Reiki Level I

Reiki Level I instruction is, I think, the most important. It provides a foundational understanding of the origins, ethics and practice of Usui Reiki. There should be a pretty large chunk of information provided to the student and some means of helping the student really absorb that information. Good information at the beginning gives the student a solid foundation. The following posts are just my personal take on training. These ideas are not carved in stone. Feel free comment and share your own approach.

Here's my idea of a good Reiki Level I curriculum outline:

Day One:

Start the day with instruction on sitting and following the breath. Instruction should be given to the group of students together. This means no stragglers and strict starting times. After instruction the students should be led in meditation for intervals of fifteen minutes during the morning.

Between meditation sessions I would provide instruction on the Three Pillars of Reiki - Gassho, the Five Principles and explanation of Reiki and its transmission.

Afternoon session would begin with meditation followed by the History of Usui Reiki including but not limited to Takata's Reiki story. The student would then be instructed in self treatment and given an attunement using either traditional or non-traditional rites.

The student will leave with a Reiki Blessing and instruction to treat herself before the next session.

Day Two:

Opening meditation and self-treatment. Morning instruction would include a serious conversation about ethics and boundaries. This conversation should be in-depth and students should be provided with several printed examples of professional codes of ethics.

Afternoon begins with meditation and instruction on treating another person. This includes a review of hand placements, opening and closing rituals and an introduction to following the flow of Reiki to determine where to treat.

The day closes with a completion of attunements. The student leaves with a Reiki Blessing and instructions to do self-treatment before the next session.

Day Three:

Begin with meditation and self-treatment. the morning should be a review of everything to that point. Don't be afraid to give the students a written test, not so that they can pass or fail but so they can know what they've retained and get a firmer grasp on the information.

Afternoon is devoted to meditation and treating others. The group can be divided in half and groups can trade off giving treatments. The day will end with a presentation of Certificates and an opportunity to process.

Follow-up: The teacher should provide each student with her contact information and schedule a check-in within a couple of weeks. The check-in can be by telephone. It is also advisable to set up one group meet-up to share experiences and ask questions. I would schedule this meeting about three weeks after the class. Each student would have had a personal check-in and have had plenty of time to do some treatments on family members and friends.

Personally, I teach Level I as a tool for personal use. Before setting up a professional Reiki practice, I think a student should have completed Level II and have done and documented at least 40 hours of treatments. That's pretty stringent but I think it gives the student the time to plan her business and gain confidence in her abilities.

Level II training next.