Since diving headfirst into my twelfth manuscript (working title: Reiki Rituals: Healing & Transformation through Embodied Practice), I’ve uncovered a lot of interesting practices, influences, and stories related to the roots of the system of Reiki. Some of the most exciting details are related to the three symbols taught in second-degree classes. Although I devoted several chapters to the symbols in Foundations of Reiki Ryoho: A Manual of Shoden and Okuden, over the past year I’ve taken that research much further. This, in turn, has deepend my practice and appreciation for Reiki.
In the image above you’ll see three glyphs, each one related to one of the symbols found in Reiki. Second-degree practitioners across the world are likely to see a marked similar in these three signs and the sacred symbols they learned in their training. These are some (but certainly not all) of the probably origins and sources of the symbols.
On the left you’ll see a complex image that I have painstakingly copied by hand with ink and brush from an 18th-century manuscript of ninjutsu theory and practice. Ninja (better known in Japan as shinobi) used a variety of martial and mystical arts to perform espionage and win battles. This is one of five talismans introduced in the original edition of the Shōninki, first written in the late 1600s. Unfortunately, there are no remaining examples from that time period, but the talismans are probably identical to those found in copies from the following century. This particular glyph is part of a magic incantation or spell designed to forge or sever connections between people, and was popularised when republished in a new book in 1917, just five years before Usui climbed Mt. Kurama and received the transmission from the Universe that inspired the system of Reiki. The lower part is nearly identical to the five-character formula used to construct the Reiki symbol for long-distance or absentee healing.
The middle character is a seed syllable, a type of monosyllabic mantra, that is popularly used as a kind of shortcut to connect to the buddha of infinite light and life (i.e. the buddha of enlightenment), known as Amitabha in sanskrit and Amida in Japanese. The character is also associated with Amida’s emissary or helper, Senju Kannon, the bodhisattva of compassion with 1000 arms. This character is the prototype for the Reiki symbol that helps to heal our habits, emotions, and mind.
Lastly, you’ll find a character on the right copied from the oracle bone script, the oldest style of Chinese writing with origins upwards of 4000 years old. This is the original style for writing the character that means “cloud,” and it is connected to the meaning and form of the Reiki symbol used in treatments for more powerful results. The roots of this particular symbol a little harder to pin down, and there are some other influences (and complications) that I’ll be unpacking in my Advanced Reiki Symbol Certification Masterclass, which starts this weekend.
Tracing the origins of the symbol’s outward forms is only a fraction of the adventure. I’ve been mapping out how the uses, context, and correspondences for the symbols have changed over time, too. It’s often been slow and tedious work, but I’m thoroughly excited to finish Reiki Rituals soon to share these findings with you.
If you’d like to learn more about where the symbols come from, how they were originally used, and how to incorporate them into your personal practice, be sure to sign up for The Mastery of Symbols: Advanced Reiki Symbol Certification Masterclass, hosted by Shelter Animal Reiki Association. Half the proceeds from ticket sales support SARA in our mission to improve the lives of shelter animals and their caregivers through the Let Animals Lead® method of Animal Reiki meditation techniques.
The class takes place in two parts on June 21st and June 28th. Participants receive lifelong access to the recordings, a library of handouts and other resources, and a certificate of attendance. During the course we will practice some powerful techniques for healing and personal development that will transform your healing practice inside and out. No matter what lineage of Reiki you belong to, you are invited to join us this incredible class!
Sign up here to reserve your place: https://shelteranimalreikiassociation.org/advanced-reiki-symbol-certification-masterclass/
