The Reiki Method

Empowerments in Reiki and associated modalities

Reiki

Level II

OKUDEN

Manualhttp://www.freewebs.com/thereikimethod

May 2007

Contents

Introduction Disclaimer What is Level II Reiki? Symbols

Chokurei

Seiheki

Honshazeshonen

Pronouncing Kotodama Distant Reiki Treating Others/Self-Treatment Usui Reiki Ryoho Techniques of Okuden

Okuden Zenki:

Hatsurei-Ho

Uchite Chiryo-Ho

Nadete Chiryo-Ho

Oshite Chiryo-Ho

Gyoshi-Ho

Hesso Chiryo-Ho

Koki-Ho

Tanden Chiryo-Ho

Genetsu-Ho (Byogen Chiryo-Ho)

Okuden Kouki:

Seiheki Chiryo-Ho

Nentatsu-Ho (with symbols)

Enkaku Chiryo-Ho

Shashin Chiryo-Ho

Ketseuki Kokan-Ho

Introduction

Welcome to Level II Reiki (Okuden).

The purpose of this manual is to provide a practical guide to Reiki at Level II and while no manual is ever truly complete, it will hopefully be a comprehensive and useful guide to its practice.

Disclaimer

Reiki is a natural method of hands on energy balancing treatment for the purpose of reducing stress and for relaxation.

Reiki is not meant to be a substitute for professional medical or psychological health care.

No Reiki practitioner (unless qualified to do so) treats, makes any diagnosis of a condition or conditions, performs any medical treatments, prescribes any substance nor interferes in any way with the treatments of licenced medical professionals.

Reiki does not in any way compete with the medical profession nor medical treatment, it does in fact compliment medical treatment.

For any physical or psychological ailment, it is recommended that a licenced medical professional is consulted.

What is Level II Reiki?

So what is Level II Reiki?

Reiki at Level II concentrates on more specific uses of the Reiki energy. Mental or/and emotional treatment and treatment by distance are features of this level. Level II Reiki practitioners are able to work with others with extra tools as they are able to work with the world at large in the same way.It is better and recommended that permission is obtained before treating any one in a distant or remote way. Having said that, if permission is not obtainable (i.e. the person is unobtainable to ask), then it is possible to offer the treatment which the recipient is then unconsciously able to accept or refuse.

It is not a part of any level of Reiki to force a treatment on anyone. Where treatment is sent remotely or distantly by you, as at Level I, let Reiki do the work.

Level II Reiki makes use of symbols and Kotodama.

Okuden The Deep Inside

Symbols

Symbols, as used in Level II Reiki, are seen as either

a) shapes or forms containing the power to awaken an ability or create a result or results or convey information and/or realisation

b) empowered by being charged with the intention of the person using them

c) tools or triggers enabling the user to connect with spiritual functions and/or information

or all of the above.There are three symbols used in Level II Reiki giving you ways to focus and work with a broad range of frequencies for specific purposes.

The symbols are drawn in Gold and can be drawn mentally (envisioned) or with the palm of the hand. They can also be placed (i.e. seen in full) mentally or with the palm of the hand.

These symbols are:

Chokurei, also known as Focus in Japan

Seiheki, also known as Harmony in Japan

and

Honshazeshonen, also known as Connection in Japan.

Symbols are known as Shirushi in Japan.

The pronounced name of a symbol (Chokurei, etc.) is its Jumon.

Chokurei

Chokurei as seen above can be analysed in the following way:

The top horizontal line represents the male energy of the universe

The line down represents energy coming down to earth (it also represents the spinal column)

The spiral represents the female energy of the universe

Its meaning is put all the strength of the universe here or a copy of God/soul energy

It focuses the energy of and increases the strength of your Reiki

It can be used to protect

It is said that placing the symbol at the solar plexus, post-treatment, causes the recipient to continue to receive for hours or even days

Drawing this symbol and motioning it towards a person who wishes to have something materialise in their life will assist in bringing that (appropriate) goal to him/her

It activates and enhances Reiki

It can be used to clear a space of negativity: Draw on each wall, ceiling and floor with a central one in the middle of the space (always repeat the name of the symbol three times after drawing or placing)

The spiral must cross the vertical line, three times, minimum.

