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October 29, 2026
The system of Reiki is Japanese, and that is the difference. It rests on Japanese ideas: Sanmitsu, the three elements the body and its workings are understood through, and the hara, the deep belly as the foundation of our energy. The purpose is also particular: Reiki means spiritual energy, and the practice is about remembering that we are made of it and live inside it, and letting go into that. Other systems come from other places and have other aims; I cannot speak for them.
That is a really good question. The system of Reiki is a Japanese practice, so it has a lot of Japanese elements to it, like Sanmitsu, the three elements that our understanding of the body and how things work is based upon. It is going to be different because it is Japanese, and it is a great thing, if you are a Reiki practitioner, to spend time getting to know these Japanese elements: the hara, the deep belly, which is the foundation of our energy, and the many practices that are Japanese-based and help you develop your energy.
I cannot speak to other energy healing systems, because I do not think I have really learned any of them. I have read about them, and they are all going to be different depending on where they come from and what they practise.
I have a bit more to say, though, about purpose. Reiki means spiritual energy, and this practice is about remembering that we are part of everything. We are made of spiritual energy, great energy, universal energy, whatever you want to call it, and we exist in that energy too. We are not cookie cutters, cut out from it; we are part of it. That is what the system of Reiki teaches. Other practices probably have different aims. When we know we are Reiki, we can let go into that, and we begin to shift and change and become more balanced and whole.
The name. Reiki, 霊気, is spiritual energy; Sanmitsu, 三密, are the three mysteries of body, breath and mind; the hara, 腹, is the belly or tanden.
Where it sits in the system. This is the frame around all five elements. Every practice, the precepts, meditation, hands on, symbols, Reiju, is a way of remembering that you are Reiki, rather than a way of channelling something from elsewhere.
You might also ask: What does ki actually mean in Japanese? · Why do Japanese Reiki teachers not use chakras? · What happens to your energy when you give Reiki to someone else?
This answer combines two Shorts; the second, “Reiki isn’t about controlling energy”, is on the channel. The Japanese elements are what Shinpiden+ is built on.
More questions answered: Reiki Questions Answered.
