COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS / INCOMPLETE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT REIKI – PART 2

Let’s talk about the variations in the series of misconceptions or incomplete knowledge about Reiki. Let me say upfront what I would have left for the end: There are not that many different kinds of Reiki and initiations! There is one Reiki—and it is enough! Unfortunately, the terms Usui or Traditional had to be attached… I care deeply about this subject, which is why I want to go over it once again.

“Enough” is one of the words we have forgotten… Here’s the story: Once upon a time, H. Takata, in order to adapt Reiki from Japan to America, changed the entire story of Reiki (understandable, but problematic). In later years, researchers who traveled to Japan to access hidden knowledge uncovered this and similar issues, yet we are still reading Reiki stories in books that never actually existed! Moreover, we see processes, levels, symbols, and forms that were never part of Reiki, and we hear strange things. After Takata’s death, things became even more confused, and after the 1980s, it spiraled out of control. After every deep meditation, retreat, or practice, people began to claim they had become channels, mothers and fathers of new energies, creators of new symbols, designers of techniques, inventors of initiations. When asked why, the answer was: for money! Kundalini is one such example. Whether driven by material or spiritual ego, by good or bad intentions, this is how things unfolded—and still continue. The situation with “New Age” energies is not much different either.

Now, let’s get to the essence… I don’t want to bore you with details, because you can already find sources that talk about this. In short, these deviations can sometimes be seen as “every cloud has a silver lining”, “water finds its way”, or “maybe it was meant to be”—since they did help Reiki become more widely known, more accessible, faster, and somewhat less burdensome. But ultimately, the core issue remains: on the spiritual path, the essentials are tradition and ethics! Which means that in the chain of errors and deficiencies—especially on a matter that impacts our lives across four dimensions—we all share responsibility: those who mislead, those who assume, and all of us who engage with Reiki.

The journey of life—whether conscious, unconscious, or fluctuating—is at its core an infinite spiritual journey. And along this path, countless tools and guides accompany us. Contrary to what many assume, this path requires guidelines, thresholds, frameworks, and rules to safeguard the well-being of the journey and the traveler—and outcomes depend on respecting these. Knowledge is the first principle, and heart the second. If you skip the first and try to begin with the second—or if there is deviation or insufficiency at this stage—the heart becomes wounded. Just as wings need the spine to be strong, so too the heart needs knowledge.

The most common mistakes we encounter on the spiritual path are these: bending and distorting mystical knowledge, instead of drawing nourishment from truth and essence; failing to remain flexible within truth; corrupting the seed. These are crucial issues, especially in teaching, because bending the truth has unpleasant consequences. The causes include various spiritual egos, assumptions, a lack of deep understanding of energy and its nature, and the challenges of translating practices from East to West.

“Increase my knowledge” and “expand my heart” are such beautiful prayers. When knowledge increases, the compass does not fail, chaff and grain are not confused, spiritual connections do not weaken, no harm is done, ethics are not broken, virtues are not lost, nor do we wander off and lose ourselves in illusions. When the heart expands, then alchemy—turning thorns into roses—becomes possible. If you belong to a strong spiritual/mystical tradition, with discipline and training (notice: tradition, discipline, training are all in the very words themselves), and if you are listening to your teachers, then your knowledge will be solid, your heart open and aligned, and you will not be swayed into dubious paths—or at least you will have a clear boundary. Whatever is within the heart and knowledge will reflect like a mirror when held up to the light.

Light is not just what is in your head. It is tested in both darkness and absence, as well as in existence and brightness. Knowledge that has not been tested is not knowledge; a heart without knowledge is not truly a heart. As the saints say: “Even love is the result of knowledge.” That is why, if you are loved, you are also warned and guided in proportion to your worthiness. May we hear and act on these reminders.

The sense of “enough” must be within us. If I am drawn to “more, faster, hidden motives, empty promises,” then I must deal with these first. Otherwise, no amount of worlds will ever satisfy me, and the journey I set out on will take me further away from myself and from what I seek. It will only lengthen the road and make it steeper. Violet Light Reiki, Love Reiki, Abundance Reiki, “3-minute mass initiations without rituals,” shortcuts without foundations, non-existent levels gained in a week… With such things, people cannot go deeper into what they receive, cannot make it real, cannot value it—and as a result, they end up harming and being harmed. To prevent the selling of lies, we must first protect and honor the truth, the real roots, and learn to separate wheat from chaff.

Understanding something intellectually and theoretically is one thing; actually practicing it, sitting with it, applying it, repeating it many times, and completing circles between levels through lived experience—that is a completely different process. When we say, “Ah, I understand,” it doesn’t mean much. That’s why they say, “Understanding is not enough to solve.”

1. To understand correctly

2. To deepen understanding

3. To practice with the right sources

4. To repeat practice continuously

These are entirely different dynamics with different mechanisms. If fate allows, even in something simple, what we are really talking about is a lifelong journey—of the self, of healing, of energy. You decide its value.

If we lack respect for a discipline and its lineage-bearers, then it will not open within us. And if it does open, it will not endure. And if it endures, it will sit uneasily, clouding our vision.