There could be hundreds of types of Reiki, but these 24 are most of the well-known ones:
- Usui Reiki
- Tibetan Reiki
- Karuna Reiki
- Gendai Reiki
- Rainbow Reiki
- Shamballa Reiki
- Kundalini Reiki
- Imara Reiki
- Holy Fire Reiki
- Jikiden Reiki
- Lightarian Reiki
- Golden Age Reiki
- Blue Star Reiki
- MariEL
- Men Chho Reiki
- Prema Reiki
- Raku Kei
- Reiki Jin-Kei Do
- Saku Reiki
- Satya Japanese Reiki
- Seichim Reiki
- Shamballa Reiki
- The Radience Techique
- Vajra Reiki
All of these types are variations of Usui Reiki or a Reiki for a different area of the world
Energy healing is used everywhere, but small things about it change depending on the culture that they were created in
Usui Reiki
Usui Reiki is the most well-known and most used Reiki in the west
Mikao Usui is the father of the energy healing practice that we call Reiki today
Most types of Reiki are variations of Usui Reiki
The practice and symbols used are sacred and are only shown to people that are in Reiki 2 or 3
While you can find these symbols online now, you can only use them when a master attunes you to them
Usui Reiki, like all Reiki, requires a master to teach and attune you to master it
You cannot fully learn and master Reiki without a Reiki teacher
Usui Reiki is the process of using universal life energy to heal yourself or others physically, emotionally, and mentally
The uses for Usui Reiki are endless when you master it
Tibetan Reiki/Jinlap Reiki
Tibetan Reiki is a powerful Japanese natural healing system
Tibetan Reiki is more aggressive than Usui Reiki and is explained as a waterfall of energy
Usui Reiki is more gentle, like a faucet of energy
Tibetan Reiki helps restore balance to the body and improve one’s overall health
It can be administered through touch, aura, or distance healing
It is used to release stress, reduce pain, relax the body, and bring mental clarity
Tibetan Reiki can also strengthen the immune system which heals the body fight illness
Tibetan Reiki uses the universal life force, just like Usui Reiki
Karuna Reiki
Karuna Reiki is also a branch of Usui Reiki, but it uses a higher vibrational approach
Karuna Reiki has many meditations with ascendant masters, archangels, and angels
Using meditation to learn to accept, forgive, understand, and let go is the core of Karuna Reiki
While all Reiki uses those concepts, Karuna Reiki get more into depth with them
The Karuna Reiki method was created in 1995 by Master William Rand, who created other methods as well
The word “Karuna” is of Sanskrit origin and is related to unconditional love, compassion, and spiritual evolution
Karuna refers to helping yourself and others because we are all one and interconnected
Gendai Reiki
Gendai Reiki is a widely used system throughout the world
It is a simple and practical method that can be used daily
It was created to allow more people to practice a system similar to Usui Reiki in a more comfortable way
The core of Gendai Reiki is to:
- Aspire to live a happy and healthy life
- Avoid prejudice, dogma, and secrecy
- Understand the characteristics and techniques of Reiki
- Follow the simple Reiki instructions and avoid overcomplicating it
Daily treatment of yourself is extremely important for Gendai Reiki
Rainbow Reiki
Rainbow Reiki is another system based on Usui Reiki, but it has some more symbols and techniques
This type of Reiki focuses on personal development in addition to spiritual healing
It calls on spirit guides, angels, deities, your inner child, and your higher self
Rainbow Reiki works to balance energy through Chakras, Mantras, symbols, and crystals
Shamballa Reiki
Shamballa Reiki is a very spiritual Reiki style
Shamballa Reiki is a beautiful but very complex system
It is an extension of Usui Reiki used for spiritual development and personal healing
This system believes that every individual can be attuned to Reiki at some point and that we should all work together to bring healing to the world
They are able to find deep meditations with Deities, archangels, entities, and ascendent masters
Shamballa has tremendous energy that can only be accessed through meditation, self-treatment, and practice
Energy transfers as a high vibrational plane and at a higher intensity
And it helps you reach fulfillment in every part of your life
Kundalini Reiki
