Have you ever wondered how energy healers seem to channel such powerful healing forces? The secret lies partly in ancient symbols that act as keys to unlock deeper levels of universal life energy.
Reiki symbols are sacred tools used by practitioners to amplify healing power, send energy across distances, and connect with profound spiritual frequencies. These mystical signs aren’t just decorative they’re practical instruments that enhance the effectiveness of Reiki healing sessions.
Whether you’re curious about Reiki or considering becoming a practitioner yourself, understanding these symbols opens the door to appreciating this gentle yet powerful healing modality.
What Are Reiki Symbols?
Reiki symbols are sacred characters originating from Japanese and Sanskrit traditions. These symbols represent energies that can be activated and directed through Reiki practice. Think of them as spiritual shortcuts that help practitioners access specific frequencies of universal life energy more efficiently.
Developed by Dr. Mikao Usui in Japan during the late 1800s, these Usui Reiki symbols were traditionally kept secret and only revealed to students who had received proper attunement from a Reiki master. Today, while the symbols are more widely known, they still require activation through attunement to unlock their full potential.
Reiki signs serve multiple purposes: they amplify healing energy, provide protection, facilitate emotional balance, enable distance healing, and connect practitioners with higher spiritual consciousness.
The Five Main Reiki Symbols and Their Meanings
Let’s explore each of the five primary reiki symbols and their unique healing properties.
1. Cho Ku Rei: The Power Symbol
Meaning: “Placing all the powers of the universe here”
Appearance: A coil or spiral shape with a horizontal and vertical line
Cho Ku Rei is the reiki master symbol that practitioners learn first, and it’s the most frequently used. This power symbol increases the power of Reiki, provides protection and grounding, and clears energy blockages.
Primary Uses:
- Amplifying healing energy at the start of sessions
- Clearing negative energy from spaces
- Protecting yourself and your environment
- Focusing Reiki energy on specific body areas or chakras
- Sealing energy at the end of treatments
The symbol can be drawn clockwise to increase energy or counterclockwise to decrease it, making it incredibly versatile for various healing needs.
2. Sei He Ki: The Mental/Emotional Healing Symbol
Meaning: “God and humanity become one” or “Earth and sky meet”
Appearance: Resembles a backwards “Z” or the number “5” with wave-like elements
Sei He Ki heals emotional and mental problems like anxiety, depression, and addiction. This harmony symbol works on both conscious and subconscious levels to restore emotional balance.
Primary Uses:
- Healing emotional wounds and past traumas
- Reducing anxiety, stress, and depression
- Breaking negative thought patterns and addictions
- Balancing left and right brain hemispheres
- Enhancing creativity and intuition
- Protecting against negative energy
- Strengthening affirmations and intentions
Many practitioners draw this symbol next to written affirmations to amplify their power and effectiveness.
3. Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen: The Distance Healing Symbol
Meaning: “No past, no present, no future” or “Having no present, past, or future”
Appearance: Complex symbol with multiple Japanese kanji characters
This distance symbol transcends the limitations of time and space, making it crucial for distant Reiki healing. It allows practitioners to send healing energy to people who aren’t physically present.
Primary Uses:
- Sending Reiki energy across any distance
- Healing past traumas and emotional wounds
- Setting intentions for future events
- Connecting with deceased loved ones
- Healing different aspects of yourself (inner child work)
- Balancing energy in different body parts
This symbol demonstrates that energy knows no boundaries—distance and time don’t limit the flow of healing.
4. Dai Ko Myo: The Master Symbol
Meaning: “Great bright light” or “Great enlightenment”
Appearance: The most complex of all reiki symbols with multiple brush strokes
Dai Ko Myo is the most sacred Reiki symbol with the highest vibration and most transformative power. This reiki master symbol represents spiritual awakening and enlightenment.
Primary Uses:
- Healing the soul and higher chakras
- Attunement ceremonies for new Reiki students
- Enhancing spiritual growth and awareness
- Clearing the aura of negative energy
- Amplifying the effects of other symbols
- Deep meditation and spiritual connection
- Blessing spaces and protecting against negativity
Many consider this the most powerful symbol in Usui Reiki practice, reserved for advanced practitioners.
5. Raku: The Completion Symbol
Meaning: “The fire serpent” or “Lightning bolt”
Appearance: A zigzag line drawn downward
Raku is used primarily by Reiki masters during attunements and at the end of healing sessions. This grounding symbol helps the body absorb and integrate Reiki benefits.
Primary Uses:
- Sealing energy at the end of sessions
- Grounding recipients after treatment
- Completing attunement ceremonies
- Helping energy move down through the body
- Cleansing negative energy from the practitioner
The downward motion symbolizes grounding and completion, bringing the healing session to a proper close.
In-Depth Reiki Symbols Chart
| Symbol | Name | Level | Primary Function | Key Benefits | When to Use |
| Cho Ku Rei | Power Symbol | Level 2 | Energy amplification | Increases healing power, clears blockages, provides protection, grounds energy | Beginning and end of sessions, cleansing spaces, boosting energy flow |
| Sei He Ki | Mental/Emotional Symbol | Level 2 | Emotional healing | Heals anxiety, depression, trauma; balances emotions; enhances creativity | Emotional issues, mental clarity, addiction recovery, relationship healing |
| Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen | Distance Symbol | Level 2 | Distance/time healing | Transcends space and time, heals past/future, connects across distance | Distance healing, past trauma work, future event preparation, spiritual connection |
| Dai Ko Myo | Master Symbol | Master Level | Spiritual healing | Highest vibration, soul healing, spiritual awakening, attunements | Deep spiritual work, attunements, aura clearing, advanced healing |
| Raku | Completion Symbol | Master Level | Grounding/sealing | Grounds energy, seals treatment, integrates healing, cleanses practitioner | End of sessions, completing attunements, grounding after energy work |
How to Draw Reiki Symbols
Drawing reiki symbols correctly is essential for activating their energy. Here’s the general process:
Basic Steps:
- Set your intention – Focus on what you want to achieve with the symbol
- Visualize the symbol – See it clearly in your mind’s eye
- Draw with purpose – Use your dominant hand or visualize it in the air, on your body, or on the recipient
- Speak the name – Say the symbol’s name three times (silently or aloud)
- Feel the energy – Notice the shift in energy as the symbol activates
Most practitioners draw the symbols in the air with their hands, visualize them on specific body areas, or draw them on paper. The key is maintaining clear intention and focus while drawing.
