«Online Initiation for 5,000 Rubles»: Why Initiation Through a Screen Is Not Real Initiation
Several readers wrote to me after the first two articles with approximately the same message: «But many masters conduct initiations online — and people say they feel an effect. Isn’t that proof it works?» That is an honest question, and it deserves an honest answer.
The answer is no. Here is why.
What Reiki Initiation Actually Is
In the Usui tradition initiation is called Reiju (霊授) — literally «bestowing spirit» or «transmitting spiritual power». In the Komyo Reiki Do system, Reiju is a specific sequence of actions by the master around the student’s body, including:
- Work with the crown centre (sahasrara) as the entry point
- Activation of the palm centres — hoshi (星), literally «stars» — special points on the palms through which energy will flow when working with a client
- Activation of the foot centres — for grounding and completeness of the channel
- The master’s intention and physical presence in the student’s space
Note the last point. Physical space is not a technical detail. It is the essence.
What Supporters of Online Initiation Claim — and Why They Are Wrong
Argument 1: «The distant-work symbol means distance doesn’t matter»
The symbol Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen is used for sending Reiki at a distance — for example, for a remote session with a client. This is not the same as initiation. A Reiki session and Reiju are fundamentally different actions. Confusing them is like confusing a surgical operation with a phone consultation.
Argument 2: «Students feel warmth — that is proof»
Sensations of warmth, tingling, relaxation, and altered states — these are the effects of meditative immersion that occurs in a person expecting initiation. This is the well-studied expectancy effect, powerful and reproducible. It is not proof that energy was transmitted.
Argument 3: «Reiki is everywhere — so it can be transmitted from anywhere»
Usui said Reiki (capitalised — as a principle of universal energy) permeates everything. But he never said therefore a master need not be present during initiation. This is a logical error: from «water is everywhere» it does not follow that «therefore I don’t need to water the plant, it will drink by itself».
What Is Lost in Online Initiation
| Element of initiation | Live transmission | Online format |
|---|---|---|
| Work with the student’s physical body | Master works with real points on the head, hands, feet | Impossible — only master’s visualisation |
| Master’s space | Student is in the master’s energetic field | Absent — only a video image |
| Real-time checking and correction | Master senses and corrects in real time | Impossible without direct contact |
| Transmission through touch | Key element of Reiju | Completely absent |
Where Online Initiation Comes From and Why Masters Use It
The honest answer: economics and scalability. Live initiation requires physical presence, a limited number of students at once, the master’s time, premises. Online initiation removes all these constraints. You can «initiate» 50 people simultaneously in Zoom — and receive 50 times more money for the same time.
Summary
- Reiju is physical work by the master on the student’s body. It requires presence.
- Subjective sensations during online initiation are the expectancy effect, not proof of transmission.
- The distant-work symbol is for sessions, not initiation.
- Online initiation is an economic decision, not a spiritual innovation.
- The Buddhist tradition from which Reiki emerged excludes transmission without the master’s physical presence.