Kundalini Reiki is a straightforward practice that doesn’t require a lot of intensive study or the use on complex techniques
This may be the only attunement that opens both universal life energy and earth energy at the same time
This helps the practitioner become a very powerful healer
Knots and blockages in the Chakras are removed when preparing for Kundalini awakening
Kundalini Reiki gives us the courage to heal, insight into what we want to manifest, the courage to ask for what we want, and the flexibility to get out of our own way
Kundalini Reiki is one of the most simple and quick-to-learn Reiki systems that exist
Imara Reiki
The name Imara means “more”
Imara Reiki is more intense than many other Reiki systems and uses higher vibrations to heal
Healing energy in your body and in the universe is divided into 5 levels
Usui Reiki uses levels 1, 2, and 3 when healing
Karuna Reiki uses level 4
Imara Reiki uses level 5
There are no symbols in Imara Reiki
Instead, it uses a connection to the past
Masters connect with higher beings and memories of the past
And it is very effective in healing psychological damage from past experience
Even though Imara Reiki is very intense, it is fairly easy to use when you are attuned to it
Holy Fire Reiki
Holy Fire Reiki sounds very religious, but it isn’t
It does use concepts of God and the Holy Spirit, but not in a religious context
Holy Fire Reiki is a way to continue your education after finishing Usui Reiki
Reiki 1 and 2 for both Holy Fire Reiki and Usui Reiki are almost identical
So once you are a master of Usui Reiki, you can feel called to continue learning more Reiki skills by being attuned to and learning Holy Fire Reiki
Some students find that using Holy Fire Reiki instead of Usui Reiki feels better
Energy flows better and is less forced
They feel more power
And Holy Fire Reiki comes with a lot of intuition and you don’t need to make as many decisions during a healing session
You just need to listen and obey
Jikiden Reiki
Jikiden Reiki is a pure and simple form of Reiki and uses a clear framework
Jikiden focuses on Reiki as a down-to-earth and practical form of healing
It is used for common illnesses, bringing better health, aiding other medical treatments, aiding therapy, and reducing medical waste through mindfulness
Jikiden Reiki really focuses on the physical and mental health
It uses energy to help the body heal itself
Lightarian Reiki
Lightarian Reiki is built on the belief that light is everything and everything is light
This holistic view of light helps us better understand everything happening to us physically, mentally, and emotionally
Lightarian Reiki builds on Usui Reiki with a focus on personal development, spiritual awakening, and changing lives
Golden Age Reiki
Golden Age Reiki is a tool to raise consciousness and transformation
Golden Age Reiki believes that we need higher frequencies of healing to help us in our modern world
It uses more symbols than other types of Reiki and unites different aspects of other Reiki forms to create a new form of healing
Each Golden Age Reiki attunement helps you let go of old patterns, balance emotions, find inner peace, and heal the true causes of illness
Blue Star Reiki
Blue Star Reiki is a very spiritual system
It bridges the gap between man and God
It focuses on healing trauma, personal growth, meditation, hypnosis, and connection with everyone around us
MariEL
MariEl is also called the MariEL Healing System of Reiki
It is believed that this system draws power from the Mother Mary, who was the mother of Christ
It believes that the body’s cells have a memory and those memories can heal if channeled correctly
MariEl was named by combining the name “Mary” and the name “El” which was used for God in the Old Testament
MariEL uses three main symbols:
- Distance
- Power
- Higher-Self Connection
A typical MariEl session lasts more than an hour, and usually uses touch
But touch isn’t needed
Men Chho Reiki
There isn’t a lot of information on Men Chho Reiki, but it is a healing tool
It is a healing tool, but it is not a common one
It has a couple more symbols added to Usui Reiki
Prema Reiki
Prema Reiki is also called Prema Birthing Energy Healing
Prema, in Sanskrit, means Divine Love
Like other branches of Usui Reiki, the first two levels are almost identical to Usui Reiki
