What is an Attunement?
"A Reiki initiation does not make you holy or enlightened or better than other people. It simply opens a door" - Frank Arjava Petter
The term attunement actually refers to the initiation process. In the past it was thought that the Reiki Master transferred the ability to channel Reiki to the student. However, this is not what is believed any more. The Reiki Master does not “give” the student anything they do not already have or “transfer the ability” to them. Rather, the attunement is a remembering or awakening (or rediscovering) of the person’s connection or innate abilities. In fact, the term “attunement” was never used by Usui Sensei, Hayashi Sensei or even by Takata Sensei. After Takata’s death, it was her students who began calling the initiation process an “attunement” and this term is now used by the Reiki community in many countries.[1]
An attunement (or Reiju in Japanese) is an empowerment or blessing. It is the process where the student is opened or connected to the Reiki energy. The word Reiju can be translated as “spiritual blessing” or “offering.” The word Rei has a spiritual connotation in that it refers to a Shaman praying for rain which then falls down.
Frans Stiene says, “Within Japanese spiritual teachings the image of falling rain is often used to indicate certain aspects of the teachings. The first aspect is that the rain which is falling is of one flavor, one taste. This indicates that the essence of the universe is of one flavor, non-dual in nature. The second aspect is that when the rain falls it doesn’t make any judgment of what a tree, a shrub, a flower, a field, a forest needs, it just rains and they all take from it whatever they need at that time.”[2]
The word Ju has several meanings depending on its application. Ju can mean receive, hand down, give, impart, grant, bless, and more. However, within the kanji of Ju can be found the secret to receive. To truly be able to receive we must become an empty vessel. This means letting go of the excess baggage we each tend to accumulate throughout our lives. This baggage can take many forms such as bad habits, negative thought processes, and so on and is especially true when it comes to ego. The challenge we face is deciding what it is we need to let go of. Unless a cup is empty, it cannot be filled.
Stiene says, “We need to cut away all our attachments, all our preconceived ideas, or in other words we need to cut away our ego, the ‘I’. When the ‘I’ is out of the way we are completely empty and open and thus a perfect vessel to receive.”[3]
Although the attunement process varies from lineage to lineage (school to school), it is the most important aspect of a Reiki class and can be a powerful experience for each student. Many students have reported a variety of experiences including personal messages, healing, visions, increased awareness and more. However, not everyone has such an experience.
An attunement (or Reiju in Japanese) is an empowerment or blessing. It is the process where the student is opened or connected to the Reiki energy. The word Reiju can be translated as “spiritual blessing” or “offering.” The word Rei has a spiritual connotation in that it refers to a Shaman praying for rain which then falls down.
Frans Stiene says, “Within Japanese spiritual teachings the image of falling rain is often used to indicate certain aspects of the teachings. The first aspect is that the rain which is falling is of one flavor, one taste. This indicates that the essence of the universe is of one flavor, non-dual in nature. The second aspect is that when the rain falls it doesn’t make any judgment of what a tree, a shrub, a flower, a field, a forest needs, it just rains and they all take from it whatever they need at that time.”[2]
The word Ju has several meanings depending on its application. Ju can mean receive, hand down, give, impart, grant, bless, and more. However, within the kanji of Ju can be found the secret to receive. To truly be able to receive we must become an empty vessel. This means letting go of the excess baggage we each tend to accumulate throughout our lives. This baggage can take many forms such as bad habits, negative thought processes, and so on and is especially true when it comes to ego. The challenge we face is deciding what it is we need to let go of. Unless a cup is empty, it cannot be filled.
Stiene says, “We need to cut away all our attachments, all our preconceived ideas, or in other words we need to cut away our ego, the ‘I’. When the ‘I’ is out of the way we are completely empty and open and thus a perfect vessel to receive.”[3]
Although the attunement process varies from lineage to lineage (school to school), it is the most important aspect of a Reiki class and can be a powerful experience for each student. Many students have reported a variety of experiences including personal messages, healing, visions, increased awareness and more. However, not everyone has such an experience.
[1] Stiene, Frans, (2012, August 17), The Confusion Around Reiju, Retrieved from:
http://www.ihreiki.com/blog/article/the_confusion_around_reiju
[2] Ibid.
[3] Ibid.
http://www.ihreiki.com/blog/article/the_confusion_around_reiju
[2] Ibid.
[3] Ibid.