The Power of Words

The Two Kanji Character of Reiki
The word Reiki (靈氣) is comprised of two kanji characters. The first kanji is rei. The second kanji is ki. The kanji characters used in Reiki are comprised of multiple kanji characters for each character. By combining the kanji characters, their meanings come together to paint a better picture for what they attempt to convey. This is also the case for understanding what Reiki is.

What is a Kanji Character?

Kanji are artistic symbols carrying meaning and used as part of written language in both Japanese and Chinese writing systems. There are also kanji characters which are called radicals. Radicals act as building blocks for more, complex kanji characters. They are foundational symbols in kanji which help to expand upon the meaning of kanji characters. Because radicals are thought of as root symbols, or concepts, which act as building blocks for more complex kanji characters, this creates a beautiful system of writing through the use of multiple expressions of art building upon each other. This system encourages people to better understand language through what those symbols represent.

There are also two standard alphabets (hiragana and katakana) to differentiate between foreign and nonforeign words in Japanese language. The alphabets are used alongside Kanji as part of Japanese language. This can sometimes help to separate words more easily since there are no spaces between words in Japanese writing systems.

Now let's get back to the kanji, how to write it, and what it means.

The Kanji Character Rei (靈)

The first of three kanji characters which comprise the kanji word rei is "ame" or "ama" (雨), meaning rain. The second kanji character for rei is "kuchi" (口, くち), which means mouth for the kun'yomi reading. The third kanji character is "kannagi" (巫,かんなぎ), meaning shaman. Let's break each of these kanjis down individually to see how they are made for understanding a deeper meaning through art.

Kanji Character Ame (雨)

The Kanji character ame is first written at the top of the kanji character rei in Reiki, but why? It is because spiritual healing and insight descends upon all for those who look towards the heavens for guidance to fill the body, mind, and spirit with wisdom. The instruments of the body, mind, and spirit, in addition to how they are meant to work together, are reasons why there are three mouth radicals below ame. This helps to showcase a drinking in of heavenly energy to showcase the body, mind, and spirit being nourished. 

Ame is the kun'yomi style reading for ame (雨) and is the Japanese pronunciation for this kanji radical.  Since the kanji symbols of Japan originated from China, there is also a sound reading called on'yomi for the Chinese pronunciation. If you want to know the on'yomi reading for ame (雨), it's "U". That's how we get the word "uki" (雨季) for rainy season.

Some kanji only have the on'yomi reading for how they're incorporated into words, but most kanji in Japnese language have both the on'yomi and kun'yomi styles of reading. But strictly speaking for the Japanese pronunciation and use of language for kanji characters, both the on'yomi reading and the kun'yomi readings are used in everyday language. It simply depends on how kanji is being used for certain words.

The kanji will be pronounced based on what the Japanese people call them here in this article as a way to understand the meaning of Reiki in the Japanese language. This is out of respect and use of proper language since the art and creation of Reiki resurfaced in Japan. The rediscovery is thanks to Master Usui's efforts in meditation and rediscovery of ancient teachings. 

Master Usui, or Dr. Usui (honorary title), named Reiki what it is as a way to describe the universal expression of spiritual energy and application of it in the lives of each other. There are now many Reiki practitioners all around the world helping people to heal better and recover by the cleansing of one's spirit and through the transference of chi.

Medical Warning
Reiki is not a substitute for medical attention. It is an additional method for supporting health in spirit through chi. The effects of Reiki experienced may affect the body due to an increased and more balanced flow of chi. The body still needs proper nourishment, rest, and medications if necessary. Do not quit or switch to different medications without first consulting a doctor. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please call a medical professional immediately

The Upside-down Box Radical

Ame is written with the upside-down box radical (冂), or box cover radical - depending on the interpretation - to represent rain falling from the sky. It can also mean wilderness. If you want to remember the association with wilderness, simply think about a box of creation being poured out unto the world by the great god or spirit of creation. Everything a person needs can be found in nature, and so too is a person filled when they empty themselves of all attachment for achieving oneness through nature.

How to Write the Upside-down Box Radical
For the new student, draw a line using an upward stroke upon the left side. Then make your second stroke by starting at the top of the first stroke and bringing it across the top moving right. Continue in your second stroke by bringing it straight down to complete three sides of a square box. Finish your second stroke by bringing a very short line at the bottom towards the left or a very short inward towards the center of the box at a 45-degree angle. When people write it, such as on notepaper or a document, it is usually a very small line moving inwards. Now with the dawn of computers, the bottom line is usuallightly curved on the corner but moving straight to the left.

