My Reiki Journey - Part 7: Using Reiki II Symbols
When I entered Reiki II and started to learn about Reiki symbols, I still wasn't quite sure how all of the symbolic stuff fit into the actual practice of Reiki. Using symbols as a part of my Reiki practice was probably the piece that felt most esoteric to me and took the most time for me to understand and put into practice beyond just going through the motions of using them. It seemed more removed from the hands-on practice and more mentally centered than the rest of the Reiki experiences, but eventually I gained a deeper understanding around using symbols and their purpose within Reiki.
The symbols are easy enough to find on the internet, so the symbols and what they look like are really not that secretive. What I've come to understand is that symbols really don't mean anything until we give them intention and power. We can walk by the same drawing on a window every single day and think it's just a cool drawing. However, if we know the intent or meaning behind that drawing, or if we've had a deeper experience in which we can relate to that drawing beyond a simple visual impression, suddenly a drawing can take on an entirely different meaning full of emotions and energy based on our own prior experiences. Consider how you might feel when seeing the following symbols:
Question Mark
Arrow
Cross
Star of David
Swaztika
These symbols only have meaning or power once we understand more about how they are used or have been used throughout history and by other people. As a child with no prior experience, these symbols are just drawings like all other drawings. The meaning of these symbols must be created through our own experience or through creating our own set of intentions while using them.
In Reiki II, symbols are given, along with a set of intentions for using them. The symbols and what they relate to in nature or in the universe is something that you explore as you work with them, examine them, try recreating them in different ways, or by meditating on them. The symbols don't conflict with religion and they don't replace religious symbols or powers- they are intentionally unique to Reiki and the intended healing work of Reiki.
The intention we bring to our work while using symbols is one that provides a point of focus for how we will be working with energy in that moment as well as providing a point of focus for the mind. Having a symbol as a point of focus can simply help our mind from wandering off into energetic space or dipping into thoughts that are not as helpful to being fully present to our practice, or having this symbolic point of focus can be as powerful as shifting the entire way we feel in a particular moment. It all depends on how much energy and intention we give a symbol.
Now that I've had enough experience with symbols that were once foreign to me and then taught with an assigned set of intentions, I've started to ask more questions about the power of symbolism...
Do symbols become more powerful as more people use them for the same purpose?
After investigating symbolism as it appears across the world, I've decided that when more people understand the meaning and intention of a symbol, the symbol gains more power to shape energy. Take the simple example of how an arrow can direct the flow and energy of traffic quickly and easily down one-way streets without needing to speak a local language. Power is gained through the collective understanding and belief in what that symbol represents. Consider how believing that any representation of a cross always represents Jesus and how remembering a sacrifice made on a cross can affect millions of people around the world in deeply emotional and spiritual ways. This symbol has gained immense power because of the sheer number of people using it for the same purpose of prayer and religious remembrance.
Why then are Reiki symbols held back as secrets for understanding until the second level?
My best guess is so that only those who have an added level of interest and sincere intention with Reiki practice will use these symbols for their intended purposes, so that the collective power of using the symbols are shared by people who have invested in working with greater healing intentions. There's also an historic practice in the esoteric schools of thought around protecting the unique or original symbols that you use and create for your school so that others are less likely to abuse or misuse them for things other than their intended purpose.
What are practical uses and applications of Reiki symbolism in daily life?
Talking with other Reiki practitioners about how they use symbols was ultimately what made symbols make more sense for me and how I might use them, so if you're already in a Reiki practice and trying to figure out what to do with symbols you've been taught, here's how I've used two of the basic ones while just going about my every day life...
Power Symbol
- To help prepare my hands and state of mind for Reiki self-care or meditation
- Protection on a street that feels too dark or unsafe, or when feeling unsafe in a room
- When wanting to clear food and drinks of negative energies before eating
Harmony Symbol
- When trains, cars, or waiting lines seem to be stuck and not moving due to conflict ahead
- To help provide clarity when feeling confused or lost and out of alignment with my surroundings
- To create calmness and balance when witnessing argument or aggression
What if I'm not Reiki attuned and want to use symbols?
It's always better to use symbols that already have meaning for you rather than trying to work with symbols you haven't been attuned to using. You may have a set of Angels or Saints introduced to you through a religious upbringing which you can use as a point of focus during prayer to bring change or help for a situation, and the power of that Angel or Saint can draw on the collective belief and power of your religion instead of using symbols that have less history or meaning in your life. At a purely energetic and intentional level, it's like asking for a certain type of energy to come into a situation and help improve that situation in one form or another. Since the Reiki symbols do not represent any particular form of religion and are not designed to be religious symbols, they can be used alongside whatever religion or spiritual belief system a Reiki practitioner has in their own life.
What symbols are you already attuned to in your daily life?
