So you’ve finally gotten the chance to visit Mt. Kurama, the birthplace of Reiki… as I prepare for my own excursion there tomorrow (actually this will be (hopefully) posted while I’m on route) I’ve put together this brief guide.
The only ritual I have before embarking on my journey is some type of fasting and increased meditation for a few days before I go. I find this cleanses my system and makes me more observant of the main Kurama energies as well as some of the other subtle energies that are found there. This time around its been several gallons of water and a minimum of food for the last 3 days… detox accomplished, I’m ready to roll.
I generally go to Mt. Kurama by train… its just under 3 hours travel time from my house to the mountain so I need something to occupy me on the train. Recently its been live recordings of satsungs with Eckhart Tolle, Adyashanti or Gangaji which put me in the perfect meditative state for the pilgrimage. Once I arrive in Kyoto I need to switch to a more rural train (Demachiyanagi Station, for those taking notes) and that’s where the fun actually begins, because its only a matter of 10 minutes or so before I start to feel the awesome and familiar energies of Mt. Kurama reeling me in. Those energies are always overwhelming and tend to bring all my Reiki experiences to mind in one fell swoop. Its always exciting and always rewarding… no matter how many times I visit.
There are two ways up the mountain to Kurama Temple, the long way and the short way (although I think they both take about the same amount of effort and the same amount of time). So the first decision is to cable car or not to cable car… that is the question. The first stop is Kurama Temple, where I always visit the famed Spiral Tigers and Energy Portal in front of the temple. Sometimes I will go inside, other times not, as the temple itself has little to do with Reiki (except perhaps the secret Master Symbol found in the basement). Usually I just head straight up the mountain.
The first stop of note is of course Usugi Gongen, which is believed to be where Dr. Usui was meditating when first connected to Reiki. It is there that I can finally relax after the steep ascent up the mountain. I always meditate there for an hour or so, do a self-attunement, and send out distance attunements to my students. I’ve spent the night there once or twice (Kafka Dreams… that’s a story for another time), attended a momentous Reiki Seminar there once with Rev. Hyakuten Inamoto (I believe its only been attempted once) and learned how to correctly draw the Reiki energies in with Hiroshi Doi. Usugi Gongen never disappoints.
After Usugi Gongen I generally head back down the mountain, but on many occasions ventured over the mountain to the other side. This adds a few hours to the trek, and for first-timers it is a must. This time around I have no plan to continue, but you never know…
On the trip home I always sleep. For the most part I have a hard time sleeping on trains, but after a trip to Mt. Kurama this is never a problem. My body is vibrating with Reiki energies for several days afterwards and my Reiki is at its strongest and I spend as much time playing with the energy as possible. Maybe someday I’ll get used to it… but so far there is no indication that the intensity will ever let up… and I really hope it doesn’t.
For further explanation or discussion, your thoughts are most welcome and highly encouraged, please feel free to comment below!!!