If you followed along for learning how to write the upon box radical, then congratulations on learning the first part for how to write the word Reiki.

Kanji Radical Kan

The kanji radical for dry (干), pronounced as "kan" in the on'yomi reading or as "hosu" (干す) and "hiru" (ひる) in the kun'yomi reading, shares a similarity in style for how ame is written. The kanji word for rain (雨) sort of looks like the kanji radical for dry (干), which looks like a capital T with a horizontal line incorporated into the design. It almost appears as if the kan kanji is overlayed upon the box radical (冂) with a slightly higher position for the horizontal line to complete the top of the box radical. 

The ichi radical (一) looks as if it's moving horizontally across the kan kanji in such a way that it moves closer to the top of the T shape due to two horizontal lines moving across the vertical line. The potential overlapping kanji word for dry may indicate how the sun dries the earth through evaporation which then gathers in the clouds represented by the upside-down box radical (冂). This is evident through the kanji character ichi (一) moving upward in the dry radical (干) to help form the top of the inverted box radical (冂) in ame (雨). That upside-down box then goes to release the water stored in the heavens through the form of rain.

The dry radical (干) may link the kanji radical "ichi" (一) - meaning one - with the concept of ichi moving upward from the center stroke. As the ichi kanji moves upward along the center stroke and into the one sky, it can be thought of as water moving upward into the one sky completely from the earth. That may be why a horizontal line moving across the top is represented for the oneness found in the heavens.

Although the design for the dry radical has origins which appear more Phoenician with a forked branch design that's similar to the letter waw, it later came to have a flat top. It's a little interesting when regarding the forked branch concept for the kan kanji since it has a later concept meaning shield from another kanji called kan (単). As for potential associations with the original kanji radical kan with similarities found in the Phoenician letter waw - meaning to nail - it's important to remember that kan may also represent to strike in defense with its old, forked weapon design. More on that subject is a separate discussion for the "Learn the Holy Language" section of this website.

Chi (life energy of spirit) is found in nature and is associated with the forces of nature, like water and light. The kanji word for dry (干) may represent the chi in water vapor moving upward into the sky across the earth. Just as water evaporates from the earth and one's skin in the presence of warm light, so too must it fall when gathered in the sky. The kanji character "jū" (十) - representing ten or complete - is written similarly to a cross or plus sign. Because it's written below the upper horizontal line in kan, it can be thought of as the ground or person becoming completely dry.

A horizontal line runs across the top of the upside-down box radical called "keiganae" (冂) - meaning to enclose (keiganae, けいがまえ). This shows us that the rain has become enclosed within the clouds. In short, the sky is not dry in ame (雨) because rain is falling from it. Two dashes are then placed on each side of the center vertical line created by the T formation within the upside box radical to represent rain falling.

The concept of water and chi entering the one (一) sky completely (十) to dry (干) means that someday the rain (雨) will fall again. And when that rain (雨) falls from the sky, it does so like gifts from open boxes (冂) emptying the blessings from Heaven unto the people. This becomes apparent through the circulation of life in the kanji character ame (雨).

In many ways, ame (雨) is a beautiful description for the cycle of life and death through the circulation of chi and transformation of the self. This is achieved by watering the environments of the body, mind, and spirit within the person. Just as the cycle of life energy is present in the environment, so too should this circulation always exist in the body, mind, and spirit of the individual by watering oneself regularly. How are we then affected by watering ourselves regularly? Through learning how to stay sheltered under the presence of Heaven's spiritual rainfall, a resulting guidance, peace, balance, and healthy circulation of chi is realized. This is an essential part of health for creating world peace. 

The second kanji character for rei is "kuchi" (口, くち), which means mouth for the kun'yomi reading. Kuchi is a kanji radical and is written as a box three times below ame. It represents the mind, body, and spirit being watered within the person. Through this concept, the whole person is nourished by spirit.

The third kanji character is "kannagi" (巫,かんなぎ), meaning shaman. Kannagi is used in words like miko or fujo (巫女), which means shaman woman and shrine maiden respectively.