Use at the beginning to open a treatment and at the end to close a treatment

Can be drawn on the palms before treating

Can be drawn over shower head for a Reiki enhanced shower

Seiheki

Seiheki, seen on the following page, can be analysed in the following way:

It is the harmony or mental/emotional symbol

It quiets the mind allowing mental and/or emotional balance

It balances the left and right sides of the brain

Its meaning is God and humanity become one

It restores psychological and emotional balance bringing deep healing

It promotes self-growth, improves human relationships, helps to remove unwanted habits and resolves all sorts of disorders resulting from karma or/and trauma

It brings up and heals emotional issues underlying physical problems

Heals emotional and mental distress

Supports positive behaviour changes

Use where you feel emotional processing is required

Can be drawn in all eight top/bottom corners of a space along with a central one to clear negativity

Can be drawn on the palms before treating

Useful in dissipating headaches

Useful in assisting with memory

Put into drinks and food to remove negativity

Honshazeshonen

Honshazeshonen, as seen on the following page, can be analysed as follows:

The Buddha in me reaches out to the Buddha in you to promote enlightenment and peace

Used for remote or distant treatment

Known as the distance or connection symbol

Honshazeshonen also translates as Right consciousness is the root for everything

Use as a focus for sending to Reiki to someone at a distance although intention is all that is necessary to send Reiki anywhere

Useful in past or karmic issues

Symbol of karmic release

Time not relevant regarding use of this symbol

Hon (source, origin, book)

Sha (person)

Ze (right, just)

Sho (correct, exactly, certainly)

Nen (thought, idea, wish)

The symbol is actual Japanese writing or kanji (as is the writing on the manual cover which reads Rei Ki (Reiki))

The long term use of this symbol is to help us live in the present free of blocks and worries about the past or future

Thanks to Rick Rivard (www.threshold.ca) for permission to reproduce all three symbol images.

Kotodama

Kotodama are extremely old. A translation of Kotodama would be word spirit or language soul. The source of these Kotodama is the Japanese religion, Shintoism.

They represent the forces of the Universe or Divine aspects of creation.

The Waka poetry used by the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai contains Kotodama within it. One of the ways Usui Sensei taught his students to connect to the energy was through Kotodama and the use of Kotodama predates the use of symbols in Reiki.

As symbols are tools within Reiki that can eventually be left behind as you become able to work with the energies that they represent, directly, so are Kotodama tools that can also be left behind as you become able directly to work with the energies that the Kotodama represent.

The energies that the three symbols represent and that the Kotodama represent are, of course, essentially the same energies.

Usui Senseis use of Kotodama was what is referred to as classical Kotodama.

Chokurei corresponds to the Focus kotodama which produces earth energy. The ki that comes from the earth is heavy and powerful and is a physical healing energy. Chokurei is not a power symbol as misconceived in western Reiki thought.

Seiheki corresponds to the Harmony kotodama producing heavenly energy which is light and etheric. Heavenly ki increases intuition, psychic ability and mental focus.

Honshazeshonen corresponds to the Connection kotodama producing a state of mind in the practitioner, a state of oneness. A side-effect of this state is the ability to send Reiki to another at a distance.

It is important to bear in mind that originally, the Reiki system was about self-healing and spiritual development and that the treatment of others was not emphasised. The Kotodama represent energies that you needed to become once more in your spiritual and self-healing path.

