Matthew may perform Reiki at each of the positions listed below. At each position, a release usually occurs, removing blockages and then the center re-stabilizes. These releases can manifest in various ways, such as a deep breath or a change in breathing pattern, pulsation, cold, heat, shaking, body movements, muscle twitches, or muscle relaxation.

• Feet - Grounding to your Foundation
• Lower Dan Tein - Finding your Flow
• Middle Dan Tein - The Beat of your Heart
• Throat Chakra - Resonating with your Truth
• Upper Dan Tein - Guided by Insight
• Sacral Chakra -Tapping into your Creativity
• Lower and Upper Dan Tein Together - Balancing your Energy Centers

The Dan Tian, Fascia, and Extracellular Matrix

In traditional Chinese medicine, the Dan Tian are the "three burning spaces," each holding one of the essential energies known as the “three treasures”: jing (vital essence), qi (subtle breath), and shen (spirit). Similarly, modern anatomy also divides the trunk of the body into three key regions: thoracic, abdominal, and pelvic, each compartmentalized by thick fascial layers.

Within and between these dense fascial layers lies the extracellular matrix (ECM)—a gel-like substance made of collagen and elastin fibers suspended in interstitial fluid. This matrix holds roughly a third of the body’s fluids and functions as a "biomechanical auto-regulatory system," bridging the body’s deep interior and middle layers. It’s believed to serve as a physical “translator,” housing bodily memory and responding dynamically to internal and external changes.

Effects of Psychedelics on the Extracellular Matrix

When psychedelics are ingested, they appear to affect the extracellular matrix (ECM), potentially loosening its structure and facilitating a state of neural and psychological flexibility. This dissolution is thought to allow for a “reset” of critical learning periods in the brain, supporting shifts in behavioral patterns and addressing entrenched imbalances.

Resetting the Default Mode Network (DMN)

Psychedelics also modulate the default mode network (DMN), a network of brain regions typically active during rest and self-focused thought. Altered DMN activity is associated with conditions like major depressive disorder (MDD), where individuals may experience excessive self-referential thinking or rumination. By interrupting DMN patterns, psychedelics show promise for treating PTSD, trauma, and MDD, helping individuals escape repetitive, maladaptive mental loops and engage in more adaptive thought processes.

The Role of Reiki and Holistic Therapies in Integration

Reiki and other holistic therapies approach healing in a fundamentally different way than both modern medicine. Rather than disrupting or altering bodily processes, these treatments aim to restore balance, promote harmony, and support the body’s inherent healing mechanisms, such as the extracellular matrix (ECM). Recent perspectives suggest that the ECM might be central to understanding the effectiveness of holistic therapies, highlighting a scientific basis for practices that conventional medicine has traditionally overlooked.

Following psychedelic treatments or participation in entheogenic ceremonies, integrating with holistic approaches—such as Reiki, Lo Ban Pai, acupuncture, and somatic therapies—may enhance and stabilize the benefits of the experience. As the ECM and the default mode network (DMN) recalibrate after these transformative practices, integrating supportive therapies can help “reset” these systems in a way that supports long-term well-being, reinforcing positive changes rather than reverting to previous, restrictive patterns.