This character is written sort of like a double door. Think of it like a capital letter I with a wide, horizontal line moving across the top and bottom. This is meant to represent a pillar which people dance around. A person radical is pronounced as the word hito (人), meaning man. The long legs represent movement and looks sort of like an upside-down V with an inward curve

Kannagi (巫) may also represent balance in this kanji for how it's used in Reiki. The character has origins in China and is pronounced in Mandarin as wū, meaning female shaman. In short, wu can be thought of as the female shaman who dances around the pillar of ascension to showcase the well-balanced dance of life in spirit.

Miko statues in Japan are feminine statues that are viewed sort of like spiritual WIFI centers. People go to pray near these statues as a way to connect with their loved ones and gain guidance from in their lives. People use this same concept in the West through the form of synagogues, churches, and mosques. The Reiki practitioner is, essentially, the living embodiment of the Japanese miko statue, or Chinese shaman woman.

The Reiki Kanji Character Ki (氣) 

The second main kanji in Reiki is "ki" (氣). Although this is technically one kanji character, ki consists of two different kanjis. The first kanji character is the flow radical (气) representing air, gas, or steam. The second character is the kome kanji (米) representing husked grains of rice.

Ki (氣) may also be written with an X design under the flow radical (気) instead of the kome kanji (米), just not for the word Reiki (靈氣). It's sort of like how a ghost can be called a spirit, but the use of the word spirit can be in reference to more than simply a person without a physical body. For the kanji character ki (氣), it is in reference to more than the nature of spirit. To better illustrate this, let's first take a look at why it's not written with an X style below the flow radical.

"Kimochi" (気持ち, きもち) has the X style under the flow radical, yet the word pertains to more of a feeling, sensation, or mood the person is experiencing. Other words, like "keiki" (景気, けいき), are associated with the market, such as the stock market and business. It's very economic with a sense of vigor. It can even take on a more serious tone with words like "byouki" (病気, びょうき), meaning sickness. Of course, these are words with other kanji characters attached to ki to create new meanings.

We see that the concept of perception is more associated with how this word is used for its X style. After all, the stock market is indeed different from the sense of spirit, yet there are shared aspects. What is similar in the word keiki (景気) pertains to the inner spirit for how much people view a company is worth, especially when those perceptions have very real consequences for a person's livelihood. Based on these examples, we see more of an earthly sense of human nature for ki (気) pertaining to the spirit of people society.

When we take a look at the word ki being written with the kome kanji under the flow radical, we see a more active meaning. That more active meaning is likely associated with the thought of husked rice. Ki, in this case, is either more active in emotion or the forces of nature due to the kome kanji being associated in its construction with the tree kanji (木). The kanji character for big (大) and the kanji character for ten or completeness (十) can also be viewed as being associated in the construction of the kome kanji (米). We already covered the kanji character for ten earlier (十, じゅう, jū), but we haven't covered the tree kanji yet.

In order to understand the tree kanji, we have to understand how the person radical is involved with the tree kanji. When we think of the kanji character for big, we see that the person radical is overlayed upon it. This is likely because of how people describe that which is big when spreading out their arms. Children do this naturally when describing something big to their family and friends. It's also a way for children to express wanting to grow up to become big and strong. That is why when we see the kanji character for tree that we also see the kanji character for complete overlayed upon the kanji radical for big.

A naturalistic view of this is for a person to find themselves complete when in nature. It just so happens that when we see a tree that the kanji character appears to showcase tree roots branching into the ground in addition to branches extending both upward and outward.

When it comes to rice being a staple food source for Japan and most of Asia, we think of how eating something small can make us to grow up to become big and strong. Those dashes on the left and right of the tree kanji to create the kome kanji could easily describe the strength that something small can create, hence the husked grains of rice for nourishment. Doing so helps to instill the wisdom that feeding children much of what is small can greatly multiply the strength of great nations, be it in body, mind, or in spirit.

Now let's take a look at how the ki kanji is used for the kome kanji. When we look at words like "kimama" (氣儘, きまま), it can mean a person is free spirited on one hand while being more willful or selfish on the other. It's not so much about the person's internal emotion's that we think of. It's about how a person is presenting themselves through their actions.

