It is now claimed by some people that
Usui Sensei taught level II (Okuden)
Reiki students the practice of kotodama
[- a discipline originating within the
Shinto religion] - which involves the
intoning of sacred sounds (both sylables
and individual vowel-sounds).
The
term: kotodama itself, translates
at a simplistic level, as: "Word
Spirit" and refers to a Spiritual
state or feeling induced by beautiful
'word-sounds' when correctly intoned.
(More fully, kotodama encompasses
the notion that good can be brought
about as a result of correctly-intoned
beautiful 'word-sounds' and evil brought
about by ugly 'word-sounds' - or by
beautiful 'word-sounds' incorrectly-pronounced.)
Kotodama
is inseparably bound up with the concept
of kotomuke ['soothing speech that
brings peace'] and kotoage [the practice
of speaking boldly in the presence
of the Kami (numinous beings), seeking
to invoke the magical power of words]
While kotodama is essentially a Shinto-derived
practice, Japanese Mikkyo Buddhism
has its own equivalent practice known
as jumon or shingon.
In
essence, both kotodama and jumon /
shingon are centered around concepts
of the Sacred Power of speech and
the intentional, ritual use of vocalisation/intonation
- both as a means of approaching the
divine & of manifesting desired
effects on the level of more mundane
reality.
Although historically originating
within the realms of Shinto, modern-day
kotodama practice and theory have
been influenced and moulded to a certain
extent by Mikkyo jumon / shingon practice
and theory.
Non-exclusiveness
has long been a typical feature of
Japanese Religion, with Shinto and
Buddhism readily borrowing philosophical
ideas and ritual practice from each
other. This is something which has
been going on since the 8th century
A.D. and the emergence of the syncretic
doctrine known as: 'Ryobu Shinto'.
Also known as:'Honji Suijaku', this
doctrine essentially equated Buddhist
Deities (i.e. Buddhas & Boddhisatvas)
with Shinto Kami Spirit-Beings and
led, over time, to increasing levels
of overlap, blending and synthesis
of Buddhist and Shinto ideas and practices
to such an extent that it is often
impossible to say which practices
or philosophical ideas truly belong
to which faith.
Jumon
The Buddhist-derived practice of jumon
or shingon (Sanskrit equivalent: mantra)
is commonly utilised in conjunction
with nenriki (visualisation of symbols,
mandalas, etc) and ketsu-in - also
known as in-zou or shu-in - (mudras
- special ritual gestures formed by
knotting the fingers is various complex
patterns) - these three together comprising
a synergistic discipline of far more
wideranging and profound practical
and mystical application than the
Shinto-based kotodama practice.
From
a Mikkyo-centred point of view, the
Reiki practitioner's intoning/repetition
of CKR, SHK, HSZSN, DKM, (either silently
or out loud) whether in meditation
or in giving Reiki treatments, is
a prime example of jumon in action.
The Reiki shirushi (symbols) themselves
can on one level be equated with nenriki,
and there have also been accounts
of Usui Sensei teaching specific gestures
or finger-positions - ketsu-in.
The triple-discipline of jumon, nenriki
and ketsu-in is generally referred
to as: sammitsu [or: san-himitsu]
meaning: "The Three Secrets"
or "The Three Mysteries",
and it is through the study and practice
of this discipline that the adherents
of 'mainstream' Mikkyo Buddhism seek
to awaken direct experience of Enlightenment.
However, in the hands of more 'avant-garde'
practitioners of Mikkyo - various
groups such as the Senin, Gyoja, and
Shugenja / Yamabushi mountain warrior-ascetics,
the discipline of sammitsu became
not just a path to enlightenment,
but also a means of developing, focussing
and empowering 'special' abilities
- from enhanced physical co-ordination,
to control of pain, to powers of exorcism
and healing, to increased intuititive
and psychic sensitivity, to the induction
of shamanic-like visionary states.
Possibly the most famous outgrowth
of sammitsu is the kuji-in [or:kuji-no-in],
which involves the fukushu (repitition)
of the sacred nine-word jumon: "Rin-Pyo-To-Sha-Kai-Jin-Retsu-Zai-Zen"
combined with the performance of nine
accompanying ketsu-in, and relevant
nenriki visualisation.
When
practiced with the proper breathing
patterns and in the proper meditative
state, the kuji-in is considered a
very potent technique & has traditionally
been used by mystics, warriors, priests,
healers and shamanic practitioners
alike; in fact it is at the very core
of Japanese Mystical, Magical, and
Shamanic practice.
