Alternatives To Usui-Reiki

No book on Reiki would be complete if the alternative healing techniques that are based on Reiki are not touched upon.

And, despite the outcry of purists who look down upon these different versions – which I have alluded to in Chapter 1 –, I personally endorse the arrival of these versions on the alternative therapy scene.

For it is only when new ideas and inputs keep adding to any branch of knowledge does it keep growing and remain vibrant.

When new ideas and inputs stop, the branch stagnates and dies its natural death. It is just like the tributaries that feed water to the main river and make it large and huge. When there are no tributaries the river becomes a small stream; and may eventually even dry up.

At last count, there were about thirty different forms of Reiki healing available in the Reiki community.

As I have stated somewhere else, these forms at the core draw their inspiration from the original Usui-Reiki. Where they differ are in the number of symbols used – some forms add new symbols, others subtract from the original Usui set –, the application of hand positions, and the style of attunement.

I present here a few of the more popular alternative forms of Reiki.

Karuna Reiki

“Karuna” is actually a Sanskrit word whose dictionary meaning is “compassion”. Karuna also is a synonym of “Metta Bhavana”, meaning “unconditional and unattached loving-kindness”, which in turn is the ninth “perfection” of the Theravada School of Buddhism. This implies that the roots of Karuna Reiki lie in Buddhism, just like Usui-Reiki.

So much for the theory. The nitty-gritty is that Karuna Reiki begins where Usui-Reiki ends. After you have completed your Reiki Master (level III) training, you become eligible for Karuna Reiki.

There are two levels of Karuna Reiki. Though William Rand, the originator of Karuna Reiki, insists on mandatory two attunement sessions, there are other Karuna Reiki Masters who talk about self-attunement (just like I do for Usui-Reiki). This form of Reiki has its own set of symbols: four master and eight treatment symbols.

The entire method can be taught and learnt in three days.

Kundalini Reiki

This form of Reiki was founded by Ole Gabrielsen of Denmark. As the name suggests, this Reiki variant is based on the ancient Indian system of healing through Kundalini awakening.

There are three levels in Kundalini Reiki. Each level requires its own attunement.

Attuning the first level does not require much time. However, attuning and learning level two takes two days, and the third level requires three days.

The emphasis is on attunement, and there are different attunements, such as DNA Reiki, Birth trauma Reiki, Crystalline Reiki, Diamond Reiki, etc.

Tera Mai Reiki

The Tera Mai system was founded by U.S.-based Kathleen Milner. According to folklore, she was motivated into developing this system during her sojourn with Satya Sai Baba of Andhra Pradesh, India.

Tera-Mai Reiki has four levels: Level I imbibes 2 symbols, Level II 21, Level III 5 and the Master Level orients learners into 6 symbols, taking the tally of symbols to 34.

In this form of Reiki, the learner gets to learn concepts such as Kanji, “scanning” and “beaming” techniques, runes and Egyptian cartouche, “microcosmic orbit”, regression therapy and so on.

The course is quite structured and well-standardized, thanks to the efforts of Ms. Milner.

Sekhem-Seichim-Reiki (SSR)

“Sekhem” means “power” in Egyptian language. “Seichim” is an ancient Egyptian system of healing wisdom. Sekhem-Seichim-Reiki is an integration of three related, yet unique, energies. This form of Reiki was developed by Diane Ruth Shewmaker and Patrick Zeigler.

There are seven levels of attainment in SSR, each of them being called a “facet”. Each level has its own attunement. There are eleven sacred symbols in SSR, one of which is the Usui Reiki Master Symbol.

My Take On Alternate Forms

I have been very brief in describing these alternate forms of Reiki, in order to steady the focus of this book on Usui-Reiki and self-attunement.

Every one of the alternate forms that I have mentioned here, besides the others that I have not touched at all (Celtic Reiki, Reiki Tummo, Lightrarian Reiki, and so on), all function with the same set of tenets that I have outlined in an earlier chapter.

It is:
The concept of infinite and abundant energy swirling around us that is harnessed by a channel.

The concept of Symbols that the channel has to use,
The concept of intention of the channel,
The concept of hand positions,

And the concept of pathways of energy in the body that should be open and cleansed, in order for a person to be healthy.

These tenets are common across all the forms of Reiki.

Practitioners of all the various forms of Reiki have reported the same level of success in healing their clients, which again reinforces my theory that attunement through a human mediator in Usui-Reiki is really not required. It is useful, yes, but not mandatory.

Continue to Chapter 8 >>