SECTION FOUR - About Attunements Being able to teach reiki, and do the attunements are a large section of level III as it is taught here in the west. In this section we will discuss attunements, and then go over the process of doing them. The instructions are listed in a step by step, cook book manner. There are many attunement sets that exist. The Usui attunements have been modified by many people who have intentionally or through the limits of memory added symbols, taken away parts, added parts and all sorts of other things. The dirty little secret of reiki is that any attunement will work. There are crown to crown variants, short forms, long forms, traditional forms, singular master attunements and many many others. All are reiki and all work. All reawaken in us that which we have forgotten. I have seen some people into the bells and whistles attunement experience. They burn incense, have music, special lighting, candles, perform ceremonies to the goddess, catholic rituals, kaballah…�?All of that is nice, and may provide the recipient with grand ceremony, but remember they are not necessary. My preference is SIMPLICITY. I do not play music. I do not burn incense. In my opinion, the more simple the better, anything else detracts from the experience of the attunement and the connection to the Reiki Energy. As in all things, you decide how you wish to do them. The only real important parts of the attunement are mindfulness and intent. Keeping mindfulness means staying focused on simply doing the attunement. It means keeping the intent clear, free of attachment to outcome, free of expectations, worry, need, separateness. It is just BEing Reiki, sharing it, and in that oneness the illusion of separateness is no more. It has been said that the attunement can be done by intent alone, if the intent is clear. SECTION FIVE - A Reiki Attunement Method There are many attunement methods. Some changes have come about in people remembering the process differently. Other changes have come about as people changed or modified the ritual of the attunement to suit their or their student's needs. I personally have in my possession over a dozen "Usui" attunements, at least three "traditional" attunements (all different), Usui/Tibetan attunements, Tibetan/Usui attunements, Short forms, and others. What follows is an attunement set that I developed. This attunement is an amalgam of the various attunements that I know. This method seemed to develop naturally for me, and intuitively seemed to be easy to perform and simple to do. It uses a standard form for all three levels. This is offered here for your review. As in all things, use the attunement that resonates best with you. If you are interested in different attunements, or wish to learn other attunements, my e-book The Reiki Attunement Guide is available for download at MightyWords.com. Use the link below to the AngelReiki Bookstore at MightyWords.com. Understand that this e-book is merely a supplement to this manual. All the information you need to do Reiki is included in the free, "Reiki Plain and Simple" e-book you are presently reading. When learning to do attunements it is important to practice. There are a number of possibilities for this. One is to have a person to practice on. If you have a friend who has reiki they would be a good candidate. You can do them to the level they are for practice. You can also do self attunements. You can use a proxy for these, such as a teddy bear, or you can simply perform them visualizing yourself receiving them. Take your time and learn the steps. Some find having the attunement process on notes before them comforting when they do the attunement. Usui Reiki Attunement This is an attunement process that I developed. It is in the Usui Tradition. This attunement is used for all three levels with the modifications for the second and third level in parenthesis. This attunement is a synthesis of elements from many different attunement sets that I had done and evolved over a time from my practices. It is easy to do, flows well, and easy to learn and remember. The first level attunement is repeated 4 times with a minimum of an hour between attunements. Attunements may be repeated as often as the person likes. They are always pleasant to receive. Reiki Shares and other gatherings of practitioners are a good place for the beginning reiki teacher to practice. Beginning Begin by saying the principles. "For today only, anger not, worry not. Be Grateful and Be Humble. Do your work with appreciation. Be kind to all. Place the hands in Gassho, bow and connect to the reiki source. BE reiki. You are the great shining light, BE it, resonate it. Be mindful and keep your intent on being and sharing reiki with this person. Some find that drawing the Power Symbol on their palms, Crown and Heart Chakras, intending them to open to the Reiki Source and Light helps them connect to reiki. Cleanse the room by drawing the four Usui Reiki symbols in the air in front of you. This not only can cleanse the room but also helps you focus, and sets the tone for the beginning as a sacred event. Part One On the back, draw the Cho Ku Rei from slightly above the top of the head and down the back of the student, ending at the base of the spine. Place both hands on top of the head to get an energetic rapport with the student. Breathe in visualize the Dai Ko Mio. Exhale the Breath into the Crown Chakra blowing the Dai Ko Mio in gold into the Crown Chakra, and move it through the middle of the student's head, and into the base of the brain. You can guide it with your hand. Above the head, draw the Usui Master Symbol and repeat "Dai Ko Mio" three times. Again visualize the symbol moving into the into the Crown Chakra, through the head and into the base of the brain, guiding it with your hand. Do the same with the Sei Hei Ki, the Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen, and the Cho Ku Rei. Signal the student to raise their hands held in prayer position to the top of their head. Draw the Power Symbol in the air over the hands. Then picture the Symbol moving into the hands, down into the Crown Chakra, through the head, and into in the base of the brain saying the name