(This blog is a continuation of my Reiki (part I) and Reiki (part II) blog.)
Remember earlier I said I was ‘led’ to Reiki? I believe God wanted me to be a Healer so He allowed me to have a disease that I was able to overcome in order to see the profound beauty of Reiki. It was, after all, that disease that led me to Reiki and got me thinking I’d like to help others with this amazing Art.
I want to talk about the levels of Reiki training. There are four of them. Reiki I, Reiki II, Reiki III and Reiki Master. The only fundamental difference between a Reiki I and a Reiki Master is that as a Master, according to Dr. Usui’s system (that’s the one I’m trained in) you can teach Reiki to others. And teaching is in my blood.
I love, LOVE teaching Reiki. In Reiki I, I get to see newbees eyes widen when they feel the energy of others for the first time. In Reiki II, I get to hear ‘that was so cool’ when we literally send energy to each other and in Reiki III I get to give a beautiful attunement that is unlike any other.
What’s an attunement? Yes, I suppose I should answer that. An attunement is me and the Powers that Be opening up dormant energy centers within you so that you can more efficiently and effectively give Reiki to yourself and others.
The attunement is the reason you should really REALLY find a Reiki Master that you resonate with when searching for Reiki training. Truly, not just anyone will do. You’ll carry or house some of your instructor’s energy after he/she gives you the attunement. Make sure it’s the kind of energy you want.
Do you need to take Reiki classes from a Reiki Master? I feel you do, but that’s just me. There is no substitution for a hands-on class or the feedback/questions you get from other students. There are on-line courses available, and they are what they are, but for me, I’m not a fan. Again, there is something so dynamic about the energy of certain individuals coming together, learning and bonding in a comfortable, intimate training environment that you can’t get with an on-line course. You won’t be able to experience the wonderment and beauty of the hands-on attunement process either. But that’s just me. You do what you’re led to do.
Does being a Reiki II, III or even a Master make you better than another level? NO! No how, no way, no, no, no. There are individuals out there who are kind of snobby about holding a Reiki Mastery title, but let me tell you, it doesn’t make them any better than a newly attuned Reiki I.
One of the beauties about Reiki is the more you use it, the more you learn. The more you learn, the more you use it. If you, as a Reiki I practice Reiki often (whatever ‘often’ means to you, for me the term mean means almost daily), you can literally receive/give more energy than a Reiki III or even a Master. Why? Because Usui Reiki isn’t about titles, it’s about how often you use it. And yes, that means even if you are just giving Reiki to yourself everyday.
So, should a person experience Reiki before taking the training? Well, that depends. For me, I’m not sure I would have been so gaga over it if I DIDN’T experience it. For others, they jump right in to the training. Whatever is your preference. A caveat though, some Reiki practitioners, as with any professions, are not ethical, morally responsible or even respectful of their Trade. They do not walk the walk, so to speak. Yes, unfortunately, they are out there. Please be mindful of that.
If you are thinking about having a session or taking training, here’s some questions you may want to ask if you don’t personally know your Practitioner:
1. How long have you been doing this? (There’s no right or wrong answer here – experience doesn’t make a practitioner better than one with less, it’s just a piece of the puzzle.)
2. How often do you receive Reiki? (Personally, I receive Reiki daily, but what you’re looking for here is to see if the Practitioner is active or stagnant in her practice.)
3. Where did you take your training? (Again, on-line courses are fine. It’s just another piece of the puzzle that needs to fit with your needs.)
4. How long have you been teaching? (Again, just another piece of the puzzle.)
These are just a few questions that came to mind. What you’re looking for is your level of comfortableness and confidence with this person. Is he/she personable? Professional? Polite? Respectful? Knowledgeable? Do you resonate with their ideas or energy? All things to think about.
I love my job. I really, REALLY do. I can’t imagine doing anything else that would give me such a deep sense of peace. I have so much more to tell you about Reiki, including the miracles I’ve witnessed and how you really can send energy three inches or three thousand miles, but I’ll end it here.
I hope it’s obvious how passionate I am about my Work and the people Reiki has allowed me to help. If Reiki is something you’d like to receive or learn, then find a practitioner that resonates with you. As my friend MarJean says, “There comes a point in your life where you have to stop asking ‘why’ and start asking ‘why not?’ 😉
Note: If you want to share your own Reiki story in the ‘comment’ section of this blog, I encourage you to do so. That way others can learn from your own amazing personal experiences.
Inner Focus Reiki 