The Reiki Kanji

The token emblem for Earth energy, for life itself, is found in the kanji for Ki – rice, surrounded by steam. Hidden behind this image is a fire. Fire is the yang element, while water is the yin. In the picture of Ki, we see the alchemy of fire, earth, air and water. We see the dance of yin and yang. The fire lifts the water so it can transcend its earth-bound state and rise to the air. The Earth is constantly changing as she moves through cycle after cycle, age after age, incarnation after incarnation. Her only true constant is the dance of her elements as they rearrange themselves. Our highest expression is realised when all these elements are dancing in harmony within us, when we flow with the ever-changing landscape of life. Harmony is found when we surrender to the cyclical nature of life.

Rei is water – the most transcendent, most feminine element as it transforms from solid to liquid to vapour and back again. Rei is the rain. The cooling nourishment that falls from the sky. The kanji for Reiki is about the natural cycle of life as rain moves to the Earth and becomes vapour, returning to the heavens. This speaks to the eternal up and down movement of Ki – a wheel of energy perpetually turning.

Rei translates to sacred, soul, spiritual, or infinite power. Ki means vitality, life-force, breath, the unseen energy that animates the physical world. The seemingly distinct pair of energies blend into one – the river of All That Is – and we experience non-duality. Connection. Reiki is the highest aspect of yourself, the one who is awake. The True Self. Your Buddha nature. The system of Reiki is designed to show us that we are innately the Great Bright Light, and though we may have layers of egoic illusions that cause our suffering, we are ultimately free. We are as vast as the cosmos. The practice provides a union between our severed selves (human and being) and in this, we become whole again.