Other words, like "iki" (意氣, いき), means spirit, heart, or disposition. The nature of a person's heart or spirit is shown through their disposition, or attitude towards life. It is a very active concept for how a person interacts. But why is this? Let's take a look at the first kanji in iki and examine how ki builds upon it.

The first kanji character for iki (意氣) is "moto" or "yoshi" (意) for a nanori reading or "i" for the on'yomi reading. A nanori reading is the nonstandard reading of kanji for a person's name. Even though the dictionary may say it sounds like i, the sound is actually more like E as in email for the on'yomi reading. The "i" (意) character can mean thought, idea, or mind. It can also mean heart, liking, or care. It can even mean taste. Simply by adding the kanji character ki (氣) reveals a more active nature for how a person's spirit, heart, or disposition is presented. Now let's talk about the flow radical.

The thought behind the flow radical (气) is that spirit, such as the spiritual force of chi, flows. The concept of air, steam, or gas are all strong concepts for how the nature of energy interacts. Like steam, the nature of energy is comprised of many small parts, such as what has been proven through science regarding the nature of electrons and light particles being very small yet moving very quickly. When there is only a very small amount of steam, the steam may not be noticeable to the human eye. However, when there is a lot of steam, it becomes very noticeable. Light is the same way. It's that same concept of learning how to hold energy and why being filled with the power of spirit is so important for the flow of good health for the mind, body, and spirit of the individual. 

What makes the flow of spirit different from steam or air is that the energy from a person's spirit is more conscious for the person. It could be said that all of nature expresses varying levels of sentience through the union found in planet Earth's inherent frequency of the elements. People can connect with nature to learn from and find healing in. It's good to find union in nature because of how it can help expand the flow of one's spirit by connecting to a greater reservoir of energy and consciousness stored within the history of the elements.

Because the nature of spiritual energy is said to be affected by the environment, at least according to spiritual practitioners, it can be said that the energy of spirit is cohesive. People who seek to expand their spirit often find a rock to sit or tree to lean against. This is a way of grounding one's energy into the earth so that the person may learn how to tap into the flow of the earth more easily. Although meditation can be experienced anywhere, be it at home or in nature, there is something very special about the elements people use to connect. This is due to how energy can become imprinted onto matter and how people can then use that imprinted nature to connect with through interaction. That's why people seek to connect with the elements in nature in the first place and why being in nature is so good for you spiritually speaking.

When people come back home from nature, they can then learn how to achieve that higher state of energy again because of already sensing it in nature. This is also why many people learn the different types of rocks and crystals. Even I have rocks and crystals I work with during Reiki therapy because the elements used have been proven through practice to be beneficial for the flow of spiritual energy. By working with the flow of your spirit through a focused intent on moving that energy within you faster and in more unobstructive ways, be it during Reiki, in a meditation group, or through meditation upon spirit in solitude, you can then achieve that state of spirit again more easily the second time around.

Acquiring the ability to clear heavy and toxic energy out from yourself is something which requires practice and effort. That's why learning the psychology of how the chakras work within you for a healthier flow of energy is so essential for both the biological body and the body of spirit. When you focus on connecting to the infinite ocean of spirit during meditation, your spirit then learns how to absorb and hold that flow within you more easily. The key is to clear your mind of distraction and focus on connecting with the first flow found at the source of spirit through oneness with it.

What happens when a person sits in a steam room? They start to sweat from the heat energy resulting in the greater circulation of blood and good health in body. However, the steam in the air also collects upon the person and makes the skin wet. The same also applies when the air is muggy from being saturated with water. A person starts to sweat very easily due to how heavy the moisture is in the air is. When we think of the source of spirit and allow that flow to fill the energy of the mind, body, and spirit of a person, that energy is then able to hold onto a person more easily through interaction with it. It is through this practical study of both science and spirit which helps relates the flow of energy to water, be it through the nature of the chakras, auras, or flow of energy in the body. It's as intrinsic as the electron is to the atom.

Now that you know the powerful words and concepts which describes Reiki, feel free to use the Education Center to explore everything that this site has to offer. This includes resources to learn the origins of the world's first holy language, how our ancestors understood the power of spirit, and the spiritual science of Reiki.

To recap, rei can represent the spiritual rainfall filling the mind, body, and spirit of the shaman while ki represents the flow of spirit which creates the energy used for unblocking the clogs to literally lift a person's spirits through the practice of Reiki (靈氣).