Reiki symbols represent spiritual gateways to certain manifestation types of the Universal Source of Life Force energy and Cho Ku Rei (CKR) is probably the most flexible of them all.

That’s the reason it has the largest number of uses.

The interesting thing is that together, even if used for different purposes, the symbols are all interconnected and harmoniously support each other.

Each and every one of them connects to a certain level of vibration and it’s able to help your spiritual growth in its own way.

Like with Reiki levels, if a symbol has a higher vibration, this doesn’t mean it works better. It rather means they serve a particular purpose and therefore have a different effect.

What Is Cho Ku Rei And The Meaning Of This Symbol

Cho Ku Rei is the “Power Symbol” can be generally translated as: “Placing all the power of the Universe here, now”.

You get introduced to CKR at the Reiki level 2 attunement.

It starts with a horizontal line which represents a connection with universal energy.

A straight, vertical line follows, which indicates the light flowing through the Soul Star Chakra and continuing to the Crown and to the rest of the primary chakras.

The seven intersections of the circles symbolically indicate the seven primary chakras.

Let’s Go Deeper Into Cho Ku Rei’s Meaning

CKR acts as a light switch before starting the therapy. It increases the student’s ability to channel the energy and focus it if needed.

CKR can amplify the power of any other Reiki symbol.

You can use it to send light, and energetically cleanse a person, space or object.

How To Use Cho Ku Rei On Yourself

To activate Cho Ku Rei on your palms simply draw it using the dominant hand on the non-dominant one and vice-versa.

After that, you can draw the Reiki symbol on your main energy centers to cleanse them – (top of the head, third eye, throat, heart, solar plexus, navel and inguinal).

The energy of CKR will then activate and protect them. 

Cho Ku Rei can help you get into a better mood by boosting your energy and removing fatigue.

You can use it on the secondary energy centers as well – eyes, ears, shoulders, hips, knees, and feet.

This will create what some practitioners call an “armor of light”.

For even more robust protection you can draw CKR on the whole front of the body and visualize it on your back as well.

This method can be used before and after self-treatment or treatment on others.

The Cho Ku Rei Reiki symbol can remove any blockages or residual energies and cleanse the place on which is drawn.

Also if you draw one small CKR on each finger you create a “hand of light” which can be very helpful in deep cleansing the energy fields of yourself and others.

A Couple Of General Uses

Before you go to sleep, draw Cho Ku Rei on all your energy centers to relax and rest.

When you feel pain in an area use CKR to help revitalize it. For best results keep your hands above that particular region for about 5-10 minutes. 

For extra grounding – draw CKR on each foot and visualize how you become more anchored to the ground.

Together with the emotional healing symbol Sei He Ki and Reiki distance healing symbol Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen, they form a sequence that enables you to channel the universal energy in a very efficient manner.

How To Use Cho Ku Rei Reiki Symbol For Cleansing And Protection

You can draw Cho Ku Rei on all of your primary and secondary energy centers, as well as on the front and back of your body. This will cleanse you and activate an aura of protection around you.

Using CKR between you and another person will create a barrier of energy keeping you safe from negative intentions.

But be aware that communicating with the person after drawing CKR between the two of you, can become difficult. The effect will fade away after some time so be clear of your intentions.

The same happens if you draw the symbol between you and an angry animal – it will keep away it’s negative energy (but not the animal itself). Don’t draw the symbol directly on the animal!

Some Common Uses

I recommend using Cho Ku Rei on the food and drinks you consume.

These can sometimes store a lot of energy, especially the energy print of the person who cooked it. 

Even if you’re the one who cooked the dish, I would strongly recommend using CKR directly on the food before consuming it. By keeping your hands above it for 5-10 minutes will have an even deeper cleansing effect.

NOTE: when used on drinks, there is a high probability that the taste might slightly change from the original one. This effect is also likely to occur if you keep your palms around your drink for about 10 minutes or so.

