Article by Lisa Koester
Much has been written and said about using non-traditional symbols in Reiki treatment. Those on both sides of the debate agree that there is a new direction Reiki practice seems to be taking.
In 2014, William Rand, introduced Holy Fire Attunements as a “new” form of Reiki. Those who have received it say they feel it is much more powerful, more aligned, and more attuned with today’s needs of the planet and her inhabitants. Other Reiki Masters are waking up as well, to new symbols which have been revealed to them personally or to their clients. Each individual experiences symbols in their own way, and again it can be very difficult to describe.
Since the beginning of the millennium, and into the planetary shifts of 2012, many have seen changes take place in their inner world as well as their outer world. The global financial collapse of 2008-2009 affected many in how they live, how they perceive the world, and how they prioritize their values.
When major shifts occur in our psyche, and our lives change, things can feel very difficult. Most people are not comfortable with change. So when unplanned changes occur, we can find ourselves at a loss or feel as if the ground has fallen away from beneath our feet.
Image by solanee
For many awakened healers, these symbols are appearing at a time when people are in need of them, or are ready to receive them. We also don’t know exactly how many Reiki symbols there are. Many studies have been done to uncover original symbols which have been traced to Tibet. It is now believed that these symbols were hidden from us until we were ready to receive them. Perhaps you have seen symbols while giving a Reiki session, in a dream, or while practicing on yourself. Pay attention to symbols which show up for you energetically or physically. They can show up in the form of plants, animals, or graphics which repeatedly show up. If you feel so guided to share them with your students, do so only after asking permission on the subtle body level. Students are often overwhelmed with the kanji or Japanese writing when first learning symbols, so adding something new to the mix may throw them. Seasoned Reiki students who have been practicing for a while with traditional symbols and feel comfortable with them may be more open. Once they learn them, ask them to journal or note how they felt different from the original symbols.
We are each of us learning and here to support each other on the path. No one form of Reiki is “right.”
So whatever comes up for you can be shared as a magical gift!
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Lisa Koester is a trained Teaching Reiki Master and Meditation teacher based in Marin County, CA. She helps Reiki practitioners and Reiki masters grow their practice. She speaks at events, leads workshops and retreats, and sees private clients in person or via Skype.
Lisa received Level I initiation in 1998 and continued her metaphysical and spiritual work incorporating Reiki practice into yoga and other modalities. In 2009 Lisa became a professional Teaching Reiki Master, helping people to heal and working with other practitioners. She works with Angelic healing, Ascended Masters, and teaches working with crystals and essential oils. Lisa teaches meditation to individuals as well as groups, and brings her unique style of Living Wisdom Meditation to corporate businesses and private organizations. Locally and globally engaged, Lisa teaches both in person and online, but does attunements in person only. She is available to lead retreats worldwide and speak at events. Lisa Koester may be found at [email protected],
You approached a topic that for some is a delicate subject. I liked your statement that we are here to support each other on the path. That needs to be our focus. From the very beginning there were “other” symbols that I was drawn to and often include these in treatments. Occasionally a new symbol surfaces. I do agree with you that as planetary changes occur we are opening to these.
Thank you Antoinette. Yes, people do receive symbols that are needed when they need them, and often they are personal to us. I would love to hear more about how these symbols enhance your sessions.
I really don’t get the fascination with the symbols to begin with most of the time people don’t even know what a symbol is or how to work with them. All symbols are are a representation of something they are not that thing in themselves they are just a picture of it a representation of it. In traditional Reiki training the symbols are training wheels and your can’t master Reiki or become an advanced level or whatever you want to call it here in the west until you don’t use the symbols anymore until you have a tune yourself to the energy where the symbols are no longer needed. I don’t understand why people are more interested in using the symbols than actually doing the work to become attuned enough with the energy where they don’t need the symbols. To me it just shows a degree of laziness that the Western mind has. As for new energies coming in it’s all the same energy this energy has been there since the beginning of the universe and will be there at the end of the universe the energy is not changing how we perceive it is changing. It would be nice if people would just put into work where they no longer need the symbols were they no longer need their training wheels in their Reiki practice.
I appreciate your post. As a newbie to Reiki I felt very confused about symbols. It seemed a bit primitive as though symbols replaced reading or utilising the energy. I feel somewhat released from my confusion by your post.
