Non-Attachment in Usui Reiki Ryoho: the art of flowing with life

When Mikao Usui established the principles of reiki, he understood that true healing extends far beyond physical symptoms, it requires a fundamental shift in how we relate to life itself. At the heart of this transformation lies the practice of non-attachment, a concept that resonates across many spiritual traditions while finding unique expression in the art of reiki.

In Usui Reiki Ryoho, non-attachment isn't about becoming indifferent or disconnected from life. Rather, it's about becoming a clear channel for the universal life force energy to flow through us without obstruction. When we cling to desires, fears, or fixed ideas about how healing should manifest, we inadvertently block the very energy we seek to transmit.

Usui taught that the practitioner should place their hands and allow the energy to flow, without trying to direct or control the outcome. This surrender to the intelligence of the life force itself is the essence of non-attachment in reiki practice. The practitioner becomes like a flute through which the cosmic breath plays its own melody.

Buddhist philosophy, which deeply influenced Japanese culture during Usui's time, offers profound insights into non-attachment. The Buddha taught that attachment (upadana) is the root cause of suffering (dukkha), arising from our identification with the impermanent self (anatta).

In Buddhism, there are four primary types of attachment:

1. Kamupādāna: Attachment to sense pleasures

2. Diṭṭhupādāna: Attachment to views and beliefs

3. Sīlabbatupādāna: Attachment to rites and rituals

4. Attavādupādāna: Attachment to the concept of self

These attachments create what Buddhists call ‘grasping’, the root of our suffering. When practicing reiki, we often encounter these same forms of attachment; clinging to specific healing outcomes, rigid beliefs about how energy should work, attachment to particular techniques, or identification with being "the healer."

The Buddhist concept of impermanence (anicca) is also particularly relevant to reiki practice. Just as all phenomena are in constant flux, so too are the energy patterns we work with in reiki. By accepting this impermanence, we naturally release our grip on specific outcomes and allow the healing process to unfold according to its own wisdom.

I'd like to add in the perspective of Advaita Vedanta as it is a spiritual philosophy I have studied for many years. Advaita Vedanta, offers another profound lens through which to understand non-attachment. The core teaching of Advaita is that Atman (individual consciousness) and Brahman (universal consciousness) are one and the same. This recognition of fundamental unity dissolves the basis for attachment.

From the Advaitic perspective, attachment arises from the illusion of separateness, the belief that we are individual entities separate from the whole. When we truly understand that we are expressions of the one consciousness, the need to grasp and hold onto things naturally dissolves.

In reiki practice, this translates to recognising that there is no separate ‘I’ who heals another separate person. There is only the flow of universal life force through the temporary forms we call practitioner and client. This understanding naturally releases the ego's need to take credit for healing or to control outcomes.

The Advaitic sage Ramana Maharshi often spoke of "surrender," which closely parallels the non-attachment practiced in reiki. He taught that the ego's attempts to control are the primary obstacle to spiritual realisation. In reiki, this surrender manifests as allowing the energy to flow without the ego's interference. In other words, we need to get out of our own way.

One of the most challenging aspects of non-attachment in Reiki is releasing our investment in specific healing outcomes. As healing facilitators, we naturally want our clients to experience relief and transformation. However, attachment to particular results can actually impede the healing process.

Here’s something you may like to try: Before each reiki session, take a moment to consciously release expectations. You might use a simple affirmation: "I am a clear channel for healing energy. I release all attachment to outcomes and trust the wisdom of the life force." During the session, notice when your mind tries to evaluate or judge what's happening, and gently return to the present moment awareness of energy flow.

Another challenging area is around the sensations we experience. Many reiki practitioners become attached to particular sensations in their hands, heat, tingling, energy movement, using these as validation that the practice is ‘working.’ This subtle attachment can actually limit our sensitivity to the more subtle aspects of energy transmission.

So, here’s something else to try: During self-practice, deliberately work without focusing on hand sensations. Instead, maintain a broader awareness that includes your entire being, the client's energy field, and the space between you. Notice how shifting attention away from hand sensations might actually deepen your connection to the universal energy.