Pronouncing Kotodama

A aaahO as in roseU as in trueE as in greyI eeeee

Focus ho ku ei hoe koo ey-eeee

Harmony ei ei ki ey-eeee ey-eeee keee

Connection ho a ze ho ne hoe aaah zay hoe neigh

Kotodama should be intoned using a deep resonant voice, breathing them out from your entire body, resonating them from your Hara.

Distant Reiki

To send Reiki to a distant recipient (be that a person, place, issue or event etc.) you can, of course, simply think of the recipient and let Reiki flow. The use of the three Level II symbols and/or kotodama, however, enhances your work. The method to use them varies.

An example would be to, lets say, send Reiki to a distant event (e.g. to enhance the proceedings of a spiritually-oriented meeting) as persons are not the only possible recipients. You would draw or envision Chokurei on each palm followed by Seiheki followed by Honshazeshonen followed by Chokurei (use of symbols or kotodama one at a time was the original practice, however).

You would then draw or envision the same sequence of symbols in the air before you and send Reiki through those symbols to the event. Your intention at the beginning (known in Japan as Mokunen) determines where Reiki is going although you must remember that Reiki knows where to go and may go wherever to carry out your intention. This applies to treating people in that you may believe Reiki ought to go here

or there yet it will often go to where you didnt expect, to carry out the treatment.

You can also envision a grid (as in noughts and crosses) and place persons, events, issues, places, scenarios etc. upon it, one to each cell of your grid and send Reiki as above to it all at once, each occupant of the cells on the grid then receives Reiki.

Another method is to write the name of each such scenario, event, person, etc. on a piece of paper, one to each piece and place these pieces of paper into a box and Reiki the box intending that all within as mentioned on the pieces of paper will receive Reiki.

A toy such as a teddy bear can also be used as a proxy for a person you wish to treat, i.e. treat the proxy intending it to represent him/her and the person will receive Reiki.

You can also use your left thigh and right thigh for a proxy front and back of a person.

You can, of course, send Reiki into the past and future (to a meeting tomorrow, for example) and it will arrive at the time you have sent it to.

It is your intention that is the key.

An interesting point is that although the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai in Japan does not use symbols as these were training wheels used by Usui Sensei to help those who had difficulty sensing the variation in Reiki energy that each symbol represents with the idea of eventually overcoming the need for them, Hayashi Sensei did use them in his school (Hayashi Reiki Kenkyukai).

Treating Others/Self-Treatment

When treating others or yourself as at Level I (hands on, etc.) you can, of course, utilise each of the symbols and/or kotodama to enhance the treatment in line with the applicable use of each symbol or sound.

Usui Reiki Ryoho Techniques of Okuden

Okuden Zenki or First Step

Hatsurei-Ho (Hatsu = generate, rei = energy or spirit, ho = method)

This is a technique to enhance your Reiki channel and to help you grow spiritually. As it cleanses the aura, you may want to let your hands be a little away from the body.

1. Kihon Shisei standard posture.

Sit on the floor in seiza style (on your knees, sitting on your legs) or sit on a chair.Remove all bodily tension. Relax. Lightly close your eyes. Your back straight, bring your attention to your hara (8cm below the navel). Both hands on your lap, palms down.

2. Mokunen focussing (intention).

Tell yourself I begin Hatsurei-Ho.

3. Perform Ken Yoku:

Place the fingers of your right hand at top of left shoulder, hand flat

Draw the flat hand diagonally across the chest to right hip, saying aaaaah as you do

so

Repeat this on the right side using left handRepeat again using right handPlace fingers of right hand on middle of left forearm, draw the hand down all the way to left hand and off

Repeat on right side using left hand on right forearm etc.

Repeat on left side again.

4. Connect to Reiki : Raise both hands high in the air, palms upward and flat. Feel Reiki flowing into your body through your hands.

5. Perform Jo Shin Kokyu Ho:

Close your eyes, let your hands be in lap as if holding eggs

Inhale Reiki light through the crown to your hara (8cm below navel)

Hold your breath momentarily (If safe for you to do so) and feel the energyLet Reiki energy sunburst from your hara, radiating out from your body (to infinity)

As you exhale through your mouth, feel the energy leave your hands and/or soles of your feet.

