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Originally Posted by BigJohn
The first Reiki symbol is the Choku Rei symbol. This symbol is great to use for empowering, cleansing, and protecting. This symbol has the seven Chakras superimposed on the Chku Rei symbol (some might see 8 Chakras).
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Thanks Big John, this is a very interesting thread, and it got me reflecting how far into the mainstream Reiki, and associated symbols, have come.
When I received my first attunement, Reiki was virtually unknown, a class for each level cost hundreds of dollars, and the symbols were known only to Reiki Masters and to those they attuned to them.
Then Diane Stein published the symbols in her book “Essential Reiki” in the mid-90’s and Genie was out of the bottle. Then internet came along and “poof”, they became widely known.
William Rand introduced his “Karuna Reiki” and many other Reiki based modalities and symbols were introduced around then as well. So many in fact, that Innerlight and I introduced “cupcake Reiki” here on SF about 10 years ago or so, as a “spoof” on the exploding trend of these.
When first introduced to me, I was taught the symbols by writing them on paper until I had mastered the symbol. Once I had done that, the paper symbols were then burned by my Reiki Master to release their energies back into the Universe.
Depending upon your perspective, the evolution of Reiki has been a boon to the world, a total dilution of Usui’s intention of Reiki, or something somewhere in between.
Mikao Usui taught that each Reiki symbol had a very specific intention and purpose. The cho ku rei = power, sei hei ki = mental/emotional harmony, Hon sha ze sho nen = distance, Dai ko myo = the master symbol used to give attunements to their students. The raku symbol is sometimes thought (and taught by many) to be part of the Usui reiki modality, but that is incorrect. Usui came off of that mountain with only the 4 symbols.
Reiki can be as traditional or as individualistic for you as you wish. Outside of what Makio Usui taught, everything else is someone else’s “spin” or addition to the concept of the Reiki thought of universal life force energy. And all are connected via the science of Quantum mechanics.
So, depending on your perspective or what you have read or how you were taught, any symbol “could” be used to help you to focus your intention on any specific thing. And intention is arguably the cornerstone of Reiki.
