When a Reiki practitioner decides to become a Reiki Master, there is some confusion as to what this actually entails. There are also questions as to if the practitioner is ready or not to start this path. Read on to see if you’re ready to become a Reiki Master or not.

Many people get confused between Reiki Master and Reiki Teacher. Traditional Japanese Reiki as well as most Eastern art forms requires mastering an art before trying to teach it. Basically, you need to learn to walk before you can run.
To explain a bit more, there are members in the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai who have been at Level Two of their training for at least 50 years. They don’t care about moving up because they know it’s not easy to master Reiki energy and they’re in no hurry. Oddly enough, most of these Reiki Level Two Practitioners know a lot more about Reiki healing and energy than most of the Reiki Masters of the West.

Reiki Master currently has 2 accepted definitions. One of them is someone who has actually mastered Reiki. They understand what Reiki is and have put forth the effort to learn. The other definition is someone who has a Reiki Master certificate. This is the more liberal and accepted definition. There are classes that you can take where you pay money and you can get a Reiki Attunement along with a Reiki Master certificate. Most true Reiki Practitioners do not accept this definition as the true one, though.

Most Reiki Master Certificates are not worth the paper they’re printed on. Those simply mean that a Reiki Attunement was performed. The teachers who refuse to accept students to train at the master level are the ones who understand the importance of actually being ready. Certificates signed by these teachers are of value.

You will know you’re ready to train at the Master Level when you have completed all of the other training as well as practiced until your abilities have developed to where they should be. While practicing, you will, no doubt, develop your sixth sense. This comes naturally and will provide the intuition that lets you know when you’re ready to move forward.

Each Reiki Level requires a different set of instructions. It’s helpful to understand the requirements of each level as well as learn more effective teaching methods. Following are the requirements for teaching the four traditional Japanese Levels of Shoden, Okuden, Shinpiden and Gokuikaiden.

Shoden is Japanese for “Beginning Level.” This class offers an introduction to Reiki energy and a discussion of the history of Reiki. It also offers an understanding of this new ability to channel Reiki energy used for self-healing and that of others.

You aren’t required to be a Reiki Master at this level, although it’s helpful. This is the level where any common misconceptions can be cleared up and questions are addressed. These can also serve as “practice teaching” classes for more advanced students.

Okuden means “Inner Level” in Japanese. This part of the training revolves around completely understanding Reiki symbols as well as how to use them. Using them correctly increases or adds to the Reiki energy introduced in Level One. It also presents distance healing methods to the student along with mental and emotional healing.

This level really needs a much higher ability to understand it in order to teach it. The teacher doesn’t need to have the energies mastered but needs to be well into their mastery. Okuden provides training on healing physical ailments to removing emotional and mental blocks. Students can remain at this level for years before advancing due the level of difficulty.

Shinpiden means “Mystery Level” in Japanese. This is the level that begins teaching spiritual healing. This level borders on the occult and keeps many Reiki practitioners away from it, although it’s one of the most fascinating aspects of Reiki.

The student learns Living Reiki at this level, which means including Reiki in all aspects of your life. A teacher of this level must have totally integrated Reiki energies and needs to help students find their own personal portal to the realms of enlightenment. The ability to perform deep meditation is also needed.

Gokuikaiden means “Secret Level” in Japanese. Students at this level are instructed in correctly performing Reiki Attunements and teaching Reiki themselves. No new information is taught in this level. That’s why most Reiki styles only have three levels.