Are there certain symbols that attract you when you see them? Flowers? Shapes? Animals? How do they make you feel and what do they make you think of when you see them? Was this feeling something you've always had, or one that you assigned with intention somewhere along the way?
For more Reiki insights, check out Part 6 of my Reiki Journey
or start at the beginning with Part 1 of My Reiki Journey
The symbols are easy enough to find on the internet, so the symbols and what they look like are really not that secretive. What I've come to understand is that symbols really don't mean anything until we give them intention and power. We can walk by the same drawing on a window every single day and think it's just a cool drawing. However, if we know the intent or meaning behind that drawing, or if we've had a deeper experience in which we can relate to that drawing beyond a simple visual impression, suddenly a drawing can take on an entirely different meaning full of emotions and energy based on our own prior experiences. Consider how you might feel when seeing the following symbols:
Question Mark
Arrow
Cross
Star of David
Swaztika
These symbols only have meaning or power once we understand more about how they are used or have been used throughout history and by other people. As a child with no prior experience, these symbols are just drawings like all other drawings. The meaning of these symbols must be created through our own experience or through creating our own set of intentions while using them.
In Reiki II, symbols are given, along with a set of intentions for using them. The symbols and what they relate to in nature or in the universe is something that you explore as you work with them, examine them, try recreating them in different ways, or by meditating on them. The symbols don't conflict with religion and they don't replace religious symbols or powers- they are intentionally unique to Reiki and the intended healing work of Reiki.
The intention we bring to our work while using symbols is one that provides a point of focus for how we will be working with energy in that moment as well as providing a point of focus for the mind. Having a symbol as a point of focus can simply help our mind from wandering off into energetic space or dipping into thoughts that are not as helpful to being fully present to our practice, or having this symbolic point of focus can be as powerful as shifting the entire way we feel in a particular moment. It all depends on how much energy and intention we give a symbol.
Now that I've had enough experience with symbols that were once foreign to me and then taught with an assigned set of intentions, I've started to ask more questions about the power of symbolism...
Do symbols become more powerful as more people use them for the same purpose?
After investigating symbolism as it appears across the world, I've decided that when more people understand the meaning and intention of a symbol, the symbol gains more power to shape energy. Take the simple example of how an arrow can direct the flow and energy of traffic quickly and easily down one-way streets without needing to speak a local language. Power is gained through the collective understanding and belief in what that symbol represents. Consider how believing that any representation of a cross always represents Jesus and how remembering a sacrifice made on a cross can affect millions of people around the world in deeply emotional and spiritual ways. This symbol has gained immense power because of the sheer number of people using it for the same purpose of prayer and religious remembrance.
Why then are Reiki symbols held back as secrets for understanding until the second level?
My best guess is so that only those who have an added level of interest and sincere intention with Reiki practice will use these symbols for their intended purposes, so that the collective power of using the symbols are shared by people who have invested in working with greater healing intentions. There's also an historic practice in the esoteric schools of thought around protecting the unique or original symbols that you use and create for your school so that others are less likely to abuse or misuse them for things other than their intended purpose.
What are practical uses and applications of Reiki symbolism in daily life?
Talking with other Reiki practitioners about how they use symbols was ultimately what made symbols make more sense for me and how I might use them, so if you're already in a Reiki practice and trying to figure out what to do with symbols you've been taught, here's how I've used two of the basic ones while just going about my every day life...
Power Symbol
- To help prepare my hands and state of mind for Reiki self-care or meditation
- Protection on a street that feels too dark or unsafe, or when feeling unsafe in a room
- When wanting to clear food and drinks of negative energies before eating
Harmony Symbol
- When trains, cars, or waiting lines seem to be stuck and not moving due to conflict ahead
- To help provide clarity when feeling confused or lost and out of alignment with my surroundings
- To create calmness and balance when witnessing argument or aggression
What if I'm not Reiki attuned and want to use symbols?
It's always better to use symbols that already have meaning for you rather than trying to work with symbols you haven't been attuned to using. You may have a set of Angels or Saints introduced to you through a religious upbringing which you can use as a point of focus during prayer to bring change or help for a situation, and the power of that Angel or Saint can draw on the collective belief and power of your religion instead of using symbols that have less history or meaning in your life. At a purely energetic and intentional level, it's like asking for a certain type of energy to come into a situation and help improve that situation in one form or another. Since the Reiki symbols do not represent any particular form of religion and are not designed to be religious symbols, they can be used alongside whatever religion or spiritual belief system a Reiki practitioner has in their own life.
What symbols are you already attuned to in your daily life?
Are there certain symbols that attract you when you see them? Flowers? Shapes? Animals? How do they make you feel and what do they make you think of when you see them? Was this feeling something you've always had, or one that you assigned with intention somewhere along the way?
For more Reiki insights, check out Part 6 of my Reiki Journey
or start at the beginning with Part 1 of My Reiki Journey
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