Reiki Symbols That Help With Grief: Healing Emotional Pain Through Energy Work

Grief is one of the most profound emotional experiences a human being can endure. Whether caused by the loss of a loved one, the end of a relationship, a miscarriage, or even the loss of identity or health, grief affects the heart, mind, body, and spirit. While grief is a natural and necessary process, many people seek gentle, holistic tools to support emotional healing. One such tool is Reiki, a Japanese energy healing practice that uses universal life force energy to promote balance and well-being.

Within Reiki, symbols play a powerful role in focusing intention, deepening healing, and working with emotional pain. This article explores the Reiki symbols that help with grief, how they work, and how they can be used compassionately during times of loss.

Understanding Grief From an Energetic Perspective

Grief does not live only in the mind. Energetically, grief often manifests as heaviness in the heart chakra, tightness in the throat, fatigue in the solar plexus, and a sense of disconnection from life. Unprocessed grief can stagnate energy, leading to emotional numbness, anxiety, depression, or even physical symptoms.

Reiki views grief as energy that needs movement, compassion, and time, not force or suppression. Reiki symbols help guide healing energy to the emotional layers where grief resides, supporting release while honoring the grieving process.

What Are Reiki Symbols?

Reiki symbols are sacred visual and vibrational tools introduced during Reiki attunements. Each symbol carries a specific energetic frequency and purpose. When drawn, visualized, or mentally invoked by a trained Reiki practitioner, these symbols help direct healing energy more precisely.

Reiki symbols are not magical shortcuts or replacements for emotional processing or professional support. Instead, they act as energetic allies, gently supporting emotional integration and inner peace.

Cho Ku Rei: Strength and Stability During Grief

Cho Ku Rei, often called the Power Symbol, is commonly associated with amplifying Reiki energy. In the context of grief, Cho Ku Rei provides grounding, protection, and emotional stability.

How Cho Ku Rei Helps With Grief

• Strengthens the energy field during emotional vulnerability

• Helps release emotional overwhelm

• Grounds scattered or anxious energy

• Supports physical exhaustion caused by grief

Grief can make people feel unanchored, foggy, or emotionally fragile. Cho Ku Rei helps stabilize the energy system, making it easier to cope with day-to-day life while grieving.

When to Use Cho Ku Rei

• During acute grief or emotional shock

• When feeling overwhelmed or drained

• At the beginning of a Reiki session to create a safe healing space

Sei He Ki: Healing Emotional and Mental Pain

Sei He Ki is the primary Reiki symbol for emotional and mental healing. It is deeply connected to the subconscious mind and emotional memory, making it one of the most powerful Reiki symbols for grief.

How Sei He Ki Helps With Grief

• Gently releases suppressed emotions

• Soothes emotional trauma and heartbreak

• Helps process guilt, regret, or unresolved feelings

• Brings emotional balance and inner calm

Grief often includes layers of unexpressed emotions—anger, sadness, confusion, and even relief. Sei He Ki helps bring these emotions to the surface safely, allowing them to be acknowledged and released without judgment.

Emotional Healing Benefits

• Encourages emotional expression

• Reduces anxiety and emotional numbness

• Supports healthy grieving without emotional suppression

Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen: Healing Across Time and Space

Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen is the Distance Healing Symbol. While it is commonly used for sending Reiki across physical distance, it is equally powerful for healing emotional wounds from the past, which is especially relevant in grief work.

How Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen Helps With Grief

• Heals unresolved grief from the past

• Supports closure with deceased loved ones

• Helps release emotional attachments and regrets

• Allows healing of grief tied to memories

Grief is not bound by time. Loss experienced years ago can resurface unexpectedly. Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen allows Reiki energy to reach the moment of loss or emotional trauma, gently bringing peace and acceptance.

Spiritual Benefits

• Encourages forgiveness and emotional closure

• Supports spiritual connection with loved ones who have passed

• Helps integrate grief into one’s life story without pain

Dai Ko Myo: Spiritual Healing and Soul Comfort

Dai Ko Myo is known as the Master Symbol and is associated with spiritual awakening, soul healing, and deep inner transformation. During grief, Dai Ko Myo offers comfort at the soul level.

How Dai Ko Myo Helps With Grief

• Brings spiritual peace and acceptance

• Supports connection to higher guidance

• Helps find meaning and growth through loss

• Provides deep emotional and spiritual comfort

Many people experience existential questions during grief: Why did this happen? What comes after death? How do I move forward? Dai Ko Myo does not provide answers, but it brings a sense of trust, light, and spiritual reassurance.

Combining Reiki Symbols for Grief Healing

Reiki symbols are often most effective when used together. A gentle grief-healing sequence may look like this:

1. Cho Ku Rei – Create energetic safety and grounding

2. Sei He Ki – Heal emotional pain and trauma

3. Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen – Release past grief and emotional attachments

4. Dai Ko Myo – Invite spiritual comfort and soul healing

This combination supports grief on every level: physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual.

Using Reiki Symbols for Self-Healing and Sessions

For Reiki Practitioners

• Always work with compassion and consent

• Allow emotions to arise naturally

• Avoid forcing emotional release

• Hold space rather than trying to “fix” grief

For Personal Reiki Practice

If you are attuned to Reiki:

• Sit quietly and breathe deeply

• Visualize the symbol gently over your heart chakra

• Set an intention for comfort and healing

• Allow emotions to flow without judgment

If you are not attuned, receiving Reiki from a trained practitioner can still provide profound grief support.

Reiki and Grief: What Reiki Does Not Do

It’s important to approach grief healing ethically and realistically. Reiki does not:

• Eliminate grief instantly

• Replace therapy or medical care

• Bypass the natural grieving process

Instead, Reiki offers support, comfort, and energetic balance, allowing grief to unfold in a healthier, more integrated way.

Reiki as a Gentle Companion Through Grief

Grief changes us, but it does not have to break us. Reiki symbols offer a compassionate, non-invasive way to support emotional healing during times of loss. Whether you are grieving a loved one, a life chapter, or a version of yourself, Reiki meets you where you are—without judgment, pressure, or expectation.

By working with symbols such as Cho Ku Rei, Sei He Ki, Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen, and Dai Ko Myo, Reiki provides emotional grounding, gentle release, and spiritual comfort. Grief may never disappear entirely, but with Reiki, it can become softer, lighter, and more bearable over time.

Thank-you for reading.

Remember there are many paths back to God.

Follow your own path,

Brenda Marie