How to Activate Reiki Symbols
Here’s an important truth: simply knowing the symbols isn’t enough. Reiki symbols require attunement by a Reiki Master to activate their full potential.
The Activation Process:
During a Reiki Level 2 or Master Level attunement, a qualified Reiki Master performs a sacred ceremony that:
- Opens and expands your energy channels
- Connects you to the symbol’s frequency
- Enables you to access the symbol’s power
- Teaches your body to replicate the energy connection
While you can practice drawing the symbols before attunement, they won’t carry the same energetic potency until a Reiki Master activates them for you.
After Attunement:
- Practice drawing each symbol daily
- Meditate on the symbols to deepen your connection
- Use them regularly in self-healing sessions
- Combine symbols for enhanced effects
The 5 Pillars of Reiki
Beyond the symbols, Reiki practice rests on five foundational pillars also known as the Reiki principles or precepts. These principles were developed by Dr. Mikao Usui as spiritual guidelines to help lead a happier, healthier life.
The Five Reiki Principles (each beginning with “Just for today”):
- I will not anger – Release angry thoughts and embrace peace
- I will not worry – Let go of fear and trust the universe
- I will be grateful – Practice appreciation for all you have
- I will do my work honestly – Live with integrity and give your best
- I will be kind to every living thing – Show compassion to yourself and others
These pillars provide the philosophical foundation for Reiki practice, reminding practitioners that healing begins with how we approach life each day.
How Reiki Symbols Enhance Healing Energy
Reiki symbols work as focusing tools that help practitioners tap into specific healing frequencies. Think of them like tuning forks each symbol vibrates at a particular frequency that resonates with different aspects of healing.
When a practitioner draws or visualizes a symbol:
- Neural pathways associated with that symbol activate
- The practitioner’s consciousness shifts to align with the symbol’s energy
- Universal life force energy flows more intensely
- The recipient’s energy field responds to the focused intention
Combining multiple symbols creates layered effects. For example, practitioners often use Cho Ku Rei with Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen for powerful distance healing sessions.
Getting Started with Reiki Symbols
If you’re drawn to working with reiki symbols and meanings, here’s your path forward:
Step 1: Learn Reiki Level 1 Focus on self-healing and understanding basic Reiki principles before working with symbols.
Step 2: Advance to Reiki Level 2 Receive attunement to Cho Ku Rei, Sei He Ki, and Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen. Practice using these three symbols regularly.
Step 3: Consider Master Training If you feel called to teach Reiki, pursue Master Level training to receive the Dai Ko Myo and Raku symbols.
Throughout Your Journey:
- Practice daily self-healing
- Study the symbols’ meanings deeply
- Keep a Reiki journal to track experiences
- Find a qualified teacher who resonates with you
- Respect the sacred nature of the symbols
FAQ: Common Questions About Reiki Symbols
What are the 3 reiki symbols?
The first three reiki symbols taught in Reiki Level 2 training are Cho Ku Rei (the Power Symbol), Sei He Ki (the Mental/Emotional Symbol), and Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen (the Distance Symbol).
How to activate reiki symbols?
Reiki symbols must be activated through a formal attunement ceremony performed by a qualified Reiki Master. Simply knowing or drawing the symbols won’t unlock their full energetic potential without this sacred initiation.
What are the five symbols of Reiki?
The five main symbols in Usui Reiki are: Cho Ku Rei (Power Symbol) for amplifying energy, Sei He Ki (Mental/Emotional Symbol) for emotional healing, Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen (Distance Symbol) for transcending time and space, Dai Ko Myo (Master Symbol) for spiritual enlightenment, and Raku (Completion Symbol) for grounding and sealing energy.
Do Reiki symbols need to be activated?
Yes, reiki symbols require activation through attunement by a certified Reiki Master to access their full healing power. While you can study and practice drawing the symbols on your own, they function as energetic tools only after proper attunement. The attunement process creates an energetic connection between you and each symbol, enabling you to channel their specific frequencies effectively.
Your Path to Healing
Reiki symbols are powerful tools that bridge the seen and unseen, the physical and spiritual. These sacred signs amplify your natural healing abilities and connect you to universal life energy in profound ways.
Whether you’re experiencing physical pain, emotional distress, or simply seeking deeper spiritual connection, Reiki offers a gentle path to wellness. The symbols serve as keys that unlock doors to healing you never knew existed.
Remember, healing is a journey, not a destination. Each symbol you learn, each session you receive or give, brings you closer to wholeness.
Ready to experience the transformative power of Reiki energy healing? At Healing Springs Wellness, our certified Reiki practitioners can guide you through personalized healing sessions that address your unique needs. Whether you’re dealing with stress, anxiety, physical discomfort, or spiritual disconnection, Reiki can help restore balance and peace. Schedule your Reiki session today and discover the profound healing that awaits.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. Reiki is a complementary therapy and should not replace professional medical treatment. Always consult with qualified healthcare providers for medical concerns.