The same concept works when you draw CKR on plants and keep them in your hands, or have your palms around them for about 10 minutes. Reiki supports organic life so this action will help your plants grow healthy.

If you wish to use Cho Ku Rei to protect your house, I would recommend drawing the symbol:

• on each wall
• at every corner of the room (top and bottom)
• on the ceiling and floor
• in the center of the room

On top of a guarding effect, this will cleanse the room of old energy prints as well as residual or negative.

You may even draw CKR on any electronic device or any physical object that belongs to you. 

This will enhance the object’s use as well as protect it from negative thoughts and even theft.

CKR symbol works very well when cleansing and activating crystals. This will increase their energy field and power.

Using Cho Ku Rei For Blockages

First, we must understand what an energetic blockage is:

Through our body flows energy, more specifically, both universal and our own. 

Together they form the vibration of our body.

This amount of energy is filtered at one point through the chakra system. This flow gets interrupted or slowed down, due to our exposure to negative and different vibration energies. That’s when we call that there is an energetic blockage in a certain part of our body.

Cho Ku Rei can eliminate and release these blockages and re-establish the correct flow of energy.

When used on small intensity hemorrhages, that occurred from mild cuts or accidents, it may cause them to bleed slightly more for a very short time. This effect will lead to faster healing and eventually stop the bleeding. 

If you are anxious, nervous or angry, use CKR to calm you down by drawing it on the crown and third eye energy centers. As you visualize the symbol becoming brighter and brighter, you’ll surround yourself with calm and serenity.

Using CKR For Your Career and/or Money

Before an interview or an important job meeting, use CKR on your third eye energy center. It will calm you down, making you more relaxed and self-confident. You will see the “big picture” and help you make the right decision.

Visualize the currency you are most interested in and see it inside the CKR symbol. You may also use this method to send gratitude to all the payments and the products or services you have received.

Using CKR For Gratitude

Think of all the good things, events and people you have met in your life. Visualize them either on the bright sky or through meditation, and seal everything with a big CKR. Add a feeling of serenity to amplify the effect.

Reverse Cho-Ku-Rei

It’s a mirrored version of CKR which is rarely used in therapy or self-treatment.

The role of this symbol is to flush out the light from a person or an object. 

I don’t recommend using it regularly.

I just find it useful for a hyper energized person.

Applying reverse CKR will cam down the patient and will induce a feeling of sleepiness.

Now, some practitioners use reverse CKR as if it is the normal one. I don’t believe this is wrong as long as your intentions are clear on its correct and initial applications.

Again, this is very important!

If you have a difficult time visualizing the normal Cho Ku Rei and the reverse one comes to mind, your intention will dictate the result of applying the symbol.

3D Cho-Ku-Rei

You can generally use this one for protection.

In this case, you visualize the symbol like a coil that surrounds the body.

It goes around our energy fields and centers, protecting from any malevolent energies. It starts from the top of the head down to our feet.

How To Draw Cho Ku Rei

You draw the symbol from left to right and top to bottom, starting with the horizontal line at the top.

This makes the connection with the universal energy and continues with the light flowing through the Soul Star Chakra, using the vertical line.

Finally, you end the symbol by drawing the spiral that forms 7 intersections to indicate the 7 primary chakras.

This is how CKR should look like when drawn on your hand. This is the approximate scale, and keep in mind that it preserves the exact orientation for each palm.

How To Pronounce Cho Ku Rei

Cho Ku Rei Reiki Symbol is pronounced: “Cho Koo Ray” [ʧoʊ ku reɪ].

It’s also possible to find the symbols written as “choku rei”. This alternative form is valid as well and usually more present in the US.

To Conclude

For me, Cho Ku Rei is more than a symbol. It is a way of life because it integrates seamlessly into my daily routine and practice. You can go deep and more specific with other symbols, but you always have CKR.

Use it in therapy or in your daily life, to boost your confidence or cleanse something you interact with. It offers protection and lays a layer of good over everything you may come in contact with.

What’s your take on Cho Ku Rei and what do you use it for?