Fast facts
Power symbol. Increases energy flow.
Emotional/mental healing symbol.
Distance symbol. Across time and space.
Master symbol. Attunements. Teacher level.
Symbols are drawn, not tattooed or displayed.
The Four Sacred Symbols
Meanings, Uses, and Traditions
The symbols of Usui Reiki are taught at different levels. At Okuden (Level 2), students receive three symbols: Cho Ku Rei, Sei He Ki, and Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen. At Shinpiden (Level 3/Master), students receive the master symbol, Dai Ko Myo.
Traditionally, symbols were kept secret. They were passed orally from teacher to student. In modern practice, the symbols are widely published. The secret is not the shape. The secret is the experience of using them.
A symbol is a tool. It focuses your intention. It activates the energy. It is not magic. It is not a power you possess. It is a key that opens a door you already have permission to walk through.
The Four Symbols in Detail
Each symbol's name, meaning, and primary use.
- Cho Ku Rei (Power Symbol): Meaning 'place the power of the universe here.' Increases energy flow. Grounds energy. Protects. Used at the beginning of sessions, over painful areas, to purify spaces.
- Sei He Ki (Emotional/Mental Symbol): Meaning 'the earth and sky meet.' Heals emotional wounds. Releases mental patterns. Brings balance. Used for anxiety, depression, trauma, relationships, habits.
- Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen (Distance Symbol): Meaning 'no past, no present, no future.' Allows healing across space and time. Used for distance healing, past events, future situations, karmic patterns.
- Dai Ko Myo (Master Symbol): Meaning 'great shining light.' Represents the source of Reiki. Used in attunements. Deepens spiritual connection. Taught only at master level.
The Four Usui Reiki Symbols
Each symbol's shape, name, and meaning.
Cho Ku Rei
Power symbol. Spiral shape. Increases energy flow. Protection. Grounding.
Sei He Ki
Emotional/mental symbol. Flowing curves. Heals emotional wounds. Releases mental patterns.
Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen
Distance symbol. Complex lines. Healing across space and time. Past, present, future.
Dai Ko Myo
Master symbol. Elegant strokes. Great shining light. Attunements. Teacher level.
The Origin of the Symbols
- Usui studies Buddhist and Shinto symbols, possibly including Siddham Sanskrit.The symbols likely have origins in Japanese esoteric Buddhist practices.
- Usui reportedly receives the symbols during his awakening on Mount Kurama.Traditional story: the symbols appeared in the light. Historical origin is less clear.
- Usui and later Hayashi teach the symbols orally to students.Symbols are kept secret, passed teacher to student.
- Takata teaches the symbols in the West, eventually allowing them to be written down.Symbols become widely known and published.
Cho Ku Rei (Power Symbol)
Cho Ku Rei (Power Symbol)
Place the power of the universe here. Increases energy flow. Grounds. Protects.
Use at the beginning of sessions to open energy. Over painful areas. To purify a space. To ground energy. To protect your energy field.
- Start at the top. Draw a vertical line downward.
- From the bottom, spiral upward clockwise three times.
- End at the top. Draw a horizontal line through the spiral.
- The shape resembles a coiled spring or a target.
Sei He Ki (Emotional/Mental Symbol)
Sei He Ki (Emotional/Mental Symbol)
The earth and sky meet. Heals emotional wounds. Releases mental patterns. Brings balance.
Use for anxiety, depression, trauma. For relationships. For habits and addictions. For emotional release during sessions. To balance left and right brain.
- Draw a flowing curve from left to right.
- Draw a second curve underneath, flowing opposite direction.
- Connect them with a vertical stroke.
- The shape resembles flowing water or waves.
Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen (Distance Symbol)
Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen (Distance Symbol)
No past, no present, no future. Allows healing across space and time.
Use for distance healing (person not present). For past events (childhood trauma, past lives). For future situations (surgery, presentation). For karmic patterns.
- Draw the complex character in five strokes.
- The symbol is traditionally drawn as a single Japanese kanji-like character.
- Focus on intention more than perfect form.
Key takeaways
- Usui Reiki has four main symbols: Cho Ku Rei, Sei He Ki, Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen, and Dai Ko Myo.
- Cho Ku Rei (power symbol) increases energy flow and protects.
- Sei He Ki (emotional/mental symbol) heals emotional wounds and mental patterns.
- Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen (distance symbol) allows healing across space and time.
- Dai Ko Myo (master symbol) is used for attunements and teacher training.
- Symbols are tools, not magic. They focus intention. Reiki works without them.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to use the symbols for Reiki to work?
No. Reiki works without symbols. Symbols amplify intention. They are tools, not requirements.
Can I draw the symbols if I have not been attuned?
Traditionally, symbols were only given to attuned students. In modern practice, they are widely published. Drawing the symbol without attunement is not harmful, but it may not have the same effect.
Is it okay to get a Reiki symbol tattoo?
Traditionally, symbols were not displayed as decorations. They were used in practice, then dismissed. Many traditional teachers advise against tattoos. Modern practitioners have varying views.
What language are the symbols in?
The symbols are drawn in a style similar to Japanese Siddham (bonji) script. Their origins are in esoteric Buddhist practices.
Do the symbols work if I draw them poorly?
Intention matters more than perfect form. Draw to the best of your ability. The energy follows your intention, not your penmanship.
Sources
- Frank Arjava Petter, Reiki Fire, 1997.
- Bronwen and Frans Stiene, The Reiki Sourcebook, 2003.
- Traditional Usui Reiki teaching materials.
