First level Reiki is all that many people desire – once trained at this level, you can treat yourself, friends, family and animals.  Additional training is available, however, for those who wish to extend or to go more deeply into their practice.

A Reiki class entails initiation and instruction by a teaching Reiki Master. Depending on their branch or form of Reiki you are learning, a first level class can involve between ten and eighteen hours of tuition and will generally include:

• The history of the originator and founder of the Usui System of Reiki Healing Mikao Usui, and the evolution of the branch in which you are training.
• The precepts, or principles of the branch of Reiki in which you are training – The wording of these precepts or principles varies between the different branches of Reiki; however, they are all based on those originally expressed by Mikao Usui.
• Instruction for self-treatment and the treatment of others.
• Opportunity for practice in self-treatment, and in giving and receiving Reiki treatment with others.

Since the teaching of Reiki is part of a Master’s spiritual practice, Reiki Australia respects Masters’ rights to teach as they choose, in accordance with their own branch or form of Reiki practice. Some differences between teaching practices are listed here, however, to enable prospective students to best select the Master whom they wish to guide them on this initial stage of their Reiki journey.

• Traditionally, Reiki initiation and the teachings of a branch of Reiki are passed from Reiki Master to the student in person, and the energetic quality of the physical Master-student connection is considered by many to be an important and enduring contributor to the student’s grasp of the practice. Some Masters nowadays are teaching through the Internet or other distance methods. Reiki Australia respects this choice by Reiki Masters; however, it is seen by some as potentially removing an important component of the learning experience.
• A Reiki Master’s lineage of initiation is his or her unbroken connection, back through successive Reiki Masters to founder Mikao Usui. It is through this lineage that the energetic connection to Mikao Usui and the original Usui System of Reiki Healing are maintained. The dynamic spread of Reiki since the early 1980s has seen many students lose touch with their initiating Masters, and lineages have often not been documented, which means that some Masters are unable to provide an accurate lineage of initiation.
• While in some forms of Reiki practice all Masters are qualified to teach their practice, in other forms there are two levels of Master training – ‘Master’ and ‘Master/teacher’.
• There can be a wide range of fees for Reiki classes. The fees charged may reflect the Master’s beliefs about spirituality and money. For example: Some people consider it inappropriate to ask for money for something spiritual; others, however, believe that an exchange of some sort is important, for the student to value what they receive.
• Some branches of Reiki have a recommended fee for each level of training and view the commitment required for a student to work for or save the course fee as an element of the spiritual practice, and an inherent contributor to the student’s growth.

Only Reiki Masters are qualified to teach forms of Reiki. Sometimes it seems that people are brought to a particular Reiki teacher by ‘fate’. However, sometimes a number of options present themselves, and a combination of intuition and judgment can help you to make a choice that is right for you.

• Speaking, either in person or by telephone, with a Master you are considering as your Reiki teacher, finding out more about their Reiki path, and perhaps receiving treatment from them can be helpful in making your choice. It is perfectly acceptable to ask a Reiki Master about their form of Reiki, their lineage of initiation and a description of their training.
• The information you seek could include how long a Master has been practising Reiki, and the scope of their Reiki treatment experience. Some branches of Reiki recommend at least six years between learning the first level of Reiki and training as a Reiki Master.

• You can also ask what ongoing support is provided. Some Reiki Masters offer opportunities for their students to regularly come together to share Reiki treatments, or to review Reiki classes.
• If after other considerations you feel drawn to a particular Master but are concerned about the fee they are asking, discuss this with the Master rather than rejecting this choice simply in favour of someone who charges less.

All Reiki Masters listed in Reiki Australia’s Master directory have a lineage traceable to Mikao Usui, are appropriately insured and have agreed to abide by our Code of Ethics.

Traditionally, Reiki initiation and training have been provided by a Reiki Master to a student or students in person, and the energetic quality of the physical Master-Student connection is considered to be an important and enduring contributor to the student’s grasp of the practice.

While Reiki Australia respects the choice by Reiki Masters to offer Reiki training other than in person, it could be seen as potentially removing an important component of the student’s learning experience.