"Instead of seeking many other medicines to cure their illness, I wish people would always honor their own body's healing ability and take good care of themselves." Meiji Emperor  

 Symbols and the Power of Intent  

   There are at least three fundamentally different types of symbols and beliefs regarding the nature of symbolic forms. The first kind of symbol is those in which the power or ability to create effect is inherent in the form of the symbol. Those used in sacred geometry or the Tattwas and to a certain extent Yantra Mandalas are among those in which the actual shape or form is said to directly stimulate the subconscious energy patterns in the brain and energy body or physical and nonphysical reality. 

    These symbols are said to contain the power to awaken ability or create a result or convey mystical information and realization of themselves with no or little action or intention by anyone. The second belief is that objects and symbols can be something that is charged or empowered by intention or ritual or proximity to holy places or people to contain the power to create an effect. The last kind of symbol is those that are tools or triggers which enable you to connect with and use a spiritual function, information, energy and so forth that exist separate from the symbol itself.

   The symbol is more like an on button; the power is in what the symbols represent rather than having any power of its own. These viewpoints are not really mutually exclusive they are just different ways of looking at things. Some people in the United States have considered and taught that the Reiki symbols and their names or mantra themselves inherently contained the power and were sacred and secret not to be revealed to anyone who was not an initiate. Most of the Symbols used in Reiki are Kanji that is written words which have esoteric symbolic meanings in some Buddhist traditions.   

    I have always felt that the Reiki symbols were primarily of the third kind. They are tools to facilitate connecting with aspects of the universal energy for healing. They do not themselves have power. There are often many different ways to draw a particular symbol but they all effectively assist in connecting to the Reiki energy. Now that Western Reiki Practitioners have made contact with Japanese Reiki Practitioners from the Reiki Association founded by Mikao Usui it is apparent that this is the way they are used in that society and that many people become able to use Reiki functions without directly invoking the symbols.  

   These symbols are exactly that, symbols. They are not what they represent. The Reiki symbols represent specific properties functions of energy for healing and spiritual enhancement. When anyone who is attuned to Reiki sees and says the name or draws these symbols it helps them to connect themselves with the Reiki energy and activate the function and specific purpose the symbol represents. The specific attunement  the author of this  manual  uses  does confer  an automatic ability to choose to work with the Reiki functions by intention and use words or thought  as the activator  as well as by  consciously invoking the symbols .  

   Direct   intention activation does not substitute for the information and experience to be gained from studying and using symbols. It is not necessary to understand the meanings of the symbols or even to consciously use them to gain and share the benefits of the Reiki system. Though it can enrich your experience to explore the meanings, the symbols remind us that there are ways to focus on different aspects of the energy and use them.      

You may also use Reiki to focus on other aspects and purposes of the universal energy by direct intention. Other systems which have evolved from Reiki such as Seichim and Karuna use different symbols to focus on other aspects of the energy. However you can use Reiki for these functions without further attunement and with or without the use of the additional symbols.     

    In the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai which is the Reiki society founded by Usui Sensei, We understand that it is taught that the symbols were added by Usui sensei sometime after his realization of Reiki in order to help those people who had little experience in energy work or who needed help connecting with energy.  

   Reiki makes extensive use of symbols in its practice, at level 2 and above. In fact some of the contemporary Reiki systems have many symbols in the toolbox.  

   Symbols are used in conjunction with sacred names or tones to bring about specific effects. In this way the symbols are acting as vibration keys to allow the practitioner to activate and use certain vibration effects such as healing mental and emotional issues, as well as the physically manifest symptoms.   

   Symbols are representations of vibrations, vibrations that are conducive to healing and self-development. These symbols activate and work on levels of consciousness deep within our energy field in addition to our 'normal' waking consciousness.  

    The fact that these symbols have been used for many years, as we measure existence, means that their natural vibration has been enhanced and reinforced by successive generations of Reiki practitioners. Remember the effect of thought forms on our environment, so if thousands of healers world-wide are using a symbol for healing then the collective consciousness of all those using the symbol reinforces its vibration.  

    Intent is paramount in many aspects of our lives. As a healer the healing energies are ' switched on' by our intent to heal at some level. Symbols act as a focus for intent and this starts the process and the energy flows. So our intent can be considered the sponsoring thought form. How the actual mechanics of this intent manifesting in the perceived world are not totally understood. The following hypothesis goes some way to explain this mechanism.   

   One way of looking at Reiki symbols are as vibration keys or energy gateways. These energy paths are present and latent in us all. Once attuned to a Reiki symbol we are consciously aware of the symbol. When we call the symbol to mind, that is we focus our intent on the symbol and its effect then the energy path is bridged and the universal life force of that vibration flows.   

    Once the practitioner has had the energy path opened during the attunement and been given the symbol then these energetic pathways are activated and so these healing skills are unlocked. Once these pathways are unlocked they are carried from existence to existence, and indeed are even amplified by repeated experiences and use.   

  The more you use it the less you use it!  

   The above applies for all of life's skills. Science has proposed that as we learn certain skills in life then a neural pathway is burned or etched into our brains by the neuron flow. The more we use this skill or practice it the more that neural pathway is used and reinforced.  

   These energy gates are opened at certain frequencies or levels of consciousness, as consciousness is raised or lowered so abilities come on line or go offline. 

METHODS FOR SYMBOL ACTIVATION         <??>     

They can be activated in any of the following ways: 

* By drawing them with your palm centre 

* BY drawing them with your finger 

* By visualizing them 

* By drawing them with your third eye 

* By spelling the symbol's name three times.  

You can use whatever method you wish, but don't forget that it's the intent that counts.    

Where to apply them during a healing?     

First place the symbol(s) on your own hands/palms and then redraw or visualize the same symbols on:   

* The clients crown chakra   

* The areas to be treated (if known)   

* The clients hands/palms   

If you can not recall a Reiki symbol, use the "alias", because both have the same energy.   

With practice the symbols will become less relevant and the focus will change to the "intent" of the specific energies required.