Sonten-Kurama Symbols, the Origin of Reiki, Publicly Displayed
LOVE - LIGHT - POWER
MOUNT KURAMA
Mount Kurama is a famous sacred mountain located north of Kyoto, nestled in lush greenery. It is renowned both as the home of the king of the Tengu, Sōjōbō, and as the birthplace of the spiritual healing technique known as Reiki. This mountain is also home to the ancient Kurama-dera Buddhist temple, whose history dates back to the year 770 AD.
According to legend, a monk decided to build a temple on the mountain to harness its great spiritual power so that the faithful could benefit from it.
Mount Kurama can be reached by the Eizan train line in 30 minutes. It is a sacred mountain with a trail leading to the summit, along which visitors can explore ancient temples and shrines immersed in Japan’s lush forest. The temple is surrounded by a beautiful forest and features a terrace offering a splendid view of the mountains, which becomes even more spectacular in autumn when the cedar trees turn shades of red and orange.
THE SACRED KURAMA DERA
At Kurama Temple (Kurama-dera), located on this sacred mountain, Mikao Usui experienced the revelation (Satori) that allowed him to create the extraordinary Reiki method, drawing from his exceptional life experiences and his profound knowledge in various fields of study.
On the terrace floor in front of the main building, there is a hexagonal star with a triangle at its center. It is believed that standing on this spot allows one to feel an energetic wave permeating the body, potentially reactivating innate powers and talents.
SONTEN: LOVE - LIGHT - POWER
In this temple, SONTEN is identified with the three fundamental qualities of Being: LOVE, INTELLIGENCE (Light), and ENERGY (Strength). Mikao Usui, the founder of Reiki, entered into deep connection with Mount Kurama and Kurama-dera Temple.
During his meditation retreat, it is said that Usui experienced a powerful spiritual revelation connected to universal energy, which tuned him into a specific vibrational frequency and led him to develop the Reiki healing system. The influence of Sonten and Mount Kurama is therefore essential to the history and practice of Reiki.
ALTAR IN THE SONTEN - KURAMA TEMPLE
KIRIKU - LOVE SYMBOL
LIGHT SYMBOL
POWER SYMBOL
Table of contents Reiki Symbols Section
Original version of this page in italian:
I Simboli del Tempio Sonten Kurama Dera
