JAPAN Part 2: Kyoto!

Japan part 2: Kyoto – the home of Reiki! We arrived safely to Kyoto on the 7th Sept (thanks for the guidance, mum!) and had dinner with a new friend we had met. We sat outside, gazing up at the Full Moon (in Pisces). I didn’t know what would happen under this moon, but I was open to finding out!

Mount Kurama on 8th Sept

We hadn’t planned exactly when we would go up the mountain, but the day before, I just knew today was the day for Mount Kurama! A friend of mine, Benji, joined us for our hike. He was my first ever acupuncturist many years ago, and we had become friends. 

When we arrived at the base of Mt Kurama, my energy was bubbling. We hiked up the mountain, stopping along the way at different shrines, and pausing to connect with nature and the trees. Benji (also a herbalist) was teaching us about the trees and plants on the mountain. It felt like a full circle moment, as his magic all those years ago was a key turning point for me on my energy medicine path. 

Mikau Usui and Reiki

Mount Kurama is famous as it was where Mikau Usui founded Reiki. Usui climbed Mount Kurama and did mountain austerity training – meditating and fasting on the mountain for 21 days. On the last day, he was enlightened (in-the-light) by a powerful beam of light entering his crown. He realised he had healing powers…and that’s how Reiki was born! 

Sonten – the path of the light

Mt Kurama’s sacred spiritual energy started a long time before Usui however. In Japanese belief, Mao-son (the great king of the conquerors of evil, and the spirit of the earth), Bishamon-ten (the protector of the northern quarter of the Buddhist heaven, and spirit of the sun), and Senju-kannon (the thousand armed Kannon, and the spirit of the moon) together form a Trinity known as ‘Sonten’ or ‘Supreme Deity’. 

Sonten is the ‘living soul’ and the ‘supreme soul of the universe’, the ‘glorious light’ and the ‘activity of the soul’. These are the symbols of power, light and love. Sonten is the composite of all three, and is the creator of the Universe, and causes the ‘great self’ to wake up within our hearts.

Spiritual downloads on Mount Kurama

For me, it was such a special day. It felt like Dad, Benji and myself were being supported as we climbed the mountain by a higher power. When we reached Honden (the Main Hall temple), I stood inside and closed my eyes. I received a spiritual download:

First we pay respect to the mountain. Then we pay respect to the elements (Earth, Fire, Wind and Water). Then, the directions (North, South, East and West), the Gods above, and to our heart within. We pay respect to everyone on the mountain (their hearts). And finally, to Mikau Usui. 

This spiritual download brought tears to my eyes as I felt the energy of the mountain reverberate through me.

The way of a Reiki Master

It felt to me that the Buddhist and spiritual (Reiki) way is to understand a Reiki Master’s true mission is to help us recognise the power within. Not to put our Reiki Master on a pedestal, but to recognise the light within our own hearts. Everyone has a direct connection with Source, with Sonten, with our own heart, and we are all simply a part of nature and the Universe. Master Usui was humble, he was respectful of nature and Sonten, and is simply guiding us to look inside ourselves to find the light and love that lies within each and every one of us. 

Tree root path and light language

We continued hiking the mountain and came to Kinone Sando, the path from Kurama-dera Temple down to the Kifune Shrine. It’s known as the ‘tree root path’, with ancient cedar tree roots that lie above ground. I found a shrine right next to these trees, and something called me to kneel down and meditate. I was channeling Reiki…when suddenly my light language burst forth! It was so strong, and I couldn’t control it, so I surrendered and let it flow through me. The spiritual energy of this mountain was intense. Even Dad said the mountain felt alive! Clearly, he felt it too.

Giving Dad a Reiki on Mount Kurama

Further along the path, we came to a meditation space under the trees. This was a moment I will never forget, as I gave Dad a Reiki healing under the trees on Mount Kurama. It was so, so special! Dad has had two hip replacements, a shoulder replacement, and has a heart condition. (He also never does any cardio!) But somehow, with the spiritual support of the mountain, he climbed the entire way over the mountain. I was so, so proud and happy for him! In addition, a deer stopped on our path on the mountain…it kept looking back, and was guiding us down the mountain for ages. I know that the magic of the mountain, the deer, and Spirit itself, was supporting us all that day.

The 9/9 portal

The next day was the 9th Sept. During self-Reiki in the morning, I had an amazing experience. I felt like I was ‘one with the Universe’, totally connected with everything and everyone around. I did what I learned on Mount Kurama yesterday too. First, I acknowledged the mountain. I acknowledged Spirit above and Gaia below, the elements, the directions, the Gods above, my own heart, and the hearts of every other human on the planet, and finally, Mikau Usui. I felt like my energy at my heart opened up and expanded massively, with waves of energy rippling outwards. Light was flooding around me, and I felt so very calm, even though there was a lot of noise going on around me. It was a totally blissful experience.

Kundalini activation 10/9

Then, during self-Reiki on the morning of 10th September, I had a full on Kundalini activation! My third eye was crazy open, every part of me was open. I saw the circle of shamans again, I heard ‘I am a shaman’, and I was the snake in the middle of the circle. The snake was moving through me, a white translucent but powerful energy, it was moving so fast, and there was chanting, so much chanting! In my newsletter at the start of Sept I mentioned 10/9 was an activation day, but I didn’t expect this.

My heart is open to the light within

My heart was beaming insanely bright light…I saw a bright sun, and light language was bursting through me! The light was intense, and I had rainbow colours rippling out from my heart. I could see Kundalini working at my heart, round and round like a pretzel. Wow. It drops in – this activation is because of Mount Kurama. I saw light codes dropping into my heart through light language. I asked Spirit what the codes meant, and I heard ‘opening your heart to the light within’. This is the message of Mount Kurama and Sonten. I heard ‘there is nothing to fear, just keep remembering the light within.’ I also saw tree roots down into the Earth from my root chakra. This was a truly amazing experience.

What happened next?

You’ll have to wait and read the next blog! I head to Osaka for the final leg of this incredibly spiritual journey in Japan.