When Reiki spread to the West, something important happened. It became more accessible, but in that accessibility, parts of the practice were simplified or even left behind. Most people are taught Reiki as “hands-on healing.” And while that is a beautiful and powerful piece, it’s only a fraction of what the system truly offers.
In its traditional Japanese roots, Reiki was never just about placing hands. It was a complete spiritual practice, woven with meditations, mantras, breathwork, and ways of living that aligned the practitioner with harmony and clarity.
Practices like
Gasshō - hands at the heart, a meditation of presence and gratitude.
Joshin Kokyū Hō - breath purification, calming the mind and cleansing the body.
Reiji Hō - opening to intuition, letting Reiki guide the hands rather than the mind.
These practices were never “extras.” They were the very heart of Reiki, the daily ways a practitioner returned to the flow of life energy, not only for others, but within themselves. When we leave them out, Reiki becomes something we do for an hour at a time without any substance behind it. When we return to them, Reiki becomes something living inside of us. The mantras, meditations, and breath practices matter because they steady the mind, clear the body, and open the heart. Without them, there is no real Reiki, only meaningless techniques. With them, Reiki as a living path of presence, wholeness, and harmony that then flow through us and the work we do.