Pachamama wrote:just reading over this thread.as open minded as I might like to think I am, I still struggled with the new concepts... and to be honest I'm becoming more and more confused about 'symbols'

I've asked this elswehere, but seeing how there are so many variations of symbols out there and people seemed to be attuned in alsorts of different ways....YET!!!! The multi dimensional spirit of Reik still comes to fruition in all learners....so what is going on???

Having been taught a particular way with my first teacher, I thought this must be how attunements are carried out for everyone...NOT THE CASE!!! yet still the Spirit of Reiki becomes manifest... how can so many different ways of attuning people and so many different symbols or different versions of the same symbol, all work? and how can so many different ways of using certain symbols still work?

You've studied in a few different styles of Reiki Colin, whats your personal take on so many variations, both in visual appearance, how they are applied and the different ways they are applied via attunement?

Hi Sharon

My personal take on why there are so many styles of Reiki is that there are various reasons why a new styles develops:

1) a Reiki teacher adds in some extra stuff that they believe is useful and fits well with their own belief system.

2) a person receives some "guidance" that they should teach certain things as a separate style.

3) what a person teaches may develop over time through experience and research and become a different style

4) a person may experience what they consider to be a new energy frequency and give the energy a different name.

5) a person thinks that they can make the system of Reiki more powerful ( or more authentic) by adding certain teachings and techniques.

6) a person thinks it would be a great way to make some extra money to change a few things and give it a new name.

That fact that most of the above seem to work is really a confirmation that Reiki and the potential that it confers is really within ourselves and not from outside. The attunement of any form is really just a way to bring awareness of our inner potential and reassurance that we can experience Reiki.

well its very clear that alsorts of styles of initiations work.... have you ever played around with initiations yourself ? ever tried an initiation without using symbols?

I give symbol-less Reiju at my Reiki shares but I have never given them on my courses as a single attunement.

hmmmm I've read elswhere on this forum about reiju via attunement....to be honest i thought they were one and the same...

In your view Colin what is the difference between a symboless Reiju and a single attunement?

Hi Sharon

In my view a symbol-less Reiju is probably using the method shared by Hiroshima Doi (which he compiled from the sensations he felt whilst receiving a Reiju) or using Chris Marsh's method which he claimed came from an old Japanese Nun (Suzuki San) who he said was. Student of Usui sensei.

In Japanese Reiki, Reiju is used to mean the same as attunement or initiation as far as Reiki is concerned.

What I meant was, although I use the symbol-less Reiju at my Reiki share, I don't use it in place of the attunement method I was taught, during the coursesbi teach.

thanks Colin....I unerstand, finally!! ahaha but it does all get a bit confusing when one word has different meanings and concepts within different 'styles' of Reiki....but i'm starting to get it. ( I think)