04/18/2026
The name itself tells us everything:
Usui Reiki Ryoho.
Not Reiki “healing,” but Ryoho, a method, a system of therapy.
Usui Sensei chose this word intentionally.
It shows that Reiki is not something vague or mystical, but a structured approach that supports both physical and mental recovery.
This net of Reiki Ryoho is something truly beautiful.
But there is something important to ask.
What do we do when fear becomes overwhelming?
When anxiety, worry, or the presence of death feels like it might break someone’s spirit?
Or when you, as the one holding everything together, feel like you are the one about to break?
This is where a traditional practice comes in: Seiheki Chiryo — the treatment of habits and mental patterns.
In Western Reiki, the second practise is often loosely described as something for emotional healing or relaxation. But in traditional Usui Reiki Ryoho, it is much more specific.
It is a method for working with mental habits and patterns — things like anger, addictions, anxiety, compulsions, or behaviors we feel we cannot change on our own.
There is one key principle in this practice:
The person must have the will to heal.
The basic technique is simple. You place one hand gently over the forehead, covering the eyes, and the other at the back of the head near the base of the skull. The treatment usually lasts around 15 to 20 minutes.
There is a clear logic to this.
The forehead relates to the conscious mind — our thoughts, worries, and what we are actively experiencing. Holding this area helps calm those surface waves.
The back of the head connects to deeper layers — the subconscious, memory, and the parts of us where patterns are stored.
By holding both at once, you are working with both the visible experience and the deeper root at the same time.
Before placing the hands, the second symbol is introduced. This symbol supports mental balance and helps align the mind into a more harmonious state.
Traditionally, there are three ways to use it:
Drawing (Byoho) — drawing the symbol in the space near the head
Breath (Kokiho) — placing the symbol on the palate with the tongue and breathing it out with Reiki
Gaze (Gyoshiho) — visualizing the symbol and focusing intention through sight
These methods help deepen the connection and allow Reiki to move more fully into the mental layers.
Then comes an important part of the practice: Nentatsu-ho, or transmitting thought.
This is where you send clear, supportive statements into the subconscious.
There is one important rule here.
You do not speak in wishes.
If you say, “May my anxiety go away,” the mind stays focused on anxiety.
Instead, you speak in a completed, grounded way:
“Your mind is calm and steady.”
“You are safe and supported.”
These words are carried with the flow of Reiki and received more deeply because the mind is more open in this state.
There are also traditional methods that include writing symbols or characters in water and having the person drink it, done with intention and focus, though this is considered a more advanced practice.
When working with others, it is important to practice Kenyoku, or dry bathing, before and after. This is a simple brushing motion over your own body to clear your energy.
It helps prevent taking on what the other person is feeling and keeps a clear boundary between you and them.
If you are feeling overwhelmed right now, if it feels like too much, place your hands gently on your own head.
Be still for a moment.
Reiki will guide your mind back to a place of quiet.