Understanding the Differences Between Usui Ryoho Reiki and Access Bars®

Usui Reiki and Access Bars®: Two Paths to Balance

In the world of holistic wellness, Usui Reiki and Access Bars® are two approaches that help people find calm, clarity, and connection — but they do so in different ways. Both promote relaxation and inner ease, yet their methods and philosophies vary.

What Is Usui Reiki?

Usui Reiki is a Japanese practice founded by Mikao Usui in the early 1900s. It’s based on the idea that a universal life force flows through all living things, and when this energy becomes blocked or unbalanced, it can affect our well-being.

During a Reiki session, the practitioner channels this energy through the hands — lightly placed on or just above the body — to help restore harmony within the energy centers, or chakras. Many people describe Reiki as feeling like a gentle warmth or light that soothes from within, leaving them calm and grounded.

Sessions usually last about an hour, and clients often notice deep relaxation and a sense of emotional release.

What Is Access Bars®?

Access Bars® is a newer technique developed by Gary Douglas in the 1990s as part of Access Consciousness®. It involves gently touching 32 points on the head, called “Bars,” which relate to different areas of life such as money, creativity, joy, control, and relationships.

By activating these points, the process helps release the energetic charge of thoughts, emotions, and beliefs that keep you stuck. (For me, Access Bars® often feels more immediate.)

Sessions can last 30 to 60 minutes, and many clients describe feeling lighter, clearer, and more mentally relaxed afterward.

Key Differences

• Technique: Reiki channels universal life energy through the hands to balance the body’s flow. Access Bars® uses light touch on the head to release stored mental and emotional patterns.

• Focus: Reiki supports whole-body energy balance, while Access Bars® focuses on clearing the mind and inviting new possibilities.

• Experience: Reiki often feels like a warm current flowing through the body; Access Bars® feels like mental decluttering and calm spaciousness.

Which Is Right for You?

If you’re drawn to subtle, meditative energy work that nourishes both body and spirit, Usui Reiki may resonate with you. If you prefer something that feels quicker in shifting stress and mental clutter, Access Bars® might be your match. Many people find that the two complement each other beautifully — one flowing energy through, the other clearing what no longer serves.

You don’t have to choose just one; your body and mind often know what’s needed most in the moment.

You can even ask your own body: “Body, which of these modalities would feel better for me?” If it feels light, that’s your yes; if it feels heavy, that’s your no.

Trust your body — it always knows!

Final Thoughts

Both Usui Reiki and Access Bars® invite you to pause, let go, and reconnect with your natural state of balance. Each offers a different path to the same destination — more ease, more awareness, and more space to be yourself.