What is a Reiki attunement?

Christian Stone | Standing Stones Healing Co.

What is a Reiki attunement and how do you explain it?

Attunement is an interesting point of discussion...and a challenging one, too, because of the different approaches. We have Reiju in the original Usui system, initiation (introduced by Mrs. Takata), attunement (introduced after Takata's death), and ignition (from the Karuna lineage). So there are many names for attunement and different ways to describe it or think about it.

I personally used to describe attunement as the Teacher "opening up" the student's ability to channel Reiki the energy so that they could channel more. I no longer think of attunement in quite this way. Because we all already have universal life force energy in us and through us, I now see attunement more as a ritual to help us remember who we are and what we have always been able to do.

Some might argue that attunement isn't even necessary. Others say that something is definitely happening energetically. I know I felt it during my attunements and I know my students feel it when I attune them. This is not the quick and easy answer you were hoping for, but I personally now see it more as a ceremony of intention for the student claiming their divine power and setting the intention to practice the system of Reiki. 

This video on reattunement might offer some more helpful information: