The symbols are learned during an attunement and traditionally passed from teacher to student rather than from a book. Each is associated with a spoken name, or jumon, and a particular quality of the practice.
In Usui Reiki there are usually four. They are not taught at the first level: a student meets the first three from the second degree (Okuden) onward, and the fourth — the master symbol — only at the master level. This ordering is deliberate, giving each symbol time to settle into a practice that already feels steady.
Many lineages have long treated the exact forms as confidential, passed only from teacher to student and not shown openly. Out of respect for that tradition, this page describes the symbols by their names, meanings, and roles rather than reproducing the drawings themselves. What matters here is understanding what each is for, not learning to draw it — that belongs to the teaching relationship.
Wordings, drawing order, and even the number of symbols differ between lineages. Some Japanese schools, such as Jikiden Reiki, use fewer symbols or none at the earliest levels, placing far more weight on sensing with the hands than on any drawn form.
It is also worth remembering that, in the tradition, a symbol is not thought to work on its own like a spell. Its meaning is held to come alive only through the attunement and the practitioner's intention. Treat any single account, including this one, as one version among several — the living understanding of the symbols is carried by teachers, not by pages like this.
Frequently asked questions
How many Reiki symbols are there?
In Usui Reiki there are usually four. The first three are met from the second degree (Okuden) onward, and the master symbol only at the master level.
Why does this site not show the symbols?
Many lineages have long treated the exact forms as confidential, passed only from teacher to student. Out of respect for that tradition, this guide describes their names, meanings and roles instead.