12/01/2026
Below is some info for practitioners and students. Yes, it is a little long, but I feel it's important to learn about the traditional Japanese roots of Reiki. So here it is for free.
The Japanese Roots of Intuitive Healing: A Guide to Reiji Ho
Reiji Ho: The Method for Intuitive Guidance
Reiji Ho (霊示法) is the bridge between meditation and treatment in traditional Japanese Reiki.
Where Gassho and Joshin Kokyu Ho quieten and centre you, Reiji Ho is the point where you hand the session over to something larger than your own plans. It is the practice of letting Rei, the spiritual wisdom at the heart of Reiki, indicate where and how to work.
Rather than relying on fixed hand positions, Reiji Ho teaches the practitioner to listen inwardly and to trust that the energy itself knows where to go.
What Reiji Ho Means
The name Reiji Ho gives a clear sense of its purpose:
霊 (Rei): spiritual, sacred, numinous
示 (Ji): to show, indicate, reveal
法 (Ho): method, technique
Reiji Ho can be translated as:
“The method for receiving spiritual indication”
or
“The method for allowing spiritual guidance.”
In practice, this means shifting from “I decide what to do now” to “I prepare myself, then allow the energy to direct the work.”
Reiji Ho as a Pillar of Practice
In many Japanese-style lineages, Reiji Ho is treated as a core pillar of Reiki, alongside:
Gassho: settling and collecting the mind
Joshin Kokyu Ho: purifying through the breath
Chiryo: the hands-on treatment
Reiji Ho sits between meditation and treatment. It is the moment where:
The mind is quiet enough to listen
The Hara is stable enough to hold what comes
The hands become responsive rather than scripted
This approach is different from methods that rely mainly on a standard chart of hand positions. Rather than following a fixed map of the body, the practitioner works with the living reality of the person in front of them.
The Three Steps of Reiji Ho
There are variations between lineages, but Reiji Ho is commonly practiced in three stages. You can use these whether you are treating yourself or another person.
1. Preparation: Gassho and Intention
Begin by returning to stillness.
Sit or stand comfortably.
Bring your hands together in Gassho at the Heart Centre.
Allow your attention to drop into the Hara, the Earth Diamond in the lower abdomen.
From this quiet base, you make a simple internal request. You might silently invite:
That the session unfold for the highest good of the recipient
That your personal preferences step aside
That Rei guide your awareness and hands where they are most needed
There is no fixed wording required. What matters is sincerity and the willingness to let the session be guided rather than controlled.
2. Hand Activation: Waking the Sensitivity
In some Japanese-style teachings, there is a brief phase of “waking up” the hands.
You may:
Lightly clap the hands once
Rub the palms together
Gently shake the hands out
The purpose is not theatrical. It is simply to draw awareness into the palms, to make it easier to notice subtle changes in sensation. As you do this, keep the breath quiet and the Hara steady.
You can then bring the hands back to stillness for a moment before moving into the next phase.
3. Seeking Guidance: Allowing the Hands to Be Led
From here, Reiji Ho becomes a listening practice.
If you are working with another person:
Stand or sit at the head or side of the recipient.
Hold your hands a short distance above their body or lightly at a starting point such as the head.
Soften the gaze or close your eyes.
Keep part of your awareness resting in the Hara, so you stay grounded.
Then, allow the hands to begin to move where they are drawn. This can be experienced in different ways:
A sense of “pull” over certain areas
Pockets of warmth, cold, tingling or heaviness (Byosen)
A quiet inner nudge to rest the hands somewhere specific
Your task is not to analyse, but to follow.
If you are working on yourself, the process is similar:
Begin in Gassho
Invite guidance
Place your hands where they are naturally drawn, one area at a time
Over time, you may notice patterns: the same regions calling for attention when certain emotions are present, or familiar sensations over particular organs or joints. You can note these gently without turning them into rigid rules.
Reiji Ho and Byosen: Guidance and Feedback
Reiji Ho and Byosen (sensing energetic imbalance) work together.
You can think of it this way:
Reiji Ho is the invitation for guidance. You open to Rei and allow it to indicate where to go.
Byosen is the feedback. Once your hands are in place, you notice the sensations that arise: heat, pulsing, cold, tingling, a feeling of density or “noise”.
In this way, a session becomes a two-way dialogue:
You listen for where to place your hands
You listen again for how long to stay there, based on the Byosen softening or changing
When the sensation eases, or the feeling arises to move, you simply follow that, without forcing or rushing.
The Three Diamonds in Reiji Ho
Reiji Ho makes clear use of all three Diamonds:
Earth Diamond (Hara)
The Hara keeps you steady. Without the Earth Diamond, it is easy to drift into fantasy, projection or emotional over-identification. Grounded awareness helps ensure that what you notice is useful rather than overwhelming.
Heart Diamond (Chest)
The Heart Diamond holds compassion. Reiji Ho is not a clinical scanning of “problems”. It is a way of meeting the person in front of you with genuine care, letting the hands be guided by kindness as well as sensitivity.
Heaven Diamond (Head)
The Heaven Diamond receives the more subtle aspects of guidance: impressions, images, intuitive knowing. In Reiji Ho, the aim is to keep this area spacious and quiet enough that guidance is felt clearly, without being drowned out by internal commentary.
A simple way to remember this during practice is:
Earth: be steady
Heart: be kind
Heaven: be open
Reiji Ho in Distance Reiki
Reiji Ho is just as relevant for distance work as it is for hands-on treatment.
When working at a distance:
Begin in Gassho, as usual, and invite guidance for the recipient.
Establish a clear sense of contact with the person, using their name, a photo, or a simple inner acknowledgement.
Allow your awareness to move over their “energy body” in front of you, just as you would scan a physical body.
Notice where attention naturally lands, or where you feel Byosen in your own hands or body.
You then place your hands on those areas in your visualisation or on a proxy (such as your own body), trusting that Rei is not limited by physical distance.
Common Difficulties and How to Work With Them
It is normal to feel unsure when learning Reiji Ho. Some common experiences include:
“I don’t feel anything.”
Sensitivity builds with practice. Continue with Gassho and Joshin Kokyu Ho regularly. Even if you feel nothing dramatic, the act of pausing, inviting guidance and moving with sincerity is already Reiji Ho in action.
“I’m afraid I am making it up.”
This is a very human concern. Rather than trying to decide whether something is “real”, focus on consistency: keep grounding in the Hara, maintain the precepts, and proceed with humility. Over time, you will see patterns in your practice that build trust.
“I get overwhelmed by what I sense.”
Return to the Earth Diamond. Shorten the session. Use Kenyoku Ho before and after. Reiji Ho does not require you to absorb anything from the recipient. Your role is to witness and allow the energy to flow, not to carry what you notice.
How Reiji Ho Deepens Your Reiki Path
Within The Reiki Life approach, Reiji Ho:
Connects your inner practice (Gassho, breath, Gokai) with your outer actions in Chiryo
Encourages trust in Rei rather than over-reliance on technique
Develops sensitivity without drama or performance
Helps you see each treatment as a unique meeting rather than a routine you repeat
Most importantly, Reiji Ho supports a shift in attitude:
From “I am doing Reiki to someone”
to
“I am offering my presence so Rei can work through me.”
That shift is where Reiki starts to feel less like a method and more like a living path.
