Attunements
An attunement is the method of initiating students into the system of Reiki only a Reiki Master/Teacher can give Reiki attunements. There are many different attunement methods as teachers have added to or taken away from the traditional process. Attunements were initially called reiju in Japan but when Hawayo Takata introduced Reiki to the West they became known initiations, empowerments, attunements or transformations. An attunement is a powerful clearing of the body's meridians (energy system) it is impossible to be able to undo this once it has begun. Each attunement you receive takes you a step further to re-aligning yourself with the natural function of your body - mentally, physically, emotionally or spiritually. For these reasons it is also impossible to 'make' an attunement last for a limited period of time. An attunement (or reiju) is also one of the five major elements of the system of Reiki.

Chakra
Chakra is a Sanskrit word often translated as 'wheel of energy'. Chakras, though Indian in origin, are popularly used in many forms of energetic work today including Reiki. It does not seem that Usui Mikao or Hawayo Takata used the chakra system. Hawayo Takata spoke of the 'true energy in the body that lies in the bottom of the stomach about 2 inches below the naval' in notes which are included in the Gray Book. Here she is writing about the hara energetic system that is used in Japan.

Cleansing process
The client's body draws in energy and allows it to wash through clearing the body out on a physical, mental, emotional or spiritual level.

Distant Healing
Distant healing is used to send Reiki for the purpose of healing to someone who is not physically present.

Five Head Positions
They are: zento bu – forehead; sokuto bu – both temples; koto bu – back of your head and forehead; enzui bu – either side of neck; tocho bu - crown on top of head.

Five Precepts
For today only: Do not anger; Do not worry; Be humble; Be honest in your work and Be compassionate to yourself and others.
These precepts are the cornerstone of Usui Mikao's teachings and are guidelines to aid students in their journey toward spiritual development.

Hand Positions
Hand positions refer to the specific hand positions used when performing a Reiki treatment. Practitioners place their hands on specific body regions with the intention to assist the energy to move through the body. A one-hour Reiki treatment is made up of a practitioner placing hands on (or just off) the body of the client.

Hara
(lit. Japanese) belly or abdomen. The hara is like a battery that can be recharged through physical and spiritual techniques. Energy is stored at this point of the body. From here it expands through the whole body.

Independent Reiki Master/Practitioner
Independent Reiki Master/Practitioner is a term used to describe people who are Reiki Masters or practitioners that are not aligned with a particular branch of Reiki.

Kanji
Kanji are Japanese written characters that are both pictographs and ideographs.

Ki
(lit. Japanese) Universal energy.

Mantra
It is a power-laden syllable or series of syllables that manifest certain cosmic forces. Traditionally there are only 4 mantras in Usui Mikao's teachings.

Memorial Stone
This is the carved memorial stone of Usui Mikao's life at his grave site at the Pure Land Buddhist Saihoji Temple in Tokyo. It was placed there by a number of his students, just one year after his death in 1927.

Reiju
(lit. Japanese) offering of spiritual energy. This is the Japanese name for attunement/initiations /transformations etc. Reiju, as practiced by Usui Mikao and the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai is the same for each level – there are no differences as it is the student's ability to draw on more energy that creates the differences not the reiju itself. No symbols or mantras are used in the reiju. The reiju does not 'attune' the student to the symbols as is believed in the West.
The reiju appears to have links to practices from within the more esoteric elements of Tendai called Mikkyo.

Reiki
(lit. Japanese) spiritual or sacred energy.

Reiki Levels
Levels to be attained in the system of Reiki. When Usui Mikao first started teaching he had no need for recognized levels.

Symbols
Traditionally there are only 4 symbols in Usui Mikao's teachings. It is believed that only later in Usui Mikao's life, around 1923 (once he began working with lay people who were not involved in spiritual practices), were symbols introduced. These symbols were extra tools that made it easier for students to practice Usui Mikao's spiritual teachings.

Usui Mikao
(1865-1926) Usui Mikao is the founder of the system of Reiki. Usui Mikao was born on the 15th of August 1865, in the village of Taniai mura in the Yamagata district of the Gifu Prefecture, in Japan. His father's name was Uzaemon and they were from the Chiba clan. Usui Mikao is understood to have been born a Tendai Buddhist and as a child studied in a Tendai monastery. He remained Tendai all his life and is believed to have eventually have become a Tendai lay priest.
Usui Mikao married Suzuki Sadako and they had two children a boy and a girl, called Fuji and Toshiko respectively.
He is thought to have studied on hiei zan and practiced certain meditations on kurama yama.
What Usui Mikao taught was called 'Usui do' - 'the way of Usui'. His teachings included using waka, the 5 precepts, meditations and techniques, mantras and or symbols and reiju. What he practiced on people would have been called 'Usui teate' - meaning 'hands-on' and included hands on healing.
The names of 11 of the 21 teacher students of Usui Mikao have been recorded in a booklet used by the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai.