Reiki attunements, known traditionally as Denju (lit. initiation) are a series of rituals performed by a qualified Reiki teacher on training Reiki students, which connect the individuals to the source of the external universal energy, in order to channel the energy for healing purposes and to create a purification and cleansing process within the students. Additional outcomes include awakening the students' intuition, heightening perception and creating a sense of 'oneness.'
Reiki attunements are integral to Reiki training and a Reiki student cannot proficiently perform Reiki healing treatments without having been attuned correctly.
Students undergoing Denju or attunements often experience sensations such as:
- Seeing colours (these are the different frequencies of energy being used).
- Hearing high frequency sounds (literally hearing the energy).
- Heat/tingling/cold/vibration - an indication that the energy is travelling through the body.
- Visions - often related to past emotional traumas or psychic visions.
- A greater sense of clarity and peace.
- A feeling of contentment and unconditional love.
- Level 1 Reiki (Shoden) - Four attunements.
- Level 2 Reiki (Okuden) - One attunement.
- Level 3 Reiki (Shinpiden) - This level was not carried over to the West in its entirety so there are no attunements at this level.
- Level 4 Reiki (Shihan-kaku) - One attunement.
Attunements do not mark the end of a Reiki student's spiritual journey, or a culmination but a beginning and the awareness, intuition and understanding of oneself and one's path can be built upon with subsequent self-healing. In order to be effective Reiki attunements must be conducted in a specific manner, by an appropriately qualified Reiki teacher, on one individual at a time. There should be a particular number of attunements at each level as demonstrated on the right.
Denju or attunements are not to be confused with Reiju (lit. blessing), which as the translation suggests are more a blessing and elevate the student's awareness to a very small degree in comparison to attunements. If Reiju are given in place of attunements this should be done on a weekly basis and the student would need to perform additional ritual meditation techniques in order to foster their own connection to the universe, such as Hatsu Rei Ho.
