How To Find The Right Reiki Teacher

First posted in the San Diego Reiki Corps Newsletter in 2012 vol. 1, and 2013 vol. 15.

First, consider that you attract into your life the right person for you at the right time, always, for whatever lesson(s) need to be learned.

I received a call the other day from a young man who said he was interviewing for “a Reiki teacher who does attunements.”  He went on to say, “I’m gathering information on (Reiki) masters and venues to figure out which is best for me.”  This call is what prompted me to write about how to find the right teacher; I got the impression from our short conversation that he was more interested in getting “attuned” than taking the necessary steps/class to become a Reiki practitioner.

Here are some guidelines to use in the pursuit of the right Reiki teacher for you.  While there may be many questions you would like to ask in your interview, the following, I think, are the more pertinent.  By the way, before you even begin your research, you need to ask yourself the question of why you want to learn to do Reiki.  If your (honest) answer is less than altruistic, maybe you need to look elsewhere for a new interest.

1. How long has the teacher been practicing Reiki?  Teaching?  This assumes that the person you are speaking to has gone through the necessary levels of Reiki instruction, to mastership.  It is the master who has the knowledge to give you the correct attunement for the level of Reiki you are completing, and can guide you in how to give a proper Reiki treatment.  Choosing a person who says they have been a Reiki master for 20 years over someone who has only five years (as an example) does not necessarily make one better than the other.  Yes, 20 years is an impressive number, but has that person been practicing, studying and teaching in that time?  Or, has it been a sometime thing?  A Reiki master with only five years of experience may have the experience you need to understand the nuances of the Reiki energy and how to handle situations as they come up.  More on that in the following steps.

2. Has the teacher been affiliated with a hospital and/or hospice? Volunteering in a clinical environment will have given your teacher a wider sense of familiarity in giving Reiki treatment to patients who have had varying energy deficiencies.  The more experience your teacher has, the more information he/she can impart. 

3. Does the teacher/practitioner perform a daily centering, meditative ritual or routine? The practice of training the mind to be still and at peace is an added benefit to giving a Reiki treatment. Although Reiki can be given without this preparation, stilling the mind so that it can focus solely on the patient/client at hand will allow the energy to flow freely and unhindered.

4. Does the teacher/practitioner practice self-healing (Reiki) on themselves everyday?  Reiki self-treatment is essential for anyone who is serious about practicing or teaching Reiki. Becoming in tune with the energy in your body helps you to expand and deepen your sense of awareness of the energy called Reiki. It also helps you sleep better.

5. What type of Reiki does the teacher practice? Be ware of practices that call themselves Reiki, but are not. You’ll want to be sure that your teacher has come from the lineage begun by Dr. Mikao Usui, in Japan, and subsequently Mrs. Hawayo Takata who brought Reiki to the West.  Your teacher should come from this lineage. 

6. What is covered in the class? How many hours/class? Will there be hands-on practice? From past experience, the Reiki master will be able to give you an overview of the class you are signing up for.

7. Will this training initiate you into the Usui Reiki lineage?  The answer should be yes.

8. What is an attunement? Again, the Reiki master should be able to give you a brief idea of what an attunement encompasses.

9. Will the Reiki master be available to you for questions, after the class is over? When beginning, there are always questions as to whether Reiki is being done correctly.  Reiki is learned by doing. The more Reiki you practice, the more confident you become. However, there may be a few questions after all is said and done. You’d like to have someone to reach out to.

10. Does the Reiki master belong to a support group and can you join? It benefits all Reiki practitioners to belong to a Reiki support group. Here you can meet other practitioners, trade information, ask questions, and may hear of opportunities available to you within the community.

I hope these guidelines help you in your pursuit of the right Reiki teacher. Will you attract the right person into your life at this time? Only you will know.

 

Emmy Martinez

Reiki master, practitioner & teacher

San Diego, CA


Reiki Power of Touch