When you first stepped onto the path of Reiki, you likely experienced an “attunement.” For many, this ritual is presented as the moment you’re “connected” to Reiki, as if a switch is flipped, or a new energy source is suddenly plugged into you. It’s often a powerful experience, no doubt, and it certainly can feel like something profound has shifted. But what if I told you that the true power, the real connection, was never external to you at all? What if it was always, inherently, within you?

This idea of an external “hook-up” is a common thread in many Western Reiki lineages, a belief that you weren’t truly “connected” until someone performed a specific ritual over you. But let’s be direct here: Mikao Usui, the founder of Reiki, didn’t “attune” anyone to anything. He didn’t use symbols in any connection rituals, and he certainly didn’t teach that you were suddenly plugged into something new. His method was far more elegant, far more liberating. He empowered his students.

This empowerment, known as Reiju, is a simple, profound connection ritual that has come to us from authentic Japanese sources. It’s free from the clutter, the busyness, and the often-rigid dogma that has accumulated around many Western attunement styles. Reiju doesn’t connect you to something you weren’t connected to before. Instead, it acts as a “ritual permission,” a gentle nudge, a “flagging up” of an ability that has always been an integral part of you, waiting to be fully recognized and utilized. It helps you to notice something that has always been there, but perhaps was just out of your conscious awareness.

So, if the power is already within, how do we continually empower ourselves? This is where the “Art of Self-Reiju” truly comes into play, aligning perfectly with the core philosophy of Reiki Evolution: that Reiki is all about you and your personal evolution. Usui Sensei’s students received Reiju from him repeatedly, not because their connection “fizzled out,” but because each empowerment reinforced their connection, cleared their channel, and enhanced their spiritual development and intuitive potential.

You can echo this profound practice in your own journey. While receiving regular distant Reiju empowerments (which we offer weekly) is a wonderful way to reinforce your ‘connection’, the true art of self-empowerment lies in cultivating that inherent connection through consistent self-practice and unwavering intent.

Think of it this way:

• Daily Self-Practice Can Be Your Reiju: Every time you sit for a self-treatment, every time you engage in Hatsurei Ho, you are actively reinforcing your connection to the source energy within you. You are clearing your channel, deepening your sensitivity, and strengthening your ability to be a clear conduit. This consistent, daily commitment is the very essence of self-empowerment.
• Intent is Everything: Remember, “where thought goes, energy flows.” Your conscious intention to connect, to heal, to be a clear channel, is a powerful act of self-Reiju. You don’t need complex rituals or external validation. Simply set your clear intent, and the energy will respond.
• Trust Your Inner Knowing: As you practise, you’ll find your intuition growing stronger. This inner compass, this subtle guidance, is your inherent connection speaking to you. Trust it. It’s the ultimate form of self-empowerment, freeing you from reliance on external rules or perceived imperfections.

The beauty of this approach is its simplicity and its profound liberation. You are not dependent on a teacher, a specific ritual, or a “top-up” to maintain your connection. The power resides within you, always. By embracing the art of self-Reiju – through consistent self-practice, clear intent, and trusting your innate wisdom – you step fully into your own power, becoming a living embodiment of the limitless blessings Reiki can bring.

Over to you: How do you currently nurture your personal connection to Reiki, and what small step can you take today to deepen your sense of self-empowerment? Share your thoughts below!