Perhaps the most subtle form of attachment in reiki practice is identification with being "the healer." This ego identification can create a sense of ownership over the healing process and generate pride when sessions go ‘well’ or disappointment when they don't meet our expectations.

This is something that is important to remember: Regularly remind yourself that you are not the source of healing energy; you are merely a conduit. After each session, practice gratitude not for your personal abilities, but for the privilege of serving as a channel for universal life force. Notice when the ego tries to take credit or blame, and gently redirect your understanding back to the truth of your role as a facilitator.

The traditional Reiki principles provide a daily framework for practicing non-attachment:

Just for today,

I will not anger - Anger often arises from attachment to how we think things should be. Practice accepting what is while working skillfully for positive change.

I will not worry - Worry is attachment to future outcomes. Practice trusting the flow of life while taking appropriate action in the present.

I will count my many blessings - Gratitude naturally arises when we stop demanding that life conform to our desires and start appreciating what's already present.

I will do my work diligently - Diligent practice without attachment to results. Do your best and let go of the outcome.

I will be kind to all living things - Kindness without expectation of return. Give freely without needing validation or reciprocation.

Developing non-attachment requires cultivating the ability to observe our mental and emotional patterns without immediate reaction.

Bringing awareness to these things can help to release attachments: Throughout your day, pause periodically to notice what you're attached to in that moment. Are you clinging to a particular mood, a belief about how someone should behave, or an expectation about your day? Simply observe these attachments without judgment, recognising them as natural movements of the mind.

A common misunderstanding about non-attachment is that it requires emotional withdrawal or spiritual bypassing. In truth, the deepest non-attachment allows for fuller engagement with life. When we're not constantly protecting ourselves from disappointment or seeking validation through outcomes, we can be more genuinely present with whatever arises.

In our reiki practice, this dance manifests as:

- Being fully present with a client's experience while not taking on their suffering

- Working with diligent intention while remaining open to unexpected healing pathways

- Offering our heartfelt presence while recognising that the healing belongs to the client and the universal intelligence working through them

True non-attachment develops gradually through consistent practice rather than through intellectual understanding alone. Each reiki session becomes an opportunity to refine our capacity for surrender and trust.

Here Are Some Daily Integration Practices

1. Morning Intention Setting: Begin each day with self-reiki, releasing attachment to how the day "should" unfold while maintaining clear intention for presence and service.

2. Micro-Releases: Throughout the day, practice mini-releases, consciously letting go of small irritations, desires, or expectations as they arise.

3. Evening Reflection: End each day with gratitude practice, acknowledging both the ease and challenges of the day without judgment.

As we develop greater non-attachment through reiki practice, we often experience:

- Deeper Trust in the healing process, in life, and in our own intuitive wisdom

- Enhanced Sensitivity to subtle energy flows and the needs of those we serve

- Greater Resilience through the ability to remain centred regardless of external circumstances

- Authentic Compassion  that arises naturally rather than from obligation or expectation

- Spiritual Maturity in the form of understanding that seeks wisdom beyond personal gain

As our practice matures, non-attachment becomes less of a technique and more of a natural way of being. We find ourselves flowing more easily with life's changes, trusting more deeply in the wisdom of the healing process, and experiencing greater peace regardless of external circumstances.

The reiki principles remind us that this practice is "just for today", not because we'll achieve perfect non-attachment and never need to practice again, but because each moment offers a fresh opportunity to begin anew. This moment-by-moment practice gradually transforms our relationship to life itself.

Non-attachment in Usui Reiki Ryoho ultimately points us toward the freedom of flowing with life rather than against it. Like water that takes the shape of any container while maintaining its essential nature, we learn to adapt to circumstances while preserving our authentic presence.

Through the practice of non-attachment, we discover that true power lies not in controlling outcomes but in remaining present and open to the endless creativity of life force energy. In this way, reiki practice becomes a gateway to living with greater ease, compassion, and wisdom, not just during formal healing sessions, but in every moment of our daily lives.

As we continue this practice, we may find that non-attachment naturally evolves into something even more profound: a deep trust in life itself, a recognition of our intimate connection with all existence, and a joyful participation in the eternal dance of energy that is both healer and healed, giver and receiver, wave and ocean.