Reiki Symbol 4 of 4 路 Reiki III
Reiki Master Symbol(Dai Koo Myo)
What the Reiki master symbol is, what it is used for, and how you are attuned to it.
What is the Reiki master symbol?
The short answer
The Reiki master symbol is called Dai Koo Myo, and it is also spelled Dai Ko Myo or Daikomyo. It is the fourth and last of the symbols in Usui Shiki Ryoho, attuned at Reiki III, before Reiki Master training. It is the key a Reiki Master uses to pass on attunements. Like the other three, it is a key and not Reiki itself.
You can see all four symbols on the Reiki symbols page.
Dai Koo Myo 路 the Reiki master symbol 路 click to enlarge
What is the master symbol used for?
The master symbol has one purpose: it is what allows a Reiki Master to pass on attunements to others. It works together with the other symbols to bridge the way, so passing on an attunement, even in person, involves several symbols working together. In my own practice, that is the only place I use it.
Dai Koo Myo is often translated as great, magnificent expansion. Traditional descriptions picture radiant light held above the head, and speak of light, wisdom and the enlightened one. In that sense, it is the passing of the torch from teacher to student.
As with the other three symbols, it does not create Reiki and it does nothing on its own. The practitioner holds the frequency, and the symbol is a key. How it is used is taught at the master level, and I keep that for my students.
Which level is the Reiki master symbol for?
Reiki III. Reiki I opens the channel, and at Reiki II a student is attuned to the first three symbols. The master symbol is the fourth, attuned at Reiki III, before a student goes on to Reiki Master training, which focuses on learning to teach. You do not need any symbol to receive Reiki. They matter only if you want to learn Reiki and practice it yourself.
Attunements are valid whether they are received in person or online.
Is the symbol where the power comes from?
No. The Reiki master symbol is not Reiki. It is a key. The person holding the key is the one who carries the frequency and knows how Reiki moves, and the key only works for someone who has been attuned to it.
If you are not attuned to the symbol, it is just a pretty shape, however many times you see it, draw it or say its name.
Why were the symbols kept private, and why share them now?
There was no internet when Reiki began to be taught, and the symbols were kept within the teacher-student relationship so they wouldn’t be mistaken for Reiki, and so people who had never been attuned couldn’t say they practice Reiki on others. Today the symbols are easy to find, and I don’t think hiding them serves anyone. What matters is knowing what they are. I explain more on the Reiki symbols page.
There are other Reiki systems, and some use other symbols or other names. I respect them. This page speaks only for Usui Shiki Ryoho, the tradition I was attuned in and teach.
How do I get attuned to the Reiki master symbol?
By reading this page, you have learned about the Reiki master symbol. That is not the same as being attuned to it, and the attunement is the important part. A symbol is not something you memorize from a page. At Reiki III, a teacher attunes you to it, and the attunement is what makes the key yours.
The master symbol is attuned at Reiki III, and the path beyond Reiki II is a personal one. In the way I was taught, Reiki III and Reiki Master training are two different steps, and neither is taught in a large classroom. They are one-on-one, from teacher to student, so that the student can become the next teacher, and I honor that even though much of my work is online.
I have just opened my Reiki I & II cohorts through Sovereign Light, and I am giving them room to unfold. If you are interested in Reiki III, and eventually becoming a Reiki Master, you are welcome to email me and we can go from there. Attunements are valid whether they are received in person or online. To hear when the next Reiki I & II cohort opens, you can join the waitlist.
You can see my line, name by name, on my lineage page. I was attuned as a Reiki Master in the Usui Shiki Ryoho tradition on June 21st, 2008.
Questions people ask about the Reiki master symbol
What is the Reiki master symbol?
It is called Dai Koo Myo, the fourth and last symbol in Usui Shiki Ryoho. It is attuned at Reiki III, and it is the key a Reiki Master uses to pass on attunements.
What is Dai Koo Myo used for?
Passing on attunements. It works together with the other symbols, and it is the key that allows a Reiki Master to attune a student.
What does Dai Koo Myo mean?
It is often translated as great, magnificent expansion, with imagery of radiant light, wisdom and the passing of the torch. Translations vary.
Do you have to be a Reiki Master to be attuned to the master symbol?
No. In my lineage, you are attuned to it at Reiki III, before Reiki Master training. That training focuses on learning to teach.
How do I get attuned to the Reiki master symbol?
You are attuned to it by a teacher, at Reiki III. Reading about the symbol is not the same as being attuned to it, and the attunement is the important part. In the way I was taught, the path beyond Reiki II is one-on-one, teacher to student, and you are welcome to email me if you are interested.
I am interested in Reiki III or becoming a Reiki Master. What do I do?
Email me. Reiki III and Reiki Master training are two different steps, and both are one-on-one, from teacher to student, so the path from that point forward is a more personalized one.
Can I use the Reiki master symbol without an attunement?
No. Without the attunement, it is just a shape. The practitioner holds the frequency, and the symbol is a key that only works for someone who has been attuned to it.
Are there other Reiki master symbols?
Other Reiki systems use other master symbols and other names for them, and I respect them. This page speaks only for Usui Shiki Ryoho, the tradition I was attuned in and teach.
Can I be attuned to the master symbol online?
Yes. Attunements are valid whether they are received in person or online.
Continue through the symbols
The four symbols of Usui Shiki Ryoho, in the order they are attuned. Choose any to read about it.
Symbol 1 路 Reiki II
Cho Ku Rei
Symbol 2 路 Reiki II
Sei He Ki
Symbol 3 路 Reiki II
Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen
Symbol 4 路 Reiki III
Reiki Master Symbol
Ready to be attuned?
Sovereign Light is live Reiki I & II certification in the Usui Shiki Ryoho tradition, offered in cohorts. The waitlist is the way to hear when the next one opens.
Or explore Sovereign Light first.
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Reiki is a practice of energetic support and is not a substitute for medical or psychological care. No specific outcomes are promised or guaranteed. Certification reflects completion of training within the Usui Shiki Ryoho system.