Usui Reiki attunement is the process of cleansing the body and mind and inviting the intelligent power or life force to be a conduit for healing of oneself and others. Traditionally, this attunement was supposed to be carried out by a person who had attained the status of Reiki Master, carried back in history to the original sensei.

Some practitioners have begun teaching a self-attunement process that they claim is just as effective as the traditional methods.

In order to carry out a reiki self-attunement, you must know and understand four of the reiki symbols. The first symbol is known as Cho Ku Rei. It's commonly called the Power Symbol and roughly translated means "Put all the power of the universe here". During a traditional attunement, this symbol is drawn on the dominant hand of the practitioner and on the head of the recipient.

The second symbol used in reiki is the Sei-hei-ki or The Emotional Symbol. The English translation is "God and Humanity Become One." The traditional Reiki teaches this symbol during Level II, and uses it when there is emotional build-up or stress. It is invoked by the practitioner in the same way as Cho Ku Rei.

The third symbol needed for attunements is Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen, The Distant Healing Symbol. The English translation for this symbol is "May the Buddha in me connect to the Buddha in you." This is perhaps the heart of the entire Reiki healing philosophy. Again, the invocation of Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen is the same as the first two.

Finally, the most powerful of the four symbols needed for attunement is Dai Ko Myo. This symbol is only taught at the Master level and is meant to heal the spiritual condition of the user. Roughly translated it would be called "Great Being of the Universe Shine on Me."

Once you have memorized the four symbols above or drawn them out for easy access during the attunement process. You should begin the self-attunement by cleansing the room by drawing all four symbols in the air. Drawing the Cho Ku Rei and Dai Ko Myo on the palms of your hands is followed by drawing the Cho Ku Rei on each of the Chakras of your body then in front of your chest.

Next, sit in an attitude of prayer or meditation and visualize light coming down from heaven and gradually filling your entire body through the chakras beginning with the crown chakra. Once you have completed this phase, and then individually imagine each of the symbols coming down through the crown chakra all the way to the root chakra. You can visualize each individual symbol as being inside a ball of red fire as it passes through the white light.

After all four symbols are part of you, open your hands and visualize each upon your hands, imagining each sinking into your hands and becoming part of you.

Finally on the back of your neck, visualize a small golden door which can be permanently sealed in a symbolism which your mind will accept. It may be a permanent seal or removing a lock or anything else that makes you symbolize permanent closure, so that the self-attunement is complete and forever.

This completes the Reiki self-attunement process and allows you to be a practitioner of Reiki healing arts.