Fast facts
Cho Ku Rei on painful area
Sei He Ki on heart
Sei He Ki on forehead
Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen
Cho Ku Rei on hara
Your Own Hands
Applying Reiki Symbols to Yourself
Self-healing is the foundation of Reiki. Before you heal others, heal yourself. The symbols amplify your self-healing practice.
You can draw symbols directly on your skin, visualize them, or state them silently. All methods work. Experiment to find what resonates.
Practice daily. Even 5-10 minutes of self-healing with symbols can transform your energy, mood, and health over time.
Self-Healing Techniques by Symbol
How to apply each symbol to yourself.
- Cho Ku Rei (Power): Draw on painful areas (head, neck, shoulders, back). Draw on your lower abdomen (hara) to ground energy. Draw in front of your body before starting self-Reiki to increase power.
- Sei He Ki (Emotional): Draw on your heart for emotional healing. Draw on your forehead (third eye) for mental patterns. Draw on your throat for communication issues. Draw on your solar plexus for anxiety.
- Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen (Distance): To heal past events, visualize the event, draw Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen over your heart. To heal your inner child, visualize yourself as a child, draw the symbol. To heal future self, visualize yourself in the future, draw the symbol.
- Dai Ko Myo (Master): Draw on your crown chakra for spiritual connection. Draw over your heart for deep compassion. Use during meditation. Master level only.
Symbol Placement for Self Healing
Where to draw each symbol on your body.
Cho Ku Rei
Draw on painful areas (head, neck, shoulders, back). Draw on lower abdomen (hara) for grounding.
Sei He Ki
Draw on heart (emotions). Draw on forehead (mental patterns). Draw on throat (communication).
Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen
Draw over heart to heal past events. Visualize future self.
Dai Ko Myo
Draw on crown chakra (top of head). Master level only.
A Simple Routine
A 10-Minute Daily Self-Healing Practice with Symbols
Morning practice: Sit comfortably. Take three deep breaths. Draw Cho Ku Rei in front of you. 'May today be filled with Reiki.' Place your hands on your head. Draw Sei He Ki on your forehead. 'May my mind be at peace.' Hold for 2 minutes. Move hands to heart. Draw Sei He Ki again. 'May my heart be open.' Hold for 2 minutes. Move hands to lower abdomen. Draw Cho Ku Rei. 'May I be grounded.' Hold for 2 minutes. Close with hands on your lap. Rest.
Evening practice: Before sleep, draw Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen over your heart. Intend to heal any stress from the day. 'May today's challenges be released.' Hold for 5 minutes. Sleep deeply.
As needed: Draw Cho Ku Rei on any painful area. Draw Sei He Ki on your heart when feeling anxious or sad. Draw Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen to release past memories.
Healing Emotions
Using Sei He Ki for Emotional Self-Healing
Sei He Ki is the emotional healing symbol. Use it for anxiety, depression, grief, anger, fear, and relationship patterns.
For anxiety: Draw Sei He Ki on your solar plexus (upper abdomen). Hold your hands there. Breathe deeply. Intend: 'Release anxiety. Bring peace.' Stay for 5-10 minutes.
For grief: Draw Sei He Ki on your heart. Place one hand on heart, one on upper chest. Intend: 'Allow grief to flow. Release what is ready.' Cry if you need to.
For mental patterns: Draw Sei He Ki on your forehead (third eye). Intend: 'Release limiting beliefs. Open to new possibilities.'
Practice daily. Emotional healing takes time. Be patient with yourself.
Healing History
Using Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen to Heal Past Events
Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen allows you to send healing to past events. This is powerful for childhood trauma, past relationships, and old patterns.
To heal a specific memory: Sit comfortably. Close your eyes. Recall the event. Do not relive it. Just acknowledge it. Draw Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen over your heart. Intend: 'Reiki heal this event. Release its hold on me.' Hold for 5-10 minutes. You may feel emotional release. That is normal.
To heal your inner child: Visualize yourself as a child. Draw Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen over your heart. Intend: 'Healing to my younger self. You are safe now.' Send love.
To release past relationship pain: Write the person's name on paper. Draw Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen over the name. Intend: 'May this relationship be healed. May I release what is not mine to carry.'
Key takeaways
- Draw Cho Ku Rei on painful areas for physical healing and grounding.
- Draw Sei He Ki on heart for emotions, on forehead for mental patterns.
- Use Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen to heal past events and your younger self.
- Combine symbols with hand positions. Hold for 5-10 minutes.
- Practice daily. Even 10 minutes makes a difference.
- Be patient. Self-healing takes time. Results accumulate.
Frequently asked questions
Can I draw symbols on my skin with a pen?
You can, but it is not necessary. Drawing with your finger is traditional. The energy follows your finger, not the ink.
Do I need to draw the symbol exactly on the correct chakra?
Approximate placement is fine. Intention matters more than precision.
How long should I hold a symbol on my body?
2-5 minutes for general healing. 5-10 minutes for specific issues. Follow your intuition.
Can I use symbols during self-Reiki without drawing them?
Yes. Visualize the symbol. Or say its name silently. Intention activates it.
What if I fall asleep during self-healing?
That is fine. Your body continues to receive Reiki while you sleep. Rest is healing.
Sources
- Frank Arjava Petter, Reiki Fire, 1997.
- Bronwen and Frans Stiene, The Reiki Sourcebook, 2003.
- Traditional Reiki symbol teachings.
