Free Reiki Symbols Are Worthless Without Understanding Thier Use

[Carla Cheung]

Free Reiki symbols are easy to find, now. At one time the distance
Reiki symbol, the Reiki power or Reiki energy symbol and all of the
others were kept secret. High fees were charged to those who wished to
learn Reiki healing. During the last ten years (from 1970-1980) of her
life, Hawayo Takata, who first brought the practice to the United
States, charged $10,000 for training. Reiki mastery was sometimes
referred to as an elite club for the wealthy.
She was not breaking with tradition by charging high fees. Shou
Matsui, a Japanese journalist and playwright, wrote in 1928 that he
paid a "large sum of money" for training. Legend has it that Master
Usui, regarded as the founder of the Reiki healing system, originally
charged nothing for his services, but found that the benefits of the
healing process were sometimes short-lived. It is said that he
eventually stated that Reiki power should not be given away for free.
Takata described the fees she charged as an appropriate "exchange of
energy". Many masters believe that those who have not paid for their
healing have no incentive to stay well. In short, charging a fee is
part of Reiki tradition. Free Reiki symbols may be easily found, but
the symbols themselves have no real power. One must learn how to use
and believe in the power that resides within, in order for the Reiki
energy symbol or the distance Reiki symbol or any of the other symbols
to work effectively.
If we put aside the legends and traditions for a moment, looking
solely at the facts, we know that Dr. Usui owned and operated a clinic
in Tokyo during the 1920s. The popularity of the clinic led to the
formation of the Usui Healing Method Society (Usui Reiki Ryoho
Gakkei), which exists to this day. It is likely that Dr. Usui always
charged a fee for his services, both to treat and to teach others his
method. Eventually he opened a larger clinic. His students also opened
clinics and taught the art to others, and of course charged fees.
Throughout history, it has not been unusual for a practitioner to keep
his or her methods secret. In this way, he or she was able to ensure a
steady flow of patients. Regretfully, sometimes this meant that
effective methods were lost when the practitioner died. Ultimately,
though, there is no reason to keep the distance reiki symbol, the
reiki energy symbol or any of the other symbols secret. They have no
power, unless a person has been trained or "attuned" to use them.