At the core of every traditional Usui Reiki course is an attunement. This is the part which confuses left-brain-dominant types who have not yet accepted the logic that the metaphysical planes exist.

Imagine a tuning fork with a low vibration. Then imagine changing that tuning fork's ability to vibrate so that it now resonates to a higher vibration. The Reiki attunements perform a function like that only on a person's metaphysical dimensions.

The attunement itself is really quite simple. In a quiet setting, the Reiki master performs a series of brief metaphysical steps, derived in part from Taoist techniques and Buddhist techniques, in which the student's chakra system (in particular the crown chakra) is changed (attuned is a very accurate verb) to accept the vibration of the Reiki energy.

For the student, the experience is usually one of bliss as the student's aura and energy system shift to accept the new and higher vibration. From that point on the student's system is open to the Reiki energy of the attunement. An attunement usually takes several weeks to settle in to a person's energy system which is why Reiki masters require a waiting period in between taking Reiki courses.

It is the attunement which gives the student the flow of Reiki through his/her hands. Everything else in a Reiki course is designed to teach the student what to do with that flow. To be complete, a Reiki course MUST include an attunement.

The attunement acts as a bridge between the physical and metaphysical planes. As a result of the attunement, the metaphysical energy of Reiki flows from the metaphysical planes through a practitioner's physical body and out the practitioner's hands to the client's physical body and metaphysical planes. It is because of this metaphysical component to the healing that Reiki as been responsible for cures which the medical profession cannot explain.

This brings us to Dr. Usui's epiphany experience on the mountain top outside Kyoto. Was that a grand cosmic attunement? Yes, count on it. While in the Reiki tradition we are used to attunements being done by a physically incarnate Reiki master, the Cosmos, for reasons known to It alone, sees fit from time to time to attune mere mortals on a great spiritual journey.