening the aura, as well as support in the treatment of the first chakra.

Walter Lubeck, The Spirit of Reiki

How Does Reflexology Relate to Reiki?

Reflexology complements Reiki wonderfully because it views our feet as mirrors reflecting our entire body. Specific reflex points on our soles correspond to different organs and systems. By understanding these points, Reiki practitioners can focus healing energy exactly where it’s needed most.

Reflexologists can also easily incorporate Reiki into their treatments by connecting to Reiki while giving a Reflexology treatment, thereby enhancing the effect of Reflexology.

Here are some key reflex points on your feet:

• Solar Plexus Point: Located in the center of the foot’s arch; helps reduce stress and anxiety.
• Heart Point: Found in the ball of the foot; promotes emotional balance and cardiovascular health.
• Kidney Point: Situated in the middle of the arch; supports detoxification and fluid balance.
• Spine Point: Runs along the inside edge of each foot; aligns with spinal health and reduces tension.
• Liver Point: Just below the ball of each foot; aids detoxification and metabolic processes.

When giving Reiki, simply placing your hands gently over these areas can amplify healing effects significantly.

What Does Traditional Chinese Medicine Say About Feet?

In TCM philosophy, our feet are considered vital energy centers because they house meridian points connected to every organ system in the body! Stimulating these meridians through touch, the use of needles as in acupressure, or energy work will help to clearing blockages in meridians while promoting Ki to flow unobstructed.

Key Meridian Points on the Feet

• KD 1 (Bubbling Spring) – Kidney Meridian Point
  • Location: Center of the sole of the foot, near the ball of the foot.
  • Function: Deeply grounding and helps regulate vitality and detoxification. It also supports kidney health, calms the spirit, reduces anxiety, improves sleep quality, and helps with symptoms like headaches and dizziness by grounding excess energy
• LIV 3 (Great Surge) – Liver Meridian Point
  • Location: Between the first and second toe on the top of the foot.
  • Function: Releases suppressed emotions, detoxifies the liver, improves circulation, and moves stagnant energy. It also eases anger, resentment, frustration, and depression while supporting emotional growth

Holding the Kidney and Meridian points gently during Reiki can profoundly enhance grounding and emotional release.

Source: gokanjo.com

Source: gokanjo.com

Why We End Sessions with Hands on Feet

Closing a Reiki session by placing hands on clients’ feet serves several beautiful purposes:

1. Grounding After Higher Chakra Work: After opening higher chakras like the crown or third eye during a session, grounding through giving Reiki to the soles of the feet ensures that clients feel stable and connected to their physical bodies because of the stimulation of the Bubbling Spring point.
2. Energy Integration: The feet allow excess energy accumulated during treatment to be released into the Earth while anchoring positive healing vibrations. Placing the hands over the toes so that the Great Surge point is held, is helpful here.
3. Relaxation: With over 7,000 nerve endings in each foot, gentle touch here naturally calms the nervous system – perfect for concluding a Reiki healing treatment!

Practical Tips

Ready to integrate these insights practically? Here are some simple yet powerful tips:

1. Set Intentions for Grounding: Before touching your client’s feet, visualize excess energy gently flowing out through their soles while nourishing Earth energy flows back in.
2. Use Reiki Symbols: Invoke symbols like Cho Ku Rei (Power Symbol) or Karuna Reiki grounding symbols over each sole to strengthen the grounding intention.
3. Combine Reflexology and Meridian Knowledge: Use a reflexology charts to identify key points that correspond to specific areas in need support with (e.g., heart health or digestion), and make sure to place the hands over the KD1 and LV 3 points which will enhance the grounding and releasing effects of Reiki.
4. Incorporate gentle massage: Intensify the effect grounding and stabilizing effect of treating the feet, by using light stroking and circulation motions to gently massage the feet and ankles. Clients love this!

Why You Should Include the Feet in a Reiki Treatment

The feet are far more than just physical anchors – they are energetic gateways that connect us deeply to Mother Earth. By placing the hands on the feet at the end of a Reiki treatment, combined with reflexology and acupressure insights, you help clients release stagnant energies, draw in grounding vibrations, balance their systems, and feel deeply relaxed. It’s so much more than just grounding, it creates harmony between body, mind, spirit.