While there are now many forms of Reiki, Usui Reiki is the gateway to understanding and practicing all forms of healing that bears the name “Reiki”. After your first Reiki attunement, which happens during Level 1, Reiki flows naturally from your hands when needed, and does not run out. You can then progress further, or stop there if you wish. There is no obligation to become a Master!
To watch Reiki in action: video here
Anyone can learn Reiki. Reiki is not a religion, and does not interfere with your personal beliefs. There are many weird rumors circulating about what happens during and after a Reiki attunement. Please read my article “Reiki: Urban legends Vs Reality“.
The Process
Traditionally, Reiki is taught in 3 stages or “levels”, but it is common now to divide Level 3 into 2 parts, hence 4 levels in total.
Level 1: Beginners level
Level 2: Advanced level (pre-requisite to be a practitioner)
Level 3 (or 3A): Master level
Level 4 (or 3B): Teacher level Students are certified at each level.
While there is no central Reiki organization, the certificates are recognized globally and allow Reiki students to practice and study everywhere in the world.
Level 1: Beginner
You gain an understanding of Reiki, its principles and history, and learn how to give a treatment with specific hands positions. The focus is on physical healing. You are attuned and empowered to do direct healing on yourself, family and friends. There is no need for anatomy and physiology knowledge to give Reiki, and applications are many:
- Help your partner/spouse to relax after a stressful day at work
- Pace down your hyper active kids before bed time
- Lower the anxiety of your teens before important exams
- Ground and align yourself before dealing with a group or a crowd
- Recharge your batteries at the end of the day
- Boost anyone’s natural healing abilities for wounds, cuts, burns, flus, broken bones, before/after surgery,
- … and more!
Learning Level 1 is a great way to be able to recharge yourself anytime when you feel drained or weak. Also, you can indulge your loved ones, and it is a beautiful gift they will truly appreciate!
As a path of self-transformation: Physical/etheric cleansing and healing.
Level 2: advanced / practitioner
Three symbols, their use and meanings are imparted to you. With this knowledge, you can direct your healing abilities towards emotional and mental healing, as well as healing at a distance (space, time). You learn advanced healing techniques, and session protocols.
Consider Level 2 if you wish to:
- extend your healing repertoire to all spheres of the body
- learn how to cleanse, protect and empower objects, space, intakes (food, medication, etc), groups, situations
- work on all living beings (pets, plants).
Prerequisite: Having completed Level 1.
Minimum time between Levels 1 and 2: 3-6 months.
The second level of Reiki is particularly recommended for those wishing to work in depth beyond the physical plane, and those who want to use Reiki professionally, or simply explore its potential use. You learn to use Reiki energy directly on the mental and emotions, to release negative thought patterns. Working at this level allows a fast personal growth because you can work directly on the origin of physical and energy blockages.
It also reduces the risk of disease through prevention and avoiding somatization.
You learn to give professional sessions to others, learning advanced techniques and the complete protocol of a session.
Finally, you can work on animals, plants, and purify and energize objects, food, medicines, places, etc..
To work at this level, you are imparted three powerful symbols. These symbols allow you to channel more energy, and to send Reiki to other levels of consciousness (unconscious, superconscious).
You also learn to send Reiki energy to work remotely on a person (on the physical as well as the mental and emotional planes) even if they are thousands of miles away.
Finally, you can work on past traumas, and situations in the future.
To move to this level of Reiki, you will be imprinted a third symbol.
The possibilities are endless at this level, Reiki and energy act in a positive way and according to what is good for you and the person you are treating.
As a path of self-transformation: Emotional and mental healing, healing the past, positive changes in unwanted thought patterns.
Level 3: master
You are imprinted with the Mastery symbols. You explore valuable knowledge on the spiritual and esoteric aspects of Reiki. You get complex knowledge about the vital energy, subtle bodies, chakras, etc.
You can now use the full range of Usui symbols, and treat on all levels of the human being: physical, emotional, mental and spiritual.
Prerequisite: Having completed Level 2.
Minimum time between Level 2 and Level 3: 6 months-1 year.
As a path self-transformation: Awakening of the Higher Self, aligning the personality with the Soul, finding one’s life purpose.
Level 4: teacher
You are imprinted with the Attunement symbol, and taught the protocoles, method and ethics of teaching and certification. You explore the responsibilities of teaching Reiki. You can now use the full range of Usui symbols, and teach and attune students.
Prerequisite: Having completed Level 3.
Minimum time between Levels 3 and 4: 6 months-1 year.
As a path self-transformation: Awakening of the Higher Self, aligning the personality with the Soul, finding one’s life purpose.
About the Reiki Attunement Process
To be able to give Reiki, you have to be attuned by a Reiki Master Teacher. A Reiki Attunement is a massive transfer of energy that opens up the crown, heart, and palm chakras and clears energy blockages, to allow Reiki energies to flow through. That opens a channel for the Reiki energy to flow from the Universe to the practitioner to the recipient. The more a person uses Reiki, the clearer and stronger the flow becomes.
In addition, the Reiki symbols are imprinted in the student’s aura and activated in his/her hands.
The attunement process is what makes Reiki stand apart from other types of healing systems. Although others healing arts may use hand positions on the client, only Reiki has the wonderful benefit of the attunement process. .