It only changes when you become a master
Prema Reiki is big on awakening your inner abilities, using sound and energy to heal, yoga, and meditation
Raku Kei
Raku Kei is also called Fire Dragon Method and originated in ancient Tibet
It was lost for many years until Dr. Mike Usui rediscovered it in Sanskrit text
Raku Kei makes use of the sacred elements:
- Fire
- Water
- Air
- Earth
- Ether
Raku Kei is also known as The Lightning Flash
It is a sacred form of energy
Raku is a vertical flow of energy in the body and Kei is a horizontal flow of energy
Both of the cross at the middle point called “Hara” which is the symbol of manifestation
Raku Kei is not a Reiki you can start with
You need to be a master of any other form before you can start learning Raku Kei
A large part of Raku Kei is using breathing techniques, the seven Chakras, the seven colors of the rainbow, symbols, and seven notes of the musical scale for healing and development
Reiki Jin-Kei Do
Reiki Jun-Kei Do is another branch of Usui Reiki
Like most branches, Reiki Jin-Kei Do is very similar to Usui Reiki
But there are differences in the details
One difference is that Reiki Jin-Kei Do is that it is done 1-on-1 or in very small groups
The attunements normally take between 25 and 30 minutes but can take an hour if you are a master
Reiki Jin-Kei Do also focus more on mindful meditation and Qigong
And being more mindful and open-mindedness
Saku Reiki
Saku Reiki is adding on Usui Reiki
Saku Reiki practitioners believe in a holistic approach to healing that includes some natural therapies, crystals, physical exercise, nutrition, and vibrational therapy
Saku Reiki was created for patients that didn’t respond to western medicine
And it combines Usui Reiki and other alternative healing methods
Saku Reiki 1 includes everything in Usui Reiki 1 but also talks about healing through nutrition and physical activity
Satya Japanese Reiki
Satya Japanese Reiki is another form of Reiki that doesn’t have a lot of information
It is believed to be a treatment that promotes relaxation and stress relief
Many, if not most, Reiki types came from Japan
So there are slight variations in many forms that match the period they were used and the culture that founded them
Satya Japanese Reiki looks similar to Usui Reiki, but we adjusted slightly for the needs the practitioners had at that time
Seichim Reiki
Seichim is one of the most effective healing forms in the west
Seichim is also called Five element Seichim
The basics of Seichim Reiki revolve around the 5 elements
- Earth
- Water
- Air
- Fire
- Spirit
Seichim Reiki helps remove unwanted energy and replace it with positive energy
Reiki Masters believe that each element has its own energy frequencies and vibrations
Reiki Treatment can bring peace and balance to our lives
It was believed for a long time that only men can learn Reiki because women are emotionally weak, that restriction is no longer valid
Seichim Reiki only helps women become better Reiki masters
Even though Serichim Reiki is a newer form of Reiki, using the elements as part of healing has been used for a long time
Shamballa Reiki
Shamballa Reiki is believed to be another extension of Usui Reiki
It is used for spiritual development and personal healing
Shamballa Reiki is a complex spiritual ascension molded to the Usui Reiki structure
It has new features, new healing and protection methods, and unique symbols
Shamballa is believed to be derived from Atlantis and has elements that are gateways to different manifestations of the universal life energy
These elements were only offered to those that were truly worthy and willing to help humans evolve spiritually
The Radiance Technique
The Radiance Technique, also called TRT, increases your energy and natural vitality, improves your health, and calms your mind
It is easy to learn and simple to use any time of the day
It focuses on your wholeness as a person by balancing your energies with the universal life energies
Vajra Reiki
Vajra Reiki is one of the newest forms of Reiki
It makes use of stones and crystals and has symbols separate from Usui Reiki
When you are a master, you can choose to master Vajra Reiki by learning the symbols and adding other techniques
Like the crystals
Vajra Reiki has incredible amounts of energy and is highly effective in destroying disease