of the power symbol three times and guiding the Symbol with your hand. (Repeat this with the Sei Hei Ki and Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen for level II, and with the Dai Ko Mio for level III.) Part Two Move to the front and place the students prayer held hands in front of the heart. Draw the Power Symbol in the air in front of the middle of forehead (brow or third eye chakra). Then picture the Symbol moving into the brow chakra. Guide it in with the hand if you want. Say the name of the power symbol three times. (For Level II do the same with the Mental/Emotional Symbol and the Distant Symbol. For the Master Level, use all four symbols, remembering to repeat the name of each symbol three times). Draw the Power Symbol in the air in front of the heart chakra. Then picture the Symbol moving into the heart chakra. Say the name of the power symbol three times. (For Level II do the same with the Mental/Emotional Symbol and the Distant Symbol. For the Master Level, use all four symbols). Next open the student's hands like the cover of a book so they are next to each other palms up facing the ceiling. Place you left hand under their hands and with your right hand draw out the Power Symbol on the hands on the Palm. Say the name of the power symbol three times. Then place your hands on theirs and let the energy flow. (Only the Power symbol is placed in the hands in level I, the Distant symbol and mental /emotional symbol are placed in the hands in level II, and all four of the symbols are placed in the palms in the Master level.) Bring the student's hands together in prayer position, and move them back in front of the student's Heart. Blow over the hands, down to the Solar Plexus, then up to the Third Eye and Crown, and back over the hands. Part Three Move behind the student. Place your hands on the student's head. Use a positive affirmation and repeat it to yourself three times, Intend it to be accepted by the student. (Some examples might be: "You are a perfectly attuned", "you are a competent Reiki Healer", or "you are filled with Divine Love and Wisdom", or any other affirmation that is significant to you or the student. You can say them out loud if you prefer. Place your hands together with the index fingers touching and the thumbs together. Both your hands will be open, palms down, fingers pointing toward the front of the recipient. Let the reiki flow and flow. Be Reiki. Do this for a minute or so, experiencing the moment with them. Move your hands to the student's neck, and then place the right hand on top of the head and the left at the base of the skull. Visualize a door and then draw the power symbol on it and see the door being closed. Say to yourself, "I seal this Attunement with Divine Love and Wisdom". Intend that the Process is sealed and complete and the student is now forever connected directly to the Reiki Source. You can say, "you forever connected to the Reiki source." You can say, "We have both been blessed by this attunement". Part Four Move back to the front of the student. Hold your palms toward them. Visualize a white mist surrounding you. Breath in and be filled with this white light mist of reiki. Blow the mist at the student allowing the final energy of the attunement to bless the student. Say, "the attunement is complete". Some suggest that afterwards wash the hands to ensure that the energetic connection with the student is broken. SECTION SIX - Performing Distant Attunements Distant Attunements Occasionally, there are times when we as Reiki Masters would like to share Reiki with someone (a friend, family member, loved one) and the limits of distance prevent us from being there with them. Distant Attunements are one way to bridge this gap and to allow us to be able to share this great gift with others. Understand fully that Distant Attunements are not part of Usui's, Hayashi's or Takata's teachings. Distant attunements are a non-traditional technique that is a logical extension of Distant healing and the distant symbol. Distant Attunements are also possible and appropriate and just a perfect as their hands-on counterparts. It is done by using the distant symbol and visualization and intent. The Master/Teacher visualizes the symbols entering the Crown Chakra of the recipient and move through the aura. He or she can visualize each of the attunement steps, and see and feel them taking place. You can use a picture of the person or a teddy bear or other representation to assist when doing them. Distant Attunements are easy to perform if you are familiar with a "hands-on" attunement procedure. There is no special procedure to perform, just some slight modifications to the regular attunement set you are familiar and comfortable with. The modifications will be described below. Some people have difficulty with the concept of distant attunements, and have some issues with the process. These are discussed in my article on this web site on Distant Attunements. Distant Attunement Procedures 1. Use your regular attunement set that you are familiar and comfortable with. 2. This practice is best done by either arranging a set time with the person for them to receive, or to be on the telephone or on-line with them. 3. Have them meditate, pray or other activity to clear the mind and prepare for about 20 minutes prior to the start time of the attunement. 4. You must both state clearly that the intent for the attunement to be done. 5. Begin the attunement as usual. State clearly that you intend to attune the person. Draw the Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen in the air and state that you intend this to be fully empower the person. 6. Some people use a teddy bear, photo or other proxy to gain an energetic rapport with the person to be attuned. This can be helpful. You can also just "feel" the sense of them and do it. These are nice ways to "feel" the connection, but simply intend and will the attunement to be done, and perform it. Trust the divine source and the reiki attunement will be done. 7. Perform the attunement. Visualize doing it. See the symbols and draw them as usual. Following these easy steps will fully allow someone via distance to be attuned to reiki.