So You Want To Be A Reiki Master
Whilst at a complementary therapy event in Tunbridge Wells in early 2005, I was approached by a massage practitioner who said "I would like to do my Reiki Masters to complement my massage practice. Can you teach me?"
In response to this request, I enquired as to her current Reiki level, if she was practicing, and how much experience she had. I was tempted to ask her "What will you do once you attain the level of Master/Teacher?" (The answer being "chop wood and fetch water").
Let us define what exactly a Reiki Master is. A Reiki master is essentially a teacher, someone who has worked at each Reiki level and, through their own apprenticeship, gained sufficient knowledge both in the theory and actual application to be able to hand down and teach the gift of Reiki with confidence and enthusiasm to the next generation of students. This requires that the teacher not compromise or take any short cuts in communicating the subject matter. Dr. Mikao Usui intended Reiki to be passed down with purity and integrity.
To be an effective Reiki Master/Teacher requires total dedication, integrity, and the ability to hold trust and set a good example to students. This is not always easy. It is a lonely path and yet one of the most challenging and rewarding. This is where Usui's Reiki principles become so valuable to both the teacher and the student.
The key to teaching Reiki effectively is for a teacher to teach it with unconditional love & compassion. The ego of the teacher should never stand in the way of either empowering students to reach a higher level or omitting important and helpful facts. Equally, the student needs to be prepared to disengage their ego before embarking on their Reiki journey. Every student that takes first degree Reiki is a potential Reiki Master/teacher themselves.
As a Reiki Master, you will be expected to hold Reiki shares for your students. Generally, these gatherings are held monthly. The share is an important tool to support both practical and spiritual growth of anyone committed to Reiki.
For any potential student to be able to select their teacher, they will need to do some research. It is always a good thing to meet your teacher before you commence with their course and it is even more advisable to receive a treatment from the teacher. This tells the student that the teacher has a "hands on" approach and is not sitting in an ivory tower just churning out students.
It saddens me to see how many first degree Reiki students feel it necessary to repeat the first level before moving on to the second degree practitioner level so that they can then practice with confidence.
So all potential Reiki students should do their homework, ask the correct questions, and not make the mistake of going just on price and a quick weekend course. Don't suffer unnecessary regret. Invest in yourself and select your teacher with care. Remember, it's the journey, not the destination.
