5 Common Practices of Usui Reiki
I ignored Reiki for years before I gave it a try. It seemed too mystical for me to grasp. I wanted “real” help; help that I could see, hear, and touch. Little did I know, this was the medicine that I needed the most and has had the biggest impact on my life.
If you’ve heard about Reiki but felt like it was too far-fetched to give it a try, this information is for you.
Usui Reiki has 5 main concepts that are similar to the mind and body practices of yoga or meditation.
The Precepts
The precepts are five positive affirmations and guiding principles of Reiki. These mantras can be used in the morning, before bed, or referenced during the day as life events stir up emotions. A Reiki practitioner may also mentally recite the precepts when giving a session. The precepts were passed down through oral tradition and translated from Japanese before World War II.
Just for today, do not be angry
Just for today, do not worry
Just for today, be grateful
Just for today, be honest and diligent in all your endeavors
Just for today, be kind to all others
Attunements
The attunements, also known as placements in some lineages, are treatments given by a Reiki “master level” practitioner. These particular healing treatments are used to certify a practitioner as Level 1, Level 2, or “master level” (there are typically three recognized levels for a Reiki healer in the Usui system). Think of the attunement as a deep healing treatment that clears the body and chakra systems for the practitioner to act as an antenna for Reiki energy.
Hand Positions
To perform a Reiki treatment, there are a series of hand positions that were developed in Japan in the early 1920s. These hand positions are taught during a Reiki Level 1 training and involve either placing the hands on or slightly above the body. Reiki can be performed on oneself or others using the same guiding hand positions.
Treatment guidelines
Techniques to begin and end a Reiki session are taught in Reiki Level 1. These practices prepare the mind and body to tap into a more calm and balanced headspace to begin a session. There are additional methods that can be learned to notice and scan the body for imbalances, blocks, or buildups of energy.
Reiki Symbols
In Usui Reiki Level 2, there are three symbols shared with the Reiki practitioner in training. These symbols were passed from ancient Tibet and Japan and are sacred to the Reiki tradition. The practitioner can visualize or draw the symbol in their mind to help deepen the meditation and practice. With a focus on one symbol in particular, Reiki can be performed virtually or without being physically present with the practitioner. Additional symbols are taught in the “master level” Usui Reiki course and even more symbols exist in different Reiki lineages.
It is important to keep in mind that it is natural and normal for a Reiki practitioner to develop their healing techniques as they grow in their practice. For example, the practitioner may evolve to using intuitive hand placements or even none at all. They also may study to incorporate other Reiki lineages.
I personally believe that all these concepts are a jumping-off point to learning Reiki. One of my favorite aspects of Reiki is that it can be incorporated with other healing modalities or just used exclusively on its own.
