Teaching the Mystery Teachings
of the System of Reiki
A complete guide to structuring Shinpiden as a live in-person course — with a deep refresh of Shoden and Okuden, moving into the heart of Shinpiden, and flexible options for every teaching style.
Where Everything Comes Together
Shinpiden — meaning “Mystery Teachings” — is the third and final level of the system of Reiki. Rather than a conclusion, it is considered the true beginning of a lifelong study: the threshold from which you turn around and look more deeply at everything that came before.
This outline is written for teachers using the Shinpiden Manual. It is designed to honour the depth of what is being taught, while remaining flexible for students from any lineage who have completed Reiki I and II.
“The whole course of Reiki healing is taught in Shoden and Okuden. Shinpiden is the level at which you become capable of supporting others on the very same path you have been walking.”
— Hiroshi Doi, member of the Usui Reiki Ryōhō Gakkai
Beginning with Shoden & Okuden
Every Shinpiden course begins by returning to the foundations — not as repetition, but as revelation. When students revisit Shoden and Okuden through a Shinpiden lens, things that were once unclear become deeply meaningful. The five elements that have always been present reveal themselves as a complete and coherent whole.
This refresh is not about going back to basics. It is about arriving, perhaps for the first time, at genuine understanding.
The Five Elements — Present at Every Level
These five elements run through Shoden, Okuden, and Shinpiden. Together they form the complete system of Reiki.
The Three-Day Shinpiden Course
This three-day structure offers a complete, immersive experience of the Shinpiden teachings. Day One grounds students through a deep refresh of Shoden and Okuden. Day Two brings them to the threshold of Shinpiden — the Mystery Teachings and Symbol 4. Day Three integrates everything through Reiju and the exploration of what it means to teach and live the system of Reiki.
Returning to the Foundation
Morning · Shoden Revisited
- Welcome, introductions & setting intention
- The word Reiki — Kanji, pronunciation & meaning
- Defining the system of Reiki: what it is and why we practice
- San Mitsu — the Three Diamonds in daily life
- Gasshō & Seiza — the ritual of arriving
- Foundation Kokyū Hō: Kenyoku Hō, Jōshin Kokyū Hō, Seishin Toitsu
- Gokai — chanting the precepts, living them fully
- Reiju — receiving a blessing as a group
Afternoon · Into Okuden
- The essence of Okuden: “inner teachings” — what does it mean?
- Shirushi & Jumon as internal practice, not external tools
- Symbol 1 (Choku Rei) — grounding & connecting to Earth Ki
- Symbol 2 (Sei Heki) — harmonising Body, Mind & Breath
- Symbol 3 (Hon Sha Ze Shō Nen) — the field of connection
- Hatsurei Hō V1 — introduction & group practice
- Hatsurei Hō V2 — the expanded form
- Waka — working with the poetry of the Meiji Emperor
- Reflective journalling & home practice guidance
Becoming the Great Bright Light
Morning · The Mystery Teachings
- Opening: what is Shinpiden and why it is “the beginning”
- Reiki history: Mikao Usui, the Gakkai, and how we arrived here
- Dainichi Nyorai — the Cosmic Buddha & the Great Bright Light
- Fudō Myōō — immovable wisdom, guardian of transformation
- Symbol 4 & the Mantra Dai Kōmyō — Japanese origins & meaning
- Embodying Dai Kōmyō: not a tool, but a state of being
- Working with Kū — moving into the void
Afternoon · Deepening Practice
- Chanting Dai Kōmyō & the Mother Sounds (A Bi Ra Un Ken)
- Kokyū Hō: advanced techniques — the soft gaze & Goriki
- The Great Bright Light as the Circle of Awareness
- Kaji — union with teacher, student & the Universe
- Waka — deeper immersion in contemplative poetry
- Integrating Shoden, Okuden & Shinpiden as one whole
- Group sharing: “What are we actually doing here?”
- Evening Reiju & quiet sitting
The Teacher’s Path
Morning · Understanding Initiation
- What is Reiju? The Kanji and its layers of meaning
- Reiju vs attunement — a fundamental difference in philosophy
- The history of Reiju: from Usui’s silent sittings to Kōshō Michibiki
- Go Shinbō — the Tendai Buddhist roots of the physical Reiju
- The Five Powers (Goriki) and the five hand positions
- Preparing to perform Reiju: embodying Dainichi Nyorai
- Learning & practising the Reiju ritual in pairs
Afternoon · Being a Reiki Teacher
- What does it mean to be a Reiki practitioner who teaches?
- Lineage — what it truly means beyond a family tree
- Primordial lineage: the connection to original source
- Teaching the five elements: a teacher’s responsibility
- How to structure Shoden, Okuden & Shinpiden for your students
- Daily self-practice: the foundation of everything you offer
- Closing ceremony, Reiju for all & certification
A Note on Pacing
Three days is an intensive. Allow generous breaks — at least 15 minutes between sessions and an unhurried lunch. Mornings often work better for conceptual teaching; afternoons for practice, chanting, and silent sitting. Never rush the Reiju practice or the closing ceremony. What happens in those moments cannot be replicated in a recording.
Other Ways to Teach Shinpiden
Not every student or teacher can commit to three days. Below are four alternative structures that honour the depth of the Shinpiden teachings while working with different schedules, learning styles, and life situations.
The One-Year Shinpiden Programme
For teachers who wish to offer a truly transformational experience, the one-year programme weaves the Shinpiden teachings into a living practice cycle. Students work with the five elements across four quarters, always returning to what the system of Reiki is asking of them as human beings — not just practitioners.
Grounding
- Shoden in depth: who are you?
- Daily Kokyū Hō practice
- Living the Gokai
- Receiving Reiju regularly
- Tenohira self-practice daily
Inner Circle
- Okuden symbols & mantras
- Hatsurei Hō V1 & V2
- Waka as daily meditation
- Distance healing work
- Developing Hibiki (sensing)
Mystery
- Shinpiden & Dai Kōmyō
- Kū — working with the void
- Dainichi Nyorai & Fudō Myōō
- Chanting A Bi Ra Un Ken
- Integration of all elements
Transmission
- Reiju — learning & refining
- The role of teacher
- Primordial lineage
- Designing your own classes
- Closing ceremony
What to Keep in Mind
Whatever format you choose, the quality of what you transmit is the quality of your own daily practice. Return to these three principles when designing and delivering Shinpiden content.
Kokoro First
Mikao Usui taught that the system of Reiki heals Kokoro — the Mindful Heart — first. Prioritise inner experience over information. Space and silence are not empty: they are where the teachings land.
Let Ritual Serve
Ritual is a container — not the destination. Teach the Reiju process with precision, but remind students that presence is always the most important element. The inner state matters more than the outer form.
Return to Five Elements
If you are unsure how to structure a session, return to the five elements. They are the skeleton of the system of Reiki. When all five are present in some form, the teaching is complete.
“Our primary purpose as Reiki practitioners is to fulfil our human contract to remember and embody that primordial essence within ourselves.”
— Bronwen Logan, Shinpiden Manual