Reiki Symbols: What Level 2 Students Learn

At Level 2 of a reiki course, students learn three traditional Reiki symbols: Cho Ku Rei, Sei He Ki and Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen. They learn to draw each one from memory, say its name, understand what it represents in the Usui tradition, and use it within a calm, structured personal practice.

I teach many of these classes in Al Barsha, and the question I hear most before Level 2 is simple: what exactly changes after Level 1? The short answer is that Level 1 is about building a habit of self-practice, while Level 2 adds a symbolic language that gives your practice more focus and more intention.

In this guide I walk you through what the reiki symbols are, how they are traditionally taught, and how you can work with them so they become a living part of your day rather than shapes you memorised once and forgot.

What the Reiki Symbols Are (and What They Are Not)

In the Usui system of Reiki, the symbols are visual keys. Each one is a drawn shape with a Japanese name, and each is linked to a particular quality of attention. When a practitioner draws a symbol and repeats its name, it acts as a focusing tool, a way of bringing the mind to a specific intention.

It helps to be clear about what they are not. The symbols are not magic spells, and they are not a replacement for professional care of any kind. They belong to a spiritual tradition and a contemplative practice. Students who approach them with curiosity and respect, rather than expecting dramatic results, tend to enjoy them most and keep practising longest.

Historically, the symbols were kept private and passed from teacher to student. Today many are published in books and online, but most teachers, including me, still prefer to introduce them in class, because the meaning comes alive through practice, not through a picture on a screen.

The Three Level 2 Symbols

Cho Ku Rei: the focus symbol

Cho Ku Rei is often called the power symbol. It is drawn as a spiral with a line across the top. In practice, I describe it as a symbol of focus: it gathers your attention into the present moment and into the space where you are working. Students often use it at the start and end of a practice to mark a clear beginning and a clear close.

Sei He Ki: the harmony symbol

Sei He Ki is associated with emotional and mental harmony. Traditionally it is used when a person wants to bring calm reflection to habits, moods or patterns of thought. In my classes, students use it alongside journaling: they draw the symbol, sit quietly for a few minutes, then write what comes up. It is a gentle way to make space for feelings rather than push them aside.

Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen: the distance symbol

Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen is the longest and most complex of the three. It is linked with connection across distance and time. Within the tradition, students use it to send Reiki intention to a person, a place or a future event, such as an exam or a difficult conversation. Many students tell me this is the symbol that takes longest to draw confidently, and that is completely normal.

How Symbols Are Taught on a Reiki Course

A good Level 2 class does not hand you a sheet of drawings and send you home. It moves step by step, so the symbols settle into your hands and memory. In my Level 2 classes, the structure usually looks like this:

1. Attunement. The traditional Level 2 attunement, a quiet ceremony in which the teacher introduces the symbols to the student.
2. Drawing practice. Students draw each symbol many times on paper, then in the air with the hand, then visualise it with eyes closed.
3. Names and meanings. We repeat each name aloud and talk through its meaning and history in the Usui tradition.
4. Guided practice. Students use the symbols in self-practice and in practice with a partner, with feedback on posture, pacing and intention.
5. Distance practice. We set up a simple distance exercise so students feel how Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen is used in a real session.
6. Ethics and boundaries. We discuss consent, privacy and how to describe Reiki honestly to others.

That last step matters to me. Reiki is a practice of care and attention, and part of learning it well is learning to speak about it with humility. A Reiki practitioner never promises outcomes and always encourages people to look after their wellbeing with qualified professionals as well.

A Simple Daily Practice With the Symbols

The symbols only become meaningful when you use them regularly. Here is a short routine I give students after Level 2. It takes about fifteen minutes.

• Sit comfortably, feet on the floor, and take five slow breaths.
• Draw Cho Ku Rei in the air in front of you and say its name three times silently.
• Place your hands on your body in the Level 1 positions you already know, holding each for two or three minutes.
• If something is on your mind, draw Sei He Ki and rest with it for a few breaths before moving on.
• Close by drawing Cho Ku Rei once more, then note one line in a journal about how the practice felt.

Once or twice a week, add a distance practice using Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen. Choose a person who has given permission, or a situation in your own life, and hold a clear, kind intention for ten minutes.

Common Mistakes Level 2 Students Make

After many years of teaching, I see the same few stumbling blocks again and again. Knowing them in advance makes the journey smoother.

• Worrying about perfect strokes. Accuracy matters, but intention matters more. Practise until the shape feels familiar, then relax.
• Using the symbols only in class. Without daily use, the names and shapes fade within weeks.
• Skipping self-practice. Level 2 builds on Level 1. Your own daily practice remains the foundation.
• Overpromising to friends and family. Describe Reiki as a relaxing, reflective practice, not as a fix for anything.
• Rushing to Level 3. Give yourself at least a few months with the Level 2 symbols before moving on.

Is a Level 2 Reiki Course Right for You?

Level 2 suits you if you have completed Level 1, practised regularly for a few weeks, and feel ready to deepen your understanding of the tradition. It is also the level many people choose if they would like to offer Reiki sessions to friends, family or, eventually, clients, since it introduces distance practice and a clearer structure for working with others.

If you are still finding your rhythm with Level 1, there is no rush. The symbols will be there when you are ready, and the steadier your foundation, the more you will enjoy them. Some of my students wait a year between levels, and they often say that patience made Level 2 far richer.

Preparing for Your Level 2 Class

A little preparation helps the day feel calm and focused. Before class, I suggest you:

• Return to daily Level 1 self-practice for at least a week.
• Bring a notebook you enjoy writing in, because you will draw the symbols many times.
• Get a good night's sleep and arrive with a light, unhurried schedule.
• Write down two or three questions about Reiki you would like answered.

Most of all, come with an open mind. Some students feel a lot during the attunement and practice; others feel very little at first. Both experiences are perfectly fine, and neither says anything about how well you will practise in the months ahead.

Dr S Pujah teaches Reiki students in person in Al Barsha, Dubai, and online across Abu Dhabi, the GCC and Singapore.

If you feel ready to learn the symbols properly, with guided practice and a teacher beside you, take a look at the Reiki and energy courses on learn.spujah.com and choose the level that fits where you are today.