6. Gassho

Two hands together at heart level (or just above) as if praying.

7. Sei Shin Toitsu (Concentration)

Keeping Gassho, focus on your hara, imagining you are breathing through your hands

When breathing in, visualise Reiki light flows in through your hara line, filling your haraWhen breathing out, say aaaah and visualise the Reiki light radiating out through your hands from your hara (concentrate on your normal breathing)

Repeat this a for a couple of minutes or longer.

8. Mokunen focussing (intention)

Place your hands back on your lap, palms down and say to yourself I have finished Hatsurei-Ho.

Eyes opened, shake your hands up, down, left, right for a few seconds.

Hatsurei-Ho when done as a group is called Shuyo-Ho, the difference being that Gyosei (the Waka Poetry of the Meiji Emperor of Japan) is sung beforehand and the Gokai is recited during Sei Shin Toitsu (at Gakkai meetings).

Uchite Chiryo-Ho (Uchi = strike, hit, knock, tap, te = hand, chiryo = treatment)

This is applying Reiki by patting with your hands or palms to areas of numbness, to

stimulate the surface allowing better penetration of the Reiki energy.

1. Lightly pat the area of numbness (do not hurt the recipient)2. This will wake up the cells in the area.3. The hands may be cupped while doing this.

Nadete Chiryo-Ho (Nade = stroke, smooth down)

This is where Reiki is applied like brushing with a paintbrush.

Move hands up and down (or in circular motion). This encourages the energy flow of Reiki in the body. Treat from the shoulders to the tips of the hands, waist to tips of feet.

Stroke body from top to bottom (or left and right) although this is more appropriate on the back (in all of this technique be aware of and avoid recipients areas of sensibility).

The back can be treated by hands clockwise on the right side of the spine, anti-clockwise on the left side (as if dusting with a cloth).

Oshite Chiryo-Ho (Oshi = push, pressure)

This is where Reiki is applied by pushing gently with the fingertips.

Push area requiring treatment with your fingertips (index and middle or middle and third finger, together) sending Reiki through the fingers.

This can also be done by slightly opening and closing the palm, stretching the fingers and the palm open and then relaxing. Done rhythmically , Reiki emanates from the palm of your hand.

Gyoshi-Ho (Gyoshi = gaze, stare, fixation)

This is where Reiki is given by softly staring (Reiki will come through your eyes).

Look at the area that requires treatment maintaining a soft focus (not a glare)

Hesso Chiryo-Ho (Hesso = navel)

The navel is the centre of your body and the healing spot for every disease.

1. Place your middle finger into your navel (until you feel a gentle pulse)2. Let Reiki flow from your middle finger into your navel until you feel the energy is in harmony with the pulse

3. Keep this way until you feel relaxed and balanced (about 5 10 minutes)

Some recipients may be uncomfortable if you apply this technique on them, in which case let your hand hover over the navel about 5cm above and send Reiki into the navel.

Koki Ho (Koki = exhalation, breath, breathing)

This is where Reiki is sent through the breath.

1. Breathe in through your nose2. With a whistling shaped mouth, breathe to where Reiki is need to be applied, gently.

Useful in treating burns, for example.

Tanden Chiryo-Ho (Tanden = point 8cm below navel (hara))

1. Place one hand on your hara and the other on the upper forehead (where hair starts to grow)

2. Feeling the energy from your hand on your forehead, say in your mind please get rid of the poison from my body

3. Leave your hand there for a couple of minutes4. Move the hand on your forehead to the hand on your hara so that two hands are there

5. Let Reiki flow to hara for about 20 30 minutes

This technique can be applied to others as well as yourself.