Ueshiba Kotodama
One
of the most famous modern-day exponents
of the art of kotodama was Morihei
Ueshiba - founder of the Spiritual
Martial Art: Aikido.
Ueshiba, in adult life a follower
of the Oomoto-kyo religious sect,
devoted many years to the study and
practice of kotodama, over time formulating
his own version of the discipline
which he incorporated into the Aikido
system.
[It
should perhaps be pointed out that,
aged 7, Ueshiba was sent to Jizodera:
a Shingon temple in Wakayama prefecture,
where he studied Shingon Scriptures
(as well as the Confucian classics),
and it is likely that this immersion
in Shingon Mikkyo doctrine at such
a formative period in his life, would
have influenced his later understanding
and evolution of the kotodama art.]
Briefly:
At
the core of the Ueshiba kotodama system
lies the intonation of the nuclear
syllable is SU.
SU
is representative of the absolute
center of the material realm - the
very core of existence - the beginning
of all things. It is the essence of
that which existed at the precise
moment of the creation of the Universe.
Other
primary syllables include:
YU - signifying the affirmative: 'yes',
is so', 'something'
MU - signifying the negative: 'no',
'is not', 'nothing'.
and the vowel-sounds: A-O-U-E-I:
A - signifying: 'moving up' - is voiced
centered in the throat & mouth.
O - signifying: 'moving down' - is
voiced centered near the heart.
U - signifying: 'returning to self'
- is voiced deep in the hara
E - signifying: 'branching out' -
is voiced in a way so as to be felt
radiating out throughout the body.
I - signifying: 'the life force' -
is voiced so that it vibrates powerfully
& eminates/projects outwards from
the body.
'Usui' Kotodama
[Note:
the few details given here concerning
'Usui' kotodama practice are all that
I have been able to access at present
- without, that is, enrolling on the
kotodama workshop !].
In
the practice of kotadama, (and also,
in the practice of jumon,) correct
pronounciation of the syllables is
of great importance, and, in both
the Ueshiba kotodama practice and
the kotodama practice which, it is
now being claimed, was employed by
Usui Sensei, the vowel-sounds have
identical pronunciation:
A
- vocalised as the a in 'father'
O - vocalised as the o in 'comb'
U - vocalised as the u in 'blue'
E - vocalised as the e in 'pen' (i.e.
'eh' - though some pronounce it closer
to: 'ay')
I - vocalised as the ee in 'sleep'
Beyond
the vowel-sounds, the following are
the primary syllable-sounds apparently
utilised in the 'Usui' form of kotodama:
KU as in 'you'
KI as in 'see'
HO, KO, YO - each as in 'blow'
NE - 'Neh' (- though some pronounce
it closer to: 'Nay')
ZE - 'Zeh' (- some pronounce it closer
to: 'Zay')
It seems it is currently being taught
that Usui Sensei primarily utilised
four kotodama as a vocal alternative
to the familiar four Reiki Symbols:
| Kotodama:
|
Pronunciation:
|
Symbol:
|
| ho
ku ei |
hoe
koo eh-ee |
Cho
ku rei |
| ei
ei ki |
eh-ee
eh-ee kee |
Sei
heiki |
| Ho
a ze ho ne |
hoe
ah zeh hoe neh |
Hon
sha ze sho nen |
| a-i
ku yo |
ah-ee
koo yoe |
Dai
ku myo |
Presumably
the theory is that these kotodama
may be substituted for the symbols
across the broad spectrum of their
potential usage - e.g. in Reiki 'treatments',
denju, reiju, and meditation, etc.
While
I am not at present aware of the approach
being taught for the use of 'Usui'
kotodama, what follows is an example
of the traditional kotodama practice
format.
General
instructions for kotodama practice
• Sit in the traditional Japanese
zazen posture (- or on an upright
chair, with back straight, feet flat
on the ground) - with hands either
palms down, resting on your thighs,
or in the formal gassho position.
• Focus your attention in your
hara, at the area known as seiki tanden
(a couple of inches below the navel).
•
Clear and still the mind.
•
Focus on the moment - there is ONLY
the moment.
•
Draw the breath smoothly, steadily
and easily in through the nose, then
vocalise the kotodama as you breathe
out through the mouth.
•
In a low and deeply resonant voice,
intone each kotodama slowly, strongly
- with total concentration and unity
of body, mind and spirit.
•
Pronounce each 'word-sound' distinctly,
separately - do not run or slur them
together. Let each 'word-sound' fill
your whole body - vibrating throughout
every molecule - every atom.
• Be aware of the resonance extending
out throughout your aura into the
very air about you...
Copyright
© 2002-3 James Deacon
|
