Subtle Reiki is is a rather advanced style of Reiki that I developed mainly for practice in understanding the subtle nature of Reiki energy. You can take a look at The Subtlety of Reiki for an introduction, should you care to.

I first began the development of Subtle Reiki about 5 years ago when I read the book Subtle Aromatherapy by Patricia Davis. In that book, she describes Subtle Aromatherapy as “the use of essential oils in non-physical ways” drawing on the vibrational, energetic qualities of the essential oils, rather than their physical, chemical properties. For Subtle Reiki its a bit different in that Reiki energy is, itself, comprised solely of vibrational, energetic qualities. So, for our purposes, Subtle Reiki involves an exploration of those subtle energies themselves, as well as of subtle hibiki, subtle responses, subtle indications and as well as the distinct subtleties involved with whichever aspect of healing (physical, mental, emotional and/or spiritual) is involved.

Let’s take a quick look at each of these in turn.

Subtle Energies

The first area of exploration in Subtle Reiki is in exploring the subtleties of the Reiki energy itself. This involves distinguishing between the subtle differences in the energy of different styles of Reiki, between the different Reiki symbols, between the different Reiki mantras, etc. This isn’t something that can be picked up over night and oftentimes requires years of experimentation with the various Reiki energies.

As was discussed in the 30 Day Reiki Challenge, there are a number of games that are useful (and enjoyable) when attempting to master these subtle differences. From ‘guessing’ which index cards has which symbol (if any) written on it to ‘guessing’ which cup of coffee or glass of beer has been Reikied, having fun with the process will keep it both challenging and interesting for many years.

Subtle Hibiki

All hibiki are not created the same, and beyond categorizing them into different degrees (as was discussed in Reiki Hibiki) it is also possible to notice variations within each of those degrees. Hibiki in different parts of the body have different meanings, just as reflexology type Reiki (treating the reflex points in the hands or feet in lieu of their actual counterpart) will give different readings than when scanning the actual area involved.

Many Reiki practitioners perform Byosen Scanning and then immediately apply Reiki when any type of hibiki is detected. In Subtle Reiki, we spend a bit of time exploring that hibiki first, in order to get a better understanding of it… both physically and psychically.

Subtle Responses

When giving a Reiki treatment many Reiki practitioners remain oblivious to the energetic responses being unconsciously given by the person they are giving the Reiki to. In Subtle Reiki, we are constantly aware of any reactions, responses and unconscious signals being communicated. Again, these communications can be either physical or psychic and without paying attention to them they are being missed.

Once these subtle responses are understood, healing can progress at a much deeper level… often involving the cause of the dis-ease, as opposed to just the effects.

Subtle Indications

Medically speaking, indications refer to signs that point to the cause, treatment, etc. of a dis-ease. I distinguish these from responses in that responses are generally caused by something you do, where as indications are present even before you start your Reiki treatment. For our purposes, the indications are not the problems. Even though they might be remedied quite quickly, we are primarily concerned with the causes.

In the case of a headache, the headache itself might be healed quite easily, but it may be indicative of undue stress (or any of a number of causes) and by seeking further indications, which are generally quite subtle and may occur at physical, mental, emotional and/or spiritual levels, staying on the alert for them will lead to much deeper healing.

Aspect Related Subtleties

Depending on whether the treatment is directed towards physical, mental, emotional and/or spiritual healing there are different mechanics involved. Being aware of the subtleties involved in spiritual healing, for example, will help considerably in the treatment.

When you perform any type of Reiki treatment, curiosity about the root causes should always be a consideration. The more curious you are, the more likely you are to explore the symptoms, indications, responses, reactions, etc. and their presence in any of number of guises. Application of a Subtle Reiki frame of mind to whatever style of Reiki you use can only lead to a deeper understanding of Reiki as well as a deeper level of healing.

For further explanation or discussion, your thoughts are most welcome and highly encouraged, please feel free to comment below!!!