Genetsu-Ho (Ge = to bring down, netsu = fever)

This is the standard technique developed by Mikao Usui to treat the source of any disease and of the head particularly. It is also known as Byogen Chiryo-Ho (Byo = disease, gen = origin or root).

Treat the forehead, temples, back of the head, neck, throat, crown, stomach, intestines. The head positions ought to take up to 30 minutes, the stomach and intestines 10 15 minutes.

Okuden Kouki or Second Step

Seiheki Chiryo-Ho (Seiheki = idiosyncrasy, disposition, inclination, characteristic)

1. Place one hand on the forehead and one on the back of the head2. Transmit a pure message through the hand (no mind power, let Reiki do it) on the forehead for 1- 2 minutes (i.e improve personality, correct bad habits)

3. Remove the hand on the forehead keeping the other hand on the back of the head for five minutes or more, giving Reiki.

Can be used on self and others.

Nentatsu-Ho (Nen = idea, feeling, sense, concern, tatsu = discontinue, cut off, suppress)

1. Place your dominant hand at the crown, the other at the base of the skull2. Visualise the Chokurei symbol, send it into the base of the brain and send Reiki for a short time

3. Visualise the Seiheki symbol, send it to the base of the brain and repeat with another Chokurei symbol

4. Imagine the whole of the head filling with Reiki from the symbols and filling the rest of the body slowly from the head down

(The difference between Nentatsu-Ho here and as presented in Shoden is the additional use of symbols)

Enkaku Chiryo-Ho (Enkaku = distant, remote, isolated)

This is a technique to send energy from a distance.

Use a proxy (i.e. a teddy bear) along with the honshazeshonen symbol. In this way, Reiki is given to the proxy and goes to the person that the proxy represents.

Shashin Chiryo-Ho (Shashin = photograph)

In Enkaku Chiryo-Ho, the essence of the person is brought to the Reiki practitioner for treatment. In Shashin Chiryo-Ho, Reiki is sent to the person by use of a photograph of the person.

Use the photograph to get in tune with the intended recipient.

Focus on the combined energies represented by the combination of the Chokurei, Seiheki and Honshazeshonen symbols.

Send Reiki to the intended recipient.

Ketseuki Kokan-Ho (Ketseuki = blood, kokan = exchange, replacement)

This technique stimulates various meridians that may affect blood flow, cleanse the blood of toxins and stimulate the production of new blood cells.

Hanshin Koketsu (Hanshin = half the body, ko = old, ketsu = blood)

1. Sweep down the back from centre to left and centre to right with your palms working your way down the spine (10 15 outward sweeps)

2. Hold your index and middle fingers on both hands and place them on each side of the spine

3. Sweep down the spine from the neck to bottom of spine

Note: See warning regarding Finishing A Session in the Level I Manual that relates that a similar method presented there must not be used on a person with diabetes or a heart condition the warning given there also applies to Ketseuki Kokan Ho.

Zenshin Koketsu (Zenshin = the whole body)

1. Recipient is lying down or comfortably in a chair2. Give Reiki with your hands to the head (front/back, both sides, forehead/neck bottom)

3. Give Reiki to both lungs, heart, stomach and intestines4. Sweep both arms from shoulder to tips of hands several times5. Sweep down from thighs to tips of feet (gain permission first)

Recommended Reading

Iyashino Gendai Reiki HoHiroshi DoiFraser Journal Publishing ISBN 0-9688100-0-4

The Original Reiki Handbook Of Dr. Mikao UsuiDr. Mikao Usui and Frank Arjava PetterLotus Press ISBN 0-914955-57-8

Reiki, The Healing TouchWilliam Lee RandVision Publications ISBN 1-886785-05-8

Essential ReikiDiane SteinThe Crossing Press ISBN 0-89594-736-6

The Reiki SourcebookBronwen & Frans StieneO Books ISBN 1-903816-55-6

The Japanese Art of ReikiBronwen & Frans StieneO Books ISBN 1-905047-02-9