October 13, 2026
Reiki
Reiju: What We Know and What We Don’t Know
What Reiju means, how its transmission has evolved, and what we can —and cannot— say about its history, its effects and lineage in Reiki.
It is the silent companion within the practice. The one we speak about the least when we speak about Reiki.
Therapy, the Five Principles —Gokai—, the life of Usui Sensei, the Reiki symbols, distant treatment… They all fill books, talks and podcasts, but it is Reiki self-treatment that accompanies you in your daily life, when life becomes difficult, when pain appears, or when everything seems to lose its balance.
The Reiki school founded by Usui Sensei is based on practices that are simple yet profound: Gasshō meditation, treatment or the laying on of hands, and the Gokai, or Five Principles. All the techniques and variations within Reiki teachings are part of one of these practices.
Meditation, which for many years was diminished within Western Reiki teachings, seems to be reclaiming its central place in Reiki schools and practice around the world. It is difficult to understand Reiki without meditation, as it brings the depth, clarity and presence that are essential to both treatment and the understanding of the practice.
Treatment moves in two directions: the treatment we offer to others, commonly known as «Reiki therapy», and the treatment we give ourselves, Reiki self-treatment. Yet it is treatment for others that is most often spoken and written about. It is treatment for others that has been studied and written about in published articles. Reiki self-treatment has little presence in the public world of Reiki, but a great deal in the private one.
The Gokai, the Five Principles of Reiki, explore the nature of anger and worry, encourage gratitude and diligent work, and call for a return to kindness. They are well known although, in my opinion, less often truly practised. As Reiki students and practitioners, we tend to memorise them, repeat them and learn them in the original Japanese, but we do not always reflect on them or keep them present in our daily lives. The Gokai are a profound practice that requires consistency, understanding and repetition.
Although many of us who teach Reiki emphasise the importance of self-treatment in our classes, it is common for students, as months and years pass, to give greater importance to other Reiki practices. Yet it is precisely Reiki self-treatment that turns Reiki practice into an inseparable companion. It is Reiki self-treatment that cares for our bodies, sometimes battered; for our emotions, so often overwhelmed; and for our fears and doubts.
Reiki self-treatment, this laying on of hands that we perform on ourselves, is the body of the practice: the tangible, the basic. Yes, the Gokai are the soul of Reiki, but it is self-treatment that allows the purity of Reiki to soothe our pain, give us direction and bring us clarity.
When we achieve the regularity that every spiritual discipline requires, those thirty, forty or sixty minutes of daily Reiki are what align our lives, bring them into balance and give them the depth we so often long for.
When Reiki self-treatment finally receives the attention it deserves, it is usually to discuss or debate the sequence of hand positions. Some argue that the hands should be placed over the seven main chakras of Hindu philosophy. Others believe that the organs should be treated. Some advocate treating the lymphatic system. And so, in discussions that are less important than we think, we forget what truly matters in Reiki self-treatment: practising it regularly and with presence.
The positions are not as important as attitude and presence. The three or four minutes in each position that teachers teach their students at the first level of Reiki are not inflexible; they are simply a reference. Nothing more. Reiki self-treatment does not ask for seven positions, or nine, or twenty-one; it asks for continuity, kindness… and presence.
Consistency in Reiki self-treatment is far more important than anything else. We should not fall into the mistake of thinking that some positions will work while others will not. It is the simple act of placing our hands on ourselves and trusting in the purity of Reiki that allows us to understand —and experience— how Reiki brings balance to our lives and supports us through pain when it appears.
One of the most common «complaints» among students is that they «feel less» when practising Reiki self-treatment than when treating other people. This significant decrease in sensations too often leads to disappointment with self-treatment and may eventually lead to abandoning the practice.
In reality, when we speak about Reiki, our attention should not be focused so much on the sensations experienced during practice as on our daily lives. Reiki promises —and promotes— stability, serenity, health and balance; therefore, continued practice supports these benefits beyond momentary sensations.
Sensations may come and go and may be more or less intense. Our mood, tiredness and daily life can all affect how we perceive them, but improvements in our lives become evident when self-treatment is practised continuously and persistently.
In Reiki courses, after receiving Reiju —the initiation into Reiki—, most teachers speak about the importance of practising with complete regularity for the following three weeks: the well-known 21 days of Reiki. However, many students, after practising for these three weeks, begin to become less consistent with self-treatment.
Perhaps the teaching of the 21 days of Reiki does not encourage continuity in practice. Yoga, for example, places great emphasis on the need for daily practice. Qigong does too. Meditation does too. When you complete a training in any of these disciplines, you are very aware that regularity in practice is the key. Perhaps Reiki lacks this clarity.
Consistency in Reiki self-treatment is the most important aspect of Reiki practice. It improves clarity, reduces tiredness, brings serenity and has an effect on our relationships. The daily encounter with Reiki allows you to discover the true «magic» of Reiki.
Here are some guided Reiki self-treatments to help you return to your practice:
What Reiju means, how its transmission has evolved, and what we can —and cannot— say about its history, its effects and lineage in Reiki.
Learning Reiki in Japan can bring the practice into a wider cultural context. Here is what to consider when choosing a course, and how we approach our Reiki Mastery journey at Kisetsu.
A clear guide to starting meditation from scratch: posture, breathing, duration, guided meditation, and how to build a consistent practice.