Reiki san andreas. For me the energy shift is a reality, after practasing and teaching reiki and meditation for over 20 yrs, my goodness you can feel, touch, hear and see it, mostly feel it in your heart, we can do things to help people that were impossible before. This energy wont sit side by side with suspicion and fear. If you create a feeling of gratitude in your heart and ask to connect with the new energy, you will feel it, a much stronger sense of oneness with others, its beautiful, same with the symbols really, they become alive, like friends, with consiousness, all about being truly connected. You could try it.
We were given 2 new symbols to use which connects us to our seed energy, one for the earth and one for the stars. They work outside of time from our beginnings to our futures, they feel powerful, yet more gentle, with inteligance, so impossible to misuse, they have been more than helpful in genetic conditions of a physical or emotional nature, as well as many other things. would love to know of other peoples experiances, we cant wait to share them.
Sounds interesting, your seed symbols. 🙂 I would be happy to learn more
I received a new symbol while in meditation.
I’ve used it with myself and shared with my reiki master.
It seems to be a healing symbol for healers.
my feeling is that it’s a symbol for healers because now is the time that we need “quality” or dedicated healers prepared to commit to reiki as a way to help heal our world. ***Not that I think some reiki healers are “better” or “stronger” than others-(reiki is spiritually guided after all- no ego here)****
I think it’s the commitment and intention to make healing our life’s work. and the time is now. It is a Supportive symbol for Those willing (or being called) to bring reiki healing into mainstream awareness.
There are healers in this realm and others just waiting to help us healers to grow, and to shed/heal anything that no longer serves us.
As our lights shine brighter, we can then spread love, light and healing in a time that healing is so desperately needed.
I agree new symbols are coming to us because they are needed, and we are ready to receive them. But symbols or not, we have support from within and from beyond helping us at this time, if we are open.
Thank you to all the healers who share their energy for us all to draw on for support and healing. ??
Am happy to,pass this on only too happy to, you dont need to be attuned, a bit like the antakarana, they have conciousness, you can comunicate with them easily, I would be interested in the symbol that you were channeled also. Thank you for,your interest and thoughts.
You can’t just draw a squiggle call it a symbol, true healing symbol just don’t work this way. Most of these new symbols are just people wanting to sell a new version of Reiki for money. Many are just jumping onto the Reiki roller coaster. Then there are others that want to ego to say I’ve been attuned to what ever Reiki. True healing and a spiritual path isn’t about his.
So true!
I think this is really an individual issue, but I agree that I’m a bit bothered by the whole idea of selling all the different types of “new and improved” Reiki. Why still call it Reiki then? I did some teaching ten years ago, just first level classes, and although I taught the traditional concepts, I was also guided to lead my students in a meditation where they were given their own personal symbol for healing. Many of them seemed to find this to be a powerful process, and I certainly think we can retrieve symbols, mantras, words, etc., whether from our own Higher Selves or the Collective Consciousness (akin to Jungian Archetypal Symbols, perhaps), or the Reiki intelligence, or whatever aligns with your beliefs. I mean, where did all this stuff come from to begin with? Do we believe there’s a limited amount of it? I think the more we work on our own healing and align ourselves with higher frequencies of energy, we access limitless information. AND I also believe that the clearer and more experienced we become at working with energy, the less we have need for symbols. I have read something that said the Kanji symbols were simply encapsulations of mantras to begin with-do we know if that’s true? Spoken tradition has always preceded written tradition, so maybe it is. Where did mantras originally come from? Someone was “given” them, in a clear spiritual state. So if it works for you, use it. But don’t fall into the trap of thinking that you need more, more, more, whether it’s classes, “degrees”, mantras, symbols, or anything else. The energy gets stronger when you USE IT, LEARN IT, UNDERSTAND IT, and LIVE IT. That is what true Mastery is-continuing to work on clearing and healing YOURSELF until you are a CLEAR CHANNEL for the uninterrupted flow of energy. There are many roads, but just one path.
I noticed some said symbols are only symbols..not true. first you need to understand the subject of vibration, a word isnt just a word. Love has a specific vibration and effect on water, what are we made of,? same with symbols, if an intent is put behind them, they are very strong vibrationally and can also increase the focus of intent. they work in many ways. so a symbol is NOT just a symbol for those who said this