A Living Practice: My Evolving Relationship with the Reiki Symbols
- Rev. Amanda Carter
- Apr 22
- 3 min read
By Mandy Carter, Healing Homes & Hearts
Since completing my Shinpiden level training, something within me has shifted. One of the notable shifts is my Evolving Relationship with the symbols. This wasn’t just another class—it felt like a sacred remembering. After five years of working with the Reiki symbols in the Holy Fire® tradition, I’m finally beginning to experience what it means to embody them, rather than simply apply them.
This blog is a reflection on that journey.
Note: Out of respect for the sacred nature of Reiki, symbol names are abbreviated and intended for those already attuned.
CKR – No Longer Thrown, but Breathed
CKR used to be my power move. I’d energetically throw it into a room, into a session, into the air—always externally, to clear or protect.
But as I chanted CKR during Shinpiden, everything began to evolve. I began breathing it in, resting it into my hara, and allowing it to spiral into the Earth. It’s grounding. Embodied. Quietly powerful. And no longer fear-based.
It reminds me that protection isn’t resistance—it's presence.
SHK – Reclaiming Inner Harmony
SHK was my go-to emotional balm. I used it on clients almost by default, especially during emotional sessions. But now I understand the power of inviting it inward.
I chant SHK into my own emotional field. I ask it to hold me before I ever offer it to someone else.
Presence is the gift. Steadiness is the transmission.
HSZSN – A Divine Heart Awakens
I used to see HSZSN as a bridge—something I threw into the distance to send Reiki far away. But now, it feels like a sacred reactivation of what’s already true: that we are One.
HSZSN is no longer something I use. It is the recognition of our already-connected divine hearts.
There is no distance in love. There never was.
DKM – Becoming the Light
When I first received DKM, it felt distant—almost unreachable. But slowly, through breath and practice, it’s becoming the quiet light I carry.
Each time I chant it, I feel a lampshade lifting from my inner flame. This isn’t a symbol I use—it’s who I’m becoming. A living embodiment of Reiki.
I don't send it anymore. I am it.
Teaching from Embodiment
This shift has reignited my joy in teaching. I don’t need to explain Reiki—I guide others into direct relationship with it.
The symbols aren't tools. They are teachers. And my role is to support students as they listen, feel, and remember their own light.
A Practice, Not a Performance
I now sit with the symbols one at a time, letting them live inside me. I chant them. I walk with them. I breathe them into sessions, not to fix—but to remember.
Combined with a deeper embodiment of the Reiki precepts, my practice has become more spacious, more real, and more rooted in trust.
I no longer feel the need to protect myself from energy. I trust that what is mine will stay, and what is not will pass through like a breeze.
Final Reflections
This is not the end of a journey. It’s a homecoming.
I am no longer doing Reiki. I am becoming Reiki.
The symbols are mirrors now. They show me who I truly am. And for that, I am deeply grateful.
If You’re Feeling the Call…
If you're walking the Reiki path and feel called to deepen your connection—whether you're brand new or many years into your journey—I invite you to explore with me.
Through classes, mentorship, and sacred community, we remember together that healing is already within us.
With light and gratitude,
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