If there is one thing that sits at the heart of the system of Reiki, it is self practice.

Not sessions with others. Not formal teaching. Not lineage or certificates or levels. The daily, quiet, ordinary practice of returning to yourself.

The word translates as inner teachings. Where Shoden laid the foundation, Okuden deepens it - refining attention, expanding practice, and inviting a more intimate relationship with the system.

At the heart of the system of Reiki are five short phrases. They are among the first things taught in Shoden, and they are the last thing we do together before a class ends.

For many people, the attunement is the most mysterious part of Reiki. It’s often described in dramatic terms - a ceremony that opens channels, activates abilities, or initiates the student into something new. My experience of it is quieter than that.

Shoden is the first level of Usui Reiki Ryoho - the system of Reiki founded in Japan in 1922 by Mikao Usui Sensei. The word itself translates as first teachings, though “first” here doesn’t mean beginner in a dismissive sense. It means foundation. The ground from which everything else grows.

Most people come to Reiki expecting a definition. Something clear and manageable - a healing modality, a form of energy work, a Japanese practice involving hands.