Reiju, The Spiritual Blessing From The Teacher To The Student
(This is an excerpt from a University Of Metaphysical Sciences course at www.umsonline.org, please feel free to visit the school website)
Rather than attunements, Usui Makao typically gave his students a “Reiju,” which is a spiritual blessing. The student who receives reiju from their teacher may feel a stronger spiritual connection. Unlike attunement, Reiju does not make a master. You cannot excel in Reiki without attunements by a Reiki master. However, you can advance your own spiritual practice greatly by learning how to give and receive reiju. Traditionally, a teacher would give at least four reiju sessions to a student at the first level, then the teacher would give three more at the second level, and a final reiju at the third level. Reiju is seen as a “spiritual rebirth” according to the book The Japanese Art Of Reiki (2005). It is compared to a refreshing drink of water to the thirsty.
Reiju has two preparation techniques, but the teacher’s action is not what gives the student reiju. The true spiritual experience is in the teacher’s state of mind. The blessings will be received by the student in a state of greater purity if the teacher has prepared his or her consciousness correctly. To reach the perfect state of mind takes practice, meditation, and concentration. One must focus one’s state of mind on one’s place in the universe. If one realizes where one stands in the scope of the universe then one can achieve this pure state of mind. Finding this state of mind and strengthening this spiritual connection is the ultimate goal. The roads to this goal are countless; each person can take a different road. All roads lead to the same place, so which road one takes does not matter; what matters is that one persists along the road with confidence, righteousness, and devotion.
A few suggested practices may help you reach your goal in Reiki. To prepare yourself for giving reiju you should start by practicing the cleansing dry bath ritual first. Then, as always, go through the six principles. Next focus your attention and bring your hands (which were in gassho) to your hara. Strengthening your connection to your hara will help you strengthen your spiritual connection as a whole. To end the meditation, bring your hands back to the gassho position.
After this quick exercise, before you practice reiju, try this next exercise. Throughout this preparation exercise keep your attention focused on your hara. Start by raising your hands, out of gassho, until your elbows are at a 90 degree angle and in line with your shoulders. Your forearms are parallel to your ears, with your fingers pointing upward, and your palms are turned inward above your head. Holds this position and feel the Reiki flow down your arms and into your hara where your focus should be.
Next you will
move your hands in a circular manner. Start the cycle by lowering your
forearms as you turn your palms outward until your entire arm is parallel
to the ground and your palms are facing the earth. Then bring your hands
together over your hara with the back of your left hand resting in the
cupped palm of your right hand. Feel the energy in your hara. Afterwards,
create a sun mudra or nichirin shape with your hands by letting your thumbs
and forefingers of the opposite hand touch lightly, so that the space
between your hands creates a diamond shape with the sharper point facing
downward. Your palms will start by facing your body. Then move your hands
out, while maintaining the diamond shape, in front of your heart until
your arms are fully extended and your palms are facing outward. Continue
the circle by bending your elbows slightly, raising your hands over your
head, and pointing your palms to the sky, until the diamond shape between
your hands is centered over your crown chakra. Finish the circle by resuming
the position in which your hands are apart, extended, and parallel to
the ground with your palms facing the earth again. Now start the cycle
again. Do this at least three times. Finish by bringing your hands back
to gassho.
Once you have practiced these exercises you can begin the reiju session
if your mind is in the right state. It is the intent that counts, so do
not be discouraged if you still do not understand what the perfect state
of mind is, because there is no truly perfect state of mind. Nevertheless,
if you strive for the perfect state of mind, and your intentions are pure,
then the spiritual blessing will work.
At this point, rest your hands over the person you are giving reiju to, usually over his or her crown chakra. Let the spiritual blessing flow through you. If you have no one to give reiju to and you want to practice, then you can just give reiju to an empty space or chair. Afterwards you can sit in the space or the chair where you directed the reiju and receive its blessing. Because it is the intent that counts, you should receive the blessing.