# Spiritual glossary: R > Plain-English meanings of spiritual, witchcraft, tarot and astrology words beginning with R: Reiki, Retrograde, Rising sign, Ritual, Rune. URL: https://www.starseeduk.co.uk/glossary/letter-r Updated: 2026-10-30 5 terms beginning with R, explained simply. ## Reiki A Japanese practice of laying on hands, developed by Mikao Usui in the 1920s. ## Retrograde When a planet appears to move backwards against the stars, an effect of Earth's own motion. [Read more](https://www.starseeduk.co.uk/retrogrades). ## Rising sign Another name for the ascendant. ## Ritual A meaningful sequence of actions, such as lighting a candle at the new moon. ## Rune A letter of the old Germanic alphabets. Runes carved on stones or wood are used for divination. [Read more](https://www.starseeduk.co.uk/collections/oracle-cards). ## Other letters [A](https://www.starseeduk.co.uk/glossary/letter-a) · [B](https://www.starseeduk.co.uk/glossary/letter-b) · [C](https://www.starseeduk.co.uk/glossary/letter-c) · [D](https://www.starseeduk.co.uk/glossary/letter-d) · [E](https://www.starseeduk.co.uk/glossary/letter-e) · [F](https://www.starseeduk.co.uk/glossary/letter-f) · [G](https://www.starseeduk.co.uk/glossary/letter-g) · [H](https://www.starseeduk.co.uk/glossary/letter-h) · [I](https://www.starseeduk.co.uk/glossary/letter-i) · [K](https://www.starseeduk.co.uk/glossary/letter-k) · [L](https://www.starseeduk.co.uk/glossary/letter-l) · [M](https://www.starseeduk.co.uk/glossary/letter-m) · [N](https://www.starseeduk.co.uk/glossary/letter-n) · [O](https://www.starseeduk.co.uk/glossary/letter-o) · [P](https://www.starseeduk.co.uk/glossary/letter-p) · [Q](https://www.starseeduk.co.uk/glossary/letter-q) · [R](https://www.starseeduk.co.uk/glossary/letter-r) · [S](https://www.starseeduk.co.uk/glossary/letter-s) · [T](https://www.starseeduk.co.uk/glossary/letter-t) · [W](https://www.starseeduk.co.uk/glossary/letter-w) · [Y](https://www.starseeduk.co.uk/glossary/letter-y) · [Z](https://www.starseeduk.co.uk/glossary/letter-z) ## Questions **What does Reiki mean?** A Japanese practice of laying on hands, developed by Mikao Usui in the 1920s. **What does Retrograde mean?** When a planet appears to move backwards against the stars, an effect of Earth's own motion. **What does Rising sign mean?** Another name for the ascendant. **What does Ritual mean?** A meaningful sequence of actions, such as lighting a candle at the new moon. **What does Rune mean?** A letter of the old Germanic alphabets. Runes carved on stones or wood are used for divination. ## Related - [Glossary A–Z](https://www.starseeduk.co.uk/glossary) --- Starseed UK describes spiritual uses as tradition and belief, never as health or medical claims. UK delivery £3.95, free over £40.